Momtage — it’s an actual word, y’all . . . in the urban dictionary. That absolutely counts, right? We vote YES!
This is a momtage we are so proud to present. The Tarrant County area is filled with mothers who are shaping the character of North Texas by loving their families well and by nurturing others outside of their four walls. They know we are all in this together.
To be honest, this blog post could be miles long. (In fact, we’d love to hear who you’d add to the list in the comments below. Don’t be shy!) There are hundreds of amazing mothers impacting the tone of today and the course for tomorrow. So, take a minute to hover over each picture and read a bit more about how each lady presented here is doing just that. Cheer them on!
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Amy is the community relations director at Mother’s Milk Bank of North Texas (MMBNT). Operating much like a blood bank, MMBNT collects breastmilk -- from healthy, nursing mothers who have a surplus -- and donates to premature and fragile infants. With Amy’s help, the MMBNT has recently opened a new expanded facility and is already poised to surpass last year’s record-breaking distribution of 612,747 ounces of donor milk.CJ has been practicing law for 17 years where she facilitates a monthly legal clinic at the Women’s Center of Tarrant County. She has been appointed to the Fort Worth Independent School District’s (FWISD's) district advisory committee as well as to the Como Elementary site based committee. CJ strives to make the academic experience richer for her four children and the children of Fort Worth.As principal at Ridglea Hills Elementary in Fort Worth, Crenesha pours her heart and soul into her "babies" as she calls them. She has been described as always approachable and gives a listening ear any time. She makes herself visible to parents and children at the school by taking on any needed duty -- including being traffic director for the day!Cynthia is an anchor for WFAA-Channel 8 and an advocate for foster care. She produces and anchors the "Wednesday's Child" segment that aims to find homes for abused and neglected children. So great is her passion for foster care that she and husband Jeremy recently adopted from the foster care system.Donna is the founder of Justin’s Place, which came to fruition from a real-life story of her own. Donna believes the life of a child cannot be fully restored until the life of the family is restored. Justin’s Place exists to come alongside families in need and to establish balance. It accomplishes this goal by restoring hope and building a foundation that will provide the strength needed to move out of generational poverty and toward a life of self-sufficiency and freedom from crisis.As managing partner of Capital Grille, Gloria has been described as a "hospitality rockstar," as well as devoted wife and mother. Gloria supports and volunteers in many ways around Fort Worth, but one of her passions is being involved with the culinary teams of the Fort Worth Independent School District. She aims to influence future chefs and restaurant managers to possess leadership skills and a passion for the industry.Janet is the vice president/CFO of Tarrant County Hands of Hope. This organization reaches out to the homeless population — including homeless women and families — providing access to needed resources with the aim of getting people off the street and into reliable housing.Katherine is the owner of Hurley House in Fort Worth. Katherine has a knack for hospitality, baking, and bringing people around a table to enjoy both. She's making hospitality cool again -- and attainable. Along with baked goods, take-home meals, and coffee, Hurley House offers daily lunch, hospitality and whiskey classes, private parties, and more.Lacey is the founder and owner of Under The Hood Physical Therapy, dedicated to women's pelvic health. With a history in the physical therapy field for more than 13 years, Lacey believes in a personal approach to women's health. She is taking a sometimes taboo, hush hush topic and bringing it to the forefront of discussion and dialogue. Follow her entertaining and helpful Instagram account.President and founder Sylvia established J Anthony Group in 2009, combining her expertise in government contracting, regulatory compliance, business processes, and supply chain operations to offer highly specialized consulting and professional services to clients in the aerospace and defense industries. She is also making a difference through the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.Ruth and her family run the non-profit furniture bank Where The Heart Is for families transitioning from homelessness. She is making a big difference for the people they assist, and cares about each and every one. She makes sure these people have not just furniture to live with, but also furniture they can be proud of.Sarah works with a local non-profit called For the Nations, where she helps refugee families find homes, learn English, and obtain jobs. She does all of this while also being a mom of two and wife of a local educator.Stacy is an innovative principal at Eagle Ridge Elementary School in Keller ISD. Her heart for kids has been a driving force in transforming the school into a place where kids want to be. She encourages all teachers to focus on the arts and do what’s best for kids.Beginning as a volunteer, Stephanie fell in love with UnBound’s mission to activate the community to fight human trafficking through prevention, awareness, professional training, and survivor advocacy. She now serves as director of UnBound Fort Worth and oversees this mission in our area.Suzanne, along with her sister Caitlin, started The Happy Lark in 2015. A former teacher, Suzanne is passionate about young families, unplugged play, and small business. Not only has she created an amazing, safe playspace for kids, but the retail side is also top-notch! Suzanne’s love of books were inspiration for a monthly book club that fosters community and encourages meeting new friends.