A new charitable initiative seeks to strengthen journalism in Allen County. The Strengthen Allen County News Project, formed late last year, is a collaboration with the Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas, based in Pittsburg.
Tax-deductible donations to the project will be used to support efforts to enhance reliable, local news coverage and ensure Allen County communities remain informed and connected.
“We know that local coverage of important topics like community events and local government meetings are critical to local residents staying informed,” said Devin Gorman, executive director of the Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas. “We firmly believe that strong local news coverage is vital to a strong community.”
The Strengthen Allen County News Project is composed of eight local board members: Erik Unruh, Patti Boyd, Marcia Davis, Judy Brigham, Liz Wilcox, Bob Johnson, Susan Lynn and Tim Stauffer.
All funds raised by the group will be used to continue coverage of public schools, local government, and community affairs. The support of local reporters is a key part of the group’s focus.
“When reporters are talking to their own community, talking to their friends and neighbors, it gives you a different level of insight and knowledge,” said Gorman. “You don’t get that from an outside source. With local news, readers are more informed and reporters can dive deeper, explaining the history and context of what they’re reporting.”
Members conducted a first round of fundraising efforts during the Christmas season and hope to kick off another campaign drive later this spring.
Individuals can support the initiative by mailing a check to the Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas with “Strengthen Allen County News Project” in the memo line. Additionally, tax-deductive donations can be made online.
“We are very grateful for our community’s continued support of local news,” said Tim Stauffer, managing editor of the Register and a member of the project. “We remain focused on providing our residents with the information they need to shape our region’s future. Strong local news helps people make better decisions about their schools, local government, safety and neighborhoods.”
A similar project, named the Support Local Journalism Fund, was created by a group of Pittsburg residents in 2024. Their efforts have focused extensively on reviving The Morning Sun, which was purchased by a group of several local families in 2022 and has greatly expanded its coverage in the last several years.
The Register and The Morning Sun are the region’s only daily newspapers.
More than 200 U.S. counties are without any local news outlet. About half of all U.S. counties are served by one remaining local news source – typically a weekly paper. In 2025 alone, over 130 newspapers shut down.
“As a southeast Kansas native, I truly want to see SEK prosper,” said Gorman. “It’s important that each community has its own identity, but as a region we need to know how to band together to support each other. We know local media coverage is important to small towns in our region, and that’s why we want to support local news. It’s critical for people to know what’s going on.”
