Why I Started The Mom Village Project
Because Everyone Needs a Village.
By Meredith Beenen, LCSW
When I moved to Ridgefield with my 11-week-old baby, I had no idea just how much my world was about to change. I was stepping into motherhood without a built-in support system—no established friendships in town, and a brand-new baby who needed me for everything.
I immediately realized that if I didn’t find a village, I would drown. So I did whatever I could to meet people. I reached out on local Facebook groups, showed up at every mom-and-baby event I could find, and made a point to say “yes” to every invitation I could. And boy, did that pay off.
The incredible women I met became my lifeline.
There was the first mom who invited me to crash her playdate and made me feel welcome and included. The mom who bravely embarked on the first overnight trip with me—just the babies, no husbands, figuring it all out as we went. The mom who saw my exhaustion when my daughter wasn’t sleeping and insisted I come over. She watched both of our babies while I napped in her guest room.
And then there was the mom who, after my miscarriage, tried twice to send me baked goods and ice cream in the height of the pandemic. Both attempts hilariously failed, but instead of giving up, she did what she does best—showed up with empathy, humor, and unwavering support.
There are the moms in the group text, always ready with advice, validation, and the perfect meme to keep me sane. The moms who handed me a diaper in the middle of a blowout, who shared sunscreen, who taught me how to buckle my baby carrier when I couldn’t figure it out on my own. The moms who understood it all—because they were living it too.
Together, we navigated the impossible—new motherhood in a global pandemic. We made the best decisions we could with little guidance, leaned on each other when we had no one else, and held each other up through sleepless nights, postpartum struggles, and the constant self-doubt that comes with raising tiny humans.
And that’s why I created The Mom Village Project.
Because I know firsthand that motherhood was never meant to be done alone. Because I know there are so many moms out there who feel just as lost, just as overwhelmed, and just as desperate for connection as I once did. Because I believe that every mom deserves a village.
To all of my beautiful mom friends—you are the inspiration for The Mom Village Project. You are the reason I’m building this. You are proof that there is no force on Earth stronger than a mother.
Today is a ‘good news’ day. Today is the day I officially get the keys. I get to take the next step in creating opportunities for every mom to find her people and feel supported.
So if you’re a new mom, feeling isolated, exhausted, or just in need of someone who gets it—come find your village. I promise you, we’re here.
