Every spring, Congress takes a recess between late March and early April, when most senators and representatives head home to their districts. That makes it prime time for face-to-face constituent connection — and CCL chapters across the country use it to deliver climate information and stacks of constituent letters straight to local offices.
This year's spring drop-offs were no exception. Here's how a few chapters made the most of the recess.
Poems and peace lilies in Greater Detroit
The Greater Detroit chapter showed up with peace lilies and an original poem about permitting reform. Chapter leader Julie Budde said they wanted a leave-behind that was environmentally responsible and wouldn't be tossed in a drawer — the peace lily signals the chapter comes "in peace," and it literally purifies the office air. Volunteer Hailey Hicks wrote the rhyming poem herself, and the chapter signed it "the humans of the Greater Detroit CCL chapter" to underscore that real people put real care into it.
"I wanted to be clear that we put time and energy and personalization into this, rather than handing it off for a machine to do," Budde said. At least one staffer stuck around for an extended conversation — as Hicks put it, "it was wonderful to have such a positive reception."
"I wanted to be clear that we put time and energy and personalization into this, rather than handing it off for a machine to do."
— Julie Budde, Greater Detroit chapter leader
Constituent letters all over Las Vegas
CCL Las Vegas blanketed five congressional offices — two senators and three representatives — with stacks of constituent letters, and held in-person meetings with district staff from Rep. Dina Titus and Sen. Jacky Rosen. Group leader Joanne Leovy said the visits were a chance to thank the offices for their work and talk through shared climate and energy goals. The chapter even brought along members of the local Audubon Society and Nevada Clinicians for Climate Action.
By the numbers, the chapter delivered 75 letters to each senator and 20 to 30 to each House representative — with more on the way for CCL's summer conference in Washington.
San Mateo puts BRIDGE in action
CCL San Mateo took a different tack. Student chapter members Lucas Clavel and Riya Arwal recorded a podcast interview with Rep. Kevin Mullin in his district office. Because Mullin already backs permitting reform and sits on climate-related caucuses, the chapter used his recess time to support the students' creative project rather than lobby him on positions he already holds.
Chapter volunteer Cynthia Sandoval called it "BRIDGE in action." "Lobbying wasn't our priority," she said. "This was building our relationship with dialogue, growth, and engagement."
"This was BRIDGE in action. Lobbying wasn't our priority — it was building our relationship with dialogue, growth, and engagement."
— Cynthia Sandoval, CCL San Mateo
Keep learning
Start your BRIDGE journey
BRIDGE — Building Relationships in Intentional Dialogue, Growth, and Engagement — walks you through the skills these chapters put to work.
From poems to peace lilies to podcasts, CCL volunteers found creative ways to make their voices heard this spring. With more than 350 chapters across the country, there's almost certainly one near you doing the same.
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