Instagram Club Unites Local Moms – Instantly!
Cuse Moms’ Club conquers isolation through real-life connection.
by Maggie Nerz Iribarne
Allie Perkins, Founder of Cuse Moms’ Club
It started with an Instagram post. Syracuse mom Allie Perkins shared a picture of herself and her baby son with the caption:
“Hi! I’m Allie, the founder of Cuse Moms’ Club. … Motherhood is a rollercoaster of all the human emotions. ... And once you go through it, you realize how important it is to have a strong support system. My goal is to build a community that makes this journey of motherhood a little easier.”
Her message, shared in February 2025, instantly resonated with local moms. Minutes after the post was published, 400 followers jumped on board. The quantity and speed made Instagram suspicious, and they almost shut her down due to concern that Cuse Moms’ Club was a fake account. A bit surprised by the response, Allie realized that she had something big and got to work searching for activities that might ease the isolation and overwhelm that often affects new parents.
Allie was painfully familiar with the emotional roller coaster of motherhood. After teaching in the Syracuse district for 14 years with a tight-knit team of colleagues, she gave up her career for motherhood.
Her postpartum experience had not gone the way she’d hoped. Her son was born healthy, but six weeks early, so he was admitted to the Crouse Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). While Allie was still in the delivery room, her husband went down to the NICU to show Allie the baby on FaceTime.
“One of the worst feelings is seeing your baby less than an hour after birth on FaceTime instead of holding him,” Allie said. She also had to delay breastfeeding and exposure to family visitors.
Once Allie and her husband brought their baby home, things still weren’t easy. Allie was sleep-deprived and struggling with postpartum depression. Searches for a therapist proved futile. She wasn’t sure what she needed. Finally, she came to the realization that what she needed was other moms. Cuse Moms’ Club was born.
Today, Allie’s son is 2 years old, and Cuse Moms’ Club is 1 year old with thousands of followers. Her dream of a supportive community for local moms and kids is now a reality, and it’s more successful than she ever imagined.
“I didn’t think it would be as big as this; I just thought it would need some simple mom meetups,” Allie said.
The club hosts postpartum support circles, playdates, walks, moms’ night out, and other regular gatherings. These are sometimes offered in collaboration with local businesses. Allie has favorites, like “Coffee and Play” where moms meet at a local coffee shop and then walk to a nearby library. Other top picks include happy hours at downtown bars and a recent spa day at Saunacuse, which offered sauna, facials, massage, and yoga.
Allie focuses on her son during the day and works on the club at night. After he’s in bed, she spends hours searching for local activities to share with her followers, and she plans her own events. Although she and her husband lovingly joke about her “unpaid job,” Allie is trying to make the program more financially sustainable. Ideally, she’d love to receive some payment for her work hours and also have the money available to offer a wider array of free events. Her goal is to turn Cuse Moms’ Club into a nonprofit, which would expand her options for sponsors and grants.
Leading with her generous teacher’s heart, Allie Perkins has moved out of the isolation and sadness of new motherhood into a vibrant community of friendship. She finds her work most fulfilling when another mom shares that the club made a difference for her and her child.
“I hope it is a place where moms can come to feel less lonely in motherhood, can offer support if they’re having a difficult time, or just feel more connected with other moms and know they’re not alone,” Allie said.
Join the fun! Follow @cusemomsclub on Instagram!