Llacuna says, “One of the biggest things with being a business mom, is there are other business moms on there. It’s been nice talking to people about how hard it is to run a business and be a mom, sometimes it gets a little hectic.”

Leanne Worton started as a member of nearby Carbondale Moms for Moms in January of 2011.  As a mother and active community member she loved the site so much that four months later she launched a Moms for Moms site in her own rural community of Rifle, CO in April 2011.

“Coming here with a 2 year old, it was really tough to find other moms who were in the same place that I was. Rifle is a rural area and it can be hard to make friends as a mom, says Worton.

Now one year later Rifle Moms for Moms has 221 members who have discussed 222 Forum topics, posted 775 Events, shared 335 photos, and created 24 niche Groups. Congratulations Leanne, you are building a stronger community by engaging the moms in Rifle!

Moms for Moms Communities sites are launching in small mountain towns across North America. To learn how to launch your community site visit www.MomsforMomsCommunities.com

I want to highlight the strengths on Special Needs Moms for Moms and build upon what they do best. The members are a diverse group of mothers who share authentically. Their honest and open dialog makes SpecialNeedsMomsforMoms.com the source moms turn to for information
when first learning of a diagnosis, to finding support when they are giving it their all but nothing is working, to celebrating each tiny step of success, to being educated and inspired by others’ stories,” explains Janine Cuthbertson, Founder of Moms for Moms Communities.

Cuthbertson celebrates the success of the site so far and “encourages the members to continue to be there for each other and rally behind their passions. Imagine what you can give and receive as an engaged mothering community.” She expresses gratitude to “each of the members who have ever posted, commented, shared, opened your heart, trusted the process and believed! You are valued, appreciated, trusted and an inspiration to all.”

Are you the mother or caregiver of a child with special needs? You are invited to join at www.SpecialNeedsMomsforMoms.com

GrandValleyMomsforMoms.com launched on February 1, 2011 and has been called a “superhighway of local mom information” and become the “go to local community resource for mothers” in the Grand Valley.  In addition to seeking advice directly from other mothers, Grand Valley Moms for Moms has also become a place where moms come to look for family-friendly events, coupons for local businesses, and to buy and sell baby and kid gear in the Marketplace.

Using the collective power of mothers to support important local causes, Grand Valley Moms for Moms has formed solid relationships in the community, from the Diaper Drive last October to stock the Grand Valley Diaper Bank, to a continued partnership with the Grand Valley Zoological Quest to raise support in bringing a state-of-the-art zoological center into Grand Junction.

“I plan to continue reaching out to as many moms as possible to let them know about joining the site in hopes that no mom will ever feel alone in the wonderful, but often challenging, journey of motherhood,” states Ellis. “Our goal is to build a sense of community with the mothers.”

To learn more about how Grand Valley Moms for Moms is “building community by engaging mothers”, visit them at www.GrandValleyMomsForMoms.com. Contact owner Lindsay Ellis at Lindsay@grandvalleymomsformoms.com.

Grand Valley is the 4th Moms for Moms Communities site to celebrate the milestone including Carbondale, Co., Bend, Or., and Whitefish, Mt. with five others quickly approaching. Moms for Moms Communities sites are launching around niche interests and in small mountain towns across North America. Join us!

Surprisingly mamavist wasn’t listed in the dictionary, this is my own definition of the word. With all the amazing, strong, dedicated mothers around the world who are making a difference, educating, supporting and furthering the causes of whole health and well-being of mothers, it seems we should have an official word to recognize them. As an aspiring mamavist I was elated today to read of the launch of HuffPost Global Motherhood,

Global Motherhood will go beyond matters of physical health to address the full spectrum of issues affecting mothers and their babies…

Now we have a global online news source to educate, inform and connect mothers on issues important to all of us. A blog entry from today that resonated with me was No Mom is an Island written by author Harvey Karp. I am reminded of the Good Shepard Group on our Carbondale Moms for Moms site; moms dedicated to offering help to one another in times of need. It is a perfect example of what Karp refers to.

Just as Global Motherhood aims on a world-wide level to create a “sisterhood of motherhood”, Moms for Moms Communities is attaining that goal on each of our community sites from Aspen to Whitefish on an intimate, local level. The mom members on our sites connect with one another authentically sharing information, finding and offering support and being inspired to engage in their local community.

Thank you Arianna Hufifington for recognizing the value of a sisterhood of motherhood and spotlighting it on a global scale.

“This is what it’s all about,” said Sarah Daily, Bend Moms for Moms owner. “Encouraging open and honest debate about the issues we as mothers care about and are invested in for our children. Here are mothers whose voices had not been heard in other avenues. Bend Moms for Moms gave them a forum to not only be heard, but to bolster their strength, organization and understanding of the topic. It’s exciting to see!”

An article on the debate and Bend Moms for Moms appeared in the Sunday, November 20 edition of The Bulletin, Bend’s daily newspaper.

This really is what Moms for Moms Communities is all about; providing mothers a safe and easy way to connect, find information, share and offer support and most importantly to be inspired to engage in their local community! Congratulations Sarah on fostering this valuable local community resource for your mothering community in Bend.

Learning that mothers in her own community are faced with that decision, Lindsay Ellis, owner of Grand Valley Moms for Moms, was moved to action. In the Moms for Moms Communities spirit of inspiring mothers to engage in their local community, Lindsay promoted a Diaper Drive through her social network to stock their local food bank with diapers for families in need.

I immediately knew that I had to get Grand Valley Moms for Moms involved.  We are after all,  “Moms for Moms,” here to support each other. I felt the need to rally the support of my members in this cause.

Ellis partnered with other local mothers and their organizations to spread the word and mobilize mothers. Kidzplex hosted a “Diaper Drop” and Colorado Baby is donating cloth diapering systems.

KJCT 8 interviewed Ellis during the drop at Kidzplex, watch the news clip here, and read the story by the Grand Junction Sentinel from the Community Food Bank accepting the diapers here.

What separates this site from the other social networks, other than focusing on parenting, is that this site has a hyper local focus on the people within the respective communities. That is the whole point.

“We want to keep it really local so that it feels very safe,” Worton said.

The site: Riflemomsformoms.com, focuses on the towns of Rifle, Silt and New Castle, according to Worton who started and monitors the site. On the site mothers can discuss specific issues about parenting and kids.

“It gives you a safe place to ask questions and get that motherly advice that you may not have in other social networks,” Worton said.

The site has personal privacy settings and is secure and monitored by Worton. Members include everyone from first time mothers to great-grandmothers. And, despite the name, even fathers can join.

“There is a group for dads on there,” Worton said. “They are welcome to join the site.”

Visit the Citizen Telegram to read the entire article. Congratulations Leanne!

Janine

As I watched the 9/11 10th Anniversary coverage this morning, my mind wandered. As mothers, a special silent bond of understanding connects us all. Perhaps we could show our sympathy for their loss and support them by letting them know there are mothers around the country who have them in their thoughts.

I thought to myself, “How amazing if the members of all the Moms for Moms Communities sites joined together to write cards to these 10 mothers?”

I am going to a write a card to the two mothers whose stories touched me the most, and I invite each of you to do the same. Then collectively, as an extended family of mothers, we can send our letters to raise their spirits.

I invite you to visit the page that I created for this initiative. If you would like to write a letter you will find delivery instructions at the link below.

www.momsformomscommunities.com/tribute-to-the-mothers-of-september-11th/

I will collect all the letters (keeping them sealed and confidential) and mail them together to each mother.

Best,

Janine Cuthbertson

Janine

The one thing I’ve had to come to peace with is my pace of growing a business as a stay-at-home-working-mother. It is slow. It is slow because it happens in fits and bursts. These first years are so precious, and our older daughter Aria is already turning five in two months! I try my hardest to slow down and be present mentally and physically with my children when I am in mom mode.  And then when I put on my working-mom hat, I work my hardest. My to-do list is ever growing with ideas I can’t wait to implement, but I’ve focused on prioritizing. And this I owe to my dear friend and business confidant, Robyn Cruze. She grounded me with her quote,

Self-imposed urgency.

First things first. My focus has been to grow each community site and provide each mom owner with the support, encouragement to engage their members. Its taken a lot of sweat and hours, but ground work is now in place to support each of us. Standing on this infrastructure I have found myself taking those first deep breaths. I can take on the next big idea.

Our blog will be our collective voice. A place to connect us all, the mom owners of each site, and all our mom members around the country. Hello world, welcome to Moms for Moms Communities!