Let me know if you can throw a few dollars the way of our little project that changed the City of Chicago....

...But I want the Chicago Reader to live on, for the music, arts, theater, dance, book reviews, of , to hear the human stories in my city regarding the unhoused, addicted, immigrant that our news team reports on.

More than a guide, the Reader helped me fall into myself—as a Chicagoan and as a person. It gave me the tools to build a life here.

Now, the Reader needs help to continue doing what it’s done for so many of us. My last months before retiring are definitely filled with work I wasn't expecting...

I devoured Dan Savage’s advice, scoured listings for apartments & roommates, & uncovered hidden gems in Chicago’s neighborhoods. Slowly but surely, the Reader introduced me to the grit and beauty of this city—and the humans who make it what it is. It connected me with the my people.

Everything felt unfamiliar, and I wasn’t sure how I would ever find my way. And then, I found the Chicago Reader.

Through the Reader, I discovered how this city works. I found bands to see, theater to experience, and offbeat performance art to inspire me.

If you think reading this story—and others like it from our newsroom—was worth a few bucks, head to our website to ensure our future. chicagoreader.com/donate?utm_source=reader-bluesky&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=umi_grigsby&utm_content=&utm_term=