Welcome to the Amazing Moms!
Raising a child or children experiencing special needs offers challenges that few understand. The Amazing Moms brings together mothers of these special children to share our experiences, support each other and celebrate our accomplishments and victories.What We’re About
We meet each Thursday morning in east Vancouver, Wash., to talk about our lives, explore the challenges facing our children and families and share ideas and resources that can help in our daily lives. We’re committed to sharing with every mother who has a child experiencing special needs that she is not alone and there is a place where her voice can be heard.What We Do
The Amazing Moms is a dynamic group that reflects the many personalities of the moms who meet each week. Over the years, that has created a number of activities that go beyond the weekly meetings and reach out to our community and others in need of help:
Weekly Meetings
During the school year, we meet every Thursday morning in a home in east Vancouver, Wash. This meeting is for mothers only — no children are included at this time. This two-hour meeting is designed to encourage, empower and educate moms. And, of course, we find time for little fun. What we cover each week varies widely, depending on the needs of the group. In the summer, we meet in a local park that is fully accessible. Moms are welcome to bring their children and spend time in a more relaxed setting.
Support for Moms
At group time, there is a lot of networking and sharing of resources that happens during casual conversations over coffee and cookies. Support is seen in many forms, from attending an IEP meeting with another mom to listening to her to a simple hug when tears start to fall. It can be very powerful when a mom realizes she is not alone.
Advocating for Moms
It is important as a mom and family that we learn to advocate at all levels: within our homes, in our communities and even in the state and country. It can be overwhelming at times, but it can start simply as teaching our children that they have a voice and being willing to tell our story to those who have the power to make changes for the better.
Service Projects
We try to do a service project each year to reach out to our community. This process of serving others is important in a life where the focus is just on our situation and our child’s needs. Among the projects we have done are: stocking and organizing shelves at a local thrift store, collecting items for charitable missions at home and abroad and assembling Helping Hand Bags for disadvantaged people in our community.
Fundraisers
Every other year we organize a large garage sale to raise funds to support families and children. We have many families who participate in organizing and running the sale. The funds earned are used throughout the year for opportunities to help our children and their families. This includes paying for camp fees, purchasing technology to help non-verbal children communicate and offering gift cards to purchase supplies for the coming school year.
Moms Retreat
Sometimes, moms just need to get away. Once a year, we try to hold a weekend retreat that give moms a change to rest, recharge and develop new relationships with other moms. While the weekend features fun and laughter, it also offers time for moms to be rejuvinated and return home happier and healthier.
Are You an Amazing Mom?
The Amazing Moms is open to any mom with a child or children experiencing special needs. For more information, click on the Find Our More link at the top of this page.