Dear Reader:

When I was laid off from The Roanoke Times in 2021, I decided to launch a truly local, investigative media outlet to bring you new and different kinds of journalism.

Since then, The Roanoke Rambler has delivered for the community. We’ve revealed toxic workplace claims at Roanoke city hall, held politicians and candidates accountable, and broken hyper-local stories about racial justice, food and culture and local businesses that other media aren’t covering. 

Without The Rambler, I worry that you may not have all the information you need to make informed civic decisions — or simply won’t know about what’s really happening in the community and why.

Can you imagine if we didn’t exist? But that’s a real possibility now. 

Today, I am writing to you about our first reader fundraiser, in advance of our third birthday next month. While we continue to explore diverse revenue sources, what keeps us afloat is the 6 percent of our readers who donate. 

I hate asking for money, but I’ll be blunt: We need 300 readers to become supporting members for us to keep operating.

Will you join your fellow readers committed to supporting local journalism that matters with a donation of $10, $20, or $50 per month?

I want you to imagine Roanoke without The Rambler.

• Would we have known why City Manager Bob Cowell resigned? 
• Would that reason have come to light without our reporting that revealed claims of a toxic workplace at city hall, involving the demotion of an assistant city manager, and the parks and recreation director’s abrupt resignation? 
• Or what about simple community news, such as our stories about the closure of Local Roots and the new restaurant coming in that space, which no other local media has covered? 

There’s a void in Roanoke news coverage that The Rambler helps fill.

I believe Roanoke needs The Rambler’s style of hard-hitting, hyper-local journalism that holds those in power accountable and keeps the community informed. I am so grateful for every donor who wants to see truly local, truly Roanoke news continue to exist. 

Next month, we’ll celebrate our third birthday. Will you help us see four?

Thank you so much,

Henri Gendreau

Publisher and Editor-in-Chief
The Roanoke Rambler
Local | Investigative | Literary
editor@roanokerambler.com