If you find yourself organizing people in your neighborhood, starting a group on Patch is a great way to do it!  You can create three types of groups:

A Blog is a group just for you. Anyone can read these and only people you approve can post to it.

An Open Group works like a public message board or mailing list.  Anyone can read it and post to it.

A Private Group works like a private message board or mailing list.  Only people you or another group manager approve can read it and post to it.

Start a Group

To start a group, just follow these steps:

1. Click the "Start a Group" link on the top right side of the homepage.
   
2. On the next page, select the type of group: Blog, Public Group or Private Group.
   
3. Add more information about your group such as its name, description and categories.
   
4. Select a group icon or, if you have your own photos, you can upload a photo to use as the icon by clicking the "Upload Your Own" button.
   
5. When you are finished, click the "Create Your Group" at the bottom right of the page.
   
6. You can now invite people to your group and start posting.  To read more about being a group manager, visit the "Manage Your Group" section.