Free does not mean automatic, unlimited, or guaranteed.
Complimentary opportunities are reviewed for geographic eligibility, family relevance, editorial fit, available inventory, and timing. Paid partners and campaigns receive guaranteed deliverables; free submissions are considered and scheduled when appropriate.
Start Here
Ways to Connect Without a Paid Campaign
Choose the opportunity that best matches what you want local families to discover.
Community Calendar
Add an Eligible Family Event
Eligible community events may be submitted directly to the appropriate Macaroni KID calendar at no charge. Event organizers are responsible for entering complete and accurate information, including dates, times, location, cost, age range, and registration links.
Important: summer camps and other school-break camps are not eligible for free calendar submission. Camp promotion is reserved for Summer Camp Guide partners and other approved paid partnerships.
Choose the calendar closest to the event:
Harrisburg & West Shore Events Carlisle–Boiling Springs–Shippensburg Events Hershey Region EventsUse the “Add Event” option on the selected calendar. Submission does not guarantee newsletter, featured, or social placement.
Local Directory
Get Your Organization on Our Radar
Local family-serving businesses, nonprofits, and community organizations may request consideration for a basic directory listing. Upgraded search-optimized listings, enhanced placement, embedded information, and advertising are paid options.
Eligibility and category placement are reviewed before publication.
Request Listing InformationTips & Community News
Send Us Something Families Should Know
Share a timely announcement, public resource, community need, call for volunteers, award, opening, or family-relevant news tip. Flyers and press releases are welcome for editorial consideration.
Tagging Macaroni KID on social media can help us see timely news, but tags and submissions do not guarantee reposting or coverage.
Send Community NewsGuest Contributors
Share Knowledge, Perspective, or a Local Story
We occasionally welcome original articles from local parents, professionals, nonprofit leaders, authors, educators, and community voices. Strong submissions teach, encourage, tell a meaningful story, or give families something genuinely useful.
A good guest contribution:
• Is original and written for local families
• Offers value beyond promoting the contributor
• Clearly discloses relevant affiliations
• Is subject to editing and editorial approval
Pitch a Guest ArticleCommunity Information Partners
Media, Chamber & Community Partnerships
We welcome collaborative relationships with local media outlets, chambers of commerce, visitors bureaus and tourism associations, municipalities and townships, libraries, fire and police departments, and other public or community-service organizations.
Press-List Relationship
Add Macaroni KID to your press or community-information list so we can consider relevant announcements, events, public resources, openings, and family news for complimentary editorial coverage.
Best for: organizations that regularly distribute timely information and do not need guaranteed placement.
Formal Media Partnership
For major initiatives, recurring community events, or organizations needing reserved deliverables, we can discuss a formal in-kind or paid media partnership with clearly defined responsibilities and placement.
Best for: collaborations that need planned promotion, reciprocal recognition, or guaranteed inventory.
Small but Mighty Support
Opportunities for Local Nonprofits
Nonprofit status does not automatically guarantee free advertising, but we intentionally reserve ways to support organizations serving local children, families, and community life.
Donated Promotion
Limited event-promotion donations, complimentary upgrades, social support, and newsletter or website placements may be offered when the mission, timing, and available inventory align.
Event Collaboration
Macaroni KID sometimes participates as an in-kind media partner, community collaborator, activity provider, or even a cash sponsor when an event strongly aligns with our mission and annual plans.
Mission-Aligned Stories
Nonprofits may pitch community stories, family resources, volunteer needs, guest articles, and hosted program coverage for editorial consideration.
All donated support is limited, reviewed individually, and subject to available time, funding, inventory, and geographic eligibility.
Reviews, Hosted Experiences & Barters
Have a Creative Trade in Mind?
Eligible local businesses and organizations may propose hosted reviews or clearly defined barter partnerships. Travel and out-of-territory experiences follow separate editorial and territory rules. Visit the full information page before proposing a trade.
Which Route Should You Choose?
A quick guide to getting your request to the right place.
Submit it to the appropriate calendar.
Email a press release, flyer, or concise news tip.
Ask about a paid campaign or formal partnership.
Share the mission, event, need, timing, and requested help.
Let’s Build a Stronger Village Together
The best request tells us who you serve, what you want families to know, which region it belongs in, when it needs to happen, and what kind of support you are seeking.
Contact Rachael