Mommies Network

The support of the ladies at The Mommies Network has kept this mom sane since joining the organization in 2007. During difficult times like losing my dad to liver cancer in 2009 and losing my mom to lung cancer in 2014, I could always depend on the moms of TMN to be there for me. I have developed long lasting friendships that I cherish continuously. The changes that TMN has made over the years have been for the betterment of the members and to help support more moms all over the US. I am proud to be a volunteer and senior team member with an organization that cares so much about its members.

So sad. TMN chose to shut down the very active Baltimore site due to what they called negativity. In reality, we were simply responding to TMNs request for feedback on their new website. We were told our site would be closing on the 15th of February. The following day, February 6th, the site was closed without warning. There was no contact made to members to let them know this was happening. Simply gone. Here is the information Sarah, one of TMN's leaders, posted on February 5th in a forum on the Baltimore site:
Closing of BaltimoreMommies
It is with sadness that we let you know that the BaltimoreMommies chapter will be closing as of February 15, 2015. We have noticed an increasing amount of negativity on the chapter which has impacted the way The Mommies Network is able to support the moms of Baltimore. In order to refocus on our mission and become a true source of support and empowerment, we will be closing the site, taking a step back, and looking at the best way to develop a supportive and positive TMN chapter in the Baltimore area. We are truly saddened that it has come to such a drastic measure. We do have the National Chapter that can offer support for our members after the closure. We apologize for any inconvenience but at this time we feel that there are no other alternatives.

Here's the link:
http://baltimore.themommiesnetwork.org/forum/mommy-forum/mommy-forum/closing-baltimoremommies

WARNING: Do not donate your hard-earned money to this corrupt organization. TMN, with Heather Fortune at the helm, abruptly killed the very active Baltimore Chapter last week. There were active posts, events on the calendar, private messages to be read.... But TMN displayed total disregard for any of this. Why? That is unclear. Some say it was because of polite, yet critical feedback that was posted regarding the dysfunctional operation of the new website. (This feedback was requested by TMN.) Others say that Heather Fortune had planned to kill the Baltimore Chapter for a long time due to a personal vendetta. But it is hard to know for sure because they have offered no public explanation or apology to the hundreds of disbanded members and volunteers. They then proceeded to shut off every available avenue of communication. They are hoping that the anonymity of the internet will allow them to hide their indefensible actions. Don't be fooled by the polished website and the pretty pictures. The people behind this organization are dishonest, draconian and unprofessional.

I have found my some of my best mommy friends thanks to The Mommies Network. Through the online forums and local chapter events, you gain a wealth of information and opportunities to meet other moms and their kids. I have been a member of The Mommies Network since 2007. "The mommies" have helped through the years with advice , support and love concerning my kids and myself. This community has been an invaluable resource in my life, and I am forever thankful.

The Mommies Network is amazing. I have went to a couple events and I think it is a great way to get the local mothers together. It helps so much being able to relate to other moms who are looking for someone to relate to!

The Mommies Network is an amazing network of moms. With the local chapter and the national chapter they have helped me so much in the 8 years I have been affiliated with them. I no longer feel alone in this journey of motherhood. I have formed relationships with other moms, my children have made friends and I feel so much better knowing I have a place to turn when I am feeling alone and uncertain about how I am doing as a mother.

My local chapter helped me make great connections when I moved into a new community, away from all I knew! Now it is helping me develop my leadership skills and make a greater impact in my community.

I have been a member of our local chapter for 4 years. I love the advice, support, friendships and networking that occurs. I originally joined because it was free and had the online component, but it has become much more.

Great group and a great way to connect with other mothers.

I am so grateful to be apart of the Mommies Network. TMN has been very easy to work with and helpful whenever my chapter needs something. I love being a volunteer and member of this amazing organization!

Thank goodness for the Mommies Network. I am a military spouse and mommy who has to move every few years. Luckily, with this move I found a local chapter of the Mommies Network that has connected my son and I to other kids and moms in our area. It is always hard trying to find new friends and activities in a new location, so the mommies network has made that a lot easier for me. I like the group so much that I volunteer as a moderator for one of their online support forums.

