You might try looking for a regional writing organization. There is one on the East Coast --
American Independent Writers. There is also likely to be state specific requirements.
However, many of the organizations now do have publishing requirements to be members. Depending on the organization, it varies as to the publication. Many have a list of acceptable publications, and the list is often quite short. Translation: If you've gotten published in an online magazine, it's probably not going to count.
Do they help? Depends on the organization. Depends on what you're looking for. I'm a member of ITW and AIW. ITW has really fantastic workshops at their conference. I've been to one and wouldn't mind going back. But the conference is extremely expensive. Downside of ITW: They are very strongly slanted to authors who have been published by publishers on their requirements list, so much so that they are unfriendly to people not qualified. I've gotten frustrated because I've tried to volunteer several times and have been turned down because I'm associate member--yet, they send out emails begging for volunteers, and they've fussed at me for NOT volunteering.
AIW, because it is regional, gives workshops through out the year, rather than just at the writer's conference. Though they have some really high-level people, they treat all members pretty equally (though they also have similar publication requirements). Conference is very price friendly. Downside: They do have a non-fiction slant. You would probably get less out of it and the workshops than out of something like what ITW offers.
If you're looking at a writing organization to give you a foot in the door to get published, that probably won't happen. Everyone tends to think that it's who you know, but it still all comes down to the writing. If you're looking at to to add your knowledge about the publishing industry, you'll do better with it.
