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The Most Read Stories of 2021: Looking Back on a Year Filled with Challenges and Hope

In view of the inherent value of sharing news and analysis about the topics that are most important to us and to our community, the Michelson Philanthropies network published more than 230 articles in 2021, far more than in years past.

Michelson Philanthropies — including Michelson Found Animals Foundation, Michelson Medical Research Foundation, Michelson 20MM Foundation, Michelson Center for Public Policy, Michelson Institute for Intellectual Property, FirstGen Initiative — strive to make a positive impact in animal welfare, medical research, equity in education, immigration, and public policy.

As founder and co-chair Dr. Gary Michelson might say, the ultimate goal is to leave the world better than we found it, and to have had our being here make a difference.

The focus was on impact. Michelson Philanthropies worked to make emergency student aid more equitable, to expand educational access to the incarcerated, to bridge the Digital Divide, support young and innovative medical researchers, and to educate HBCU students about the world of intellectual property and copyright law.

Articles that highlight where our work has had a direct impact — such as congressional leaders citing our Pet-Inclusive Housing Initiative in a bill that reduces restrictions around pets in public housing, or California allocating $115 million to help community college students afford textbooks — were thus very popular among our readers this year.

Yet it’s no surprise when 70 percent of U.S. households own pets that stories featuring the Found Animals Foundation were the most engaging, especially content that provided expert knowledge on how to take better care of your best friend.

Below are the top 10 most read stories from each website publishing news and analysis on our websites. Reread your favorite pieces or read them for the first time.