Thanks to daylight savings time, the days are long, and the allergies are flaring thanks to pollen. (Ever met a Mississippian allergic to grass? Well, now you have.) I’m not sure it’s exactly spring yet as I see some parts of the South with freeze warnings, and my azaleas can’t decide if they want to bloom or not, but I’ll take what I can get.
Spring means fundraising to grow the Mississippi Free Press team and reach, and I’m making my first ask of this column HERE. Donate what you can, and your gift is DOUBLED thanks to the generous support of Keith Eddins, a Gulfport native and American diplomat. I love when the ex-pats show up for our state. Far too often, folks who leave Mississippi and the Deep South decide we aren’t worth the effort. If you’d like to make a more significant gift or a match, just email me at kimberly@mississippifreepress.org, and I’ll get you set up.
Every single gift you make to our 501(c)(3) is likely tax deductible (I’m not an accountant, and I don’t play one on TV. That’s a little Gen X humor for you.) Every contribution makes a tremendous impact in our newsroom and our state, whether it’s $5 or $500. I’m not unaware that we serve the poorest state in the union and that many readers make tough decisions every month to ensure their families have the necessities. That is coupled with the fact that many of you travel long distances to get prescriptions, healthy groceries and see medical providers.
We are the outlet that serves and talk to Mississippi’s people the most, far from the halls of power.
I don’t ask my fellow Mississippians to donate because I’m obtuse. I know that more than a few of you are stuck between a rock and a hard place because of the abysmal minimum wage and few social safety nets. I’m asking because unlike many of the power brokers in Mississippi, I trust you to make the best decisions for you and your family. If you can give, we’re grateful beyond measure, but we’re also grateful that you subscribe, follow us on social media and tell your friends about us. Everything counts when everything is on the line, and I think we can both agree that Mississippi has a lot at stake.
I also celebrate people outside Mississippi who support our state and our people—and have helped us grow so fast and have remarkable impact since we launched three years ago Monday, March 20 as COVID-19 hit Mississippi.
As always, thanks for joining us on this journey that centers Mississippians and not just the powerful.
This MFP Voices essay does not necessarily represent the views of the Mississippi Journalism and Education Group, the Mississippi Free Press, its staff or board members. To submit an opinion for the MFP Voices section, send up to 1,200 words and sources fact-checking the included information to azia@mississippifreepress.org. We welcome a wide variety of viewpoints.
