Welcome to SOMA! 

helloSOMA is a home for the information you need as you make South Orange & Maplewood your home. This site was created as a labor of love with the intention to help new families moving to the area learn the lay of the land. However, as we gathered information, we realized that so many others could benefit from a central collection of resources.

When people with families move here, they all start out with the same kinds of questions — what preschools, pediatricians and house painters do people recommend? How do I sign up for trash collection? Where do I register my car and get a new driver’s license? Where are some great places to take the kids? You'll find answers here.

And for those of us who have been around for a while, we all know that there are still endless questions about Jersey, home-owning, and raising kids. Whether you’re completely new in town or about to embark on a new renovation, school, or weekend adventure, we hope you’ll find answers to your main questions here — or at least some suggestions to point you in the right direction.

Think of helloSOMA as a helpful neighbor — a great resource and guide with contact info at the ready. If you need to borrow sugar, we can’t bring it over. But we can tell you where to find it!

Please keep in mind that the information here is curated through research, crowd-sourcing and being a part of this amazing community. While helloSOMA is a great place to find information, it’s a continual work-in-progress and isn’t exhaustive. If you would like to recommend a local business or group, please use our Contact page.