📅 This Day in Momni History
June 13 — what the Circle was doing on this day
Provo makes Momni a "Pillar Program"
At the start of 2019, Mayor Kaufusi honors Momni at the Provo State of the City address as a featured Pillar Program.
"You've Got Cash!" — the first payment notification
Two weeks before beta even opens, the earliest payment-received note preserved in the Momni inbox arrives: "You've Got Cash! Hello Momni..."
#MomniBeta goes live
"It's launch time!!!" Eleven months after the vision, the first Momni opens its doors in beta — months of research, team building, focus groups and sacrifice become a working product linking mothers together.
Total investment passes $2 million — and look at this team
Utah's Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity features Karmel in its "In Their Words" series as the seed round closes — total investment tops $2M and the team grows. Eighteen believers in purple momni shirts.
COVID pauses the Circle
In-home care stops almost overnight, and Momni goes quiet with it — 26,000+ mamas strong, pressing pause but never letting go. Movements don't die; they rest.
The drive to Arizona — the vision arrives
On a prayer-filled spiritual retreat drive, Karmel receives the calling that becomes Momni: a sharing-economy answer to the global childcare crisis.
Dr. Phil features Momni — 1.6 million views
On "Tuesdays with Troy," Troy Dunn and Karmel talk caresharing and the lengths mothers go to for childcare around the world. The mini-documentary is viewed more than 1.6 million times.
Momni gets its name
Mom + omni — "a mom for all." The portmanteau sticks, and a movement has a name.
The first littles arrive
Karmel opens her own Provo home and begins hosting other mamas' children — the first Momni visit, before there was an app to book it with.
Circle Up is published — and hits #1 in nine Amazon categories
The story of Momni in print: a tale of transformation, beating the odds and changing the world. Karmel's book reaches #1 in nine Amazon categories.
Elephants — the inspiration behind Care Circles
The original blog tells the Circle why Momni's heart is an elephant: mothers who raise their young together, circle around their littlest, and never forget their own.
BYU's Daily Universe covers Momni
Student mamas looking for care options find Momni — the campus paper tells the story.
"Move aside ride share — Utah mom launches child care share"
Fox 13 introduces Utah to caresharing.
Front page of the Deseret News
"Utah mom launches child care-sharing network for moms needing relief" — Momni's first front-page moment.
Momni hits the App Store
App Store Connect writes: "The status of your app, Momni App, is now Ready for Sale." Caresharing lands in every mama's pocket.
momnifoundation.org is born
The Momni Foundation takes its place online — the separate 501(c)(3) heart that helps mamas in crisis afford care.
The map lights up — literally
All 25,373 recovered 1.0 mamas return to the Movement Map: hosts in teal, guests in purple, returning 2.0 mamas as tiny pulsing lights.
The 1.0 community database is recovered
25,373 first mamas — names, cities, the homes they opened — found and brought home. Nobody starts over here.