OurMilkMoney.com Announces Its Plans To Eliminate All Membership Fees

Online, November 8, 2010 (Newswire.com) - After nearly 4 years, OurMilkMoney.com, the nation's largest business directory for self-employed parents, announced that it is restructuring its business model in order to better contribute to its overall mission. OurMilkMoney has been said to be one of the main inspirations for the small business boom and self-employed parent movement. The organization has declared restructure in the past, but never at this level of reshaping.

Member reactions have been positive, although many have shown concern that the organization has not disclosed any future plans for funding its purpose. Ally Loprete, Founder and CEO of OurMilkMoney.com (http://www.ourmilkmoney.com) issued this statement: "This decision was made after many years of considerable debate and question. The ultimate deciding factor was based on an intense gut instinct that it was time to take a leap of faith and just do what felt right."

Loprete's emotional and heartfelt public announcement may be heard on Friday's live radio broadcast: 11-5-2010 Radio Announcement (http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/healthy-parents-kids-11-05/id357476643?i=88772740)

From its inception in 2008, OurMilkMoney.com has encompassed certain aspects that provided an overall sense of trust and support. It originally denied corporate funding stating publicly that it was contradictory to its mission and such an idea threatened the directory of small businesses by overpowering it with ads from larger businesses. Clearly, the companies that could afford expensive advertising didn't need the same kind of support as self-employed parents, with their minimal and low advertising budgets. However, after 4 years, the annual membership fee of only $25 began to feel like it was masking the organization's true integrity and desire to support the members themselves.


It recently became clear that the new focus needed to be in growing the directory, increasing awareness of its powerful mission and to fill it with more self-employed parents in more communities across the nation. Because the site needs basic funds to simply stay operational, the organization is currently accepting donations from anyone who wishes to contribute. Concurrently, OurMilkMoney's volunteer staff is working together to explore new ways of funding the site in a way that will not compromise its very specific mission. The staff plans to research private funding and grants as well as affiliate programming and partnerships. Because the organization has always been successful in attracting a good amount of traffic by consumers, the hope is that potential investors will see the value in supporting the parent-only business community and inspire private sponsorship.

According to Loprete, this bold endeavor is to ensure that OurMilkMoney.com will continue to make a significant impact on the lives of families across the country. "Once we re-evaluated our motivational objectives it was evident that we needed to adjust our plan of action," said Loprete. "We hope that this new development will adequately convey our message of sincerity and willingness to do whatever is necessary to drive the mission into a more productive level for parents everywhere. Our hope is that this will erase any uncertainty that might have been complicated by a membership fee in the past."

The average American family has been unable to survive on less than 2 incomes for more than 2 decades. Child care expenses account for 14 percent of a family's average budget and are often the second-highest monthly household expense behind mortgage or rent payments. OurMilkMoney.com was originally created as a way to bring parents together in a collaborative effort to rebuild the nation's unfavorable economy. OurMilkMoney.com quickly became a source of hope for many parents who had sacrificed their corporate salaries in exchange for the freedom to stay at home. The organization serves to recognize the parents who are offering products and services to their community as a means to make up that lost second income.

With the American economy in the middle of its 21st consecutive quarter in recession, many families are torn between providing for their children and caring for their children. Recent research shows nearly half of all parents are concerned the economy will force them to make changes that negatively impact the quality of their current care giving arrangements. As families look for new child care solutions, they face tough choices all the while weighing the costs of working versus coming home.

OurMilkMoney.com's aim is to unite parents and continue to provide opportunities for moms and dads to be able to choose to come home as an alternative to expensive daycares and long hours away from their children.