It hasn't been a long time at all with the Reader, but already this staff feels like people that I want to know for the rest of my life. The legacy and mission of the Reader are near and dear to my heart. Amplifying the culture of Chicago, being so proud of this City and your neighbors that you dedicate all of your efforts to celebrating every nook and cranny of our beloved Stinky Onion. 

Various roles over the past few years have been in service to the City and making Chicago better. And at each one, there have been dedicated public servants, private sector partners and just everyday people stepping up. Blessings of people, and you know who you are. 

When things got terrible over here, everyone pushed through their feelings of shock, concern for their own future, and fears for the future of the Reader. This whole team got together and prioritized each other. How to collectively sacrifice to save jobs and reduce overhead to help us save the Reader. Everyone is working so hard to do the extra work that we now have to do on top of the normal day-to-day. A day hasn't gone by where the actions of people at the Reader haven't touched my heart and caused my eyes to leak. This group deserves every kindness and support.

We know what we need to do to get through this. Every week that we get through this, we get closer to rebalancing and then towards building a cushion so this doesn't happen again.

We need your help today

Can you imagine Chicago without the Chicago Reader? We can’t either. But a perfect storm of sudden economic downturns has put us in a precarious position, without much time to spare.

We’re not giving up though. We have a clear path forward, but only if we can raise enough from enough supporters to make it through this crisis. 

If you value the Reader, and want to see it survive, please chip in now with a tax-deductible donation. 

Questions about giving? Email development@chicagoreader.com or at:

Reader Institute for Community Journalism, 2930 S. Michigan Ave., Suite 102 Chicago, IL 60616

The Reader Institute for Community Journalism is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 84-3670420). Donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.