Dear Reader,
Did you sit down for your morning coffee with the print newspaper in hand? Or click on a link to see my letter online? However you read us, we are glad of your interest as your non-profit newspaper celebrates our second anniversary of connecting Concordians with news that’s important to you.
If you value our non-partisan reporting — and such ease in finding quality local news — please consider making or renewing your tax-deductible donation as we launch the 2024 Annual Campaign to fund your community newspaper.
Through our coverage, we gain shared knowledge of what’s going on in town:
- Did you see that within 30 minutes of the report, police caught a purported thief changing license plates on a stolen car (page 9 in Friday’s edition)?
- Maybe you connected with our stories about high school students raising money for research through Kicks for Cancer in a heartwarming show of community spirit?
- Right now, you can turn to page 10 in this week’s paper to learn how two local artists use vastly different styles to illustrate children’s books.
Advertisers tell us what’s going on, too. You can sample local restaurants’ offerings and find new libations at Taste of Concord at Nashoba Brooks School next Tuesday or bring your family to Discover West Concord Day next Saturday — that is, if you aren’t already shopping for vacation wear at The Grasshopper Shop, handcrafted jewelry at Fairbank and Perry, or artisanal treasures at puck and abby, to name a few of the local businesses that support our newspaper.
Tracking Concord’s pathway
Concord is a newsy place facing tough decisions. We’re tracking an array of big stories that will significantly impact the town. These include the redevelopment of the prison property and the potential takeover of its wastewater treatment plant, plans for the Superfund site, and attempts to stop the expansion of hangars at Hanscom Field.
How Concord holds its Town Meeting is also under review, and there’s the upcoming celebration of the 250th anniversary of the start of the American Revolution — a milestone that’s expected to attract 250,000+ tourists.
Broad, in-depth reporting costs money. We are fortunate to be a marketing partner to a diverse group of Concord businesses, but like many local news outlets, we depend on individual contributions for the bulk of our budget.
Two years ago, our ambitious startup was funded by 67 individuals, families, and businesses, including a bunch of incredibly generous local Angels who’ve continued to step up to ensure their neighbors have vital information about town government, elections, schools, and local happenings.
Hundreds of donors have joined these Angels over the last two years, but Angels still underwrote a disproportionate share of our operating expenses. That’s the norm in philanthropy, yet the staff at the newspaper is striving to create a weekly newspaper so great that every reader is moved to give us money to continue our reporting. It’s one way to tell us we’re doing a good job.
Keeping Concord connected
Right now, 773 individuals and families donate — 12 percent of Concord households. Our goal this year is to have an additional 500 households contribute to increase that to 20 percent. We don’t charge a subscription because the board believes both that every Concord resident is entitled to local news and that an informed citizenry is essential in a healthy democracy. We agree.
We are grateful for any size tax-deductible contribution — only you know the dollar amount that will make you feel good.
If you want to understand the impact you’d have, please refer to the giving-level options below. We hope you’ll be a Headliner, a Storyteller, a Media Patron, or a Bridge Builder. Remember to check the recurring contribution box. It’d be a great birthday present!
Thank you for keeping Concordians connected with local news — and to each other.
Kind Regards,
Maile Hulihan, CEO, The Concord Bridge
