Hello Friends,
Without a doubt, this has been a challenging year for all of us. Despite everything around us, our moms and their kids are thriving -- because of you.
Here at Mom2Mom, we know that when children living in poverty have moms who are supported, the cycle of poverty can be broken. Families are kept together and children thrive under the care of a stable, healthy mom.
Building strong relationships with peers and having access to a welcoming, supportive community reduces poverty-related stress for moms living on low income and sets them up to be the very best parents they can be.
With this in mind, we began the year with a goal to welcome 6 new moms and their kids to our program. To better serve families, we switched monthly community events to evening drop-in gatherings where moms and children met to watch a movie and share a meal. The purpose of these events is to foster community while addressing barriers to access, such as childcare and food, that participant moms traditionally face. Both of these changes brought new life to our program.
In early 2020, we welcomed a new Executive Director, Irene Elhaimer, who brings three decades of experience as a non-profit leader and manager in social justice and advocacy for women’s rights. Shortly thereafter, the coronavirus pandemic hit and a host of uncertainties threatened our families.
With schools closed and hot meal programs not available, we noticed right away that women in the Mom2Mom community needed extra help feeding their families, and this community stepped up like never before. Corporate partners provided meals and masks, donors provided emergency grocery support, and local foundations granted crisis funding to ensure our moms had the social and financial support they needed to take care of their children during this difficult time.
Thank you for being part of our incredible community.
Judy Gale, Board Chair & Irene Elhaimer, Executive Director
Your Impact in 2019/20
61 isolated moms and their 118 children
participated in our program
Moms went on 732 grocery shopping trips
to help feed families
We hosted 10 family events
to foster community and belonging
108 volunteers gave 11,500 hours
of friendship and support
40 compassion fund grants
were given out to help moms through unexpected emergencies
COVID-19 Pandemic Emergency Response
March - June 2020
560 doorstep visits were made +
168 compassion fund grants were given out
for emergency grocery support while school was closed
“I thought I was alone! And then you showed up at my door. Thank you!”
Keeping Food on the Table
When the COVID-19 pandemic was declared and schools closed unexpectedly, the world turned upside down for women in the Mom2Mom community.
Moms were suddenly providing childcare and homeschooling for their children, and making up for all the meals their kids would have had at school. Budgets were stretched to the limit and practicing social distancing meant no access to many of the community services moms rely on.
Here at Mom2Mom, we were determined to support moms and their kids through this extreme level of isolation, anxiety and stress, and we couldn’t have done it without you.
We moved quickly to adjust program delivery, conducting a needs assessment with all participant moms and doing weekly check-ins. Relationship volunteers provided emotional support by phone and online, and in partnership with local organizations, our team delivered non-perishable food items and supplies weekly. This spring, 560 doorsteps visits brought hope, connection and practical support to isolated moms and their kids.
Most importantly, emergency grocery support was provided to all moms while school was closed in March, April and May.
The generosity of our incredible community of donors, corporate partners and foundations ensured 168 compassion fund grants were distributed.
Together, we helped to keep food on the table despite this crisis.
Want to know how women in the Mom2Mom community are doing? Check out Charlynn’s story at: m2mcharity.ca/charlynn
Meet Maggie: Mom & Social Worker
“I still can’t believe it,” says Maggie.
Maggie* became a Social Worker with the Ministry of Child and Family Development this summer. She recently graduated from the University of Victoria with a specialization in child welfare - a program she did online while solo-parenting her daughter, who goes into grade 7 in September.
While Maggie may be awed at her personal success, it’s her determination and hard work that has secured this bright future.
“When my daughter started kindergarten in 2013, I went back to school and very slowly got through it,” she explains. That year brought a lot of change for Maggie.
“I had a breakdown from not dealing with emotions from years ago. It was a lonely time. I thought, ‘I can’t continue like this.’ So I talked to a friend and she told me about Mom2Mom.”
