I’ve got some personal news to share: My wife and I are expecting our second child in late August.
We’re excited, a little nervous, and bracing ourselves for the whirlwind that’s about to arrive (again). As we welcome this new little one into our family, I’ll likely need to slow down publishing for a few weeks while balancing newborn care and toddler entertainment. I hear it’s just as fun as it sounds.
I wanted to share this with you now—especially if you’re a newer subscriber—so you’re not surprised if the publishing cadence shifts a bit.
The last time we had a baby, well… Newsberg was born too.
I started Newsberg from a hospital room, sitting beside my wife as we waited for our first child to arrive. In that moment, I realized I wanted to root myself more deeply in this community and build something my child could be proud of. Something that made Newberg a little stronger, a little more informed, and a little more connected.
Newsberg grew out of that hope. And now, as we prepare to welcome our second child, that purpose feels even more real—and more urgent.
But here’s the honest part: Newsberg is still a one-person show. And that means I’m the single point of failure for everything Newsberg.
Every newsletter, every social media post, nearly every story, most of the photos and captions, and the event calendar management—it’s all me. And while I love this work deeply, it’s simply not sustainable without support. I’ve been running Newsberg unpaid for over two and a half years, pouring in time, energy, and heart because I believe this work and this community matter.
As a founder, going without a paycheck for a few years is expected—there’s the hope that one day the work will become self-sustaining. But when life events come up—like, say, having a newborn—the lack of a salary means I can’t bring someone in to help temporarily or step in while I take leave. A founder can go unpaid. A skilled writer shouldn’t.
You may be thinking: It’s okay, Newsberg! Take the time you need and pause publishing for a few weeks.
But here’s the complication: There are forces at play that require 52 weeks of consecutive publishing to unlock a potential revenue source that could help stabilize Newsberg in the future. Since I took a short publishing break in January, that clock restarted on February 4, 2025.
So here’s what I’m doing:
First and foremost, a huge thank-you to our three community partners, several advertisers, the 61 monthly contributors, and the many one-time donors. Without exaggeration, Newsberg couldn’t exist without you. As readership grows, so do costs. Just the newsletter platform alone now runs over $100 per month and climbing, with more than 3,100 people reading weekly.
I’m also in active conversations with a few mission-aligned nonprofits to explore fiscal sponsorship. That would allow Newsberg to accept tax-deductible donations, making it easier to raise funds for a staff position, whether it’s a salary for me or a future local reporter who can help cover more of this community. Stay tuned for more on that.
Here’s the ask:
If you believe in what Newsberg is doing—if you’ve found a story that mattered, discovered an event worth attending, or simply felt more connected to your neighbors—I hope you’ll consider supporting. Even $5/month helps. A little from a lot of us can go a long way.
If you’re not in a place to give now, that’s totally okay. Just keep an eye out for an upcoming fundraising campaign that will help fund a journalist in this town, ideally with a fiscal sponsor behind it that will provide a vehicle for tax deduction.
Thank you for being part of this. I may be on baby duty for a bit, but I’m not going anywhere. Newsberg was built for this town—and for my kids. I want it to grow up alongside them.
With gratitude,
Branden Andersen
Founding Editor, Newsberg
