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BridgeDetroit Celebrates Five Years of Community Journalism

Community members gather to celebrate the anniversary of BridgeDetroit, a dedicated local newsroom.

News Summary

BridgeDetroit commemorates its fifth anniversary with a fundraising campaign aiming to raise $7,000 by May 16. The community-centered newsroom has impacted over 65,000 visitors monthly, providing essential local journalism. With generous support from notable foundations and multiple awards for its reporters, BridgeDetroit emphasizes its commitment to serving Detroit’s diverse neighborhoods. Initiatives like the Rx Kids program, designed to assist expectant mothers, showcase their dedication to addressing pressing community needs.

Detroit is commemorating the fifth anniversary of BridgeDetroit, a community-centered newsroom dedicated to providing vital information to its residents. To mark this milestone, BridgeDetroit has launched a spring fundraising campaign with a goal of raising $7,000 by May 16. This campaign invites contributions to support ongoing efforts in local journalism that directly address the needs and concerns of Detroit’s communities.

Since its inception in May 2020, BridgeDetroit has positioned itself as a key source of information and a platform for local journalism, reaching over 65,000 monthly visitors. The newsroom’s commitment has been to keep its reporting and engagement events free for all residents, ensuring that critical news and information are accessible to everyone.

The anniversary initiatives have been bolstered by generous contributions from various foundations, including the Knight, Ford, Skillman, Kresge, Wilson, McGregor, and Hudson-Webber foundations. This support has underpinned the newsroom’s mission and its ability to serve the Detroit community effectively.

BridgeDetroit not only celebrates its achievements but also highlights the recent accolades received by its reporters. Malachi Barrett, one of the newsroom’s journalists, was recognized as a runner-up for the Young Journalist of the Year award, while the newsroom collectively received 18 awards from the Detroit Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists for excellence in various journalistic endeavors.

Stephen Henderson, the founder of BridgeDetroit, earned an award for his outstanding health reporting focusing on the mental health challenges faced by young people in relation to the Black church. Additionally, reporter Nushrat Rahman won third place for Collaborative Coverage through the Michigan Solutions Journalism Collaborative for her important work on issues surrounding maternal and infant health crises. Complementing this, Ron French and Robin Erb, from the sister publication Bridge Michigan, were named Journalists of the Year for their in-depth reporting on Michigan’s opioid epidemic. Notably, Jena Brooker was also recognized as the Young Journalist of the Year in 2024.

BridgeDetroit’s awards span both national and Michigan-specific competitions, including the Michigan Press Association’s Public Service Award. Their recognized contributions also encompass important local issues like environmental matters, community needs, and public policy.

Alongside its anniversary celebration, BridgeDetroit is emphasizing the significance of community initiatives such as the Rx Kids program, which provides cash assistance for expectant mothers and their infants. This program, which has recently expanded its services to areas like Kalamazoo and the eastern Upper Peninsula, aims to combat infant poverty by providing direct financial support.

The Rx Kids program offers a total of $1,500 mid-pregnancy and $500 monthly during the first year of a child’s life, requiring no conditions for the financial assistance. So far, the program has successfully supported families in Flint with over $6 million distributed, with plans to assist approximately 600 babies annually in the newly included regions.

Bipartisan support for the Rx Kids initiative has been evident as lawmakers recognize the critical need for financial assistance for families, particularly in rural areas experiencing economic hardships. Future expansions of the program are expected in Wayne County and Oakland County, representing a continued commitment to enhancing community well-being.

As BridgeDetroit marks this significant anniversary, the organization remains focused on fostering local journalism that is responsive to the unique needs of Detroit’s diverse communities.