Steel Magnolia Moms

The mission of Steel Magnolia Moms is to positively support one another and share in the joys and challenges of raising a child with special needs. Steel Magnolia Moms (SMM) was formed by forward-thinking women focused on serving their community and to support moms of children with special needs. SMM was founded in 2016 by Elizabeth Elder who has two children with Leigh Syndrome and in wheelchairs. She was born and raised in Houston, and although she had a strong network of family and friends, she felt isolated as a young mother unable to relate to the typical motherhood she had always envisioned. In five years, SMM has grown with an average annual growth rate of 70% to nearly 1,000 members through word of mouth and is operating with an annual budget over $100,000. This year we are focused on developing new programs to provide respite care, a members-only website for secure and private online resources, and to further develop our Head to Heart and Happy Camper(s) Programs.

We support our moms by providing community support (wellness workshops, lectures, social events), online support (closed social media page for continuous connection and resource sharing), and direct support (Head to Heart providing free psychological therapy and Happy Camper(s) providing scholarships for children with special needs to attend summer camp).