Hoboken Mommies, a Unique Social Networking Organization and Website, Launched to Inform, Bring Together and Support Mothers in Hoboken

Hoboken Mommies, a social networking organization and Website that delivers child care and health information, events and support activities to mothers has been launched by a pair of Hudson County entrepreneurs.

Co-founders Sarah Himmelbaum and Dayna Sacks established HobokenMommies.com to provide a single online location where mothers can find a variety of general and Hoboken-specific information— including local product and service providers— discussion forums, and event venues for making new friends and finding support to address the child rearing issues they’re facing.

Himmelbaum, a new mother herself and an experienced service industry business developer, decided to create Hoboken Mommies out of sheer necessity, noting she had to visit numerous Websites in order to access all the child care information she was seeking.

She explains: “It quickly became evident that there wasn’t a single destination for all the information you need as a mom in Hoboken; nor was there a social media and events organization to support mothers and bring them together—both online and in-person— especially new moms embarking on this exciting new journey.  Hoboken Mommies was established to fill that void.”

While most of the organizations’ events and activities will cater to Mommies in Hoboken, much of the information offered—including articles by subject matter experts and discussion forums—is useful for Moms everywhere.

“Our goal is bring Mommies together in an informal and relaxed setting, enabling them to find support and friendship while navigating the often changing waters of parenthood and impending parenthood,” Sacks points out. “Members will engage in conversations and address concerns through our forums, participate in online chat groups, and attend events to make new friends and gather new information.

Sacks, a special education teacher for nine years, adds that membership is free, but that the benefits are significant. In addition to the events, forums and information, Hoboken Mommies arranges special deals with local merchants and offers a classifieds page for selling no-longer needed children’s products as well as a one-of-a-kind diaper exchange. Some of Hoboken Mommies events—dinners and luncheons—will feature guest speakers on such topics as breast-feeding and fertility issues, while others will be strictly social, girls’ afternoons or evenings out for making new acquaintances.

Hoboken Mommies conducted a pre-launch focus group with more than 40 local women and used the feedback to fine-tune the Web site and types of activities offered. “We learned that women feel that they do not have a place where they can go to share their experiences and seek advice from their peers. The pre-launch attendees also shared that they were looking forward to the events in order to make new ‘mommie’ friends,” said Himmelbaum. “Equally encouraging have been the responses we’ve received from local businesses who see Hoboken Mommies as a potentially valuable venue for increasing visibility with an important demographic for them—mothers in need of products and services. We’ve already established a number of solid local partnerships.”

The HobobkenMommies.com Website, created by Hoboken-based Tisha Creative, officially launched this past Friday with a blast e-mail, social media blasts and personal networking. “We’ve really come out of the blocks flying,” Sacks explains. “More than half of the 500 people who received e-mails have responded and registrations for membership have already exceeded 400.  On the initial day of launch, HobokenMommies.com received 1,000 unique visits. Those results validate the need for a one-stop location for all the information and services we offer. Moreover, we know that, so far, mothers in Hoboken like what they’ve seen and know what they need.”

A formal launch event will be held in March with food, music and vendor tables to introduce Hoboken mothers and expectant ones to the organization’s Web site and activities. For further information, visit www.hobokenmommies.com.