There is a good reason to support local news. Can you help?

Dear Reader,

During these uncertain and unprecedented times, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you for supporting the Miami Herald.

If you are a subscriber, thank you.

If you are an advertising partner, thank you.

If you have donated to our investigative fund, we are also grateful for your support.

We have been working around the clock to bring you the facts about the coronavirus pandemic, from how and where to get tested to why Florida’s unemployment website hasn’t been working right.

But the fact is, we need your help.

Coronavirus has brought historic challenges to our families and our South Florida communities. How we respond to and navigate through this pandemic is the biggest story of our lives.

At the Miami Herald, we feel a responsibility to ensure we share the full picture with you. Our team published more than 1,700 stories in March and April, plus uncounted videos, Q&As, newsletters and voice updates.

Much of this reporting goes beyond breaking news and reflects the enterprising journalism we have consistently produced, going back 117 years. We dive deep in our reporting, delivering answers to questions both asked and anticipated. This is the kind of work that rarely appears in other local media.

We are grateful we can be here for you.

And like you, we are stressed. About our health and our ability to do our work. The pandemic has brought layoffs, furloughs and salary reductions to newsrooms large and small, including the Sun-Sentinel, Miami New Times, and the Palm Beach Post. We’re fighting like mad to hold the line, like many local businesses, and so far we’ve done so thanks to your readership and support via digital and print subscriptions.

But it’s a steep hill, and we’re thinking creatively about how to climb it.

If you see value in what we’re doing every day, and if you can support us, please help us bridge this gap. Your tax-deductible gift can ensure we continue to report on the coronavirus and all of its impacts across our diverse communities. We aim to raise $350,000 to keep our reporters digging for information on your behalf, our visual journalists capturing the quintessential images of these times and our editors fine-tuning the work to deliver essential news and information to you.

If we are so fortunate as to raise more, we will look forward to adding to our Miami Herald coronavirus reporting team.

With help from the Local Media Foundation, your gift goes directly to ensuring sustainability for the Herald and continued accountability reporting as we navigate this critical time. Not to the bottom line, but directly to the newsroom.

The Local Media Foundation, tax ID #36‐4427750, is a Section 501(c)(3) organization and is eligible to accept charitable contributions.

Thank you for your continued support.

To support the Miami Herald’s COVID-19 Local News Fund, click here.

This story was originally published May 4, 2020 at 4:00 PM.