Mothers & More

What Every Prospective Member Should Know About Mothers & More Orange County

OUR MISSION
Mothers & More is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of mothers through support, education and advocacy. We address mothers' needs as individuals and members of society, and promote the value of all the work mothers do.

Our mission is based on the following core beliefs:

A mother is more than any single role she plays at any given point in her lifetime. She is entitled to fully explore and develop her identity as she chooses: as a woman, a citizen, a parent or an employee.

All the work mothers do - whether paid or unpaid - has social and economic value.

All women deserve recognition and support for their right to choose if and how to combine parenting and paid employment.

All mothers, all children and all families are unique. We respect the wisdom of each mother to decide how to care for her children, her family and herself.

Mothers have the right to fulfill their caregiving responsibilities without incurring social and economic penalties.

The transitions women make into and through motherhood are challenging and can be difficult.

Together, mothers are powerful.

OUR MEMBERS
Women experience motherhood and life in a variety of ways and make choices about parenthood and work for many different reasons. Mothers & More members reflect the diversity of choices mothers make today. Some members are first-time mothers who have recently left paid work. Some are staying at home full-time and others opt for part-time work or launch home based businesses. Some members are working full-time or transitioning back to full-time work but seeking family-friendly options such as flex-time, job-sharing, and telecommuting.

Women come to Mothers & More with a variety of needs and expectations. Chapter involvement helps to meet the needs of this diverse group by providing a core group of women with whom to share concerns, friendships, acceptance and a sense of community. Regular child-free chapter meetings encourage members to take time out for themselves and provide intellectual stimulation and support through topical discussions and speakers. Playgroups provide another opportunity for adult companionship in addition to time with our children. Social events can offer chances to connect with other women or whole families. We function as the "extended neighborhood" that all moms need.

WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT

Our concentration is on women's needs as adults, not solely as mothers. We are not a parenting group, but an organization for sequencing women.

Our regular child-free meetings provide a place for women to voice and find support for the emotional and practical issues they face in making transitions between paid work, staying at home with children, and every combination in between.

Our goals include national advocacy for policies that support all sequencing mothers.

Our national organization provides a national newsletter, nation-wide email groups, and a national network of local chapters.

Our diverse membership provides opportunities to connect with women at different stages of motherhood and work/life decisions.

WHAT WE DO
Serving over 7,500 mothers in the U.S. and beyond, Mothers & More is a non-profit membership organization that cares for the caregiver. We provide a nationwide network of local chapters for mothers who are - by choice or circumstance - altering their participation in the paid workplace over the course of their active parenting years. Our chapters are structured to support a mother as she navigates the challenges of her daily life - whether she is a full-time family caregiver or struggling to achieve a better balance between the demands of paid work and family care.

Through our chapters and other services, we provide opportunities for mothers to connect with one another in ways that assist them in developing their unique identities as women and help them move more confidently through the transitions that affect their family, work and life.

Mothers & More champions the value and necessity of all mothers' work to our society - paid and unpaid, within and outside of the home. We strive to raise awareness about the fact that mothers live and work in a society that presents significant barriers to their ability to succeed as women, citizens, parents or participants in the workforce. By uniting mothers to act on their own behalf, we seek to eliminate policies, practices and attitudes that unfairly impact mothers as caregivers.

MEMBERSHIP
Membership dues are $45 a year, which covers membership in both local chapter and national.

Prospective members can attend up to 3 meetings before joining.

Members receive the national newsletter and access to the members-only national web site.

Only members are eligible to participate in playgroups, social activities, or other events outside regular chapter meetings.

To Join Mothers and More, print out the membership form, fill it out and send it to the address on the form along with $45 membership fee.

MEMBER BENEFITS

Regular monthly meetings
Playgroups
Mom's Nights Out
Family Events
Leadership & Volunteer Opportunities
Community Projects
Advocacy
Care Committee
Book Discussion Group
Variety of Online Services
Chapter email loop
National bimonthly publication
And more!

Contact us today!

Contact the Orange County Chapter at:

Chapter voice-mail 866 206 9066 x 4810, or
E-mail ocmothers@onebox.com
National web site http://mothersandmore.org