Maricopa MOMS Meet to Form New Club

Attention, Maricopa at-home moms. You have the opportunity to find other moms who understand your special needs and will provide a support system for you and your children. The organizational meeting for the Maricopa MOMS (moms offering moms support) Club was held today at the Fulton Homes playground. Many moms and their children turned out to meet one another and to find out about the club.

Organizers of the event, Lisa Cannon, Gretta Roberts and Cynthia Duke, have all been members of various MOMS chapters in Ahwatukee. Now they live in Rancho El Dorado and want to afford others the fun and fellowship of a MOMS chapter. “There are so many new moms and so many people to get to know,” said Gretta. “It’s a network.”

Gretta Roberts (left) and Cynthia Duke organized the initial meeting of the MOMS club. (Lisa Cannon had to be out-of-town.)

Each MOMS club is very different, but all of them meet during the day and include children in the activities. Maricopa’s new chapter hopes to attract about 30 members. Cynthia explained, “That way everyone is close enough to provide support.” Mothers of any age children are welcome. You don’t have to leave the group when your children enter school.

Some of the activities planned for the group include meal support for new moms, forums on topics of interest to mothers, monthly crafts days for kids, monthly field trips, family holiday parties and one monthly mom’s night out. Other groups, like a cooking or book club led by members, can become offshoots of a MOMS club.

MOMS Club is a nonprofit corporation and a 501(c)3 publicly supported charity registered with the IRS. The local club plans on at least one major fund-raiser annually as well as plenty of community volunteerism according to Cynthia Duke. Dues will be $25 per year.

Kids play while moms share ideas.

MOMS Clubs have 1,500 chapters with more than 75,000 members in the United States. International clubs are forming also. The idea for this type of organization came from Mary James, a California at-home mom, in 1983. She decided she was tired of being alone at home. She wanted to meet other at-home mothers and wanted to find other children for her kids to play with. Her idea was so successful that she and other volunteers began helping other at-home moms organize local chapters.

If you are proud to be an at-home mom, but you find yourself talking in two-word sentences and feeling a bit under appreciated, contact the Maricopa MOMS club for support. You can reach Lisa Cannon at 568-4567 or by email for more information and future meeting dates or contact Gretta Roberts at 568-9889.