As we near the end of this strange year, I want to thank our loyal readers, in print and online. Our readership this year was the highest it’s ever been, and you’ve helped us set new readership records on our website and on our social media channels. Thank you for the faith you demonstrate in our publication.
I look back and wonder where this year went. To me, it seems like March and the introduction of COVID-19 into our lives was just days ago. Possibly that might be because we haven’t slowed down since.
As members of the media, when COVID-19 hit, we went into fifth gear. When others went home to quarantine, we were considered essential services and kept our office open and expanded our hours to help keep our readers informed about this new and strange disease.
Just when we were beginning to understand how big COVID might be, there was the death of George Floyd, followed by Breonna Taylor, and Black Lives Matter was in full steam. Before we could figure out how to breathe, or rest, it was election time and we shifted into yet another gear, and pivoted like so many other businesses.
No matter what came our way this year, as always, we made sure to keep our focus on how to bring you the news from our community’s perspective. We proudly stayed focused on delivering for YOU!
New this year is our solutions-driven focus. More than just writing about the issues, we sought out and reported on programs that offered solutions to some of our community’s greatest problems.
We found programs that addressed driver’s license suspensions, the revolving payday loan cycle, and policies that keep people locked up just because they’re too poor to afford bail, and not because they’ve been found guilty of any crime – these were just a few of the issues we found solutions for.
Providing this type of quality and targeted reporting to our readers isn’t cheap. In fact, it’s growing more and more expensive each year. However, we continue to provide our paper and all of our online coverage to our readers free of charge.
Help us keep our publication free to our readers in 2021 by making a one-time or recurring donation to The Community Voice. Now through the end of the year, our partner, Report for America, will triple any donation you make to them.
In 2021 we’ll have two Report for America reporters on our staff. While RFA pays half of their salary, we’re responsible for raising funds to cover the other half of their salary. If we can raise $10,000 this month, thanks to RFA’s match, we’ll just about have our half covered.
To be TRIPLED, donations must be made by Dec. 31st. Use our DONATE button at the top of the page or click this link now.
Thanking you in advance.
Bonita Gooch
Publisher
The Community Voice