This past May, AFTD staff and other FTD advocates traveled to New York and California to celebrate the successful passing of their respective resolutions that commemorate September 22-29 as FTD Awareness Week. Now, we need your help to support FTD Awareness Week in every state!

Awareness proclamations and resolutions are a great way to increase FTD visibility in your town or state – and ultimately across the country. Both are formal statements issued by governing bodies, but they serve different purposes and have distinct characteristics.

A proclamation is a formal public announcement issued by an authority figure, while a resolution is an official expression of opinion adopted by a legislative body. Resolutions are typically used to give directives within government, while proclamations celebrate events or designate awareness periods.

One major difference is that resolutions are legally binding and therefore require sponsorship and a vote, while proclamations are ceremonial and do not carry the same legal weight. Both are important ways to spread awareness of FTD!

For a proclamation, you can get started by downloading AFTD’s Proclamation Toolkit and sending an email to advocacy@theaftd.org to let us know which city, town, or state you are seeking a proclamation from. The toolkit contains a letter template and sample proclamation language, along with step-by-step guidance on securing a proclamation in your state. Know that AFTD is here to support you and answer any questions. Be sure to take a photo and tag us on social media once your proclamation is received – we want to celebrate your success!

AFTD has also prepared a toolkit about passing resolutions. To pass a resolution in your state, you need a legislator to sponsor it in your state’s Senate or House/Assembly. This process requires more work than a proclamation, so we encourage folks to work together. AFTD is currently forming small, state-level groups of advocates to achieve more resolutions. If you are interested in joining a group in your state, contact advocacy@theaftd.org today!

AFTD’s community is all too familiar with the struggles and isolation that come from the lack of broad FTD awareness. Resolutions and proclamations for FTD Awareness week help raise visibility, and foster working relationships with local and state officials. and shape public policies to improve care, supports, and respite services.

With your help, we can change the landscape of FTD awareness. Visit the AFTD Advocacy Action Center, download our toolkits, and reach out to advocacy@theaftd.org today to make FTD Awareness Week official where you live!