Brittinie Tran, 37, responded to an online callout for women in Piedmont Triad, North Carolina, US, to help a local mum in crisis.
She was one of a group who all showed up to help with deep cleaning, laundry, washing dishes, organising rooms, and tidying wardrobes and drawers.
The group were so moved by their experience they decided to form a community of like-minded women to help others during their time of need.
Dubbed ‘Hot Mess Express’ (HME), the group became a non-profit – with people free to volunteer whatever time they have.
The group respond to callouts from women – often with young children – who need hand with cleaning, tidying, organising and laundry.
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Mum-of-three Brittinie, who is now president of HME, said the group is based on the proverb “it takes a village to raise a child” – and a desire to help each other out.
Brittinie, a stay-at-home mum, from Clemmons, North Carolina, said: “I saw the post asking if anyone could help out the mum with her cleaning.
“As a mum-of-three I had been there and I didn’t have a village when my children were young, so I could relate to it.
“Around eight of us showed up and it was a great group – at least half are still actively involved today.
“Its so important because, as a woman and a mother, it can be very isolating.
“There’s a lot of vulnerability in showing people your mess – that’s why in Hot Mess we support and uplift each other with no judgement or shame.”
Brittinie spotted a post shared on a Facebook group by Jen Hamilton, 33, who became the group’s founder.
She was asking for local people to volunteer time to help out a struggling single mum with her housework.
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After their first successful ‘rescue mission’ in August 2021, they took on more and more ‘missions’, with the group of volunteers expanding as word got around.
Now, Hot Mess Express in Triad completes a ‘mission’ around once a fortnight.
They have a waiting list of more than 60 people seeking help with their homes and the team of volunteers is ever-expanding.
But all across the continent, people heard of the concept and have been inspired.
Now, since the first, 276 other geographical ‘chapters’ of HME have sprung up all over the USA.
Brittinie, who also runs a podcast, said: “We have created that ‘village’ to support and uplift each other.”
