I am happy to report that we have a new option to create five informal coffeeshop gatherings in a few cities in 2011. I'm reinvigorating an inquiry into which cities have women most interested in contact that they're not otherwise getting.
Posted May 24, 2010 at 12:30 PM
Support from city to city
New sponsor Fairfax Cryobank is interested in facilitating these. Based on the comments I received when this blog post originally went up last year -- when I was looking for feedback from women wanting face-to-face connections, especially in cities where we do not have scheduled networking events in 2011 -- I have five regions in mind.
Expect to see some new options in Chicago, Atlanta, Austin, Oakland/San Francisco and D.C.
As many of you know, I hear regularly from women everywhere who want to connect with others, not only on this website, but in face-to-face events. I organize about 5-6 Choice Mom networking events, with organized discussions featuring local experts, in various cities each year (this year Raleigh, Philly, Toronto, Boston, LA, Seattle).
Following is the ongoing list of some of the contacts of women and groups I've heard from who are looking to chat at coffeeshops and other venues. So if we're not scheduled in your city this year, find your area listed below with a contact, or volunteer yourself as a point person, and we'll help get it started.
The Single Mothers by Choice organization offers local group networks in many cities. Contact the National SMC office directly to find out if they have a group in your area and how to join.
Africa
I've heard recently from a few women in South Africa; if you'd like to be a point person there, or want me to put you in touch with them, let me know.
Australia
This website is a great entry point for women throughout Australia.
Canada
- Women in Ottawa meet semi-regularly and can access information at this yahoo group.
- A group has met monthly in the Vancouver area for several years. Join this yahoo group for details.
Europe
- This woman is setting up a group for the Benelux (Belgium/Netherlands/Luxembourg) area.
- There are quite a few Choice Moms in Finland, who can communicate with each other through this website.
United Kingdom
From Emily, who can be contacted by private message on the Choice Moms discussion board (she is a moderator of the non-U.S. group there): "There are several support groups in the UK, including 5 in the London area. Others in Scotland, the N.East & Bristol. The Donor Conception Network is a national charity for people using donor conception, including nearly 500 single women. There are regular conferences and workshops, often with dedicated space for single women / single mums. A series of 'Our Story' books for younger children about donor conceived families includes versions for different single mum settings (double & embryo donation version due available soon!)."
United States
California
- A group is meeting regularly, sometimes with discussion topics, in San Francisco; join this group to stay up to date.
- This woman is looking to connect with others in Walnut Creek, and this is a contact person for Concord. NEW: this woman would like to make connections in Ventura County.
- This woman is the contact person for a group that meets monthly in Los Angeles as part of the Single Mothers by Choice network.
Colorado
This woman is looking to make contact with others in the Denver area.
Delaware
This woman is looking for others in the Delaware area.
District of Columbia
There is a Meetup group for Choice Moms/SMCs in the DC/Maryland/Northern Virginia area. Use this link for details.
Georgia
This is an SMC discussion group for the local community. We also have a new Choice Mom communication tool, especially for collecting insights and referrals to recommended service providers and being able to share personal stories, images and blogs. To join, for privacy reasons you will need to get an invitation from a coordinator (meet one of them, Jessica, here). Send your request to info @ choicemoms.org.
Illinois
Contact this woman who is interested in reinvigorating informal conversations in the Chicago area.
Kansas
Contact this woman to get connected in Kansas.
Maryland
There is a Meetup group for Choice Moms/SMCs in the DC/Maryland/Northern Virginia area. Use this link for details.
Michigan
This woman would love to hear from you in the Detroit area.
Minnesota
There is a Meetup group in my Twin Cities hometown.
Missouri
This woman is the point person for women in the St. Louis area, and has contact with another in Kansas City.
North Carolina
This woman is a contact point for the Raleigh/Durham area and this one is for the Charlotte area.
Pennsylvania
This woman in Reading is interested in meeting, as is this woman in Philadelphia.
Rhode Island
A growing group is meeting on Tuesday evenings in the Providence area, led by this licensed social worker.
Texas
- Contact these women in the Dallas or West Texas areas.
- A group formed from the Choice Mom event in Austin and is now meeting socially on a regular basis. Contact this woman for details.
