Modern Moms Pittsburgh, a popular support network for parents, is disbanding at the end of the year, and the moms who attended its play dates and events are upset.

The nonprofit group grew to 330 members in about two years, and it relied on $24 annual membership fees to fund its play dates and events and online message boards. People who joined the mom's group after Oct. 31 will receive a refund of their membership fee. The remaining fees will be donated to Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, according to Martin Shin, who ran the group with his wife, Laurel Milne.

Sue Rocco, 39, of Dormont, was shocked to get the e-mail yesterday saying the group was disbanding. She joined Oct. 2, before the refund deadline. "I am still out $24 for a group that I was only involved in for two-plus months," she said.

Mrs. Rocco also believes the members should pick the charity for the remaining funds. "It's our money. Why can't we decide?"

Mr. Shin, said he and his wife were devoting so much time to the very active group that they could not balance it with family responsibilities to their two young girls. The Mt. Lebanon couple could not find funding that would have enabled them to hire a staff member. The couple, which could not afford insurance for the group, also had concerns about liabilities.

"People got upset and emotional. But we didn't have the funding to go to the next step," he said.

Ms. Rocco said the group disbanding is a loss. "Support groups for mothers and children are important for the development of both, especially stay-at-home moms with young kids who need an outlet."

Mr. Shin said, "If someone else wants to do something, the same or better, they are more than welcome."

For parents looking for groups, PittsburghMom.com, a Web site owned by the Post-Gazette, offers a directory of mom and play groups. It also is starting groups in various areas; meet-up groups in Robinson and the North Hills, for example, are being organized.