Dear Friend,

You matter. Your actions are having a positive impact. Your day-to-day efforts may not grab news headlines, but they make a difference.

Your seemingly small actions like smiling at a stranger, untangling fishing line from a pelican's wing, or donating to an organization whose work you believe in, carry the seeds of hope. What if right now we don't need a 'silver bullet' or the 'next big flashy thing'? Instead, how about a dose of compassionate, steady, and hope-full collective action? The issues and opportunities facing the people, land, water, and wildlife of our Mighty Mississippi are tremendous. Rather than 100 people caring 'perfectly' around the clock, we need hundreds of communities making steady, day-to-day choices that create a healthier River. And who knows -- that next seemingly small action you take may be the spark for another person to care. Thank you, and we'll see you out there!

What small actions are you taking for our River? Let me know at michael@1mississippi.org. 

-Michael Anderson, Outreach and Engagement Manager, Mississippi River Network

P.S. If you are looking for some next steps, check out our 10 Actions.

It’s that time of year again! The Mississippi River Network (MRN) sprang into action for our annual D.C. “fly-in” event. Over one week, we engaged 25 Congressional offices in all 10 mainstem Mississippi River states with participation from 16 MRN member organizations!

What's a fly-in? What did we talk about, and what did we learn? Our Policy Director, Maisah, and the Iowa Environmental Council (IEC)'s Alicia co-author share the details in their latest co-authored blog.

“Our proactive solution is to restore habitat along our River. We know that functioning habitats – like healthy rivers, reconnected floodplains, and restored wetlands – are powerful tools.” Read the blog here.