Maggie got a referral from the Community Worker at her daughter’s school and she was soon paired with a relationship volunteer.
“I wanted someone I could talk to about what was going on, who wouldn’t judge me for being a single mom or for going through challenging times. Mom2Mom did that for me. When Anthea and I met, there was an instant connection.”
The monthly grocery stipend has provided practical support for Maggie’s family as well.
Their little family faced financial hardship and because of the grocery stipend, Maribel was able to balance her monthly finances.
“At first, I didn’t do it every month, but then Anthea would say, “It’s time for a grocery shop. Do you want to go?’’ and she would take me. I didn’t have to sacrifice things that I would like for myself or my daughter. I could pick healthier options without sticking to the cheaper foods that I was buying before.”
This June, Maggie decided to graduate from our program as she feels she no longer needs the support. We wish her and her daughter all the very best in this new season of life!
*Names changed for privacy.
Meet Anita: Volunteer & Friend
Five years ago I attended an event and ended up talking to a staff person from Mom2Mom. I was really touched by what she told me. I wanted to better understand the issues that women are facing in Vancouver and to be on the ground as part of the solution. So I went to an introduction meeting and signed up to volunteer.
Mom2Mom has been an amazing organization to volunteer for.
Every relationship volunteer has to figure out how to build a relationship with a participant mom, but the Mom2Mom team is so amazing and supportive in this.
One thing I’ve learned is that even though there are resources out there for families in need, women who parent below the poverty line face barriers accessing them. Mom2Mom helps to increase the resources these women have. They don’t have cars. They don’t have childcare support. They don’t necessarily have a community. A relationship volunteer like myself is able to offer a listening ear, to be a bit of a problem solver, and to be someone a mom can count on in their world.
The monthly grocery shop that we do together is so vital.
I will drive her to go grocery shopping because she doesn’t have a car. So when we go together, she can do all her groceries at once. This really helps her family and saves her time.
When it comes to grocery shopping, it is so important for a mom to be able to exercise choices - choices that are good for her and her family. There is so much more dignity in it and it’s empowering. My participant mom is not at the mercy of whatever items are donated from the back of someone’s pantry. That’s what I love about the monthly grocery stipend.
The mom I support is an incredible woman. She is a great mom - loving, patient and tender. I’m grateful to have this opportunity to be part of her support network.
INTERESTED IN JOINING OUR AMAZING COMMUNITY OF WOMEN RELATIONSHIP VOLUNTEERS? GET IN TOUCH WITH US TODAY: M2MCHARITY.CA/VOLUNTEER
A Slice of Love
The restaurant industry was one of the hardest hit by the pandemic. In the midst of this challenging season, Rocky Mountain Flatbread reached out to Mom2Mom with an idea on how to provide families living below the poverty line with extra food support.
Suzanne Fielden, Co-Founder of Rocky Mountain Flatbread, wanted to add an $8 menu item that would allow guests to buy pizza for families in the Mom2Mom community.
“Our guests really wanted the opportunity to support families during COVID-19. As we are a family restaurant, supporting moms and kids in need was a perfect calling. Mom2Mom has been embraced and loved by our guests and staff.”
- Suzanne, Co-Founder of Rocky Mountain Flatbread
Since May, Rocky Mountain Flatbread has been supplying their delicious handcrafted pizzas once a month to families. As of July, they have donated over 415 pizzas. We are so grateful for their partnership and for the generosity of their guests who have made these donations possible.
To learn more visit: rockymountainflatbread.ca/shop-2/donate-a-meal/
Financial Summary
This statement represents the fiscal year April 1, 2019 to March 31, 2020.
Encourage a Mom all Year Long
The affordability crisis in Vancouver leaves most women who parent below the poverty line and their kids food insecure.
Moms often face stressful decisions like choosing to pay rent and have a roof over her children’s heads, or having food in the fridge so their children can eat.
