Today, I’m asking your help by contributing one-time or regular payments to support the things you like to follow: my blog and my photography and the farm.

I often ask for money for the work of the Army Of Good – the refugees, the Mansion – but I often forget or am too queasy to ask for money for me and for my blog.

The blog, founded in 2007, has grown beyond my imagination, not only in terms of readers and viewers, but also in terms of cost. I just commissioned $4,000 for the blog re-design and so it will be easier for people to read on tablets and  phones.

It is never easy for me to ask for money for myself, until a few years ago this was unthinkable. But paying for creative work on the Internet has become more mainstream, and saved the creative lives of so many people, myself included.

But I do need help to continue my work, on and off of the blog.

Our new podcast will cost more than $1,000 to set up and publish properly. And there are substantial fees for tech support, blog feeds, domain registration and maintenance.

My photography costs me vastly more than  I can make selling photos. I don’t copyright or watermark my photos or writing. I share it freely,  I love it when my photos or stories go  out into the universe to live.

I put a fraction of my photos on sale

And I contribute a good chunk of money to Army Of Good work myself, I wouldn’t ask people out in the country to do anything I don’t do.

The publishing world is a changing landscape for me. And a lot of big bills are coming due.

No more big contracts, fat and regular royalty checks, book tours or publisher support. Year by year, it is the blog that is driving my creative life, it is the blog I love. And soon, we hope the podcast will tie us to an even larger audience.

I solicit voluntary donations, but all of these things – thousands of photos, blog posts,  the blog itself – are free.

Of course I need to pay my bills just like you, caring well for the animals is also expensive – grain, hay, medical care, fence construction and repair, firewood, wide-angle lenses for all of those sky photos people like.

I spend a lot of time driving to and forth Albany on behalf of the refugees and visiting the Mansion to do my therapy work with Red and help the residents with some of their needs.

I won’t even mention vet bills for the dogs and donkeys and sheep.

I am grateful their lives and stories can give pleasure to people. But it is also work for me, and I think it is important that I get paid for my work by people who can afford to do it. The blog is and will remain free, but it is your support that keeps it going and makes my work possible.

Without  that support, I couldn’t do this work, the blog is the heartbeat of the Army Of Good. And it is past time to tend to my own needs.

I work hard on the blog, my photos, my defunct radio show, the podcasts.  I would be most grateful to be paid for my work if it is possible for the people reading it do.

I’m aware of the great need of many people, I always balk at asking support for  me. But I know this is fair and proper (I just get over it.)

My blog is as secure as we can make it, no financial information of any kind is stored on my blog or its servers.

You can contribute any amount on a one-time basis or contribute on a monthly basis – $5, $10 or once a year for $75. You can cancel anytime.

You can contribute the one time payments in any amount via Paypal, [email protected] and by check, Jon Katz, Blog Support, P.O. Box 205, Cambridge N.Y., 12816.

You can support the blog on a one-time any amount basis by going here. So if you enjoy the blog or the photos and find my work stimulating, thought-provoking or helpful, I hope you will take a money to help me continue it and support. I thank you very much.

The blog has been one of the seminal positive experiences of my adult life. So has my work with the Army Of Good with the very needy refugees and their children, and the Mansion residents, who many have come to love and care.

This time, I’m asking for me.