We at The Rapidian are surrounded by a very generous community. We are blessed to have an incredible number of very invested community members. It's not just reporters, photographers, mentors and interns, either. Our readers are invested as well.
Our invested readers understand that when you support The Rapidian, you're supporting so much more than a news source. A Rapidian supporter is undergirding true community engagement, building an empowered youth literacy, encouraging a sustainable local economy, keeping informed about the local culture and celebrating the Grand Rapids community.
A Rapidian supporter is making sure that all voices in our community have a place where they can not only speak up, but be heard. It's time we provided a way for those readers to also have a greater voice, don't you think?
The Readers Council is a way to celebrate and involve our supportive reader community.
This year, for our fund drive May 14-19, we're offering a special way to support The Rapidian- the new Readers Council. For those who join us at this support level, there will be several ways that we thank you. Of course, Readers Council level donors will receive their swag bag, filled with ways to show off their Rapidian love, but for our Readers Council, it's more than just a thank you gift at the fund drive. The Readers Council will have opportunities for us to say thanks all year long.
We'll hold Council Gatherings each quarter exclusively for members of our Readers Council. The gatherings will be a place where council members can share with us their ideas and opinions and suggestions. We'll also share behind-the-scenes early information about upcoming ideas and plans- and get the council's feedback on how they think it could/should work. We'll introduce them to a citizen reporter at each gathering- so they get to hear what it's like to write the stories they're reading.
We'll get to know each other and enjoy each others' company and- most importantly- we'll build a community of Rapidians that is stronger because our readers are a more integrated part of the continued development and growth of what we do here at The Rapidian.
In-person gatherings will be followed up with exclusive newsletters, and other ways for our Readers Council to advise, give feedback, and share their own great ideas of what they'd love to see on The Rapidian. Our Readers Council will, in short, become an integral part of shaping The Rapidian's future.
And of course, we'll thank them publicly all year long on our Community Supporters page, which will launch this week.
It's time the Readers were as great a part of creating The Rapidian as the rest of the community. It's time for the Readers Council to be born.
The best part? This is all possible with your support of just $25 a month or more. Join the Readers Council here.
The Rapidian, a program of the 501(c)3 nonprofit Community Media Center, relies on the community’s support to help cover the cost of training reporters and publishing content.
We need your help.
If each of our readers and content creators who values this community platform help support its creation and maintenance, The Rapidian can continue to educate and facilitate a conversation around issues for years to come.
Please support The Rapidian and make a contribution today.
