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Mother Of Three Creates Website To Connect Moms Heading Back To Work

PHILADELPHIA (CNN/CBS) – It just may be the 'motherload' of all ideas.

One woman has come up with a creative way to help stay-at-home moms re-connect with employers.

It's called "Motherboard." It's an online platform that will connect moms who want to opt back into the workforce with non-profits who have jobs to fill.

It's in its early stages, but this idea is gaining steam.

Family is everything to Jessica Leary Allen of Chagrin Falls. She's married with three children, including twin girls Emily and Kate. The idea for Motherboard came from her own experience.

"I myself have struggled as someone who loves being a mom, loves to be at the ready for my family. But also really enjoys working. I enjoy giving back, I enjoy having income," Allen said.

Allen had three children in two years, and decided to stay home to raise them. But eventually, she decided to get back into the workforce, focusing on non-profit work. Soon, she realized there were some holes to fill in the non-profit world, from short-term projects, to part-time jobs.

Allen looks at her online platform as a peer-to-peer website.

"Not for profits will post their jobs, mothers will post their resumes, and it will almost be like online dating, an online matching system just based on career," she said.

Last week Jessica took that idea to the stage at "Accelerate 2016: citizens make change."

"Motherboard is an online platform that connects our area's amazing not for profits organizations with a smart, educated workforce," Allen said.

She made it into the top five finalists of the competition and walked away with $2,000 and a network of mentors to get her idea started.

Allen says many women like her who decided to stay at home to raise their families need flexibility when they decide to get back into the workforce.

"For me, when I opted out of the workforce it was a little bit scary to think about going back. I had been out for a little bit, things had changed," she said.

Allen says Motherboard gives women an opportunity to build their skills and resume by picking up paid jobs and projects with non-profits that could lead to something long-term down the road. This also gives them the flexibility to work the amount of hours they want.

"There are a lot of mothers who are skilled, professional women who would love to be working. They cannot work a 40 hour work week," she said.

Right now Allen is putting the nuts and bolts in place for Motherboard. She hopes to roll out the website in the next few months. Allen has a team that is putting together a business plan for the website.

"We're looking for people to jump on the Motherboard and be part of what we're doing," she said.

She is looking for project partners and feedback from potential users. She says the most common skills non-profits are looking for in potential Motherboard users are marketing, freelance writing, accounting, budgeting, government relations and social media.

You can get in touch with Jessica Leary Allen on Facebook under "MotherboardNEO" and Twitter: @MotherboardNEO.

(The-CNN-Wire ™ & © 2016 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.)

 

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