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WOW.
We did it. $103,000+.
Last June 1, the Challenge Fund for Journalism challenged SEJ to raise $103,000 for our 21st Century Fund endowment, all in new donations from people who'd never given before or who were giving more than they ever had before — by May 31, 2007. If we made it, CFJ would match those donations with a $51,500 grant.
To reach our goal, SEJ would have to raise nearly as much money for the endowment in one year as we'd raised altogether in the six since the endowment was founded. It was a "challenge grant" in every sense of the word.
We didn't tell anyone at the time, but we weren't at all sure we could do it.
But we did.
As of May 30, 2007, our unofficial count puts us over the top. Thanks only to you, our members and friends, who've stepped forward with unprecedented generosity, dedication and yes, let's put it right out there, love for SEJ.
You responded to our barrage of entreaties here on this website, via email and snail mail, at our conference, in the SEJournal, when we'd meet you in elevators and not let you out until you'd suffered through our spiel...
You responded to board members' personal challenges issued here on sej.org — $1,000 challenges from Jim Bruggers, Mark Schleifstein, Cheryl Hogue and Jeff Burnside; Carolyn Whetzel's $2,500, Tim Wheeler's $5,000, and my own family's $10,000 challenge these last couple of weeks.
We want to thank every one of you who gave. Gifts from members ranged from $10 to more than $10,000. Non-members gave generously, too. People gave what they could, and every donation, whatever the amount, counted the same as an expression of support for SEJ's crucial mission.
And a special thanks to those tireless SEJers who helped make this happen — Beth Parke, Carol Nolen, and Linda Knouse in the home office; the full SEJ board — especially members Carolyn Whetzel, Tim Wheeler, Christy George, Don Hopey, Jeff Burnside and Robert McClure; and most of all, Associate Director Chris Rigel, who kept us on task when the rest of us were thoroughly distracted or exhausted.
And we can all take a little break now. We're not done, of course, but our endowment fund of now more than $200,000 is a great foundation on which to build the much larger fund that will help sustain SEJ into the years and decades ahead.
So again, thanks to every person who donated so much as a dollar to help make our challenge drive of the last year a rousing success.
Peter Thomson, on behalf of the SEJ board
P.S. (You knew we couldn't finish without one final appeal, didn't you?):
If you still haven't made your contribution, your gift is still most welcome! We'd especially like to get as many SEJ members as possible to give something, anything! $25, $10, even $5 — however much you can afford. The more members who support us as donors, the stronger a case we can make to others to support us as well. These statements of support will show you why your colleagues are giving to SEJ.
You can stretch your donation out with a monthly charge on a credit card, and you can increase its value if your employer has a matching gifts program.
TO DONATE:
Download a pledge card or donate online via a secure Web site.
Monthly giving plans — the painless way to give.
Donate any amount every month — either on your credit card, or through an electronic funds transfer from your checking account. You'll find a pledge card here.
Online Donations
Alternatively, you can donate online via this secure site (click on "SEJ Dues & Donations"). If you have ever paid dues or registered for an annual conference online, you already have a log-in for this site. It's not the same as your SEJ member site log-in. If you forget your password, click the reminder link. If you've never been to this site before, it's easy to create an account. Just follow the links.
Matching Employer Donations
SEJ also accepts matching employer donations, and they count toward the challenge as well. So if your employer matches your charitable contributions, your new or increased gift will triple its value between now and June 2007. The following media companies match their employees' gifts (if you know of others, please let us know):
A&E Television Networks
ABC, Inc.
ABC News, Inc.
America Online
Ameritech Communications and Publishing
Army Times Publishing
Audubon Printing
Barrett Communications
Boston Globe and affiliates (see New York Times Company, below)
CNN and affiliated channels (see Turner Broadcasting System, below)
Chicago Tribune (see Tribune Company, below)
Copley Press, Inc.
Detroit Newspapers, Inc.
Fort Wayne Newspapers, Inc.
Gannett Company, Inc.
General Electric Company
Golden Books Publishing Co. Inc.
Harris Corporation
Higher Education Publications Inc.
Hills Newspapers
Infinet
KRON San Francisco
Keynoter Publishing Company, Inc.
Knight Publishing Company
Lexis-Nexis
Los Angeles Times (see Tribune Company, below)
MediaStream, Inc.
Meredith Corporation
The New York Times Company
The New Yorker Magazine, Inc.
Newsweek, Inc.
North Jersey Media Group
Philadelphia Newspapers, Inc.
Post-Newsweek Stations, Inc.
SBC Communications Inc.
Star Tribune Newspapers
Time, Inc.
Time Warner Book Group
Time Warner Cable
Times Publishing Company/St. Petersburg Times
Tribune Company
Turner Broadcasting System
USA TODAY
United Media
WFSB
Walt Disney Company
Washington Post Company
And here's something else you can do: send us the names of any friends, relatives, colleagues, contacts — anyone you can think of — who might be a potential supporter of SEJ. We're especially interested, of course, in individuals who have the capacity to make large gifts, four figures or more.
We'll need many such donors in order to reach our ultimate goal of a $3-5 million endowment.
Remember, the purpose of the SEJ endowment is to ensure that there will always be an SEJ to support the invaluable work of journalists covering the environment across North America and around the world. You know how important your work and that of your colleagues is. Help make sure SEJ will always be there to help support it!
SEJ accepts unrestricted donations from all individuals. Gifts of $5,000 or more are subject to approval by the SEJ board.
For more information on the SEJ 21st Century Fund, contact Peter Thomson, 617-275-6217, or Carolyn Whetzel, 909-793-1430.
For information on your giving history or other logistical details, contact the SEJ office, 215-884-8174.
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