I got connected to Mom2Mom after the sudden death of my children’s biological father. I was completely lost after his passing and basically shut myself off from my community. I was constantly worried about food. I visited food banks, but it wasn't getting us by. As a parent, you make sure the kids are fed before you are fed. I used to go hungry sometimes.
Being part of Mom2Mom is a huge thing for me. I was looking for that deep support and Mom2Mom connected me to a volunteer who really cares. And I don’t have to squeeze everything out of my pockets just to get a jug of milk.
- Carly, Participant Mom
Members of The Mom Squad, Mom2Mom’s monthly giving program, provide a sustainable and reliable source of funding that allows a mom like Carly to get the groceries she needs for her family, every month. The Mom Squad encourages local moms all year long.
When a mom doesn’t have to worry about where her family’s next meal is coming from, she can focus on the things that matter most, like spending quality time with her children.
At just $35 per month, you can provide grocery support and stability to a mom in need.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MOM SQUAD AND SIGN UP TODAY: M2MCHARITY.CA/THEMOMSQUAD
Thank You
At Mom2Mom, we couldn’t be more proud of our community of moms, volunteers, staff and donors. Whether you gave your time, your friendship, your expertise or your finances - our community is strong and thriving because you are a part of it.
Here is what you helped make possible this year:
6 new moms and their 17 children
joined our program this year.
95% of moms feel less stressed and more confident as a mom
because of the support they receive from their Mom2Mom relationship volunteer.
100% of moms feel the grocery stipend is important to them.
Having enough food for their children each month remains a major concern, but 79% said they worry less about it since joining Mom2Mom.
Meet the Team
Staff
Irene Elhaimer, Executive Director
Kim Gale-Gotowiec, Program Coordinator
Jessica Crompton, Program Coordinator
Stephanie DiGiacomo, Program Coordinator
Caitlin Elgar, Program Coordinator
Samantha Schumacher, Program & Communications Assistant
Board of Directors
Judy Gale, Chair
Doug Morison, Treasurer
Nicola Ingram
Melinda Markey
Melanie Kurrein
Special Thanks to our Donors
Aaron Vidas
Adam Heath
Adela Sewell
Aimee Christine Webbe
Aimee Seguin
Akihide Nakamura
Akina Pham
Alan Stachowiak
Alana Hornby-Smith
Alex Otterstein
Alexa Warner
Alexis Fluevog
Alice Ann Howard
Alisha Masongsong
Alison Cheah
Alix Baziuk
Allie Colton
Allison Apfelbaum
Allison Joe
Allison Pfeiffer
Aly Madhani
Amanda Chan
Amanda Roelofsen
Amandeep Dhillon
Amelie Gingras-Gauthier
Ames Foundation
Amy Danaher
Amy Heald
Amy Melissa Spencer
Amy Robinson
Andrea Cooper
Andrea Thomas-Hill
Andrew Bowen
Andrew C
Andrew Dyer-Dietz
Angela Crimeni
Angela Low
Angelina Castro-Miquel
