What if, as a mom, you were part of a team?
They say it takes a village to raise a child. We’ll help you build one.
As part of GatherFor: Moms in Oxnard, you’ll:
come together with 4 other pregnant moms expecting around the same time as you.
meet up once a month virtually and once a month in person
share stories, resources, parenting tips, and more
receive training that you want to receive
build a team of mamas you trust that could be aunties for your new baby (and sources of childcare)
receive $300/month as a team for in-person gatherings
receive a workbook to complete as a team
“Mom Together.”
What Your Experience Will Be
Step 1: We ask you to fill out a quick form and have a short phone call with us to understand what's important to you as you go through your pregnancy and what kind of mothers you'd like to match with.
Step 2: You come together in person with your new Mother Team of 4-5 people living near you at a time that works for you all. We'll facilitate you as a group getting to know each other and getting the group started!
Step 3: We provide you with $300/month for in-person gatherings, facilitation support, a guidebook of play and story-based activities and discussions, and a telegram chat group you can use to coordinate and share resources. You meet twice a month, once online and once in-person.
Step 4: The workbook invites you as a group to talk through things like: parenting philosophy, things you'd change about how you were raised, ways to care for yourself as the mom of a newborn, and whatever else you as a group want to explore. Together, you build trust over 9 months and "mom together" once your babies arrive!
Hear From Current Participants
This pilot of “Mother Teams” is based on the work we’ve been doing in Brownsville, Brooklyn with 50 participants in Neighbor Teams, most of whom are mothers supporting one another as chosen family. Hear from them to get a sense of what experiences on a Mother Team might be like!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there any cost to participate?
There is no cost to participate at all!
Who qualifies for participation in GatherFor: Oxnard?
Anyone pregnant mother living in Oxnard, Brooklyn, willing to build relationships of mutual support with their mothers living nearby, can participate in GatherFor: Oxnard.
Are you only working in Oxnard?
We’ve been piloting our work in Brownsville, Brooklyn. But we are just starting a similar program in Oxnard in August 2024, when Teju Ravilochan, Founder of GatherFor moved to Ventura, CA, along with his partner who is an OB/GYN. Her work with pregnant mothers inspired this concept.
If I want to participate, what do I do?
You can fill out this form and Teju Ravilochan, Founder of GatherFor, will reach out to you for a phone call about what’s important to you right now and for more information about how GatherFor: Oxnard works.
How long does the engagement last?
When you join a Mother Team, we ask that you commit to it for the duartion of your pregnancy, and participate in at least one in-person meeting and one virtual meeting each month. You’ll have the chance to decide if you want to continue after your baby is born.
Does this work?
This is a brand new program that we are piloting for the first time in Oxnard. We have high hopes, however, because of our experience running Neighbor Teams for the past four years in Brooklyn, New York. This approach is also grounded in practices like Centering in Pregnancy (practiced at the Las Islas Clinic of Ventura County Medical Center) and moai, a practice in Okinawa, Japan, in which neighbors form groups of five for life.
If you join GatherFor: Oxnard, know you are joining a new community-building experiment that you’ll get to shape. We don’t have all the answers and are building something that isn’t typically found in mainstream US culture (though it is active in American sub-cultures, mutual aid communities, Indigenous communities, communities of color, and in other cultures around the world). Your participating will help us pioneer and learn more about how to make this model effective and you’ll have plenty of space to offer your feedback and ideas.
Can I participate if I'm an undocumented immigrant?
Absolutely. We will take special precautions to be sensitive to your situation. We also may be able to connect you to legal support.
I’m worried about sharing my personal information with others.
We completely understand. You are always in control of what information you share and don’t share and won’t be asked to do or say anything you don’t feel comfortable with.
I’m needing support with mental health. Is there any way to get that through GatherFor?
Yes. First, we encourage Mother Teams to practice compassionate listening and support one another first and foremost by showing up for one another and offering our presence. Second, we have partnerships through which we may be able to connect you to mental health professionals who can provide free counseling, emotional support, trauma counseling, and more.
Is GatherFor a nonprofit?
Yes, GatherFor is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with EIN 85-3982098. You can see our Candid / Guidestar profile here, where we have a 2024 Platinum Seal of Transparency.
Why the name GatherFor?
We chose the name GatherFor because it communicates what we believe: if we come together with one another committed to each other’s well-being, we have everything we need. Ultimately, GatherFor: Oxnard is about supporting Oxnard residents as they support each other. If you join a GatherFor: Oxnard Mother Team, it’s up to you and your team to define what you gather for. We’ll be there with you to give you resources, opportunities, and structure as it’s helpful. But we believe no one is more able to address the needs of people in Oxnard quite like the people of Oxnard.
GatherFor: Stories
As the Delta Variant surges, the eviction moratorium and federal unemployment assistance are winding down. Our Neighbors need support weathering this gap. We’re raising $2,000 for each of the 43 in our pilot and you can help. Read on to find out how.