When I first moved, I did not know anyone. I had a toddler and was pregnant with my second child. Alamance Mommies, which is part of the Mommies Network, was a life saver! They have provided playdates for my children when they were small, as well as "mommy time" for me to bond with other mothers at my stage of life. I am still friends with many of these women to this day. I joined 8 years ago and have learned so much during my time on Alamance Mommies -- from advice about diaper rash, to what mechanic to avoid, to the best places to get my hair cut. The variety of forums give all moms from any walk of life a voice and a shoulder to lean on. If I was home bound for some reason, having an online community meant having a lifeline. I do not know how I would have kept my sanity without the support of my fellow mommies. Thanks, TMN, for providing such a wonderful and necessary service to the community!

I found Charlotte Mommies, the flagship chapter of The Mommies Network when my son was just a few weeks old. That was just over 7 years ago. I have found friends, babysitters, Doctors, restaurants, stores, etc. Even though I have now moved away from Charlotte, I found another chapter where I current live and I am finding the same things there too!

I joined my local branch of The Mommies Network (TMN) a few weeks after my daughter was born because I had questions about her not eating. My cousin had joined a few weeks earlier and recommended me to this group saying they were all very sweet and a lot of them were very empathetic and were in the same boat at one point or another. I joined and attended a few events, they hold holiday events, mommies night outs, playdates and other activities with your little one. My favorite thing about these forums though, is it gives me the oppoutunity to converse and connect with so many other mothers on a number of topics and hobbies. I feel like I have my own support system in TMN and I feel like I have grown as a mother being a part of this awesome community.

When I became a stay-at-home mom in the spring of 2013, I panicked when I realized how alone I was. Finding the Mommies Network connected me to real women in my geographic area, giving me a sounding board and an in-person support system. The play dates and activities keep my daughter and I busy, engaged, and happy! And the online forums offer a wealth of knowledge from hundreds of moms - on a range of parenting topics, as well as local happenings, culture, running a household, and more. I'm thankful to have found this group to connect me to moms in my community.

The Mommies Network is an amazing organizations for moms in all seasons of life. I have learned so much and made so many amazing friends. I am so grateful to be a member of ChesapeakeMommies .

I am a mother of 4 and have been a member of this nonprofit since 2008. It has been a valuable source of encouragement, support, and advise for me on every topic from motherhood to recipes! I am so grateful for this nonprofit as it has allowed me to find other moms to connect with online and in person. Thank you TMN!

I joined LouisvilleMommies so I could find a support system of people that understood what I was going through and could help me out by answering a million of my mommy questions. And that is exactly what I found!

I've been a volunteer on the Mommies Network for a couple of years, but a member for 8. I can't explain how much the friendships I've found at this organization and the support they have provided to me have meant over the years. I have a child with special needs, and there are times when no one seems to be around for support, yet I always can login and find someone on the Mommies Network to help and support me. I don't know where I would be without this group.

The Mommies Network has been a great source of support and encouragement to me throughout the years. I have learned so many things and discovered new ways of doing things. Because of my local chapter, we have found a dentist that my kids love, found new places around town to enjoy, and come up with a rewards system that works for my kids. The network of support is invaluable.

When I first joined, I was the mom of a 2 year old and living in a new city far away from family and friends. 4 years later, I have more friends that I could have imagined making in such a short period of time and most of them will be life-long friends. My kids have friends and I can't even go to the grocery store now without one of the kids asking "What friends are we going to play with today!" My husband also met his best Dad-friend through my local chapter and I honestly couldn't imagine my life today without my fellow Mommies! I know that when no one else understands what it's like to be a mom, they do. And they are some of the strongest, most caring, understanding, and supportive women I could ever wish to have as friends and that I will always be grateful for finding not just my own chapter, but a whole network just like them!

The Mommies Network has provided me with a support group when I have most needed it since becoming a mom. Through the darkest times of losing a child to stillbirth, to celebrating the birth of my rainbow baby four years later. I don't know of another group that provides all that TMN does, at no cost to it's members. It is run by hardworking and dedicated volunteers and I am so grateful to have this wonderful resource!

Do not give your money or time to this organization.

This organization is badly managed and is very shady in their practices. It is difficult to imagine the financials and nonprofit status would stand up to scrutiny.

The basic concept is a good idea, and members who get some benefit from it, go ahead and take advantage while it lasts. But do not ever give it your money or your precious time. Know that anything you give to this organization will ultimately be wasted.

