Getting moms connected

[attach]4571[/attach]Sarah Rutka was looking for a mom’s group last fall after the birth of her second child, but she wasn’t interested in a lot of the groups out there.

“I’m not a big one for doing mommy groups where you show up and chat,” she says.

After learning about Mommy Connections, a community-based business that started in Edmonton providing workshops to expecting and new moms, Rutka joined the first Toronto chapter in the Bloor West area.

A year later and she’s the director of the North Toronto chapter, which will launch in September.

The Mommy Connections program was attractive to her as it presented an opportunity for learning, Rutka says.

The group has experts come to the moms and while there’s still a social element, the emphasis is on learning subjects related to post-natal topics.

“It was an active experience,” Rutka says of her participation in the Bloor West program.

Rutka had worked as a public relations and marketing professional but says she didn’t want to return to that field. Running and marketing a Mommy Connections chapter made sense as it would bring together her professional skills, she says.

The North Toronto chapter, which covers the geographic area bounded by the 401, Caledonia Road, the DVP and Dupont Street, will offer eight-week sessions featuring one speaker and one activity per session. Tots can participate too.

Rutka is targeting local businesses in the area to participate in the programming as they can get involved by hosting a meetup, donating samples, or purchasing a logo on the website. The highest sponsorship opportunity is only $300, she says.

“It’s pretty affordable for small business owners,” she says.

“It’s a great way to connect with the local community.”

Since launching in the Bloor West area, Mommy Connections has really grown in Ontario, she adds, with six or seven chapters in the GTA.

“The word and the name are getting out there.”

Though Rutka lives in Brampton, she clearly saw North Toronto as an opportunity.

“I know North Toronto has a lot of young families,” she says.

“It just made sense.”

Topics in the upcoming September session will include nutrition for nursing, baby sign language, and a mom and baby music class.