Deputy editors Dwayne Burtin (left) and Adam Carr, shown at Washington Park Wednesdays, help to lead a newsroom dedicated not only to covering the community, but to also being in the community.

Ron Smith, editor of Milwaukee NNS

At the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service, we take the “service” part of our name seriously.

As you should know, we are a nonprofit newsroom that uses evidence-based journalism to tell stories about our community that would otherwise go untold.

But it’s a two-way street. We can’t be everywhere, or cover all the great things happening in our neighborhoods, but we can always be there for you.

Here is a “How To” on the best ways to get your news on our site and on our social media channels.

1. Know our audience: We are only interested in stories, events and issues that directly affect our neighborhoods. We are not here to provide free advertising to businesses or groups that are overtly promotional. (You can buy advertising.) But we are here to serve as a platform for neighborhood groups and nonprofits dedicated to helping the community.
2. Give us at least three to four weeks’ notice about your event: I often hear from many of you the day of an event. That does not give us enough time to consider or plan.
3. Don’t be offended if we are unable to cover your event: Did I mention we are a nonprofit newsroom? Our staff consists of six paid part-timers and a great cohort of community volunteers and interns. As fabulous as we are, we can’t be everywhere. So pay close attention to the following steps.
4. To maximize time, we are asking readers to post their news releases directly.  Confused about what makes a good news release? Here are eight tips, courtesy of HuffPost.
5. Got an opinion? Of course you do. Submit your thoughts to Community Voices!
6. Don’t forget to take advantage of two weekly resources that are designed especially for you: We publish “5 things to know this week”on Mondays and “5 things to do this weekend” on Fridays. These are perfect places to highlight events for our readers.
7. How to reach us: Email is highly effective. We can be reached at info@milwaukeenns.org. You can also reach me directly at rsmith@milwaukeenns.org. Our newsroom phone number is (414) 604-6397. My cell phone number is (414) 378-1767.

Here’s how you can help us:

Our journalism is free, but our labor is not. We need your help to be sustainable. NNS was founded in 2011 to address the pressing need for more balanced coverage of Milwaukee’s Central City neighborhoods. We report about people who are working hard to improve the quality of life for themselves and their neighbors, and we also produce in-depth stories that address the challenges facing these communities. No other news organization does what we do.

1. So if you haven’t already, subscribe to our daily e-mail newsletter. (And why haven’t you? Asking for a friend.)
2. DONATE: In December, we came dangerously close to going out of business. But thanks to the city’s foundations, donors and the generosity of Marquette University, we are still here, fighting the good fight. But we need to be sustainable. I hope you will consider joining others in the community and make a tax-deductible donation to support our work. The average donor gives about $60 per year ($5 per month). Help keep us in business. The best things in life are not (always) free!

Thank you for allowing NNS to tell the stories that celebrate our city’s diverse neighborhoods. It’s an honor we don’t take lightly.

About Ron Smith

Ron became editor of the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service on Feb. 1. He believes in doing great journalism, appreciating the great NNS team that does it and “proceeding until apprehended.”