Hi Reader,

Before ProPublica’s fall member drive wraps up later this week, I hope you will join us with a donation to support factual, reliable journalism that you can count on.

The pandemic has changed every single aspect of our lives over the last two years. It continues to upend things now as school begins and new variants make headlines. We all want the best possible information, but that information can change rapidly as new data comes to light. But one thing that remains clear is the value of good, trustworthy journalism, rooted in fact and without a political agenda.

A story we published earlier this month digs into how dangerously full our nation’s hospitals are with critically ill COVID-19 patients. The highly contagious Delta variant and low vaccination rates in some areas are overwhelming our health care system. One Texas doctor said the situation was “approaching apocalyptic.” People who have emergencies unrelated to COVID-19 are becoming collateral damage, waiting for days in emergency rooms, sometimes with tragic consequences.

Politicians and talking heads have made this topic especially polarizing. But you know as well as we do: Facts still matter, they still need to be reported, and it’s critical for you and your community to have information you can trust.

ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom, and we get the majority of our funding from individuals. Please donate today and help us remain on strong financial footing so that we can continue to investigate urgent issues as rapidly as we need to.

Thanks so much,
Jill Shepherd
Proud ProPublican