Virginia Is For Journalists Relief Fund
Donation protected
This is an unprecedented time for newspapers in the state of Virginia, and quality local news is crucial.
We're raising funds to help Virginia journalists covering local news who have been furloughed or seen pay cuts or job losses due to the economic fallout from the spread of the new coronavirus. We can help journalists pay for expenses including housing, food, medical bills, utilities as well as purchasing personal protective equipment for use on assignment. We'll do our best to cover what we can.
WHO WE ARE
This is a joint project from journalists at The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk), The Roanoke Times (Roanoke), The Daily Progress (Charlottesville) and The Daily Press (Newport News).
BACKGROUND
On March 30, 2020, Gannett Co., Inc. — owner of the daily newspapers The News Leader (Staunton) and The Progress-Index (Petersburg) — announced that employees making more than $38,000 must take a week of unpaid leave each month in April, May and June. The following day, Lee Enterprises, Inc. said all employees would face two weeks of unpaid leave before July. Lee owns The Daily Progress (Charlottesville), The Free Lance-Star (Fredericksburg), The Register & Bee (Danville), the Herald Courier (Bristol), the Martinsville Bulletin (Martinsville) the News & Advance (Lynchburg), the News Virginian (Waynesboro) the Times-Dispatch (Richmond), The Roanoke Times (Roanoke), the Laker Weekly (Franklin County), the Star-Exponent (Culpeper), SWVA Today (Wytheville) and the Franklin News-Post (Franklin County). Cuts are equivalent to between 15% and 20% of pay for the fiscal quarter.
ELIGIBILITY
Applicants should be a current full- or part-time journalist working or freelancing for a Virginia newspaper who is experiencing a cut in pay or work as a result of COVID-19 cost-cutting. This includes reporters, editors, photographers, designers and interns at both unionized and non-unionized papers. We can also help Virginia-based freelancers who have worked for local Virginia publications this year who are experiencing a reduction in work.
WHAT ELSE?
We encourage you to subscribe to your local newspaper.
Questions? Want to donate another way, or give a gift card? Get in touch with us at [email redacted]. Follow us on twitter at @va4journalists.
Need help? Apply for assistance here: https://forms.gle/4PzEdgyhwWu9ryzs8
— Amy Friedenberger (reporter, The Roanoke Times), Henri Gendreau (reporter, The Roanoke Times), Sara Gregory (reporter, The Virginian-Pilot), Matt Jones (reporter, The Daily Press), Katherine Knott (reporter, The Daily Progress) and Allison Wrabel (reporter, The Daily Progress)
We're raising funds to help Virginia journalists covering local news who have been furloughed or seen pay cuts or job losses due to the economic fallout from the spread of the new coronavirus. We can help journalists pay for expenses including housing, food, medical bills, utilities as well as purchasing personal protective equipment for use on assignment. We'll do our best to cover what we can.
WHO WE ARE
This is a joint project from journalists at The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk), The Roanoke Times (Roanoke), The Daily Progress (Charlottesville) and The Daily Press (Newport News).
BACKGROUND
On March 30, 2020, Gannett Co., Inc. — owner of the daily newspapers The News Leader (Staunton) and The Progress-Index (Petersburg) — announced that employees making more than $38,000 must take a week of unpaid leave each month in April, May and June. The following day, Lee Enterprises, Inc. said all employees would face two weeks of unpaid leave before July. Lee owns The Daily Progress (Charlottesville), The Free Lance-Star (Fredericksburg), The Register & Bee (Danville), the Herald Courier (Bristol), the Martinsville Bulletin (Martinsville) the News & Advance (Lynchburg), the News Virginian (Waynesboro) the Times-Dispatch (Richmond), The Roanoke Times (Roanoke), the Laker Weekly (Franklin County), the Star-Exponent (Culpeper), SWVA Today (Wytheville) and the Franklin News-Post (Franklin County). Cuts are equivalent to between 15% and 20% of pay for the fiscal quarter.
ELIGIBILITY
Applicants should be a current full- or part-time journalist working or freelancing for a Virginia newspaper who is experiencing a cut in pay or work as a result of COVID-19 cost-cutting. This includes reporters, editors, photographers, designers and interns at both unionized and non-unionized papers. We can also help Virginia-based freelancers who have worked for local Virginia publications this year who are experiencing a reduction in work.
WHAT ELSE?
We encourage you to subscribe to your local newspaper.
Questions? Want to donate another way, or give a gift card? Get in touch with us at [email redacted]. Follow us on twitter at @va4journalists.
Need help? Apply for assistance here: https://forms.gle/4PzEdgyhwWu9ryzs8
— Amy Friedenberger (reporter, The Roanoke Times), Henri Gendreau (reporter, The Roanoke Times), Sara Gregory (reporter, The Virginian-Pilot), Matt Jones (reporter, The Daily Press), Katherine Knott (reporter, The Daily Progress) and Allison Wrabel (reporter, The Daily Progress)
Organizer
Virginia is for Journalists
Organizer
Roanoke, VA