Anglina Rodrigues
Ann Metcalfe
Ann Yuen
Anna Bui
Anna Ching Pei Lin
Anna Clare O'Brien
Anna Rice
Anne Cantet
Anne Longhurst
Anne Walker Beaulieu
Anne-Marie Lascelles
Annette Dueck
Anthea Milne
Anuj Sharma
April Saunders
April Y Haffenden
Aquatic Informatics
Ara Henry
Arianne Arboleda
Arina Serdobintceva
Arwen Korres
Aryn Snell
Ashley Alexandra Heggs
Ashley M Constable
Ashley Quo Vadis
Atifa Wafa
Avinaash Kapil
Azumi Konaka
Barbara Elizabeth McBride
BASH + FETE
BC Baskets of Hope
BC Social Venture Partners Foundation
Bec Hibbert
Ben Schach
Ben Slusser
Bernice Willoughby
Beverley K Price
Bishan Wu
Bonnie McAvoy
Brandon Taylor
Breena Amanda Dube
Brenda Penton
Brenda Warner
Brett McAvoy
Brett Parmenter
Brian Jones
Brian McCreery
Brian Michael Page
Briana Cooper
Brigitte Landsiedel
Briteweb Ltd
Bryan E Bell
Bryan Heidinger
Bryony Jayne Mander
Burton Wong
Cara Stebbings
Carine Ribeiro
Carlos Bolio
Carlos Castanares
Carly Koenig
Carly O'Rourke
Carly Rudolph
Carly Wolfe
Carmela Laurino
Carol Ann DeFina
Carol Chestnut
Carol Reed
Carol Shoji
Caroline Marshall
Caroline Taylor
Carolyn Millard
Carrie Linegar
Cassandra Vansickle
Catherine Wilder
Cathie Phillipson
Cathy Bennett
Cathy Morris
Cause We Care Foundation
Celine Toama
Cesar Renteria Guzman
Charles W Ramey
Charlotte F Baynes
Chelsea Enslow
Christie Whitley
Christina Kobas
Christina Schroeder
Christine Ann Shields
Christine Hooge
Christopher Gora
Cindy Bowman
Cindy Cruz
CKNW Kid's Fund
Claire Rushton
Claudia Freyre
Colin Balfour Glassco
Colleen Sweet
Connor Hawkins
Corrina Masson
Courtney Cunningham
Courtney Rey Johnson
Dana Merritt
Daniel Saul Gelfant
Daniel Wai Hon Yip
Daniela Ramirez
Danielle Maguire
Darlene Crimeni
Daryl Spencer
Datacore
Dave and Marnie Naphtali
David Brown
David Poole
David Yau
Dawei Bian
Debbie McElroy
Debi Wendy Berthiaume
Deborah MacIntosh
Debra J Gojevic
Delilah Summer Rayne
Dell Balfour
Denise Amy Lee
Denise Dionne
Denise Duifhuis
Denise Foxall
Denise G Bateman
Dennis Wong
Devonna Gaglardi
Diana Wong
Diane Betty Minichiello
Diane MacDonald
Dianne M Dimozantos
Dominic Fielden
Donna Lloyd-Oddy
Donna Louise Taylor
Dorothy Kelt/ George Tanco
Douglas Morison
Earlston Investment Corp
Edith Lando Charitable Foundation
Elena Chau
Elena Whitman
Elisa Matson
Elizabeth Firer-Gillespie
Elizabeth-Anne Armstrong
Elizibeth Ashton
Elm Foundation
EM Castro
Emily Burt
Emily Fergusson
Emma McKeen
Entwistle Family Foundation
Erica Bearss
Erica Levy
Erin and Jim Nelson
Ernest Bodie
Ethel Kim
Evangelia Koutsodimos
Evgeniia Kolodko
Evie Gale
Face the World Foundation
Fiona Stevenson
Frances Clarise Grunberg
G Irving
Gail Lark Gustin
Gary S Schajer
Gary Tucker
Geeth Makepeace
Georgia Morton
Georgina Chapman
Gerardo Silva
Gillian Lowrey
Ginto Mathew
Giovanni Boscariol
Glenn Chiodo
Gloria Shaw
Gonzalo Perez Gamboa
Gordon F. Gibson
Gordon McGladdery
Grace Moran
Greg Aasen
Greg Hengel
Groundswell Cloud Solutions Inc.
