We’ve all been a hot mess at some point in our lives. It would’ve been great to have some support to get you through it, right?
Jen Hamilton thought so, too!
Hot Mess Express was born from the hilarious and thoughtful mind of Jen Hamilton, who you may remember from our Lilac Spotlight interview. What started out as a simple idea to help moms in need of some support has turned into a nation-wide movement.
What is Hot Mess Express?:
Hot Mess Express began as a group of North Carolina moms who felt the desire to assist other moms trapped by overwhelm, a place every mother has been at some point. Whether the mama is dealing with depression, anxiety or a life situation that's out of her control, these Mom Troops take care of things to make her chaotic life a little more peaceful.
What does each Hot Mess Express chapter do?:
Each HME chapter is unique and is able to accomplish different tasks. But at the core, it’s local moms volunteering their time and energy to go to these precious mother's homes to help take care of various needs that have been piling up. Everything from dishes, laundry, dusting, organizing, vacuuming, clutter, even taking things out for donation and helping for in-the-moment costs like gap insurance or a broken down vehicle, these ladies are like the anti-tornado!
What’s a typical day for Hot Mess Express look like?:
The basic role of each mission is to go in, assess the need, and do the best work possible.
The main group, of which Jen Hamilton is a part, meets early for breakfast on a weekend morning. Each group has a coordinator who has already spoken with the Mama they’ll be visiting. The needs of her particular situation are discussed, much like planning a battle strategy (which, let’s face it - this is a war against burnout).
Once they’ve arrived, tasks are handed out to each individual, and the Mama is sent out to have either time to herself, or hang out with friends. Then, it’s “divide and conquer”!
As the crew works, there’s always some needs that become apparent, such as more storage, a full pantry, or even curtains instead of blankets thumb-tacked to a wall. This is where donations fill the gaps of what goes beyond the physical cleaning. Someone is sent to purchase those items that are needed to help their Mama in her unique needs.
All in all, the day can go very fast depending on the size of your crew - Jens group of 12 typically finishes a mission in about 4 hours. And once Mom comes home, the relief and peace she feels in her space can be felt a mile away.
What was the reason for starting Hot Mess Express?:
We can all agree: Mommin’. Ain’t. Easy. But did you know that postpartum depression affects 15% of mothers? And that doesn’t account for women who never seek help. If you’re a mom, you know that there can be a feeling of shame or guilt about the state of your home. It can feel like failure to ask for help, and many have experienced judgement from others when they have sought assistance. The Hot Mess Express breaks that mindset. When moms help moms, anything can be accomplished and the community grows stronger.
I’m a Mom - how can I help?:
The movement has exploded in just a few weeks from one North Carolina chapter to practically a national movement. Volunteering is as easy as joining a chapter in your area! You can find one in the main Hot Mess Express Facebook group document.
Don’t have one yet? Go start one! Make your own Facebook group, start inviting through your personal account, and join the Hot Mess Express Main Group to add your new chapter's info! Then you can share to other local mom groups, MOPS groups, YMCA, your local community center, and anywhere that allows for volunteer opportunities. Still need help getting the word out? Let Jen know, and she'll give you a shout to her TikTok community!
Click to see the Hot Mess Express Group in action!
I know someone who would really benefit from this (me or someone else)! How can I nominate someone?:
Each group has it's own nomination system in place, but Jen's main group has a form where you can nominate either yourself or someone you know. A vetting process decides who gets visited that month, which is different for each chapter. And if you nominate someone who isn’t visited right away, don’t worry! It just means that there may be another mother out there who’s needs might be more urgent, but they're still on the list.
For Jens chapter, each mission starts with the same words of compassion, like a creed:
“We have all been where you are, and we’re here because we wish someone was there for us. And now that we can help, we want to help you.”
Just like each mom has special worth, the Hot Mess Express headbands do to: a portion of each headband sold will be donated to aid Hot Mess Express in hopefully many more successful missions!
So, our messy friends, who’s with us?
To learn more about how to start a chapter, participate in a rescue mission, ways to donate, keep up with Jen Hamilton's updates from the Hot Mess Express Main Group here, or through her TikTok account here!
$13.99
Da wir für unsere Stirnbänder bereits die bestmöglichen Preise anbieten und ein Teil des Erlöses an eine Spende geht, können auf die Hot Mess Express-Kollektion keine Rabatte gewährt werden. Sie können davon ausgehen, dass Ihr Stirnband Ihnen Selbstvertrauen gibt, ohne… Read MoreHot Mess Express
$13.99
Bist du ein heißes Durcheinander? Rufen Sie Hot Mess Express an! In Zusammenarbeit mit Jennifer Hamilton gehen 50 % des Erlöses dieser Kollektion an Hot Mess Express, eine organisierte Gruppe, die Müttern hilft, die gemeinschaftliche Unterstützung benötigen. Da wir für… Read MoreChaos-Koordinator
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- Jen Hamilton
- Hot Mess Express
- Moms helping moms
- Donation headbands
- Headbands for moms
- Chaos coordinator
- TikTok star