The Chicago Community Trust, a charitable foundation that was one of the early funders of SBC, has been impressed by the outpouring of support the site has received since we announced our hiatus on January 8. Thanks to the generosity of sponsors and readers like you, by February 13, we had raised $34K of the $75K needed to fund a year of operations.
As a result, CCT has very generously offered us a challenge grant. If Streetsblog reaches $50K in donations and sponsorships by our April 8 deadline to reboot the site, the Trust will provide the last $25K needed to resume daily publication of original reporting. In other words, our finish line is within sight.
However, we still have a lot of work to do in order to win the CCT funding that will allow us to relaunch. If you haven't already done so, please donate to the Streetsblog Chicago Resurrection Fund today. While donations are not tax-deductible at this point, in the very unlikely event that the site does not relaunch by April 8, your money will be refunded.
If you've already contributed, thanks so much for helping us attract the challenge grant. As an added incentive to first-time donors, as well as those who'd like to make an additional contribution to help us win the CCT funding, anyone who donates $100 or more from this point on will be mailed a copy of my book "Bars Across America." Donate $200 or more and we'll also throw in a copy of the anthology "On Bicycles," to which I contributed a chapter about Chicago's West Town Bikes, while supplies last.
Please feel free to spread the word about the challenge grant to potential donors, or contact me at 312-560-3966 or greenfieldjohn[at]hotmail.com with leads on other possible funding sources. To keep you apprised on our progress as we enter the home stretch, I'll be updating the above Donate-O-Meter along with Today's Headlines each morning.
In addition to editing Streetsblog Chicago, John writes about transportation and other topics for additional local publications. A Chicagoan since 1989, he enjoys exploring the city on foot, bike, bus, and 'L' train.
Mayor Johnson's administration and Ald. Reilly haven't yet found common ground on bringing back the popular car-free zone. Will this make the difference?
"There were blocks that felt very safe and very secure," he said. "But then you're immediately – voom! – disgorged into three lanes of moving traffic with no protection."
The Mayor's Office says the money will fund "improvements for people walking and bicycling on existing streets and paths surrounding and crossing the corridor."