MILLSTONE — Once a woman becomes a mother, it is like entering a new world — where a supportive environment can be invaluable. Several board members of the MOMS Club of Millstone, a local chapter of an international club, believe their group offers mothers and their children a rich opportunity to make special friendships.
MOMS is an acronym for Moms Offering Moms Support, according to Christina Baldino, membership vice president for the Moms Club of Millstone.
The chapter was established in 2004 and has 52 members. All mothers from Millstone Township and neighboring Roosevelt are welcome to join, Baldino said. Most of the current members have more than one child, and the children are offered activities, too.
Baldino said she joined the MOMS Club when she moved to Millstone because she did not know anyone and wanted to find friends for her daughter.
“They welcomed me in, and the rest is history,” she said. “I had one child at the time and was pregnant with twins. These women welcomed me with open arms and made dinner and delivered it to my house when I had the babies. It was wonderful.”
As a member of the MOMS Club, Baldino has made some wonderful friends and so have her children, who are now 3 years old and 2 years old. She also has a 2- month-old infant.
Baldino has enjoyed the MOMS Club and is excited to talk about the group.
“People may not be aware that we do so much for the kids and the community,” she said. “It is a great group of moms, and many of them are mentors. I encourage other moms to join. We are in the same boat and are looking to find friends for ourselves and for our kids. All you need is a kid to join.”
Jenn Wilson, who is the club’s administrative vice president, organizes a monthly night out for the moms. A group of members recently met at a restaurant in Freehold for dinner and a chance to chat.
“We do something different every month, whether it is going out to eat, bowling, taking a cooking class, having ice cream or getting a manicure,” Wilson said. “Our turnout varies. Sometimes it is about 10 or 15 moms.”
The moms and their children got together last week to celebrate Halloween with a hayride, some trick-or-treating, and a visit to a local nursing home to share their candy with the residents.
“I am happy to be a part of this,” Wilson said. “It teaches the children about the importance of giving back to other people.”
The MOMS Club also organizes a giving tree for the Christmas and Hanukkah season. The women purchase gifts for individuals in need who have made up a wish list, and representatives of the township deliver the presents to the families.
“That is the most rewarding thing,” Wilson said. “We have received a few thank you letters in the past. One mom with several children just wanted heating oil. It breaks your heart that people do not have something so basic and necessary. We got her a gift card and specified that our intention was for her to use it for heating oil.”
Stacy Robbin is the president of the MOMS Club of Millstone. She is a stay-athome mother who enjoys volunteering. Robbin said her goals are to keep the members active, to try to get people together for play dates and to encourage support among the membership.
She has two children, ages 3 and 6. Robbin joined the MOMS Club after she moved to Millstone. At the time she had one child, a son who was 18 months old.
“There was no way to meet people, so I joined after finding the club online,” Robbin said. “It seemed like a nice group of women. We have 52 members, and if you need a doctor or any kind of contractor, you can just email everyone for recommendations and you will get a whole lot of responses. When I moved here we didn’t even know of a decent landscaper. It is great to know people.”
The group has a meeting scheduled for Nov. 14, and prospective members are welcome to attend and see what the club is about. Efforts are made to keep the cost of activities as reasonable as possible, Robbin said.
For more information about the MOMS Club of Millstone, contact Christina Baldino at 973-207-9906.