Help Me Fund Local Journalism in Toledo
https://toledofreepress.com/support/
To the readers of This Week in Toledo:
Over the last five years, I’ve monitored local news outlets here in Toledo so that I can summarize the most important stories for you. I’ve also been a writer for local papers, winning a Touchstone Award from the Press Club of Toledo for my work in 2023. Local news is something I take very seriously.
2,900 local newspapers across the United States have closed their doors since 2005, including the Toledo Free Press, which we lost in 2015. This is a disturbing trend, as declines in local news coverage have been linked to higher rates of government corruption, increased political polarization, and the rise of ideologically extreme politicians.
It is with this awareness that I have worked with Tom Pounds, publisher of the Toledo Free Press, to bring the paper back as a nonprofit digital news outlet. Through my nonprofit, Toledo Integrated Media Education, we have restored the Toledo Free Press website, assembled a small but effective staff, and started on a journey to become Toledo’s premiere newsroom.
We believe that a free press is essential to a free society - which is why we will not be putting our articles behind paywalls. We are also a truly independent grassroots newsroom - no corporate ownership, no orders from above, and nothing to fear when digging into the stories that matter. But without paywalls and corporate ownership, our only real means of funding this operation rest on you - the public. Our ability to serve you depends entirely on the support you’re willing to give us.
With that in mind, I’d like to ask that you consider joining our Patreon at either $10 or $25 per month. Alternately, you can make a one-time donation through PayPal. Thanks to NewsMatch, your contributions through December 31 will be matched by the Institute for Nonprofit News, effectively doubling the value of your one-time donation. In fact, Patreon sign-ups are matched at a rate of 12x your monthly donor level!
Larger donations ($250 and above) should be sent to us by check. Please make your check out to Toledo Free Press, and mail it to PO Box 733 Toledo, OH 43697. If you are interested in joining our First Amendment Society, which is reserved for those who commit $1000/year or more for three years, please contact me directly at seannestor@gmail.com.
Together, we can ensure the future of journalism in Toledo.
Sincerely,
Sean Nestor
This Week in Toledo
