Happy Holidays Streetsblog Chicago readers. I hope you're having a festive, heartwarming, and not-too-hectic season. (If you're stuck for gift ideas, consider patronizing one of our awesome advertisers, including local bike shops The Bike Lane, Boulevard Bikes, On the Route Bicycles, Roscoe Village Bikes, and Uptown Bikes.)
We're very grateful for the amazing support we've gotten from our advertisers, sponsors, and readers like you for this year’s effort to raise $50,000 by New Year's Day to win a $50,000 challenge grant from The Chicago Community Trust to fund our next year of publication. So far more than 150 individual donors have stepped up and chipped in to help fund our sustainable transportation journalism and advocacy. Here are some of the encouraging comments we've gotten from contributors recently:
"Happy to support John & the rest of the Streetsblog team!" -- Mary B.
"Love the current staff!" -- James P.
"Hoping you make your goal!" -- Mary Catherine P.
"We are so thankful for your work. Keep it up! " Arthur R.
The fundraising campaign is moving along at a good clip, with more than $40,000 raised to-date. But we've got almost $10,000 left to raise and only 12 days left to do it, and fundraising is going to become more difficult as the city shuts down for the holidays after Friday, so we're going to need all the help we can get. If you are a frequent reader and haven't already done so, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to Streetsblog Chicago today. Give $100 or more and you'll get a free beer and a copy of my cross-country cycling travelogue "Bars Across America" at our party on Wednesday, January 22, 6-8 p.m. at Revolution Brewing, 3340 North Kedzie in Avondale.
We've still got a few potential advertisers in play, but if you or someone you know might be interested in supporting the site with an ad purchase, please contact me at jgreenfield[at]streetsblog.org or 312-560-3966. Thanks for your support!
In other news, we've got a new addition to the Streetsblog Chicago team, the strongest and most geographically diverse one to date, including cofounder Steven Vance, half-time writer Courtney Cobbs, and core freelancers Lynda Lopez, Igor Studenkov, James Porter, and David Zegeye.
Joining our freelancer crew this week is Amber Drea ("Dray"), a veteran writer and editor who has contributed to Market Watch magazine, Spin.com, AMNewYork, Chicago Magazine and many other publications. As a longtime transit advocate and mother of a son with disabilities, she is passionate about accessibility for all. She blogs about navigating the healthcare system as the parent of a special-need child at HowToEatAWhale.com. Currently living in Chicago's western suburbs, Amber will be helping to enhance our coverage of Chicago's West Side and the western 'burbs, family transportation, and disability rights issues. Read her first article for us about stroller access on the CTA here.
- Helping to get the Divvy expansion deal passed by debunking Uber’s propaganda campaign
- Conducting research that contributed to an arrest for assaults on cyclists in Wicker Park
- Building support for an all-affordable TOD recently approved in Logan Square
- Getting the de-facto riverwalk biking ban overturned and pushing for continued bike access
- Advocating for the CTA's Red and Purple Modernization project, which started construction this fall
- Debunking still more propaganda from Uber to help get Chicago's fair ride-hail tax passed
If you haven't already done so, please click here make your contribution to SBC today so that Steven, Courtney, Lynda, Igor, James, David, Amber, and I can keep advocating for a safer, more equitable, more efficient, and more enjoyable Chicago-area transportation system. Thanks, and have a joyous holiday season, and a peaceful and prosperous new year.
