1.      Designate one person to be the primary spokesperson for the meeting.

2.      Be brief with your introductions. Many groups bore the member/staffer to death with long-winded introductions that use up most of their time.

3.      Provide a brief overview of the history of the coalition/program, but spend the bulk of your time discussing the major accomplishments of your program.

4.      Highlight certain aspects of your coalition/program including the key groups involved, number of volunteers, outcomes, etc.

5.       Ask how you can work with the member and staff on the substance abuse issue.

6.      Tell them that CAADPE represents on local, state, and national levels.

7.      Use the materials and graphs from CAADPE

Materials to Leave Behind

• A brochure describing CAADPE and your agency (if applicable). Your agency brochure should highlight successful and innovative programs.

• Sample publications, posters, T-shirts from your group.

• Newspaper Clippings in favor of the issue, Research, and Survey Findings