Carol Backman raised her children with little outside help.

She didn’t have a place to go to laugh, cry or seek advice from other mothers going through the same joys and struggles. She didn’t have a place where loving volunteers could watch her children for a few hours—for free—giving her a chance to form a social network outside the home.

She wishes she had.

Now Backman, 69, volunteers twice a month for the Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) Kids program at Canyon View Vineyard Church (CVVC). MOPS is an international organization that partners with churches and organizations around the world to support and encourage mothers with children ranging in age from unborn to kindergarten.

A vital aspect of MOPS is its childcare program, known as MOPS Kids. This is where individuals like Backman are valuable. CVVC MOPS Kids’ membership has grown and they need more adult volunteers to watch and teach children from as young as 9 months to as old as 6 years. Rooms are divided by age, and volunteers serve kids from approximately 9-11:30 a.m. on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month during the school year. A typical MOPS Kids year starts in August and lasts through mid-May.

Even though it’s a volunteer position, Backman finds it beyond rewarding.

“Moms thank me every time they pick up their kids and say how much they appreciate (me) giving my time,” Backman said. “We live in a very hectic world. Giving moms a break can lift their spirits. They can relax for two hours without worrying about their kids."

MOPS Kids volunteers do not need to attend church. All that’s required is their time, patience and heart, explained Morgan Barb, MOPS Kids coordinator.

Snacks, crafts and Christian-based lessons are provided and catered to each age. All adult volunteers are subject to a background check.

A committee of volunteers helps oversee the rooms. All mothers with children enrolled in MOPS Kids stay at the church during the MOPS meetings in case an issue arises.

“For only 2 1/2 hours (a meeting) you’re changing the lives of kids and moms on a regular basis,” Barb said. “These short bursts might not seem like much, but it’s giving so much back to the community. Isolation hurts our society—from childhood to adulthood and into senior years. This organization is meant to get children and moms out of the house and into a safe, loving environment for support and socialization. None of it is possible without volunteers.”

Not all volunteers need to help out two weeks a month or be retired. Carrie Frazier, 56, takes several hours off work one Wednesday morning a month without hesitation.

“I want moms to have that opportunity to be together and to know they’re not alone in this world,” she said.

While moms listen to speakers, devotionals, eat brunch, do crafts and unwind, their children get to learn and grow in MOPS Kids.

“Those kids have so much life in them and so much curiosity,” Frazier said. “You get to see how their little brains work.”

The next MOPS season at CVVC, 736 24 ½ Road, resumes on August 28. If you’re interested in becoming a MOPS Kids volunteer or have questions, contact Ariel Oakes at 510-691-8534 or [email protected].