The pace and demands of modern life pressure us to carry computers in our pockets laden with nonfree software (our cell phones), and new threats to our privacy are popping up on every street corner, via proprietary Amazon Ring cameras, and on many kitchen counters, via “smart” home devices. Back when our movement was born, software freedom was only of great concern to people who were actively involved in development. Today, nobody in the world can afford to ignore the crucial importance of knowing what our software is doing, and keeping it from doing us harm.

As the battles and triumphs of 2019 fade into the past and the new challenges of 2020 emerge, the Free Software Foundation (FSF) continues our commitment to the goal we’ve had from our earliest days: a future in which all software is free, and can be trusted to serve the needs and best interests of every user. Our strength depends on your support: we need you to boldly carry the message and goal of software freedom to everyone you know, bring them into the fold, and help us mobilize them to use and talk about free software.

That's why the central message of our fall/winter fundraiser has been membership: because our associate members are the most committed fighters for the cause of software freedom, pledging not just financial support but also a vote of confidence. This is your final chance to help us reach our goal of 600 new members by the end of 2019 (and your last chance for a tax deduction if you're in the US), so today is the day to join the FSF! The numbers matter, and FSF membership is a very powerful gesture to make for only $10 a month ($5 if you are a student).

As a special bonus, all new and renewing annual associate members ($120+) can choose to receive one of our exclusive year-end gifts. If you get a minimum of three people to mention you as a referral, you can get the gifts, too!

While financial support is a must, using your voice to boost our movement is an equally important role for every member and supporter. We're behind on our new membership goal for this fundraiser period, so please help us get the word out today! You can expand our reach by sharing our posts on social media, sharing our articles via email, and talking to your friends, family, and coworkers about why free software should matter to them. We've prepared some images as fun conversation starters you can share: use the hashtag #ISupportFreeSoftware and help them spread!

We’re spending the end of this year making plans to make 2020 the best year for the FSF ever: you can read about some of these plans in the reports from our tech team, licensing and compliance team, and campaigns team. Will this be the year that we make user freedom a kitchen table issue? We’ll never stop trying – and we hope you’ll be by our side all the way.