• Our world is in crisis. Our food systems are unsustainable and oppressive. Our food policies disproportionately hurt Black, Indigenous and People of Color, low-income communities, and women. 
• Slow Food USA is a driving force for change at the local, national and international level. We believe in uniting the joy of food with the pursuit of justice. We are committed to transforming the world to guarantee good, clean and fair food for all. 
• We need to grow our membership to bring a full spectrum of lived experiences together so that we can truly and equitably rebuild the table. Together, we achieve true food justice and racial equity in our network and our world.

• Let’s rebuild the table together. Become a member of your local chapter today.

Join a passionate local chapter that’s building relationships with your community and uniting the joy of food with the pursuit of justice. Support a national network that’s building tools, campaigns and resources to make an epic impact on our oppressive food systems. Plug in to a global Slow Food movement that’s fighting for good, clean and fair food for all.

What do I get by becoming a member?
Becoming a member of your local chapter comes with the following benefits:

• News and updates from your local chapter, with information about events, volunteer opportunities and ways to support your local food community
• Discounts on local and regional Slow Food events
• Early access to new programs, projects and trainings from Slow Food USA
• A limited-edition gift at the end of the year
• Opportunities to join national working groups focused on sustainable fishing, policy and advocacy, rare food preservation, reading circles and more

What does my membership pay for?
The Slow Food USA network of more than 100 local chapters cannot exist without support from our members! Here’s where your dollars go:

• Critical grantmaking through our National Resilience Fund, which supports food businesses making an impact in their communities
• Robust engagement with our national network around racial equity and justice through trainings, office hours, national book discussions, and more
• Annual programs like the School Gardens initiative, which sustains gardening programs in dozens of local schools
• Support for the USA’s Ark of Taste, which identifies and preserves the stories and legacies of Indigenous and other important foods 
• News and storytelling content that amplifies a diverse array of voices and ideas from across the Slow Food movement
• Administrative support for the complex needs of 100 volunteer-led chapters in the US, so that their initiatives and partnerships can thrive
• Maintaining a small but mighty team of 4 Slow Food USA employees, who support these local, national and international efforts

If your chapter is participating in our revenue share pilot program, mention to your audience that their membership dollars will directly benefit the work your chapter is doing.

• Our September content calendar is filled with updates from across our network, highlighting ways we are centering our three pillars of work: We nourish cultural and biological diversity; educate, inspire and mobilize people and communities; and advance policies that transform food systems. Check out the highlights here.
• We are providing all chapters with a membership kit; use code 2021kit to get a free kit mailed to you!
• We’re featuring not one, but two membership exchanges. New members have the chance to become a member of either Food Tank or Heritage Radio Network if they become a Slow Food USA member for a limited time in September!
• Our annual give-what-you-can day will take place on Wednesday, Sept. 15. Make sure to promote this via email and social media.

Consider sharing content being released from Slow Food USA’s Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn feeds all month long and telling your audiences how it’s relevant to your chapter! Here’s our content calendar for the month.

You could also include a photo and quote from someone in your network about why they are a Slow Food member. People love to hear from real people! Please prioritize the voices of Black, Indigenous and People of Color, LGBTQ+ people, and women who are members or on your board.

Make sure to always share a link to our membership page when you post: https://slowfoodusa.org/become-a-member/ 

Content ideas about joining your local chapter:

• Help [Slow Food chapter] move closer to transforming our world and guaranteeing good, clean and fair food for all: become a member. For $60 per year, you can help fuel our efforts here in [city/region name] and strengthen a number of programs, campaigns and initiatives that are changing our nation and world’s oppressive and unsustainable food systems.
• How can your membership help [Slow Food chapter]? (Describe some of the efforts you completed during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, or some educational programming you have produced, or some ways you are building partnerships, or other great updates from your chapter)

Content ideas about joining the national and international network:

• Our world is in crisis. We need to come together and rebuild the table so that we can all have access to good, clean and fair food. Join our movement to unite the joy of food with the pursuit of justice. Please become a member today.
• Become a member today so that [Slow Food chapter] can continue to be our local hub of a national network and a global movement of people demanding good, clean and fair food for all.
• Your membership doesn’t just help [Slow Food chapter] — it also makes sure that the US has an active policy and advocacy team helping us make major systemic changes, new and engaging programming that advances Slow Food values.
• Your membership dollars also build up our grantmaking effort called the National Resilience Fund that’s supporting food businesses through this challenging time. Together, we can provide financial support to local community initiatives and food systems. 
• (Feel free to pull out a few items from the “What does my membership pay for?” section above that you think would appeal to your community)

Give What You Can Day is a critical moment for you to raise awareness about joining your chapter as a member for any amount. On Wednesday, Sept. 15, please post at least once on your social media channels with the following information.

Today is Give What You Can Day for [Slow Food chapter]! All day long, you can become a member of our community for any dollar amount. We want to make sure we’re all able to come together and strengthen our momentum toward good, clean and fair food FOR ALL. 

Click below for square and rectangular graphics to use on Sept. 15: