Activities
Each chapter is designed to serve the local community, and its needs, through member driven input and decisions. We ask each member to host an event (though this is not a requirement!), and even though members are comfortable inviting club members to their homes (especially in winter, brrr!), you can host park playdates, coffee and library storytimes as well.
Here's a description of some of the things we do:
Playdates
This is the most common and consistent way we support our members. The socialization of our children is so important, that we can often forget ourselves in the mix! We know as fellow moms how hard it can be to get out of the house, but once there, it's rare to regret it ;) Our playdates can take place in other member's homes, or storytimes, or parks, or child friendly small businesses.
Field Trips & Community Events
Some of the field trips can be of local businesses (i.e. an ice cream shop, or pizza parlor), or visiting a police station, or fire station, and/or a museum. Some of our community events take place in our local community center, children's seasonal parades/holiday events, and local parks.
MNO/Couple's Night/Family Day
Though we are required to keep our events and activities during daylight hours, we are allowed a few exceptions, one Mom's Night Out a month (babies, and breastfeeding children are certainly allowed to attend, but please bear in mind these are not children's activities, but aimed at adults), one Couple's Night, where couples can meet and mingle (movies, bowling, wine tasting, etc.) and a Family Day, where both parents, and all children are invited to a usually large event (like holiday parties, or a community event). Though we aim to have these during the weekday, these are allowed to be on weekends if the majority of members would prefer it.
Mini Clubs
Mini clubs serve certain specific needs of our members. If a member wants to organize a mini club just talk to a board member and we can vote to see what our community wants. Some chapters have the following mini clubs: babysitting co-op, book club, arts&crafts, bible studies (since we are a non profit, we would not be allowed to put religious gatherings on our official calendar, but if there is a need for it, we would encourage members to chat about it privately in a group chat. A reminder of a gathering would be allowed to be posted in our facebook group). We can also have playdates for members whose husbands/partners work different shifts - in some chapters, this has been called: "HOOT - Husbands Out Of Town". This is great for those whose husbands/partners also travel a lot ;) We would also be able to offer an alumni page for those who would like to stay in the club, but enjoy more of the adult activities, holiday parties, and occasional summer playdate. A great page for mom's whose children are in school, and would like to keep the fellowship with fellow moms during the day, and the mom's night outs ;)
Holiday Parties & Seasonal Gatherings
About 15% of our yearly budget is allowed to be spent on holiday parties. Some of the most common are a "winter holiday", "Spring holiday", and annual member banquets for outgoing/incoming board members (our board members rotate on a yearly basis via our annual voting process). Often our members will host holiday themed events at their houses, with crafts, games, and food (members who come are asked for monetary donations to offset cost). We like to keep things simple though ~ for example, a Halloween-costume party, might simply be the kids and adults dressing up, and munching on a pizza, and themed snacks, while the kiddos play with games, an annual winter holiday toy swap, where our members bring an inconspicuous bag filled with gently used toys they are willing to donate. All members put their toys in a back room and while the kids play, each mom is allowed to go the room, and pick a toy from the pile to put into her bag. This is a great way to get some "new" toys for your kids, for free!
Business/Community Meetings
Once a month, our club hosts a business meeting where we discuss any member input/concerns/needs and vote on matters important to us. Our board secretary takes notes, which we share a summary of in our monthly emails to all our members. Our board treasurer shares our current budgets, when members' dues are due, and/or budgets for things we vote to take money out of our budget. Sometimes we will have speakers to share topics such as parenting, first aid, legal advice, etc. (based on our members feedback). Depending on the matters voted on, and discussed, our meetings can be anywhere from 30 minutes, to an hour. Oftentimes, we aim to have our meetings in church nurseries, where we can sit and talk - but our children can play and have a great time. The goal of MOMS Club(r), is to support a mother's relationship with her child, and community, and so even our business meetings encourage moms to bring their children.
Community Service Projects & Fundraisers
Some chapters do several throughout the year, some do one big one. Each chapter votes on what they do, and how much they spend on each project. Some of the things chapters have done for their communities are: visiting local senior centers for companionship, welcome baskets for the L&D ward of local hospitals, baskets for the parents of NICU babies, care packages for mothers with sick children at the children's hospitals, growing a local garden, not only for our members, but to donate fresh vegetables and fruits to our local food banks, adopt-a-family during the holidays, where we buy gifts for the whole family, donating items to local women's and children's shelter, donating items for foster children in our community.
Sometimes we do have fundraisers once a year, or throughout the year, where we might have a party with donated items from our members (balloons, photobooths, gift baskets to be won in raffles, etc.). We sell tickets to the public, and whatever funds we raise is 100% donated to a cause we voted on beforehand.
The most important thing for our chapter, is that we meet the specific needs of our mothers, children, and community. And that we continue to communicate, and vote, and adapt those needs as they arise. We not only welcome, but appreciate feedback!
Here's a description of some of the things we do:
Playdates
This is the most common and consistent way we support our members. The socialization of our children is so important, that we can often forget ourselves in the mix! We know as fellow moms how hard it can be to get out of the house, but once there, it's rare to regret it ;) Our playdates can take place in other member's homes, or storytimes, or parks, or child friendly small businesses.
Field Trips & Community Events
Some of the field trips can be of local businesses (i.e. an ice cream shop, or pizza parlor), or visiting a police station, or fire station, and/or a museum. Some of our community events take place in our local community center, children's seasonal parades/holiday events, and local parks.
MNO/Couple's Night/Family Day
Though we are required to keep our events and activities during daylight hours, we are allowed a few exceptions, one Mom's Night Out a month (babies, and breastfeeding children are certainly allowed to attend, but please bear in mind these are not children's activities, but aimed at adults), one Couple's Night, where couples can meet and mingle (movies, bowling, wine tasting, etc.) and a Family Day, where both parents, and all children are invited to a usually large event (like holiday parties, or a community event). Though we aim to have these during the weekday, these are allowed to be on weekends if the majority of members would prefer it.
Mini Clubs
Mini clubs serve certain specific needs of our members. If a member wants to organize a mini club just talk to a board member and we can vote to see what our community wants. Some chapters have the following mini clubs: babysitting co-op, book club, arts&crafts, bible studies (since we are a non profit, we would not be allowed to put religious gatherings on our official calendar, but if there is a need for it, we would encourage members to chat about it privately in a group chat. A reminder of a gathering would be allowed to be posted in our facebook group). We can also have playdates for members whose husbands/partners work different shifts - in some chapters, this has been called: "HOOT - Husbands Out Of Town". This is great for those whose husbands/partners also travel a lot ;) We would also be able to offer an alumni page for those who would like to stay in the club, but enjoy more of the adult activities, holiday parties, and occasional summer playdate. A great page for mom's whose children are in school, and would like to keep the fellowship with fellow moms during the day, and the mom's night outs ;)
Holiday Parties & Seasonal Gatherings
About 15% of our yearly budget is allowed to be spent on holiday parties. Some of the most common are a "winter holiday", "Spring holiday", and annual member banquets for outgoing/incoming board members (our board members rotate on a yearly basis via our annual voting process). Often our members will host holiday themed events at their houses, with crafts, games, and food (members who come are asked for monetary donations to offset cost). We like to keep things simple though ~ for example, a Halloween-costume party, might simply be the kids and adults dressing up, and munching on a pizza, and themed snacks, while the kiddos play with games, an annual winter holiday toy swap, where our members bring an inconspicuous bag filled with gently used toys they are willing to donate. All members put their toys in a back room and while the kids play, each mom is allowed to go the room, and pick a toy from the pile to put into her bag. This is a great way to get some "new" toys for your kids, for free!
Business/Community Meetings
Once a month, our club hosts a business meeting where we discuss any member input/concerns/needs and vote on matters important to us. Our board secretary takes notes, which we share a summary of in our monthly emails to all our members. Our board treasurer shares our current budgets, when members' dues are due, and/or budgets for things we vote to take money out of our budget. Sometimes we will have speakers to share topics such as parenting, first aid, legal advice, etc. (based on our members feedback). Depending on the matters voted on, and discussed, our meetings can be anywhere from 30 minutes, to an hour. Oftentimes, we aim to have our meetings in church nurseries, where we can sit and talk - but our children can play and have a great time. The goal of MOMS Club(r), is to support a mother's relationship with her child, and community, and so even our business meetings encourage moms to bring their children.
Community Service Projects & Fundraisers
Some chapters do several throughout the year, some do one big one. Each chapter votes on what they do, and how much they spend on each project. Some of the things chapters have done for their communities are: visiting local senior centers for companionship, welcome baskets for the L&D ward of local hospitals, baskets for the parents of NICU babies, care packages for mothers with sick children at the children's hospitals, growing a local garden, not only for our members, but to donate fresh vegetables and fruits to our local food banks, adopt-a-family during the holidays, where we buy gifts for the whole family, donating items to local women's and children's shelter, donating items for foster children in our community.
Sometimes we do have fundraisers once a year, or throughout the year, where we might have a party with donated items from our members (balloons, photobooths, gift baskets to be won in raffles, etc.). We sell tickets to the public, and whatever funds we raise is 100% donated to a cause we voted on beforehand.
The most important thing for our chapter, is that we meet the specific needs of our mothers, children, and community. And that we continue to communicate, and vote, and adapt those needs as they arise. We not only welcome, but appreciate feedback!