Building a Mom's Network

Story by Lindsey Chester | July 28, 2010 | Tags: Communitiy, Families

Story by Lindsey Chester.

Cary, NC- If you ever felt overwhelmed as a Mom, there’s a local online network to help. The Triangle Mommies site got its start in 2005 when Marissa Ackermen moved from Charlotte to Durham, bringing the Charlotte Mommies concept to this area. As they celebrated their 5th anniversary this year, they count 113 Mommies groups nationwide.

What’s it All About?

Mom’s helping moms. The site contains many online forums where dialog can exist to help with common parenting questions. Folks who have “been there” can help with answers. It’s free to sign up and folks are encouraged to stick to “the rules” of respectful posting, to keep the tone helpful. Play groups are a natural spin-off where Moms can meet in person, to make friends for their kids, but most importantly for each other. Being a stay-at-home mother can be isolating, especially if you are new to the area.

I met Brittany Beaulac, who was appointed Promotions Manager in February. She moved to Cary not knowing anyone and the Triangle Mommies group was a huge help to make the transition. Brittany regularly posts to her blog about her exploits with her 3 sons. She informed me that the site is completely run by volunteers and is partnered with Carolina Parent Magazine. They raise funds when they need to pay for events, but the staff are unpaid.

What do Members Have to Say?

“Bringing a large, diverse group of moms together is amazing. There’s always someone who has been there, feels the same, lives in the area and can relate”

“We moved here from half way across the country and knew no one. ..Who would have encouraged me to change pediatricians when I wasn’t happy…Who would have introduced me to our favorite parks? Who makes me laugh when my kids are making me crazy?”

Helping The Community

In addition to helping each other, Triangle Mommies tries to sponsor charitable events every month that help the greater community.

• August:  Helping Hands- collecting school supplies during the month of August. This event is for members only.
• September: Read Seed- the group will help this organization collect gently used books in September to get books into the hands of children that need them.
• October: Food Drive which they call “Trunk of Treat”
• November: Modern Baby Expo- at the NC Fairgrounds

Recently the group got together to help with the Oil Spill cleanup in the Gulf. They volunteered their time for Project 8 and managed to collect/ make 450 wash cloths and 2-1/2 gallons of dawn dish detergent. These ultimately were instead donated to the Triangle Wildlife Rehabilitation Clinic, as the gulf had all the needed supplies.

How to Contact?

Go to the Triangle Mommies website. In the upper right corner is a user registration/ log-in area. Create your user ID and you’re ready to start posting. Because the Triangle is a big area (Wake County alone is 854 sq miles),  the site has developed sub groups based on geographic location- Cary falls in the Western Wake area, which also includes Apex and Morrisville.

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