- There are several women in Houston interested in getting together. Here's one of them.
Virginia
There is a Meetup group for Choice Moms/SMCs in the DC/Maryland/Northern Virginia area. Use this link for details.
Washington
There is a Meetup group in Seattle.
Who else is leading Choice Mom communities at the local level? Here is your chance to promote your group. Use the comments field below.
Your group can be social. Your group can be for support, such as those led by some of the great counselors who offer input to Choice Moms. Your group can be educational in nature.
And continue to check this website for local insight in cities where we have held events, for tips from experts, Choice Moms, and advertisers in your area. This is a new and growing aspect of the ChoiceMoms.org website. See the keywords at the top of this blog post for links.
Mikki
Reader Comments
Posted October 27, 2011 at 10:05 AM
I'm an SMC of two-year old b/g twins in the Cleveland area. It would be great to connect with other SMC's (as well as those in the thinking and trying stages) in Cleveland and/or Ohio. I often wonder if I am the only SMC in the Cleveland area! Please email me if you are interested in connecting for support.
Posted October 10, 2011 at 7:03 PM
I am a SMC of a 3yo boy. I'd love to meet other SMC's in Memphis, TN. I'm starting to think I'm the only one here.
Thanks
Posted October 9, 2011 at 1:10 AM
Looking for thinkers, tryers, and moms in UTAH!
Posted May 22, 2011 at 10:14 PM
@Lauren and Dannie- I live in Pasadena and 16 weeks pregnant. Would love to meet!
Posted March 15, 2011 at 2:13 PM
@ Lauren...I work in Pomona so I have a vague idea where Walnut is (I'm assuming it's the city near Diamond Bar)
While I'm in the Inland empire, I'd consider commuting once a month or so on a weekend to a gathering.
Posted March 13, 2011 at 1:07 AM
Anyone know if there is a group in the Boston area?
Posted March 10, 2011 at 8:40 AM
Chicago women (prompted by Jayne)....I'm in touch with the woman who was coordinating in the Schaumburg area, who is now the mom of twins....to see who can help us kick off another Chicago-area coffeeshop series, with the help of a new sponsor
Posted March 9, 2011 at 11:36 PM
For those of you in the Chicagoland/Schaumburg area, I've been looking for this group for a while. I live in Orland Park and am willing to drive to Schaumburg. I'd like to meet for myself as well as my 10 yr old daughter.
Please contact. Thank you.
Posted February 28, 2011 at 10:13 PM
Hi Sharon,
I am near Schaumburg. Not sure how to get a group going, but maybe we can exchange emails.
Posted February 27, 2011 at 8:23 PM
I am new to SMC. I am in the Schaumburg I area if the group is still meeting would like to attend or somewhere in the Chicago area.
Posted February 19, 2011 at 2:19 PM
I am in the NW suburbs of Chicago and would love to meet up with other Choice Moms. I have been blessed with the most precious baby twin boys!
Posted February 6, 2011 at 10:56 AM
i am in Phoenix AZ and am trying. I would love to meet other women in this area.
Posted February 5, 2011 at 10:14 PM
I am a Choice Mom in San Francisco Bay Area. Would love to meet other women in the Peninsula or South Bay. I have tried the support group in Oakland, which is wonderful but too far for me to get to on a regular basis.
Posted January 20, 2011 at 12:09 PM
Anybody in or near Phoenix, Arizona?
Kim P: I visit Tampa, FL about twice a year.
I am not a mom yet. I'm still a thinker.
Thanks,
Sam
Posted January 17, 2011 at 4:15 PM
I am in Dallas, TX and currently in the process of starting my SMC journey. I wanted to see if any of the people in this area got togeher or if anyone is interested. I would love to connect with any women who have gone down this path or will be starting soon.
Posted September 26, 2010 at 8:58 PM
I'm a happy SMC of a 2-year old boy and looking for other SMCs to connect with and share anywhere in Iowa. Please let me know if you're living in this state and interested in connecting.
Eva
Posted September 20, 2010 at 11:39 AM
Julie, Dee Dee, and Meg, I am expecting twin boys in couple of months. I live in Oakland County and was looking for a group in the area.
