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Dear Reader,

Yes, I know that we at FIRST THINGS issue frequent requests for charitable support. I’ve heard from readers who worry that we importune too often.

These readers are not entirely wrong. We’re not shy about asking. And we do so for very good reasons. Let me explain.

But first, a note of gratitude: Thank you to the 1,016 readers who gave $609,932 to advance the mission and work of FIRST THINGS as part of our Spring Campaign.

If you did not contribute to the 2024 Spring Campaign, it’s not too late to support FIRST THINGS! Click here to make a tax-deductible gift. ([link removed])

The first and simplest reason to ask for donations: The charitable support of readers like you keeps FIRST THINGS going. This is no mean thing. Today’s media have undergone fundamental transformations, and many notable publications have not weathered the digital tsunami.

FIRST THINGS could chase clicks and sell out our readers by publishing salacious and sensationalistic articles while marketing our reader data to the highest bidder. FIRST THINGS has not, and will never, choose this path.

Instead, we depend on readers like you to uphold the high editorial standard of FIRST THINGS through charitable giving. And that philanthropic support has positioned FIRST THINGS not only to survive but to thrive. We are and remain the source of religiously informed commentary for intelligent, thoughtful readers.

The second reason: community. Richard John Neuhaus founded FIRST THINGS as a nonprofit in 1989. He recognized that inviting readers to support the enterprise beyond their subscription dollars deepens engagement and builds community.

Readers like you have proven him correct. Our supporters have a personal stake in the success of FIRST THINGS. This is not a Netflix subscription. We’re not Amazon Prime. You are part of an authentic FIRST THINGS community. All of us pull in the same direction—toward truth, revealed and natural.

The third reason: The partnership of our supporters in the FIRST THINGS enterprise encourages transparency. My colleagues and I can’t ask for money if we’re not frank about our organization’s financial needs. After you give, we’ll confirm that your gift was used to meet the needs articulated in our request.

Final reason: Reader support strengthens our collective voice. FIRST THINGS speaks for men and women of faith. We contend, together, for the future of our society. Recent projects like the annual FIRST THINGS Poetry Prize, our graduate student subscription program, and our new website (set to launch in August!) were made possible only by the generosity—and the vision—of dedicated readers like you.

So, yes, you’ve received a good number of messages asking for support. And for good reasons!

On behalf of my entire staff, I thank you reading our appeals, and I do hope that you will respond generously as your means and the timing allow. Let’s advance the mission and work of FIRST THINGS together.

Yours,
R. R. Reno
Editor
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