South Florida Sun-Sentinel Palm Beach (Sunday)
‘We’re all in this together’
questions that they wanted to ask. If I find something useful on the internet, I like to share it as well. And I always try to pass on good information.”
The growth of the group has been organic, according to Grieco. But the focus stayed on mothers in need of support.
COVID-19 changed the conversation
The needs of moms during the coronavirus epidemic have emerged within the Facebook group.
“Especially now, we have such a great need down here in South Florida,” she said. “We get a lot of moms who are homeless who don’t have places to stay. It’s really nice to see the community rally around them because even if other moms don’t have a lot, there are some who will go and drop off food for them.
“Moms can find posts about all the food banks that are going on right now,” she said. “So I’ve been trying to be ahead of whatever questions they might have by posting all of that information for them. So at least they have it all in one shot and they can kind of find it.”
Other than getting access to food, Moms Helping Moms has been addressing questions about housing and rent.
“A lot of people are out of work, and the stimulus checks are still not here for many. And unemployment checks are not here, yet,” Grieco said.
“A lot of them have been faced with questions like, ‘Should I not pay my rent right now?’ What’s going to happen as evictions actually start, then they’ll have to pay up, but they’re not going to be able to do it, especially for people living paycheck-topaycheck.
“It’s a lot of just trying to help one another.”
Partnering with other moms
Christina Kiki Soriano, of Coral Springs, is a single mom of three kids who was an early starter with Moms Helping Moms. She works with Grieco in helping to manage the members and the outreach within the group. Soriano found it when she was seeking ways of healing.
“I came across the group in the time of its conception when I was looking to heal myself and my family naturally from things that doctors were not able to heal,” she said. “At the same time, Danielle was creating Moms Helping Moms. We worked together in the growth of the organization.”
Soriano emphasizes that the group doesn’t just want to be a resource but a virtual community.
“We’ve gone through lots of bumps and errors, but it’s in quite a wonderful spot now,” she said. “It’s one of those spaces where you need a tribe, and if people don’t have one, they can reach out and ask for help with something.”
There is a lot of direct mom-to-mom assistance that happens within the group, according to Soriano.
“Some moms will say they have no car to pick up something they need, and another mother will offer that she has it. She will even volunteer to bring it over,” she said. “We even have mothers meeting at grocery store parking lots who offer to stay with your kid while you run in and get what it is you need.”
Soriano said that dealing with COVID-19 has been particularly stressful for a lot of moms.
“We have had people come into the community and say they have the coronavirus,” she said. “They approach us with their concerns and worries. We just guide them the best that we can and just be there to support them.
“Being a single mom can be a very lonely space if you’re in it. So when you’re able to reach out to a community for help, it makes a big difference.”
‘Supermoms’ another avenue of support
Nalene Rampersaud Baker started Supermoms as a resource and meetup group for moms. During normal times, the group sponsors weekly in-person events but it also has a lot of resources online, especially now during COVID-19.
“We grew the group to include as many people as possible who want a resource,” Baker said. “Today we’re finding out so much information online. Even before I had my daughter, I was researching groups trying to learn about different kinds of forums out there. But they weren’t very friendly.”
During the crisis, Supermoms has tried to be a reliable resource for solid advice and support.
“We’ve really just taken this online community to say to moms to stay at home and that there are still resources out there. For kids, we provide links for events, ideas or any online classes that weren’t happening before,” she said.
Baker has a message for moms during these trying times:
“This is our world now. We’re not really going outside. I think in the time of crisis, people are looking for support, they’re looking for love, they’re looking for resources,” she said. “You’re not going to go to a group that thrives on judgment, or shaming or bashing. We’re keeping it positive, as we always have.
“We’re all in this together,” she said. “In terms of moms, we’re all raising kids, growing up together and being a resource to each other.”
Visit thesupermoms.org, or facebook.com/groups/744871455555486 to join the Moms Helping Moms group.