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Read and share online: https://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/weve-almost-made-it-membership-drive-extended-until-january-18th

Dear Free Software Supporter,

Over the last few weeks, 368 new associate members have answered the call to stand strong with the Free Software Foundation (FSF) in support of software freedom. We're thrilled and grateful to have received all the donations and membership renewals that have contributed to our year-end drive. We had a goal of 500 new members by December 31st. We knew this was ambitious. We didn't quite make it, but since we saw such a strong surge of support right at the end, we're going to extend the date to January 18th.

It's been great to see how the free software message has inspired people from all walks of life and all over the world in 2020, and we're looking forward to starting a new year of defending and promoting free software, but we need your help to make sure that the FSF starts 2021 off strong.

Over the last year, millions of people around the world have become increasingly dependent on computer software as part of their daily lives -- whether they're using the computer on their desk or the mobile phone in their pocket. Our mission is to make sure that each one of those people knows about the importance of software freedom and has access to free replacements to abusive proprietary software, and we rely on your support to help make that possible. It's an ambitious goal, and our small but dedicated staff works tirelessly to make it happen. You can read more about the impactful work the partnership between this community and our staff has accomplished at https://fsf.org/appeal/.

For thirty-five years, the FSF has dreamed of a world where software that respects its users' freedom is the norm rather than the exception. We've come a long way, and to help us go even further, we're extending our membership drive and offer for gifts to new and renewing associate members until January 18th, giving you two more weeks to stand with us in support of free software and receive a token of our appreciation at the same time.

Can you show your support for the FSF and the free software movement by becoming an associate member today? Joining as a member will grant you access to our benefits for associate members, including a free "as in freedom" videoconferencing server. It also makes you eligible to receive one of our exclusive gifts during this fundraiser period.

And if you're still looking for a belated holiday gift, we've recently rolled out the ability to gift associate memberships to your friends and family, so you're able to show your loved ones that you care and support free software all in one go.

Our experience over thirty-five years of unbroken advocacy for software freedom has shown the power of what a small group of impassioned and committed individuals can accomplish. We hope that you'll let your friends, family, and followers know the importance of free software, and why it needs their support. Together, I'm confident that we can take great strides toward our goal: a technological future that prioritizes human rights and human freedom over the interests of corporate monopolies.

In freedom,

Greg Farough
Campaigns Manager

Illustration Copyright © 2020 Free Software Foundation, Inc., by Raghavendra Kamath, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license.