HOST AN "IN-REACH" GATHERING

If you are a medical cannabis advocate, chances are your friends and family have seen you post topics about medical cannabis on social media or have heard you talk about the subject at social events. But is it likely that they have not really had the opportunity to think about the topic, how policy change is happening, or why it means so much to you?

Hosting a house party, reception, or even an online gathering is easy and a great way to engage more people in your network to learn about the nuances of medical cannabis, how they can support the issue, and connect with ASA. Think Tupperware party or book club meets social change. Actually, house parties are how politicians raise most of their funds from smaller donors and recruit volunteers.

Below are some tips and links to resources to help you with your event:

Pick a Date and Time

House Party: The best times to schedule house parties are Wednesday/Friday evenings and Sunday afternoons. These events can be as short or as long as you like, 1-2 hours is plenty of time to accomplish your goals and a shorter time frame will help ensure you have everyone together when it is time to make your pitch!

Online Event: Wednesday or Sunday evenings or Saturday early afternoon are best. One hour- 90 minutes is plenty of time! But it’s your network, if you know there is a better time, go with that!

Build a Guest List

Invite your friends, neighbors, coworkers, and members of groups you’re involved in. Recruit co-hosts to help you spread the word and invite their contacts. The general rule is to invite four times as many people as you expect to attend (really!).

Send Invitations

Send an email to your friends and family (see example below) or set up an event page using a third-party service, or send it as a calendar invite with the details.   

Plan the Event

House Party

Location: Provide guests with easy directions to your home or the party location; clearly indicating your house for the day of the party; let guests know where
they can park.

Layout: Think about where in your home is the most comfortable to accommodate the group; provide enough seats; where the sign-in sheet, ASA materials, food and drink will be located; etc.

Refreshments: Food and drink is up to you, but food that can be eaten while standing is best. Finger foods that don’t require utensils like hors d’oeuvres, cheese and crackers, veggies, cookies, and brownies work well. Or suggest a potluck option so everyone can chip in. It doesn’t need to be anything fancy.

Have fun: Maybe consider a theme to encourage attendance and fun! Costume party, dance party, craft party, whatever… as long as you make it clear that learning about medical cannabis policy is the main purpose of the event.

Program: It is usually a good idea to give guests a few minutes to arrive, grab some refreshments, and say hello, but don’t wait too long; bring everyone together, tell them about ASA, issues still facing medical cannabis patients, the Safe Access 4 All Campaign, and why it is important to you. Show them a presentation or ASA video. Then make the ask.

Online Event

Platform invite: Create an event on your preferred online meeting platform and send login instructions to everyone who RSVP'd.

Program: Give guests a few minutes to arrive, introduce yourself, and let them introduce themselves to the group. Tell them about ASA, issues still facing medical cannabis patients, the Safe Access 4 All Campaign, and why it is important to you. Show them a presentation or ASA video. Then make the ask.

The Art of the Ask

Make a plan: Let them know how they can get involved & ask them to become ASA members or to donate.  

Have a goal in mind for the ask: “Help me meet my goal of having everyone sign up with ASA and to raise $5,000 (or whatever the amount) or sign up 20 new members”.

TIP: Have a plant give the first donation so that after your pitch someone immediately says, “I want to contribute x amount, or I’ll sign up to become a member”.

 Make it easy:

House Party

 Print this document and pass it around,  have everyone open their smartphones to the ASA donate page or membership page,  or have a tablet to pass around.

Online Event:

Have the ASA sign-up, donate & membership URLs ready to add to the chat box on the online platform

Get Materials together:

House party:

Print the ASA sign-up page, Safe Access 4 All outreach flyer, the legislative briefing materials, or any other materials you want to share.  

Make sure the video or presentation setup works

Make a sign or get some balloons so guests know they are at the right house

Online Event:

Have links handy for Safe Access 4 All outreach flyer, the legislative briefing materials, any other materials you want to share, the ASA sign-up, donate, & membership pages.

Make sure the video or presentation can play from your screen

Enjoy your party/event: Have fun! Raising funds for and awareness for our movement and the work of ASA is pretty cool.

Document and Share! Take some photos and post them to social media encouraging others to host a house party! Send photos to [email protected] so that we can share them on our social media platforms too!

Follow up with ASA:

Send us an email to tell us how it went!

Sample Invite:

Subject: Join me for a party to learn more about medical cannabis
Body:

Dear Friend,
I hope you can join me at LOCATION on DATE/TIME. I am so excited to have an opportunity to bring together my friends to share a project that is near and dear to my heart.

Americans for Safe Access is the largest national organization of patients, medical cannabis providers, medical professionals, scientists, and concerned citizens promoting safe and legal access to cannabis for therapeutic use and research.

ADD something personal, “without their work I would not be able to use medical cannabis legally.”

But unfortunately, medical cannabis remains illegal federally, keeping these treatments out of reach for millions of Americans including federal employees and contractors, and veterans utilizing VA medical services. In states with medical cannabis laws, these models do not address many medical or logistical needs for patients, only serving a privileged class of Americans. And in both regulated and unregulated markets, patients and their caregivers can’t depend on the quality of the cannabis products: free of contaminants, accurate labels or standardized
products.

I would love to get an opportunity to tell you more about their ongoing work and get a chance to hang out!

Please RSVP to this email.

If you are unable to attend, please consider becoming a member or donate, because every dollar counts in the fight for safe access to medical cannabis for all who need it!

See you there!