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Every fall we ask for help in keeping BenitoLink, your local nonprofit news provider, financially strong so we can produce more of the news and features you love.

As a small county, we are very lucky to have our own local news organization. Many communities like ours no longer have the basic information they need to track local governmental decisions or to follow the candidates running for office in local elections. 

You can learn more about BenitoLink by reading this recent interview with me by George Stanley at Northwestern University.  

According to a related article published recently by Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications at Northwestern University, “The loss of local newspapers ticked higher in 2023 to an average of 2.5 per week, up from two per week last year.”

When it comes to protecting local news, your donation matters a great deal. We are extremely fortunate to have a growing number of community members who are willing to offer substantial donation-matching opportunities. These offers from Sallie Calhoun, Matt Christiano, Randy and Rebecca Wolf, and Leon and Janet Mayou add up this seasons match to $50,000 in total, potentially doubling your donation. Thanks to the Institute for Nonprofit News (INN), we will also get their match of at least $16,500.

So with community and INN help, this fall’s match goal is $66,500. A full community match benefitting BenitoLink would mean $133,000 toward 2023’s reporting costs.

Help us reach that goal and show these very generous supporters that you, too, care about being informed and engaged in shaping the county’s future.

Having celebrated Thanksgiving Day last week, we can all be grateful that our little county rebuilt its own news organization and that it belongs to us.

“There were more than 130 confirmed newspaper closings or mergers this past year,” Northwestern warns. “Since 2005, the U.S. has lost nearly 2,900 newspapers.”  

So it’s up to us. If we want local news and information, this is the time to show our commitment to it by giving through financial support.

Thank you to all our donors!

Alacia WelchKris & Danny Waller
Amelia RyanKristina Chavez Wyatt
Angela CurroLarry & Diane Barr
Barbara RubioLarry Slonaker
Barbara TaddeoLaura Romero
Barry KatzLeila Sadeghian
Bill TitusLeonardo Carrillo
Blanca StranskyLeslie Austin
Bob RowlandsLeslie David
Brenda WeatherlyLilliana R Montana
Brian and Liz SmithLinda Lampe
Brigitte Baumann-ThorpLiz Smith
Candy BernhardtLynn Overtree
Cara VonkMargret E Ellwanger
Carol H HawkinsMaria Cid
Carol LawlessMark Bergman
Carol LenoirMark Levine
Carol PaulMary Divinski
Chang SoMary Grimm
Cheryl ScottMary K Rubino
Christina AndradeMary Zanger
Chuck SorbetMary Kay Filice
Clark Family FundMatt Huerta
Clark StoneMaureen Nelson
Corey ShaferMelissa Michaelson
Daniel DungyMichael Nicholls
Dara TobiasMichelle Leonard
Darlene BoydMitch Hammond
Dave RuprechtMonica Milla
David & Geraldine WrightNikhilesh Dholakia
Dawn EasonOlivia Tauvinkl
Debbie CochranPaul Scherer
Debbie HernandezPeggy Kelly
Debra SchererPhilip Esparza
Deborah HernandezPhyllis Lanini
Deleta JonesRaul Ceja
Don ReynoldsRebecca Pearson
Dustin BogueRebecca Salinas
Dustin WeberRenne Wells
Elia SalinasRichard Mazzarella
Elizabeth SotoRobert & Jennifer Bernosky
Elvia SkowRobert & Kathryn Tiffany
Farmhouse CommunicationsRobert Gibson
Franz SchneiderRodney Stewart
Gabe SandersRohit Sharma
Gary and Ria ByrneRosie Zepeda
Gregory SwettRuth Erikson
Heather & Ed CallensSara Steiner
Irene and Ted DavisSean Fitzharris
Jane Dabo CruzSharma Ophthalmic Services
Janet WatsonShawn Herrera
Jean LierlyStacie McGrady
Jeanette NealStelvio Locci
Jeffery ModicSteve Perricone
Jennifer DentonSteven Jones
Jessica WohlanderStirling Burnet
Jillian WilsonSylvia Jaime
Jim GillioTami Adam
Joan DominguesThomas Breen
Joan RandolphThomas Watson
Joe MorrisTom Walerius
John DavidTom Walerius
John WrobelTracy Taggart
Judy GansenValerie Egland
Kate ModicWarene Waters
Kathi MorrisWayne Norton
Keith SeversonWilliam Baker
Kendra SpencerYuko Pierson
Kenneth KovandaZoe Martinez