communityspotlight Networkers Natural Women’s Networking Groups
Abound in and around Westchester by Kazaray Taylor
W
ith their it-takes-a-village approach to living, women have been “net-
working” for thousands of genera- tions—they just didn’t call it that. So as official networking organiza- tions have grown in popularity, it’s no surprise that many were created specifically for women, tapping into their innate tendency to work as a community and help each other. In recent years, women’s network- ing organizations have taken off in Westchester and Putnam, with groups geared for women at nearly
every stage of life. Parenting
Holistic Moms Network (HMN) South Westchester Chapter
and Putnam County Chapter
The Holistic Moms Network is a nation- al nonprofit organization connecting parents who are interested in holistic health and green living. “We encourage moms to trust their instincts, parent from the heart, use their innate sense of what is best for their children, live in balance with the earth, and learn about the pros and cons of all healthcare and parenting
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options,” says Deborah Fontana, who along with Jackie Cartwright co-leads the group’s South Westchester chapter. Cartwright notes that HMN further
empowers an inherently educated, dynamic membership. “We have a very aware and informed group who seek alternatives to conventional parent- ing practices, medicine, and the usual high-fat, -salt and -sugar diets that are common,” she says “Our intention is to build a more confident group of moms who feel supported to be able to parent in the way that feels right to them.” Laura Daley, chapter leader of the Putnam County chapter of HMN, says their group is a diverse and open- minded community, a place where everyone’s choices are respected and where anyone can learn and become informed. And HMN isn’t just for moms or even women, she notes. Their mem- bership also includes dads, expectant and future parents, grandparents and wellness practitioners. “Many of us are new to this journey; others are more experienced,” she says. It’s easy to join HMN—in fact, the first couple of meetings are free, Daley says. “If you like what you see and hear and want to join us, you are encour- aged to become a member to support our community,” she says. Membership is a tax-deductible $45/year. The Putnam County chapter of
HMN meets the first Thursday of each month from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the
Westchester/Putnam NY Edition
First Presbyterian Church of Philip- stown, 10 Academy Street, Cold Spring, NY. Monthly meetings are open to the public. The May 3 meeting will focus on “Knitting 101.” The South Westches- ter chapter of HMN meets every third Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at the Wain- wright House, 260 Stuyvesant Avenue, Rye, NY. A typical meeting lasts two hours and includes an introduction to HMN, group introductions, an informative presentation, and time for talk and nib- bling on finger food.
To sign up for either chapter online, go to
Membership.HolisticMoms.org.
Professional
BusinessPink Networking and Seminars Westchester, NY, Southern CT, & Washington DC
Women who are interested in running their own business or advancing profes- sionally might want to check out Busi- nessPink, a group that provides a forum for entrepreneurial women to network, exchange ideas, enhance their profes- sional skills and promote their careers. “We aim to help women get to the
next level in their business or profes- sional career by providing networking opportunities, introductions to experts in all kinds of fields, and educational semi-
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