Posted September 11, 2010 at 12:50 PM
Hearthstone Midwifery is offering support groups for Prospective Single Moms, and for Single Moms who are pregnant/have a baby on the way or parenting. Groups meet every other week, in Oakland, California.
Please see www.HearthstoneMidwifery.com for more information, or call (415) 250-6845.
Posted September 9, 2010 at 10:22 PM
I'm a SMC to a 3 year old boy. We're in Tampa, FL now and would LOVE to find other SMC moms here. We also travel to Boston quite a bit, so we might be interested in a group there as well. Please let me know if there are SMC in either area!
Thanks.
Kim
Posted September 8, 2010 at 10:09 AM
I am interested in joining/leading a group in Charlotte, NC. Please let me know if anyone is interested. Thanks.
Posted September 2, 2010 at 7:48 AM
Hi Amy,
I have included our link to our Yahoo Group in Atlanta. I do hope you get this reply and will get in touch with us!
Ramona
Posted May 31, 2010 at 4:30 PM by Amy Roaderick
I am looking for a support group in Atlanta, Georgia. If someone could put me in contact with the group lead, I would appreciate it! Thanks!
Posted August 28, 2010 at 9:56 AM
Gina: NYC is the most populated community of Choice Moms. I'm sorry you just missed the Choice Moms networking event there in July. But the Single Mothers by Choice organization is headquartered there and they tend to have regular monthly meetings if you want to join. Otherwise, follow the new "NYC" keyword on this website and you'll learn more about the resources and community there.
http://www.choicemoms.org/nyc
Mikki
Posted August 27, 2010 at 2:00 PM
I have made the decision to become a SMC, and am going to start trying in a month or so. I am looking for support groups in the NYC area.
Posted August 27, 2010 at 1:51 PM
I'm a SMC in Houston/The Woodlands for anyone who would like to get together. I've veiwed your website over the years, but have not actively participated in comments or meetings. I have a 5-year old (no time for personal stuff) and am a self-employed real estate developer in the midst of a recession. I can be a resource or happy to get together.
Posted August 27, 2010 at 9:46 AM
I'm in Houston, TX. I'd love to get together with any other SMCs in the area. I'm currently expecting my first via IUI. Would love to meet anyone in any stage!
Posted August 26, 2010 at 1:12 PM
Julie and Dee Dee, I am a Tryer living in Oakland County (outside of Detroit). I've been looking for a group in this area.
Meg
Posted August 19, 2010 at 7:37 PM
Dee Dee, I am an SMC with twin boys in Brighton MI. Contact me and maybe we can get a group started in Metro Detroit!
Julie
Posted August 3, 2010 at 9:17 PM
I am in the Chicago area and would love to connect with others around here. Heather, let me know if you got any interest for the Schaumburg group. I am 'thinking' and would love to pick your brains.
Carla
Posted July 20, 2010 at 4:33 PM
I'm a thinker in Delware. Does anyone know of any groups in the area?
Posted June 25, 2010 at 9:31 AM
Yes: the #Austin group is very active. We meet monthly, and we've just started doing regular Girls' Night Out (no kiddos, in other words) event too, with great success so far. Any and all are welcome!
Posted June 14, 2010 at 12:19 PM
To Lauren in Walnut Creek, CA. I am a choice mom. I am in Concord! I have three adopted children, ages 19, 6, and 4. Please contact me!
Posted June 13, 2010 at 5:23 PM
I am a Thinker in Denver, CO. Does anyone know if there are any support groups in my area? Thanks very much!
Posted June 5, 2010 at 8:44 AM
There is an SMC group in Ottawa, and we meet every few months (thinkers, tryers and mothers and babies/kids). You can find us at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SMC-Ottawa/.
Posted May 31, 2010 at 4:30 PM
I am looking for a support group in Atlanta, Georgia. If someone could put me in contact with the group lead, I would appreciate it! Thanks!
Posted May 29, 2010 at 6:25 AM
I live about 30 miles outside of Detroit, haven't found any groups here but would love to. Please let me know if anyone else is from the area.
