We need to keep reporting on coronavirus recovery. Here’s how you can help
The Ledger-Enquirer is launching a fall fundraising campaign with one purpose in mind: to help us strengthen our reporting over the next year on coronavirus recovery in the Columbus area.
We started this effort in spring 2020 through a partnership with Report for America and the Local News and Information Fund at the Community Foundation of the Chattahoochee Valley
Report for America, a national nonprofit organization, works to place reporters in newsrooms across the country and pays half of the reporters’ salary for one year. The newspaper is expected to fund raise the other half. In year two, Report for America contributes a little less.
On June 1, reporter Adrienne Underwood and visual journalist Madeleine Cook joined our newsroom. A reporting duo working hand in hand, they are tasked with documenting what COVID-19 recovery looks like and means in our area.
Both are hardworking, talented women with an abundance of experience already.
Adrienne joined us from New Orleans, Louisiana, where she worked as a reporter at the Times-Picayune | New Orleans Advocate. Originally from the North Georgia area, Madeleine came to Columbus from The Statesman Journal in Oregon.
In their first six months, the two journalists have connected with business owners to learn more about how they’ve adapted to COVID-19, featured success stories of residents starting fresh during the pandemic, brought our readers scoops they can’t find at other publications and opened the door for reader input.
They’re also doing the important work of debunking false information spread about the coronavirus, and uplifting stories about organizations working together to give residents the tangible help they need right now.
These are the types of stories we want to keep bringing during a crucial point of the pandemic. But we can’t do it alone.
The wonderful people of the Community Foundation supported this initiative in order to bring high quality, local journalism to the readers in our area. We can’t thank them enough for their commitment.
The bulk of Adrienne and Madeleine’s salaries are paid for but now, we need help from you — our readers — to get us over the finish line in paying for health and other benefits.
It’s quick and easy to make a donation at givebutter.com/TheLedgerEnquirer. If you prefer to send a check, you can do that too by sending it to Local Media Foundation, PO Box 85015, Chicago, IL 60689-5015. Please make it out to the Local Media Foundation and in the notes field on the check, write “Columbus Ledger-Enquirer.”
Your work will go directly toward keeping Adrienne and Madeleine focused on their important work.
Our entire staff thanks you for your support.
This story was originally published November 10, 2020 at 6:00 AM.
