Hosting a film screening is a great way to get together with friends, have some fun, see a great film, and talk about the issues that matter to you. It’s that easy. We’re sharing some helpful tips below, but feel free to “wing it” and hold a party that works best for you.
Information below:
1. Simple Steps to Hosting a Great MeetUp!
Pick a Time & Location
We suggest 1.5 – 2 hours for the event. The movie is about 50 minutes, and you’ll want to have plenty of time to welcome people, and allow guests to mingle.
Pick a time and location that will keep your stress level low. Some people love to host at their home, others can’t imagine their house would be clean long enough to have others over.
Some non-home location options you might consider include:
- Library meeting room
- Coffee shop/Café
- Restaurant
- School cafeteria
- Community center
- Bar/Lounge
- Your house
- Religious facility
- Business office
- Park/Playground
Invite Others
Friends, family, parents of kids in your children’s classes or sports teams, neighbors, book groups, and more. You can invite anyone who you think may be interested! Another option is to hold a public event. For example: invite other MomsRising.org members in your geographic area (we can help), post an invitation to local listervs or moms groups, or include an announcement in the bulletin of your place of worship.
Your house party can be whatever size you’d like. Eight is a great number, although larger or smaller will work fine too. It's often good to invite more people than you expect to attend; a rule of thumb is to invite twice as many people as you’d like to attend.
Some tips:
- Send invitations early, if possible. People are busy, and you want to get on their calendar. Be sure to follow up to get RSVPs.
- Plan any publicity. If you’re doing a public event, you might make a flyer, send emails to relevant partners, post announcements on local listservs, etc.
- If possible, partner with another group on the event. This is a great way to get the word out to more people.
- Send reminders. Don’t forget to send an email reminder several days before the meetup, and if possible on the day of the screening too.
Plan to be awesome
You will rock this! Showing a film to friends is fun, easy and doable. A little planning goes a long, long way when it comes to pulling off a great event. Whether you’re an “old pro” at hosting an event, or get nervous speaking to a group, we’re here to help. Some tips:
Food.
Let’s face it: yummy treats can be the highlight of an event. We’ll send some organic popcorn, which you can dress up with fun seasonings. Planning a breakfast or evening event? Make it a potluck, or a dessert party! People will be happy to bring something along, so if that’s helpful be sure to ask in your invitation!
Agenda.
Think about timing, flow and goals for the event. Having a general sense of when you’ll show the film, eat food, etc. will help keep things on track. Ask a friend to act as “timekeeper”. Check out the sample agenda below to get you started.
Handouts.
We’re sending a small supply of useful handouts on the school meal and snack standards, which will help fuel the conversation and answer questions from participants. If you’re inviting people you might not know, or who might not know each other, put out a sign-in sheet and some nametags as well (masking tape works great for nametags!).
Check equipment.
Make sure the film, sound and screen are ready to go before your guests arrive, to avoid any last-minute scrambles.
Take photos.
Be sure to snap some fun pictures, and share them with Karen@momsrising.org or #GoodFoodForce on Twitter or Facebook. Your success will be inspiring to others!
Ask for help!
We’re here to answer any questions about the film, issues, or planning an event. You can also connect to other Meetup organizers on the Good Food Force Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/780925495294162/. And remember: your friends will be happy to help, too. Whether you need some help getting the word out, setting up chairs, preparing snacks, or taking pictures, it’s always a great and easy idea to pull others onto the team.
Have Fun!
Don’t forget to have fun yourself! If the host is having fun, the guests are usually enjoying themselves too. Try to finish all of your set-up well before hand so you can focus on people, not tasks, once the Meetup has started (a good rule of thumb is at least 30 minutes in advance). Enjoy! You did a great job pulling this together!
Share your success!
You did it! Great job! Please take a moment to share photos, feedback and any fun quotes with the MomsRising team: Karen@momsrising.org or #GoodFoodForce.
2. Sample Meetup Agenda
Arrivals: 15 minutes
Plan in time for people to arrive, get food, mingle and get settled.
Welcome: 10 minutes
Welcome guests and share a few personal thoughts about why you’ve organized the Meetup. Your story will be inspiring to others; don’t be afraid to share it!
Ask each person to introduce themselves. In addition to sharing their name, ask them for a fun fact too, to help break the ice.
Briefly share the agenda for the evening.
Watch Documentary: 50 minutes
Group Discussion: 20 minutes
Plan some time for guests to digest and discuss the film a bit. Sample discussion questions:
What stood out to you about the film?
What do you see happening in our own schools?
The film highlights Tony Geraci’s dynamic personality as a force for change. How can each of us “be Tony” in our own community?
Take Action: 5 minutes
Schools are in the process of implementing the new healthy meal and snack standards. The handouts provide basic facts on each. Although these are required of schools, parents still have a big role to play in encouraging and supporting the implementation of these healthy updates. Feel free to suggest some potential actions for the group:
- Circulate a petition thanking your school, school district, or State Nutrition Director, for their hard work implementing the meal and snack standards. Let them know moms and dads support a healthy school day!
- Find out about the Wellness Committee at your local school. This is a great way for parents to get involved in ensuring a healthy school day.
- Brainstorm ideas for healthy class parties or fundraisers, and connect with school staff over options for promoting them during the school year.
- Invite participants to join the Good Food Force, which will give them access to regular updates on food issues, a national community of parents who care about healthy kids, invitations to special events and more: http://action.momsrising.org/signup/goodfoodforce1/.
Thanks and Farewell: 3 minutes
Be sure to thank everyone for coming. Moms are powerful, and connecting with others in your community who are eager to discuss these issues is the start of something BIG! Well done!
Be sure to thank everyone for coming. Moms are powerful, and connecting with others in your community who are eager to discuss these issues is the start of something BIG! Well done!
- Sign up for a free film screening kit (available in May and June 2015 only).
- Download our handy screening guide.
- Tipsheet on school snacks.
- Tipsheet on food marketing to kids.
- Supporting healthy school meals: tips for parents
- Supporting healthy school meals: tips for educators
- Contact us at karen@momsrising.org with any questions!
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