Putnam Mom Group Builds Community

As the rising cost of living pushes more young families out of New York City and Westchester, Putnam County is seeing a quiet boom – more strollers than there are sidewalks, more new faces at the library, and more moms looking for their people.

The Putnam County Moms Collective was created for this exact moment.

PCMC is a supportive, non-judgmental, and growing community where moms – expecting, new, seasoned, working, and stay-at-home – can make friends, schedule playdates, and exchange advice and resources as they put down roots in a new place.

The organization was founded by Rebecca Doran, a human resources professional who relocated to Carmel from Westchester with her husband and toddler in July. 

“We’re approaching 200 members in just under two months since we launched in September, and a large majority are transplants from either New York City or Westchester,” she said. “Only a small number of our members are actually native to Putnam County, and they are absolutely invaluable – whether it’s offering local insight into the different towns, where the good playgrounds are, or which libraries have enough space for a group of us to hang out at.”

Whether you were born and raised in Putnam or you just moved to the county last month, motherhood can feel incredibly isolating, continued Doran.

“There are so many factors at play: postpartum challenges, not having friends going through the same life stage, not having a partner who can fully relate to what you’re experiencing,” she said. “PCMC was created so that moms who are struggling have the option to not go through it alone.”

The club directly organizes signature community builders such as weekly playground “hangs” and mom meet-ups that are designed to be low-pressure, free, and focused on genuine connection. 

“I’m mindful that not every mom, child, or family is extroverted,” said Doran. “Some people are introverted or shy but may still want to be in the company of other parents, so meeting up at a playground or just sitting together at the library is meant to cater to those different social styles.”

Beyond that, a huge part of the work she does behind the scenes is research.

“There’s no single source of truth in Putnam County for what’s available to moms and their families – no central calendar, no single website listing library programs, town events, support groups, childcare openings, or family services,” said Doran. “I put a lot of hours into digging, asking around, networking with people, checking town boards, library pages, fire department signs, word of mouth, scrolling through social media, just to find out what’s actually happening. And also to figure out what’s not happening – what services are missing.”

PCMC is working to fill that gap by promoting local events, activities, and support groups that already exist within the county.

Members are required to join via Facebook – a policy that Doran said is intentional and rooted in safety.

“I understand not everyone uses Facebook,” she said. “I honestly hate Facebook, but I’m very protective about who has access to our members’ information and where our events are being held, and Facebook has proven to be the most effective method for vetting member requests.”

While many of the meet-ups and events published in PCMC’s calendar are centered around young children, PCMC is intentionally built for mothers at all stages. The collective includes a growing number of members who are homeschooling or planning to homeschool their children, as well as mothers of older children and teens who may not be interested in meeting at a playground.

Mothers interested in joining can find Putnam County Moms Collective on Facebook or follow its Instagram page @putnamcountymomscollective.