Vol. 73/No. 22      June 8, 2009

Jacquie Henderson from Houston said that they had good success following up with readers to discuss the importance of the paper and asking for contributions. Some decided to contribute because of the paper’s role in building the May Day actions for immigrant rights. “When a longtime reader, a rail worker, decided he was going to give $300,” said Henderson, “his friend, a teacher and new Militant reader, decided to match the contribution with her own $300.”

“The fact that we exceeded our raised goal by a significant amount was a reflection of the response of Militant supporters to the quality of articles in the Militant in the context of the unfolding economic crisis,” said John Steele from Montreal. Supporters of the paper in Canada organized three special forums and dinners to raise money for the fund and brought in $8,787—well over their increased quota of $7,500.

In New York Militant supporters went more than $1,700 over their quota. “In the final weeks of the fund drive and subscription campaign, participation in the weekly Militant Labor Forums increased, including a number of young workers and students,” said Cindy Jaquith, New York fund drive organizer. “This reflects greater interest in what socialists have to say about world politics, and has led to increased and new contributions to the Militant.”

The Militant Fund ran concurrently with an international campaign to sell subscriptions to the paper. Over seven weeks more than 2,100 subscribed.

The fund helps finance the regular operating expenses of the paper, covering printing and shipping costs, rent and other utilities, and makes it possible to send reporters around the world to cover events and activities of interest to working people. As “a socialist newsweekly published in the interests of working people,” the Militant relies on donations from its readers who know its importance and realize it has been able to come out consistently for more than 80 years because of contributions like theirs.

Thank you and congratulations to all those who contributed and worked to make the campaign a success!

'Militant' Fund Drive: Final chart