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Let's clear up what you might be worried about.
Most people pause right here, and usually for one of three reasons. They worry that joining means getting pulled into more than they signed up for. They worry about privacy, about being publicly attached to this. Or they worry they are not informed enough to belong in the room.
None of those are dealbreakers. Joining does not commit you to actions, leadership, public visibility, or paid membership. Nothing you do here is public facing. And you do not need to be an expert. You just need to participate in good faith and look out for the people doing the work. You can do this.
Why do we do it this way?
We are a volunteer led network of neighbors across Cherokee, Pickens, Bartow, Forsyth, and Cobb counties. We are not a political party. We are people who got tired of waiting for someone else to do something.
Some roles, spaces, and coordination are reserved for verified members. That is how we protect people's privacy, move responsibly, and build the kind of trust that lets ordinary people take real action without taking on unnecessary risk. The structure exists to look out for you, not to keep you out.
Here is how joining works.
Three steps, and only the first is required.
Step 1 — Join the site (Required)
Create a website account so we can stay in touch and share updates. This gives you emails and announcements, public resources, and invitations to New Member Orientation. A member profile is created automatically. It is internal only, never public, and may be visible to vetted NGA CAN members through our private directory. You control what information you share and what name appears there, and you can update it anytime.
Step 2 — Complete the Community Intake Form (Recommended)
This is how you become a verified member. Verification opens access to certain internal spaces, higher trust coordination, and non public information. It exists for community safety and so people can participate at different levels based on their own circumstances. Not everyone's verification looks the same.
Step 3 — Attend a New Member Orientation (Optional, but encouraged)
Held on an as-needed basis, orientation covers how NGA CAN works, safety and privacy and expectations, the different ways people participate, and a live Q&A with other new members. There is no pressure to commit to anything during or after.
There is no single right way to do this.
People participate based on their time, energy, and comfort level, and every one of these matters: attending public events, taking action from home, helping host or support events, donating to sustain the work, becoming a paid member, or supporting organizing behind the scenes.
You choose what makes sense for you, and that can change over time. Paid membership is always optional and never required to participate.