I dearly wish I could somehow get back the time I gave to this place. It is genuinely painful for me when I think of the amount of my life that just drained away. Please, please don't make the mistake I made!

I joined my now local chapter when getting orders to PCS. With them letting me join prior to my move I already had friends, felt networked, found providers, and so much more. After moving my local chapter literally saved my life, if it were for the friends I had made and them being there for me to talk to I may not be here today. So after that I knew that I wanted to dedicate what I could when I could to this organization and have done so ever since and will continue to do so, so long as they are still alive and thriving. Right now I am unable to volunteer due to school, kids, and life basically but I still enjoy every minute of being a member and sharing with my friends and meeting new ones.

The financials are inaccurate. The non-profit consistently neglects to receive approval to fundraise in the states it serves. The board of directors is not independent and does not accept any kind of criticism. When I asked for financial statements, I was told that they would give them to me in 30 days and then was fired from my volunteer position. Most members are unaware of these financial issues. On the chapter level, often leadership are allowed to hold onto their positions long after they are able to fulfill their function and are able hold a chapter together.

I love the Mommies Network! When my husbands job transferred us out of NY and away from all my family I felt totally lost! After a month of just adjusting to being away I decided I needed something for myself or I was gonna go stir crazy and never get over the depression. I was so thankful to have a local chapter of the mommies network close by! I made tons of friends and they kept me sane. And encouraged me to grow as a person and put myself out there. Im thankful for the mom and person they helped me become!! Thank You!

This support network is absolutely amazing. I don't know what I would have done if I had never found this network. I was a young new mom who went from single party fresh 21 year old to being pregnant, gaining a step daughter, getting pregnant 4 months after having my child, and gaining another step child who wasn't around in the beginning. So in about 2 year I went from no kids to 4 kids. I wouldn't have remained sane without the support of the other mom's in this network. I love this network and I will recommend it to any mom looking for support.

It's my family away from family. They are sure to be there at any time of the day or night (yes, even at 2am) and always willing to lend an ear, a "go get 'em" cheer or a hug. Laughter is always in abundance and making friendships are effortless. In a world where Moms are judged at every turn, the safe and secure site that The Mommies Network offers us is unbeatable. It's like that comfy, old sweatshirt that you slip on to feel the most relaxed. Judgments are checked at the door and we're just Moms trying to stay afloat on this rapid river of parenting. There's a bond unlike any other here with amazing, diverse, strong and supportive women and mommies. We ARE family through and through, the only difference is that we chose one another!

Finding friendships in the members of my local chapter was truly a blessing when my daughter was born and I was left in an awkward lurch with pre-baby friends. I have laughed, cried, celebrated, and grieved with the amazing women that make up my chapter and I am proud to be a part of The Mommies Network. The more years I spend as a member of HighCountryMommies.com, a volunteer staff member for The Mommies Network, and now a member of the national site, the more I grow to love this organization for all of the possibilities that set forth for their membership. Bravo to The Mommies Network!

I joined my local chapter (LittleRockMommies) in January of 2010 and was immediately amazed at what a great volunteer opportunity this is! I always knew if I was lucky enough to be a stay-at-home mom that I would want to volunteer to somehow give back to my community ... I just thought I'd have to wait until my kids were in school full-time. I love that I can do this fantastically rewarding job while my kiddo are still little (they're 2 and 4)!

I joined my local chapter when my daughter, now 4, was only 2 months old. I had zero friends and my kids had zero friends. Now, I have more friends than I can count, and my kids do too! I've found a wonderful place for support and advice. I don't know what I'd do without the Mommies Network!

I joined my local chapter of TMN in 2005, I was a new first time mommy at the time. I don't know what I'd do without TMN and my local chapter. They offer such an amazing support system both online and off. My daughters and I have since made many new friendships through TMN .

Dianna

I joined my local chapter of The Mommies Network in 2007, when I was unknowingly pregnant with my 3rd child. My family had moved and we were pretty much isolated, try as I might I could not really make friends. I was depressed and lonely. Joining TMN has given me so much it's hard to list. I have many friends, oodles of opportunities to help my community, and now it gives me a sense of purpose to be among those that help make my chapter go. It has given me much, much more than that as well.

I am so glad for TMN being there for me when I needed it.

