When King resident Maggie Bermingham found herself a full-time stay-at-home mom this past February, she quickly decided that she didn't want to just stay at home. She scoured the web, her contacts, neighborhood postings, and city announcements for activities and resources so she could get out and about with her 16-month-old son. With other like-minded parents on the same path, she ended up meeting another mom at a Portland Parks and Rec play facility who told her about the Swap n Play set up in St. Johns. After meeting with that group's founder, Andrea Davey, she was so thrilled with the organization that she became a member and joined the board.
It didn't take Bermingham long to figure out that a similar offering would work well in the Northeast, particularly in her nearest neighborhoods of King, Vernon, and Concordia. By March, she had started the process to develop and open her own version of Swap ‘n Play, based on the St. Johns and Sunnyside models. Her goal was to open the facility by the time the rainy season begins in Portland—and she's right on schedule with a September 15 enrollment date, and a members only grand opening party on October 1.
Bermingham remains a board member of the St. Johns organization because she "loves the people so much" and also views all three Swap ‘n Play groups as sister organizations. The three founders now meet on a regular basis to share best practices, offer support, and recommend other organizational resources.
The concept is the same for all three sites, with some differences in the newest Northeast version. Members join for a nominal monthly fee, gain access to their play facility, educational and play resources, and donate, trade, and share items like clothing, books, toys, and other needed supplies.
The Northeast location is a small space, much smaller than either the St. Johns or Sunnyside locations. Housed in the former café of the Victory Outreach Church building on NE 30th Avenue half a block in from Alberta Street, the new play space, known as the Swap and Play Café will retain its configuration of street level windows, café tables and chairs, a counter/bar, with water, coffee, tea, cocoa, and a small refrigerator available to members to use throughout their play time sessions. The nonprofit, officially known as the Northeast Family Cooperative, will provide this space and a clothing/book/toy exchange for its members. An online group will form so people are able to post other swappables, as there is virtually no storage at the Northeast site.
Because the space is so small, and no build outs are possible at this time, the organization will focus on sit down activities of arts and crafts, music, book clubs, and discussions. The facility will inspire "quiet play, a quiet atmosphere, with classes and groups developing organically" hopes Bermingham. "Families come together naturally in such an environment, and easily identify their interests. Groups and classes will certainly spring up from that connection."
"Sustainable parenting cooperative" is the vision for the Swap and Play Café. With her mental health services background, specifically in counseling couples via marriage and family work, Bermingham believes that her foundational concept for the organization will "address and offset emotional needs and stressors of new parents." She observes that "there's a lot that happens in the transition to parenthood," and the goal of such an informal, comfortable settting for learning and interaction is "to inspire parents to share their stories, gaining support and attention from people who are going through the same family shifts."
Bermingham plans to develop a board and seek independent nonprofit status in the future. For now, informal postings, free forums, and web sites will be used for advertising, as will word-of-mouth, though she does see a need for a promotions and marketing committee. She also is planning a fall fundraising event.
For $20 a month, families can join the Swap and Play Cafe; for another $10, they can have access to all three sites. That's a pretty cool deal! Membership materials are available online at: www.nefamilycoop.wordpress.com. Membership Enrollment began September 15. The members only grand opening event is scheduled for October 1, with additional open house hours in October for potential new members.
What's particularly cool about this organization, and in fact, all three sites, is that they each arose out of neighborhoods recognizing a real need for such services and outlets. Driven by people inspired to connect and collaborate with their neighbors and share resources—all involved a wish to create a welcoming, supportive space for parents and their children. It's not day care—it's sharing and creating learning and play outlets collaboratively that truly supports families.
The Swap 'n Play Café
4932 NE 30th
nefamilycoop@gmail.com
Northeast Family Cooperative
Learn more about The Swap n Play Café at the Sharing Ideas: Grassroots Projects Started by Neighbors forum on Thursday, October 1.
