Together, we’re making big things possible.
Summertime. It’s when Seattle generally goes AWOL. The big mountain comes out and half the city calls in sick. When the sun shines in the Pacific Northwest, three-day weekends become as common as February colds.
But not here. We’re making big things happen rain or shine. We’ve extended our spring fund drive by two weeks so you can help.
Here’s what early summer looks like at Real Change:
Over the past few months, we’ve become the first street paper in the world to offer secure on-line vendor payment for a digital edition.
Being first has its challenges. Since we launched the Real Change app in April, we’ve smoothed the process with new versions for both Android and iPhone. We’re getting the bugs out of the technology and focusing on creating new sales.
Your support makes this investment in our future possible. Right now, the payoff is small. Cashless sales are still just a teeny part of our vendor success. But over time, digital sales will reach new readers and create new vendor success. In 2020, we’ll be very glad we went digital now.
Here’s another example of Real Change being in the lead. When the city announced six weeks ago that fines and banishments would be imposed on smokers in downtown parks, Real Change took action.
We allied with groups like the ACLU of Washington and the NAACP to build power and ensure that the new rules would not mean new fines and legal problems for those who live their lives in public.
We succeeded. The proposed fine was abandoned, and we gained assurances that nobody would be banned from use of public space. We strengthened our alliances with key partners and helped set the stage for future success.
In just a few more weeks, Real Change will host the 2015 Global Street Paper Summit at Seattle University. From June 23-26, street paper leaders from 25 countries will come to Seattle to learn from each other, be inspired and grow our movement.
This is the first time in the International Network of Street Papers’ 21-year history that the annual conference will be held in the United States.
It’s a big commitment. While we have attracted $15,000 in conference support from the Wyncote and Gates Foundations, Real Change’s expenses are nearly twice that.
Stepping up to help grow the international street paper movement is a risk made possible by our supporters. Real Change is about movement building; hosting the Global Street Paper Summit extends our impact far beyond Seattle.
Reaching our spring goal means having the resources to lead. When we fall short, the talk here turns from what we can do to what we can’t. That’s not a conversation we want to have.
When our community has our back, we can take on the challenges that stretch our capacity and make us grow. We can innovate new technologies to create vendor success. We can lead when the civil rights of the very poor are at risk. We can stretch to imagine new possibilities for the street paper movement and ourselves.
Real Change has an ambitious goal of raising $195,000 in reader support during our Spring Fund drive. Normally, the drive lasts six weeks. This year, we thought we could do it in four.
Since we launched the drive on May 6, our supporters have contributed $149,372 to make our work possible. That’s amazing, and we thank each of the more than 500 people who have contributed so far.
We have just two more weeks to get to the number we need. Our work is reader-supported, and Real Change depends upon your generous donations for more than half of our annual budget.
Every gift is a measure of the deep grassroots community support that makes our work possible.
Please take a moment to support innovation, risk and movement building with your generous gift to Real Change.
You may make a secure online contribution, or set up a monthly pledge, at main.realchangenews.org. Or mail your gift to 219 First Ave. S., Ste. 220, Seattle, WA 98104.
Together, we’re making big things possible.