I joined my local chapter when my son was 4-6 weeks old. I was totally lost, and I desperately needed to meet both new and seasoned mommies. What a true Godsend. Within 2 months, I was volunteering because I just knew that this nonprofit was valuable. Every mom needs support, and The Mommies Network is the place to be!

Without my local chapter of The Mommies Network, I would never have met so many awesome mommies, made great lasting friendships, and have a place to go for anything whenever I need it!! Finding The Mommies Network and my local chapter has been the best thing to happen since my son was born!

I recently joined this organization and it has been a wonderful experience, after getting home from the hospital with my new baby I suffered a pretty severe bout of the "baby blues". Mommies network really helped me get through it by introducing me to other mothers and giving me a wide variety of accessible events to go to that really helped ease my new mother feelings of claustrophobia. I would reccomend this group to anyone it is invaluable!

The Mommies Network is one of the most important things in my life. Without this organization, I wouldn't have the wonderful friends I've made, nor would I have my children as actively involved in working with the community. Through volunteering with TMN on my local chapter, we've made great friends, have given support when needed, gotten support on everything from dealing with my special needs daughter to finding that perfect recipe for dinner, participated in several events in the community reaching out and helping others, and much, much more! I am normally a shy and reserved person, but being a part of such a great group of moms has made me more outgoing and has made me a stronger mother. The support mothers get from The Mommies Network is invaluable and it's one of the greatest resources for moms around.

Where would I be without The Mommies Network? I'm not sure, but I'm sure it wouldn't be a pretty place. My local chapter was there for me when I was pregnant with my first, and needed lots of support. They helped me make it through lots of post partum depression, when no one else understood what I was going through. They reminded me that all these silly questions I have don't make me crazy, but just a normal mom. When my son was sick, they helped me through it, and when I thought I was going crazy after quitting my job, they told me it was normal. I've made some amazing friends through my local chapter, and am so grateful to have this service. I volunteer my time and energy to make sure that this organization continues on to help support all mommies out there!

The Mommies Network affects mothers' lives in a multitude of ways. For me, it enabled me to forge bonds with others who shared similar experiences within this beautiful, challenging journey of motherhood. It encompasses a variety of groups within its nearly 100 chapters across the United States. From military to stay-at-home moms, from work-outside-the-home moms to moms (and moms of children) with special needs, TMN embraces its diversity of many walks of life through its vibrant forums and calendar of events, both of which provide the support, fellowship, and networking all mothers need.

I've been a volunteer for a chapter of TMN for 2 years, and a member for 3 years. My chapter has been a cornerstone of support for me and my family, and these women provide an invaluable resource for mom's everywhere.

As a Grandmother raising a Grandchild - I wondered where to go to meet people with children her age and get out of the house. What I found on my local Chapter was a group of supportive women and now friends. The forums are varied and there is something for everyone but the events - oh goodness the events were so fun and frequent. I even went out a number of times to a Mom's Night Out. How nice to get together and relax with a group of friends.

I have been with TMN since 2008. I love TMN. It has been such a blessing to have all of these wonderful ladies in my life and the opportunity to give back to our community. It gives me the sense of doing something for the greater good. I have made some amazing friends and continually meet the most amazing group of people. I started off as a promotions manager, went to events manager before taking over my group as chapter manager February 2010. I will continue to support TMN and NVM for as long as I am able. Even if I am not able to devote the necessary time to the group one day I will always be a part of TMN.

The Mommies Network has been an amazing gift for myself and my family over the last few years. I am truly blessed to have stumbled upon my local chapter when my oldest child was about 6 months old. Through my local chapter, I found the support of other local mothers that knew what I was feeling. I've also been fortunate enough to volunteer for the organization both at the chapter level and also at the national level.

When I first joined, I was simply looking for an online message board to talk with other moms. However, I've found that this network is SO much more than that. I've seen "the mommies" come together to pull off some extraordinary things in my time as a member and a volunteer for this nonprofit. Each chapter offers LOCAL support to moms. There are playdates, mom's night out events, family events, etc. In addition, each chapter is encouraged to get out and get involved in our communities. Many chapters have ongoing volunteer efforts with other local charities, and most of the larger chapters take donations a couple of times a year for the needs of various other charities in their community.

There simply is no other organization that offers the support to mothers that TMN offers and I'm incredibly fortunate to be able to say that I'm involved with such an amazing cause.