As a teenager, I always dreamed of working as a journalist. I loved radio, I loved storytelling, and I loved the idea of being on the front lines to witness and share important moments. I spent years chasing stories and interviewing newsmakers as a radio reporter in my 20s before moving into the realm of corporate communications. I still follow the business closely, because it’s still where my heart remains. Good journalism (and good journalists, of which there are too few) matter to the health of democracies and have great power to do good in the world. Unfortunately, a number of internal and external forces have conspired against journalism, leaving the industry fragmented, broke, and largely devoid of public trust.

Enter The Correspondent, a five-year-old Dutch startup that refuses advertising dollars and makes building trust with readers its north star. I first heard about The Correspondent from media critic, blogger and professor Jay Rosen on Twitter; I read up, and just minutes later made a donation.

The Correspondent sets itself apart by publishing its ten founding principles, which contain promises to be transparent, always put journalism ahead of profit, and never run any advertisements. The goal is to raise enough money — $2.5 million, to be exact — to launch a US version of the publication and provide an alternative to the advertiser-driven, click-baity and sensational content that makes up the overwhelming amount of our so-called “news”.

A team from The Correspondent is now pounding the pavement to reach its fundraising target before the deadline in mid-December. I have no idea if they’ll be successful, or even if the final product will live up to expectations — but I applaud them for trying.  We are living in a rapidly changing world in which trust in our institutions is eroding and the truth is becoming a matter of opinion. For the good of journalism — and the United States — I hope The Correspondent succeeds.

You can make a donation here.