For the third year in a row, I’ve been inspired by how people have come out of the woodwork to fund Streetsblog Chicago’s community-sponsored transportation journalism and advocacy. Thanks to ad sales, sponsorships, and hundreds of individual donations from readers like you, we were able to raise a grand total of $50,735 by our Saturday midnight deadline, securing us the $25K challenge grant from The Chicago Community Trust charitable foundation. Several dozen contributions came in on Saturday alone. This money will allow us to continue our coverage of walking, biking, transit, traffic safety, public space, and development issues for another calendar year.
There are too many supporters to thank you all, but I’d like to give a shout-out to the scores of people who donated $100 or more. You’ll all get a free pint plus a copy of my cross-country biking memoir at our reader appreciation party this Wednesday at the Revolution Brewing Taproom on Kedzie Avenue (not to be confused with their Milwaukee Avenue brewpub.) All Streetsblog readers are encouraged to attend:
Streetsblog Reader Appreciation Party
Wednesday, July 5, 6-8 p.m.
Revolution Brewing Kedzie Taproom
3340 N. Kedzie Avenue
RSVP on Facebook if you like.
A special thanks goes to the reader who once again donated $2K from a family foundation. And we’re very grateful to the extremely loyal Streetsblog booster who chipped in $10,000 to fund the site, for the fifth year in a row.
Out of all the organizations that have helped us out, The Trust obviously deserves special recognition for providing the challenge grant. Not only will it provide a large chunk of our operating budget, it was also invaluable for inspiring others to contribute. We’re very thankful to Michael Davidson, Senior Program Officer with The Trust, for once again going to bat for us.
We also received generous donations from SRAM Corporation ($500), the Active Transportation Alliance ($500), and Teska Associates ($250), which we greatly appreciate. Thanks also to Revolution Brewing for once again donating beverages for our victory celebration.
We’d also like to give a shout-out to our returning and new advertising sponsors: FK Law, Keating Law Offices, Boulevard Bikes, the Bike Lane, Uptown Bikes, On the Route Bicycles, Wicker Park Apartments, Roscoe Village Bikes, and Ride Illinois. We’re especially thankful to FK Law and Keating Law for providing additional last-minute sponsorships to help push us over the finish line.
I’d also like to give a shout-out to our colleagues at the Streetsblog network, especially editor-in-chief Ben Fried, for helping to promote our fund drive. Props also to Active Trans, the Metropolitan Planning Council, and other like-minded local organizations for spreading the word.
Last but not least, I’d like to thank Streetsblog Chicago deputy editor Steven Vance and recent contributing writers Jean Khut, Lynda Lopez, Jessico Dickerson, Jeff Zoline, Charles Papanek, Coco Johnson, Maribel Quezada, and Anne Alt. These talented folks make my job as editor much easier.
Apologies to anyone I’ve left out — so many people have stepped forward to help over the last few months that I’m probably forgetting some of you. But the fact that we’ve received so much help from hundreds of different people during the campaign is truly a testament to the vibrancy of Chicago’s transportation advocacy community.
Thanks again. I’m looking forward to toasting another success fund drive with you at RevBrew this Wednesday!
-- John Greenfield
