Help Recruit Co-Sponsors for the Living Schoolyards Act!

The Living Schoolyards Act (S-1538) was reintroduced to Congress in May 2023 by Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) One of the best ways that we can help support the passage of the bill now is to ask other Senators to co-sponsor the bill!

There are two ways you can do this - you can call your representative and speak to their staffers or you can send them a letter. There are resources below to help you - both options should only take a few minutes of your day! Thank you for helping to support this historic legislation!

Option 1: Send an online letter

• Step 1: Visit this website and input your address

• Step 2: Select your representatives 

• Step 3: Copy the call script below into the letter page, make any edits that make it feel more personal to you, and hit send! 

Option 2: Call your senators!

• Step 1: Look up your Senator’s contact information here 

• Step 2: Dial their number

• Step 3: When a staffer picks up, use the script below to tell them about the bill and make your ask about co-sponsorship. You can also leave this as a message if you don’t get through to a staffer

Hi, 

My name is ________. I live in (CITY) and am a constituent of Senator _______. 

I am calling because I would like them to consider co-sponsoring the Living Schoolyards Act (S-1538). It’s a bill that was introduced to the Senate by Senator Martin Heinrich (NM). This legislation will direct federal funding towards greening school grounds. It would specifically provide planning and installation grants to schools to create living schoolyards and outdoor classroom spaces.  

This is important to me because I care deeply about children’s health and well-being, education, and the impacts of climate change. School districts are one of the largest land managers in almost every city and town in the United States and the choices they make directly impact students’ experiences and the well-being of the surrounding community. Removing asphalt and planting trees and other plants on school grounds provides hands-on learning experiences for students, environmental benefits like stormwater management and carbon sequestration, and health benefits, like protecting children from extreme heat and other impacts of climate change.

If Senator _______ is interested in learning more or co-sponsoring the bill, please have their staff contact Elizabeth Hill at Elizabeth_Hill@heinrich.senate.gov and Tracie Benally at Tracie_Benally@heinrich.senate.gov in the office of Senator Heinrich (NM).

Thanks!