A note from our development committee

Do you believe communities thrive when residents are well informed and feel connected to their neighbors? We believe it! For more than 45 years, our own local newspapers have delivered independent, fact-based local journalism to the near western suburbs and Chicago’s West Side. They are bucking the statewide trend of LOSING local news outlets. Almost 40% of all local newspapers in the US have vanished since 2005. In the face of this local news crisis, we’re energized. Wednesday Journal, Forest Park Review, Austin Weekly News and Riverside-Brookfield Landmark are now part of the nonprofit NEWSWELL –  giving our local publications a much-needed lift as part of a larger network. We’ve joined the Development Committee for NEWSWELL Chicago because we believe local journalism is critical to democracy. It’s not an abstract concept: We want to know the facts behind the issues at Village Hall, what’s happening inside our schools, which local businesses are thriving and where our community needs a helping hand. We want to read our neighbors’ letters to the editor and see coverage of our kids’ sports teams. We want someone asking the tough questions, holding institutions accountable and telling the stories that might otherwise be overlooked. We hope you’ve noticed the growth in local news stories generated by more reporters and deeper coverage since joining NEWSWELL. We need your help to sustain this progress and grow the vitality and productivity of our community newsroom. We’ve volunteered to help raise the financial resources to make this happen, to spread the word and to promote events. It’s our way of investing in the communities we love. We hope you’ll join us in donating to keep your local nonprofit news sources alive and thriving. They belong to all of us. The NEWSWELL Chicago Development Committee Robyn Ziegler Jill Stewart Carolyn Newberry Schwartz Jessica MacKinnon Mary Jane Keitel Chris Hauri Deb Abrahamson Related Join the discussion on social media! Facebook Instagram X