Just in time for year-end giving, the Internal Revenue Service has designated Peekskill Herald a charitable organization. Donors can deduct contributions they make to Peekskill Herald under Internal Revenue Code Section 170, according to the notification received by the Herald over the weekend. The effective date of the Herald’s exemption is July 20, 2021. The Herald had been approved as a not-for-profit back in July, but a pandemic-weary IRS took until this past weekend to complete the paperwork necessary to allow direct tax deductions by donors.

“This is tremendous news, not only for the Peekskill Herald as a new nonprofit, but for the community of Peekskill as well,” said founder Regina Clarkin. “Peekskill is fortunate to have an independent, unbiased, truly local source of news. With the rise of social media where people post what they’ve ‘heard’ and others respond, causing innuendo and misinformation to spread, it’s integral to the functioning of a healthy community to have a reliable source of information that can be trusted to be accurate.” 

Residents of Peekskill are encouraged to sign up as members of Peekskill Herald at PeekskillHerald.com and consider making a monthly donation to the digital newspaper so a staff can be hired. Peekskill Herald 2.0  started as a digital blog in January of 2019, 33 years to the day of the founding of the first Peekskill Herald, a print weekly newspaper that was in existence from 1986 to 2000.  The blog transitioned to a news site in January of this year after a successful crowdfunding campaign showed there was support in the community for a Peekskill-focused news source. 

Every week since January 2019, the Herald has been reporting on stories about Peekskill residents, businesses, developments, crime, and events – along with municipal and school district happenings. This reporting is the heart of community journalism. There has not been a charge to access the news – and we’d like to continue that policy, however, we are relying on the community to support our work to hire a full-time reporter and editor along with a development officer and administrative support.  Through a combination of community members contributing, businesses offering sponsorships, and foundation grants, the Herald will have a strong chance to be a sustainable business model. e welcome contributions from those individuals who can afford to support a community newspaper 

If you are of the age group that needs a minimum required distribution from traditional IRAs and employer-sponsored retirement plans, consider the Peekskill Herald as a beneficiary. Your community newspaper is a nonprofit that impacts your life and those of your neighbors. If you don’t know what to tell your family and friends to get you as a holiday gift, encourage them to give you a membership to the Herald at a monthly recurring amount. Your contribution to Peekskill Herald helps keep it free for others who perhaps can’t afford to become a member. 

We’re grateful to the Peekskill community for the financial support and encouragement that’s gotten us to this remarkable place, and we’re thankful in advance and excited as we go forward into the next phase of our journey. We look forward to continuing to grow and serve you in 2022!.