It’s that time of year again: tax time. And that’s when all of us here in the U.S. review our charitable donations as we file our income taxes. Thus, it’s also a perfect time for us here at The Ukrainian Weekly to thank all those who have supported our work with their donations to The Ukrainian Weekly Press Fund.
Take a look, for example, at the donations we’ve received in the past three years. We received $26,946 in Press Fund donations for 2017; when we add to that sum the $8,857 sent to the Ukrainian National Foundation but earmarked for The Weekly, we have a grand total of $35,803 for last year. In 2016 we received $26,319 (including a very generous donation of $12,500 from Self Reliance New York Federal Credit Union), and in 2015 that total was $22,708. As you see, these are significant amounts, and we are always pleased to report to the General Assembly of the Ukrainian National Association, our publisher, that such benefaction remains robust.
On a monthly basis, we at The Ukrainian Weekly publish a list of donors to our Press Fund. Their donations, no matter their amounts, make a big difference for a community publication like ours that never was intended to be a profit-making venture. After all, The Ukrainian Weekly, which has been published continuously since 1933, was established as a fraternal benefit and a community service of the Ukrainian National Association.
Taken together with our sister publication, Svoboda, which has been published since 1893, the UNA’s newspapers are among its most important contributions to the Ukrainian diaspora. Still, our publisher’s largesse can only go so far… That’s where subscriptions, advertisements and donations come in.
Without readers, i.e., paying subscribers, there’s obviously no need for these newspapers. Without advertisers, the cost of producing them would be prohibitive. And without donations from the newspapers’ supporters – both individuals and institutions – whether these publications would come out each week is a serious concern.
To conclude, we offer huge and heartfelt thanks to our benefactors. We are extremely grateful for your donations through the years, which have gone a long way toward ensuring that The Ukrainian Weekly rolls off the presses each week. Furthermore, such contributions not only help our bottom line, but also are a tangible demonstration that our papers are valued by their readers. With your continued support, The Weekly will continue its service to our community, keeping our Ukrainian “hromada” informed and in touch, as well as informing others about Ukraine and Ukrainians.
Let us hope that The Ukrainian Weekly, which this year will celebrate its 85th anniversary (while Svoboda observes its 125th!) will be able to fulfill the worthwhile mission set by its founders for many more years, while faithfully serving new generations of Ukrainian community members.