Dear Friends,
We’ve had our best 48 hours of fundraising yet, but we’re counting on our supporters to please keep the momentum going until midnight on December 31st. Since Thursday, we’ve raised $13,505 from 29 donors. $760 of this was doubled thanks to our $4,500 Christmas Eve doubling challenge from a super angel, bringing our total to $47,268 from 306 donors. We’re incredibly grateful for your support!
As you can see, we’re still a good distance from our goal of $140,000 by midnight Dec 31st. This is to fund our budget for 2025, including our work helping citizens end fluoridation locally, or work lobbying in support of state legislation reversing mandates and prohibiting fluoridation, our continued improvement and maintenance of our website and educational databases, our work submitting comments to government agencies, our work educating the public and the media about the harms associated with fluoridation, and all the infrastructural overhead that comes with running a nonprofit. Nothing goes to waste here at FAN, and we operate as cost-efficiently as possible with limited staff and a large network of dedicated and passionate volunteers.
NEXT $5,000 WILL BE DOUBLED – We have our third doubling challenge so far this fundraiser, this time from a long-time member of the FAN family from the West Coast. Donate now to double your impact!
Maple syrup promo – Remember, anyone who donates $150 or more will still be entered into a random drawing for the remaining 10 pints of pure Vermont maple syrup offered by Jack Crowther.
How To Make A Tax-Deductible Donation
- You can make your donation online using either our new secure fundraising page: https://fluoridealert.networkforgood.com/projects/176427-everyday-giving
- Or our original secure fundraising page if your computer browser is a bit older: https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/1415005
- You can also donate by check, payable and addressed to:
Fluoride Action Network
PO Box 85
North Sutton, NH 03260
Some may mistakenly believe that the battle to end fluoridation is over. In fact, one long-time donor reached out to me asking why we still needed to fundraise since the lawsuit had been won. The truth is, we’re very close to ending fluoridation, and the dominos are definitely beginning to fall, but we still have some significant work to do. If this were the Super Bowl, we wouldn’t be in the end zone yet, but we’re definitely on the goal line.
We have to stay vigilant. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has until January 20th to appeal our victory in federal court. If they choose to appeal, that could delay our progress. If they don’t appeal–which I personally believe they’ll choose–then they have 2 to 3 years to promulgate rules under the Toxic Substances Control Act to eliminate the risk posed to the developing brain by fluoridation. Politics is politics, and a lot can happen in 2 to 3 years within the EPA and in Washington, D.C. that can impact this rules process. FAN is expecting to have to work throughout this process to ensure the letter of the law is followed.
The next presidential administration has taken notice of our legal victory and has expressed support for advising communities to end fluoridation, but the nominee for Health and Human Services Secretary may not be confirmed, and even if confirmed, many communities will still need presentations and information before they ultimately end the practice. An advisory alone will not be enough for many.
Our work has expanded. Fluoridation is a local issue in most of the U.S., meaning that thousands of individual water boards, city councils, and water treatment directors decide whether to continue or end fluoridation. It will be up to FAN to educate many of these decision makers before the EPA acts, and possibly after. We’re already getting many requests from local authorities to make presentations, and many more requests for help from local campaigners. We’re also getting multiple requests from mainstream and alternative media outlets each week.
State legislation will need to be passed. Twelve states have fluoridation mandates that can only be overturned with legislation. It can be a multi-year process, but would likely be required before hundreds, if not a few thousand communities in these states, could choose to end fluoridation. FAN will need to lead these efforts as we’re doing this legislative session in multiple states.
Our opponents are doubling down. The American Dental Association (ADA), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (AADOCR), and other proponents of fluoridation are not giving up. Here are their statements following the ruling:
–ADA
–AAP
Together we can finish the job and make history. Will you help us?