Posted May 29, 2010 at 6:06 AM
There are several support groups in the UK, including 5 in the London area - others in Scotland, the N.East & Bristol. The Donor Conception Network is a national charity for people using donor conception, including nearly 500 single women. There are regular conferences and workshops, often with dedicated space for single women / single mums. A series of 'Our Story' books for younger children about donor conceived families includes versions for different single mum settings (double & embryo donation version due available soon!). Enquiries to enquiries@dcnetwork.org or pm me via discussion board.
Emily
Posted May 28, 2010 at 9:11 PM
Bay Area (East Bay) SMC group recently formed. Our group has a sprinkling of women at each stage. We are meeting about every other week, or so, and welcome new members. We meet at member's homes, and hope to have the structure include a specific topic for the meeting, chatting, and sharing information and resources. We're very happy to be forming support! :)
Posted May 28, 2010 at 7:46 PM
I'm in Philly and am a choice mom of a 11 week old girl! I'd love to connect with other choice moms in the Delaware Valley.
Posted May 28, 2010 at 2:52 PM
There's a SMC group in Vancouver, BC that's been running for about six years now. We meet monthly or thereabouts in someone's home. The groups has experienced a resurgence recently with a lot of new babies and triers. If you'd like to find out more email me, Fiona, at fjkelly6@gmail.com or just join our yahoo group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SMCVAN/
Posted May 28, 2010 at 9:26 AM
I run an SMC (single mothers by choice) meeting in Los Angeles. It meets monthly and has a discussion format which is very useful for thinkers and tryers. On another note -- it seems like the ideal "merger" between Mikki and Jane if all of the meetings can be through SMC which is really primarily focused on meetings and (great) online lists and everything else can happen through this website. If you're interested in the Los Angeles group, please join singlemothersbychoice.com and ask for the information for the L.A. group, or feel free to email me!
Posted May 27, 2010 at 9:23 PM
There are several of us who have gotten together in the Raleigh/Durham area a couple of times. If you would like to add your contact info to the list email me.
Kim
Posted May 26, 2010 at 8:04 PM
I am in the north Dallas area, Lisa. I am in the thinking, hoping to move into trying, stage. I don't know anyone in the area that is a single mother by choice.
Posted May 26, 2010 at 1:17 PM
I am part of a small but growing support group in the Providence, RI area (we actually met in East Greenwich) and we are open to any one else who would like to join us.
We usually meet the Tuesday evening of the month at 5:30pm. Lynn Finocchiaro, LICSW is the official coordinator of our group, and can be reached at lfinocchiaro (at) wihri (dot) org.
Posted May 25, 2010 at 6:49 PM
I'm a thinker in Reading, PA. Which is pretty close to Philly. Any groups in Philly?
Thanks!
Megan
Posted May 25, 2010 at 6:06 PM
I would like to start a group in Walnut Creek, CA. I haven't found any women here who are Choice moms, although I know they exist!
Posted May 25, 2010 at 5:43 PM
I recently moved from Dallas and agree that there was really nothing organized there (that I was aware of anyway). I now live in Lubbock and would love to start a group but I am the only SMC I know of here. If anyone is in the West Texas area and wants to get together, let me know!
Jamie
Posted May 25, 2010 at 2:35 PM
Regarding Dallas....I haven't seen much activity from there. Much more so in Austin, where this is a strong community. That's why I held an event there earlier this year. If it helps, you can use the Austin keyword on the top of this blog to learn from some of the locals there. There was at least one woman who attended the event from Dallas.
Posted May 25, 2010 at 1:38 PM
Is there a group in the Dallas/Fort Worth area?
Posted May 25, 2010 at 9:35 AM
We had a group going in Chicago, but once the school year started last September the interest level fell off. We used to meet at the Starbucks in Schaumburg, IL once a month on Saturdays. I loved having the opportunity to talk to other SMC, so I'd love to start this group up again. Please let me know if anyone is interested.
Heather
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Posted November 5, 2011 at 2:02 PM by Charlotte
I know there's a SMC group in Vancouver, but are there any Thinkers either there or in Victoria/on the Island?
I'm a Thinker, and am looking for others close by who are also Thinkers, or who've done it and can share their stories, etc. Please let me know!