Mutual support for mothers providing activities including park play-days, playgroups, member directed activity groups, and other daytime entertainment for mothers and children (generally 0-5 years).  There are some activities for older siblings as well.  Consult all 3 of the following sites to learn about local groups since the lists seem to offer difference views of each area:
 

Charlotte Parent (drop down the Resources Menu and click on Support Groups)

International MOMS Club (NC)

International MOMS Club (SC)

(Click for overview of Parenting resources)

This meet-as-it-needs-or-wants-to group is composed of parents of children participating in the UCP Kindergarten; the kindergarten is for children with any special need and those without special needs from about 18 months to 5 years. They get together to share support and resources and to have a good time.  Call Easter Seals/United Cerebral Palsy Kindergarten at 704/522-9912 weekdays 9-5 for more information.

An active social group of mothers (working outside the home or not) who gather to have lots of fun, support each other, and communicate via their web site.  Click here to see their web site for Charlotte, and click here for information for the rest of the USA and parts of Canada. (Click for overview of Parenting resources)

A group for grandparents raising their grandchildren or other caring people caring for children other than their own.  They meet to share and also get together just to do things for fun.  Supervised care for children of 17 years and younger for the evening meeting.  Please call before attending your first meeting.  For details about their morning or early evening meeting, contact a leader of the group at 704/336-8520 Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Click for overview of Parenting resources)

This group is sponsored by Presbyterian Hospital for new mothers of children from birth to age 12 months.  They give participants the chance to share common issues, concerns, and successes.  For details about the meetings in Matthews, call 384-7510 weekdays 9-4. (Click for overview of Parenting resources)

This Christian organization sponsors support groups based on the needs of their clients. As of this update, there was a group for expectant adult and teen mothers, a fathers' group, and a Spanish program;  all of these provide emotional support and useful information.  The organization also provides a wide variety of other services, some of which are Bible based; they do not refer to abortion services, but serve those who have had an abortion.  Call 704/372-5981 for English or 704/716-3643 for the Spanish program.  (Click for overview of Parenting resources)

This group provides a safe environment focusing on family support and social activity for all single parents and their children of any age.  It is co-sponsored by the Harris Y and Forest Hill Presbyterian Church, but you don't have to be a member of either organization.  They meet regularly for special events and useful classes.  For an update on their current miraculous wonders, click here.  To talk with one of the leaders, call Larry at 844-8858 Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.  (Click for overview of Parenting resources)

CMOMs serves women in the greater Charlotte area who are mothers, or expectant mothers, of twins, triplets or more. Services include parental support programs, information and equipment exchanges, social support networks, educational opportunities and scholarship programs. This group also supports expectant mothers who are confined to the hospital or are on bed rest during pregnancy. Finally, CMOMs connects women who have experienced the loss of one or more of their multiples.  You can obtain information about the group from their recorded messages at 877/902-6667 or click here to visit the CMOMs detailed web site. (Click for overview of Parenting resources)

An active grouop of stay at home fathers who do play activities and fathers-only get-togethers.  Their activities are publicized via a Yahoo e-group so internet access is required.  Please click here to see the site and if you wish register.  (Click for overview of Parenting resources)

<>In addition to direct services for women and children who are in or who have been in any type of abusive relationship, the Shelter sponsors professionally facilitated free support groups for women addressing (at the time of this writing) making decisions about abuse situations, parenting, trauma recovery and substance abuse..  There are also groups for children and free childcare.  You can may a confidential call the Shelter at 704/332-2513 anytime anyday to talk with a staff member about any domestic violence or abuse issue that concerns you.  (Click for overview of Parenting resources)

<>Active Moms of the Carolina (2003) (1636)
<><>Club MOM (1997)  (1215)
FEMALE (2006) (same as Mothers&More)
GrandCare (2004)  (1382)
<>Lake Wylie Play Group (1999) (1489)
Mocha Moms (still meeting but dropped from our site due to $40 yearly dues)
<><>MOPS (Pineville Nazarene Church) (2004)  (1467)
Mothers & More (Charlotte & Lake Norman) (2006)  (1454,1456)
The Mother's Center (1999) (122,743)
Mothers & More (Cabarrus County chapter only) (1658, 743)
New Horizoins (support program) (2007)  (1382)
Parenting for Spouses of Inmates (2003)  (1557, 743)
Playgroup 2000  (1494, 743)
Radical Healing (2009)  (1710,743/702)
 

This service provides comprehensive data and referral assistance for nonprofit and government resources in the NC counties of Mecklenburg, Cabarrus, Union, and Anson counties and in or near the city of Mooresville, NC.  If you are calling on a landline or residential phone in one of those counties, dial 2-1-1.  If that fails, if you are calling on a cell phone, or if you are calling from anywhere else in NC, call 866/744-7778.  For calls from out of NC, use their local number of 704/377-1100. Although they are open 24 hours a day, you may wish to call weekdays from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. for non-emergency questions.

The friendly staff at this full service library can help you research any medical topic using their up-to-date computers, databases, journals and books.  No previous research experience or medical knowledge is required. Click here for details or call them at 704-384-6393.

MedLinePlus

This service of the National Library of Medicine of the National Institutes of Health is one of the better one-stop shops for beginning your search on the internet for medical information.  For those of you who live in Mecklenburg and Union counties in NC, we recommend that you contact the Health Library for more personal assistance from the experts there in searching for reliable medical information. Click here for their details.

Click to link to any of these lists of national groups: 

The Self-Help Sourcebook OnLine Index
The Genetic Alliance
NORD (National Organization for Rare Diseases) Database

Click here to branch to the American Self-Help Clearinghouse listing of toll-free phone numbers for a wide variety of topics.