I know, I know. You’ve had enough of all these damn Giving Tuesday asks. But let me impose one more upon you — this one from some higher powers, like Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin, and — my favorite — Thomas Paine.

That’s right: Calling out the big guns. See, there is one industry our Founders decided to protect in our founding charter. They knew what we know today: Local journalism, in particular, is important to our democracy, reducing polarization, holding public officials to account, and empowering citizens to take action.

That’s why, this Giving Tuesday, no less than the Founders implore you to support The Philadelphia Citizen. Since we began in 2015, we’ve made it our mission to provide solutions to Philadelphia’s toughest problems and critical tools to fuel civic engagement — and we’re not slowing down any time soon. In fact, as you may have seen, we recently acquired Philadelphia magazine, the storied media outlet that does what The Citizen doesn’t: Cover our city’s culture, food, lifestyle and creators with an eye to being, as Philly Mag Editor Christy Speer Lejeune puts it, the ultimate user’s guide to Philadelphia.

Together, our publications are about engaging with the city and telling the stories that will propel us to being the best city in the world (as we believe it can be). We are a nonprofit because we believe the return that matters is the success of Philadelphia and its surrounding region. Full stop. And that depends on your help.

We’re hoping to raise $10,000 by the end of the day. And, thanks to Newsmatch and Wyncote Foundation, all gifts up to $15,000 are being matched dollar for dollar.

Will you do your part to help us power our local democracy and civic engagement?

PHILADELPHIA CITIZEN IMPACT