New to Patch? Take a Look Under the Hood

Are you discovering Evanston Patch for the first time? First, welcome. Let me introduce you to Evanston Patch and the Patch network.

Evanston Patch is one of the more than 800 community sites in 22 states that are owned by AOL and the Huffington Post Media Group, including dozens in the Chicago area. (You can check out others at Patch.com.)

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Our community-specific news, information and engagement platform is driven by passionate and experienced new media professionals. Our goal is to make it ridiculously easy for neighbors to connect with each other, their communities and the national conversation, not to mention bring you the latest news about what's going on in Evanston.

What can you do on Patch?

• Keep up with news and events
• Learn more about local businesses and the people behind them
• Participate in discussions
• Share your perspectives via our Local Voices blogging platform
• Submit your own announcements, photos and events
• Find or post a volunteer opportunity

By the way, you don't have to be a professional writer to blog for us.

We want engaged people from our communities to share what's happening in their lives, our communities and our world.

Just click to contribute a Local Voices blog. 

It's just as easy to post announcements (wedding, births, graduation, honor roll, etc.) and events for your organization. 

Got a great photo you've shared on Facebook? We want it, too! Pics and Clips is a great place to share photos that you have taken.

If you're a business owner or manager, you should claim your free directory listing on Patch so that you can update it with employees or patrons of the month, price guides, menus and photos. If your business isn't listed in the directory, click the icon that says "Add it" and jump on board. 

And don't forget to follow Beachwood Patch on Facebook and Twitter.

If Patch isn't part of your routine, be sure to sign up for the daily Patch Newsletter, which will arrive in your inbox every day with the latest stories published on the site. You can also sign up for our Breaking News Alerts.

Look around and join us and the conversation on Evanston Patch!