Mothers & More Kicks Off A Mothers Movement

April 16, 2003 – Mothers & More officially kicks off its 2003 Mother's Day Campaign with an intensive nationwide public awareness effort, "Making Mothers Count." This campaign heralds the organization’s first broad-based initiative toward driving a Mothers’ Movement.

From April 21 until May 31, local chapters of Mothers & More coast to coast will be providing educational opportunities for their members and their communities about the real value of the unpaid work all mothers do and the significant economic and social hurdles all mothers face in successfully fulfilling their family responsibilities. The goal of the campaign is to make mothers' unpaid caregiving visible to the world as a vital contribution to our society.

As of this release, 40 Mother's Day Campaign events have been planned by 27 chapters in 15 states including: Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Events include discussions exploring how to Make Mothers Count, Open Houses, library displays, a legislative forum, a demonstration, booths at preschools and mothering events, and public forums. All chapter events are open to the public and the media.

Mothers & More is providing campaign buttons and cards for members and the public to wear and share throughout the campaign. The buttons are designed to make mothers and their caregiving work visible. The cards provide a list of compelling "Mom Metrics"—statistics about mothers and the impact of their caregiving work on the other aspects of their lives.

In addition, Mothers & More’s national website has a wealth of background information, plus materials and tips for members, non-members and like-minded organizations on how they can participate in the campaign and order buttons. The national website will also provide tracking and updates on campaign activities across the country throughout the month of May.

Mothers & More’s ultimate goal is to secure economic and social equality for mothers in all the work they do, whether paid or unpaid. Toward that end, in the week preceding Mother’s Day, 2003, the organization will publicly announce its POWER Plan which will list the issues they will focus on, and direct the work the organization does to educate, raise consciousness and call for direct action to effect change in public policy, private practices and cultural attitudes.

Mothers & More is a non-profit organization that has been dedicated to improving the lives of mothers through support, education and advocacy for the last 15 years. With 180 chapters and 7500 members, the organization is leading the charge toward a sustained national Mothers' Movement. To find out up-to-the-minute developments in the Mother's Day Campaign, log onto the website at www.mothersandmore.org. To speak to a Mothers & More representative, call 630-941-3553 or e-mail mediarelations@mothersandmore.org.

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