On February 23rd, Streetsblog L.A. Board Member Joel Epstein and his wife Karen Sarachik will host our first fundraiser of 2013, at their house in Brentwood. Joel and Karen are joined in welcoming you by a host committee that includes Jerard Wright, Dan Rodman and Bill Rosendahl and the Board of Streetsblog Los Angeles. The party starts at 7:00 p.m. and there will be delicious Indian food.

Suggested donation is $100, and includes your choice of Streetsblog t-shirt, Eastside Streetsblog t-shirt, or Streetsblog shoulder bag. Of course, nobody will be turned away, regardless of their donation amount.

And this isn’t just a regular fundraiser…it’s also a birthday party! Our fifth birthday party to be exact! Streetsblog Los Angeles launched on February 27, 2008. Hard to believe it’s been almost five years.

If you’ve been reading Streetsblog for more than a couple of months, you’ve probably noticed a couple of changes. Unlike 2008 and 2009, when over 90% of the stories that appear were written by me, now that number is below 50% as new donors, advertisers and foundations invest in the work we’re doing. While our budget and writing team have grown, so has readership. Over the last 30 days, the number of Streetsblog Los Angeles readers is 83% higher than the same period one year ago.

Every donation helps, so we hope you can join us on February 23rd at Joel and Karen’s.

RSVP by emailing me, damien@streetsblog.org.  Feel free to spread the word, and we’ll see you there.