The MOMS Club, an international support group for at-home mothers, is starting a new chapter in Middle Village.“With so many mothers working outside the home today, it can be extremely hard for stay-at-home mothers to meet each other,” said Lucia Accardo, founder and President of the new local group. “The MOMS Club allows at-home-mothers to get together in a supportive atmosphere.”

What makes the group unique — aside from the fact that it is the only international organization specifically for at-home mothers — is the wide range of activities allowed under the MOMS Club banner, Accardo noted.

“For example, we’re going to have monthly meetings with interesting speakers and topics for discussions, park playdays, special outings for mothers or their children, holiday activities and service projects benefiting needy children in the community,” she explained.

In addition, the group will sponsor special “activity groups” that will allow members to share similar interests. “Typical activity groups include playgroups for preschoolers, babysitting coops, a monthly MOMS Night Out, exercise classes, coupon refunding coops, lunch get-togethers and arts ‘n crafts. Whatever mothers are interested in, we’re able to do!” Accardo said.

Because the MOMS Club is a support group specifically for the mother-at-home, all meetings are held during the day and mothers may bring their children to anything the club does. “Evenings are family time,” Accardo explained. “Our meetings and most of our activities are during the day because that’s when the at-home mother most needs the support. “We don’t believe that a mother should be isolated just because she has children,” she continues. “Mothers who stay home often can’t — or won’t — leave their children with a sitter during the day. Therefore, children are welcome at anything we do.”

The Middle Village MOMS Club is specifically for mothers in that area, but Accardo hopes that mothers from neighboring towns will call for information about starting a MOMS Club there.

“There are over 1,500 MOMS CLUBS across the country,” Accardo says, “and all of them were started by individual mothers who wanted to meet other at-home mothers near them.
The MOMS Club is a nonprofit corporation and a 501 (C) (3) publicly-supported charity registered with the IRS.

Being an at-home mother today means making a financial sacrifice, so dues to our local chapters are only $15-30 per year. “I hope that at-home mothers from other areas nearby will start sister groups to ours so all the at-home mothers here will finally get the support they deserve,” she concluded.

For more information, call 718-416-1939 or visit their website at www.momsclub.org.