I joined The Green Line at a time when I wasn’t sure if I wanted to call Toronto home.

I had moved to the city from Beirut, Lebanon eight months prior, and was struggling to see myself building a life and community here. As all of us do — I’ve now learned — I was struggling to find meaningful work, warm spaces and fun events. Then, came The Green Line.

It started with a casual chat with editor-in-chief Anita Li who generously gave me a rundown of Toronto’s media scene. A couple of months later, in March 2024, I was helping her build and deliver a pilot project to train youth in community journalism in a neighbourhood the media often ignores or serves badly. 

That summer at the Alexandra Park Youth Journalism Program showed me the power of hyperlocal, community-driven service journalism and how it can shape one’s experience of a place. It shaped my experience of Toronto and I started loving the city. 

I started learning about Toronto — both good and bad — directly from its people from articles such as this youth-produced “Know Your Neighbour” series, and I got a glimpse into the best of what Toronto’s communities and neighbourhoods have to offer through our Changermakers section and Up the Street biweekly show (R.I.P) on CityNews Toronto.

Fast forward to today: My work at The Green Line has taken me to every corner of Toronto — as far east and west and north as the city stretches. I spent time touring farms in both Malvern and Rexdale, produced on-site profiles for Don Valley North, Scarborough Southwest and every ward in between, and this year, I’ve been serving as the Local Journalism Initiative reporter for Thorncliffe Park and Flemingdon Park.

Through every iteration and focus we’ve had over the years, the kind of journalism we’re doing has always been all about helping Torontonians, like me and you, live better here — whether that’s through practical guidance on what to do when you get handed an eviction notice or honest reviews of places to hang out with your friends. We even get into the nitty gritty that no one else breaks down, such as these tools about everything — literally everything — you need to know as a renter and homeowner.

Beyond tools and guides, we also dive deep through our Action Journeys and feature stories. Some investigations are lighthearted, yet spark important conversations about the city’s identity, such as our Toronto’s Youth Culture Through Our Music Scene issue last summer. Others can weigh heavy, especially when solutions fail, such as this look into how some Torontonians can’t afford affordable housing. Yet every story has a unique impact; Chiyi Tam, managing director and co-founder of the Toronto Chinatown Land Trust, told me this affordable housing story made her team re-evaluate standards and plans for their housing acquisitions.

But the best part? We report on things you, dear reader, tell us are important. We’ve collected hundreds of surveys, we review DMs, emails and comments across all of our platforms, and with every story, we make sure we’re answering your most pressing questions.

Our team loves doing it and wants to keep on doing it. But to be frank, it costs money and we need your support. Being reader-funded means we can keep prioritizing your needs — not the whims of big tech or agendas of billionaire funders.  

For the cost of a shawarma sandwich every month, you’d be directly supporting our community-led journalism. For example, you can help fund our ongoing election coverage, enabling our reporters to produce 25 lists detailing what to expect from every winning councillor based on their promises (and what to hold them accountable to). You’d also be funding future tools, such as everything you need to know as a newcomer to the city, which even long-time Torontonians may find useful.

And that’s not all: A TGL membership also gives you perks, like event discounts; and let me tell you: You don’t want to miss out on our game nights, screenings, panels, Story Circles and more. You also get a more direct line of communication with our team to tell us what you want to see us work on next.

We’d love your contribution, so we can keep on serving you. Thanks for your support. 💚