Dear Reader,

As we head into the final months of 2020, we’re reflecting on what a difficult and unpredictable year it’s been. From the pandemic, to the uprisings, to this week’s election, 2020’s impacts have been far greater than anyone could have anticipated. I’m proud of the work our newsroom has done to keep you informed with the rigorous, fact-checked, and nuanced reporting that you’ve come to expect from us.

At the end of last year when we asked for your support to help keep the presses rolling, we couldn’t have known how difficult that would become in just a matter of months. Despite the new challenges, we held true to our commitment to accessibility through free print products and were able to partner with community organizations to deliver thousands of papers directly to South Siders in their homes at the height of the first wave of the pandemic. And last month we partnered with Injustice Watch to help them print their judicial election guide so they could mail them to detainees in the Cook County Jail.

When the seriousness of the virus became clear, we expanded our reporting budget to better track how COVID-19 was disproportionately impacting South Side communities. We put together an extensive community resource guide and built a tool to track COVID-19 related deaths by neighborhood to better visualize how the illness moved along racial lines. We also began translating more of our coverage because we heard from community members that were having a difficult time finding reliable information in Spanish.

When thousands of residents poured into the streets downtown to protest the killing of George Floyd and the legacy of police brutality and white supremacy within police departments across the country, we meticulously documented the brutal and disproportionate response from the Chicago Police Department, again and again.

No other newsroom in the city covered 2020 like we did because no other newsroom covers the South Side like we do. And none of this would have been possible without support from readers like you.

As we (attempt to) plan for 2021, we need your continued support now more than ever. We’re excited to announce that we have once again been selected to participate in NewsMatch this year. That means another opportunity to double your donation to the South Side Weekly. Here’s how it works:  

Starting now through December 31, NewsMatch will match your new monthly donation 12x or double your one-time gift up to $5,000. With your support, we can earn up to $11,500 matching dollars.

This is a critical fundraising opportunity for us that will help ensure we continue producing the high-quality journalism you’ve come to depend on—especially this year. 

Independent, local journalism like ours has never mattered more.

If you agree, give today and NewsMatch will double the impact of your donation.

 

With gratitude,

Jason Schumer
Managing Director
South Side Weekly