Courtesy Photo In this courtesy photo, chair with a Moms Need Moms T-shirt on it sits at the beach during one of the playdates.

ALPENA — Taylor Oliver’s passion for connecting people and helping local moms came together in the perfect way just two years ago.

Started in 2020, Moms Need Moms is a local nonprofit run by Oliver. It works to connect moms from all walks of life and at any stage in their parenting journey.

“It was founded in 2020, obviously there was a bit of a need for community around that time, and we started with online meetups that year, and online resources like video chats with local professionals, and classes and that sort of thing,” Oliver said.

Oliver was inspired to create the group after seeing the world around her during the pandemic and wanting to offer a means of support in the community.

“Just seeing the huge need for connection during that year,” Oliver said. “There was just a huge spiral of mental health crises and a lack of support, so we were just getting creative about how to find ways to meet those needs. It really just came down to trying to meet a need.”

Some of the things the organization offers include playdates for kids and moms nights out for hardworking mothers. The group also has a Facebook page where moms can schedule their own playdates and utilize resources.

The organization has arranged get-togethers at beaches in Northeast Michigan during the summertime, playgrounds, and at AJ’s Berry Farm for fun fall festivities.

During their moms nights, Oliver said, group members usually go to local restaurants, though Oliver said one moms night involved going out for a game of laser tag.

Along with get-togethers, the organization has also tried to give back to the community. It has hosted a mom-to-mom sale in the past with all proceeds going to local mothers.

The group has also helped out families at Christmas time. Oliver said the group asked Hope Shores Alliance for help and got the name of a family in need during the holidays. From there, Moms Need Moms bought presents for the children as well as other necessities such as bedding and coats.

The group has also gotten together to help its own members in need during the holidays.

One of their members was also going through a lot when it came to health and other issues as well, Oliver said. The group got together and helped buy Christmas gifts for them. Oliver said the group will probably get together to help raise money and help buy gifts again this year.

For Oliver, the best part about the group is seeing the other moms thrive.

“I think just being the change in moms,” Oliver said. “Like I said, moms are an important part of our world they’re raising the next generation so to be able to be part of changing the way a mom relates with her kids, the resources she has helping her mental health in any way supporting moms in general and just seeing them thrive is really my favorite part.”

Oliver said she also loves connecting with people. She’s seen lots of new connections made through the group and she said it’s been rewarding to see it happen. In the next couple years, she hopes to see the group continue to grow.

“I also just love connecting with others,” Oliver said. “That’s just part of who I am and what I enjoy doing.

There’s only so much I can do on my own and just working with other moms toward that goal would be really awesome, But yeah, just really continuing what we’ve been doing,” she said. “Really, I’d love to see it become a sort of household name in Alpena that everybody knows what our group is, and what it does, and that it’s a resource for anyone who wants to use it.”

Difference Makers is a weekly series that profiles Northeast Michigan residents who do extraordinary things to improve their communities and the lives of others in ways that include volunteering and their professional work.

If you know a local difference maker, please contact Alyssa Ochss at 989-358-5680 or aochss@thealpenanews.com.