this past year — we appreciate your support, but we still need your help.
You know that newspapers around the country are failing due to decreased ad revenue. Even the Star Tribune is in threat of bankruptcy.
So what’s the big deal? It’s very likely that someday the Camden News will be an on-line only newspaper — we had the foresight to set up our website 12 years ago, before most U.S. businesses and residents even had Internet access. But the Camden Community has a disproportionate amount of seniors and low income residents who don’t have a computer or Internet access. As long-time Camden resident Dorothy Hase wrote us, “I enjoy the paper…I hope you never stop publishing. I and many of my friends do not have a computer, so where would we get our news?”
The Camden Community News wants to continue printing and delivering free to residents until the need no longer exists. But if we don’t get donations from you and ad money from businesses we won’t be able to publish and mail a hard copy newspaper.
Here are the facts: We have a very lean budget for a small nonprofit organization. It costs about $4800 a month to publish the Camden News — that includes printing, labeling, postage, business delivery, typesetting, bookkeeping, editing, taxes, insurance and all the other basic costs of running a small business. Our ad revenues have fallen dramatically and our monthly expenses currently exceed our revenues by about $600. We come to you twice a year to help supplement ad revenue losses, but we typically only get enough in donations for the total year to pay for one issue of the Camden News.
The Camden News is a nonprofit, volunteer-run, volunteer-written newspaper delivered free to all Camden homes. Our mission has been the same since 1975: To build bridges, connect neighborhoods, encourage citizen participation, promote local events, people and businesses, and provide a forum for folks who care about the quality of life here in Camden. So please use the enclosed envelope and send in a generous tax-deductible contribution; or mail your donation to Camden News, PO Box 11492, Minneapolis, MN 55411. You can save the footwork and stamp and donate online at camdenews.org; click on the Paypal button (you don’t need a Paypal account). And please send us your comments and suggestions.
Thanks for your support,
The Camden Community News Board of Directors.