Haley Black
Hamber Foundation
Harlan Cook
Harmelina Fund
Harold Locke
Hayoon Kim
Heather Yap-Zonneveld
Heidi Wale
Hilary Ann Morrison
Hillary Garland
Hope Todd
Hua Li
Ian Chew
Ian Deichen
Indira Dabney
Irene Elhaimer
Jacqueline Baron
Jacqueline Blomfield
Jacqueline Clayton
Jacqueline Coll
Jacqueline Foley
Jacqueline Simonian
Jacqui Cohen
James Bianco Diggins
James Griffiths
James K Gray
James Michael Templeton
James Prescott
Jamie Cook
Jana Ingaldson Bromm
Janet Campbell
Janet Wood
Janet Yoest
Janey Lee
Janice Clements
Jared Bachynski
Jasmyn Civin
Jason Sohal
Jatinder Hundal
Jean L Badun
Jeanette Doerksen
Jeff Banow
Jennifer Honeyman
Jennifer Patterson
Jennifer Westoby
Jenny Li
Jeremy Dresner
Jess Crompton
Jesse Honig
Jesse Wark
Jessica Chan
Jessie Mitchell
Jianqin Tong
Jillian S Korstrom
Jim Drechsler
Jim Intihar
Joan L Beaty
John Anderson
John Bullock
John Christopher Bergbusch
John L Bullock
John McDermott
John Stark
Jonathan McLean
Jordan G Bell
Jordana Kammerud
Jose Godoy
JOSE MEDINA
Josee Thibault MacDonald
Judy Gale
Julia Gibson
Julia Hartwig
Julianne Brown
Julie Martens
Juno Parlange
Kaitlynn MacKenzie
Kal Rai
Kara Handyside
Karen Peachey
Karin Smith
Karla Padva
Karyn L. Legg
Kate Johnson
Kate Mukasa
Kate Nova
Katelyn MacLellan
Katharine Griffiths
Katherine Anne Maitland
Katherine Ives
Kathleen Hachey
Kathleen or Rainville
Kathryn Grafton
Kathryn Hall
Kathy Mary Galloway
Katie Rodgers
Katrina Pacey
Kayla-Rae Russiani
Kelly Miller
Kelsey Anne Hamill
Kelsey Marie Land
Kevin Wood
Kim Niggemann
Kimberly Payne
Kimiya Shokoohi
Kiranjit Uppal
Kirk & Co. Consulting Ltd.
Kitty Fung
Kohei Doi
Kristen Lee Neeser
Kristin Kurtz
Kristy Rachkowski
Kwee Downie
Laila Said Alam
Lara Cowan
Larry Achtemichuk
Larry Fuhrer
Laura Baziuk
Laura Findlay
Laura Saville
Leanne Morgan
Leslie Jones
Lewis Bennett
Liane Ross
Libby Brown
Lightburn Family Fund
Lilly Woo
Lilya Jangirov
Linda Anne Warren
Linda Louise Mayner
Linda M Lehr
Lindsay Jean Richey
Lindsay Taylor
Lindsie Dawn Tomlinson
Lisa Anderson
Lisa Chan
Lisa Geosits
Lisa Grantham
Lisa Pierson
Lisa Sidhu
Lisa Whitney
Lorinda Stoneman
Lorne Howard Beiles
Lorraine Ma
Louise Dee
Lu Chen
Lubna Patel
Lynne DeCew
Mac Bradley
Madeline Smith
Madison Vonk
Maggie Le
Malcolm Scott Alexander
Manjyot Rayat
Marco Castello
Margaret Anne Maclaren
Margaret Roberts
Margaret Zguczynski
Margot Magee
Marguerite Ford
Maria MacDougall
Maria Victoria Ayerbe
Marie Haughian
Marie-Paule Redelmeier
Marijana Simic
Marika Alexandra Posnikoff
Marlene Lewis
Mary Ann Maier
Mary Lum
Mary McGivern
Mary Walton
Mary-Jo Dionne
Matilda Bara
Maureen Jones
Mavi dela Torre
Meagan Vascheresse
Melanie Chartier
Melanie Kurrein
Melanie Teetaert
Melanie Yelland
Melina Auerbach
Melinda Markey
Melissa Lau
Melissa Mastromonaco
Melissa Weiss
Michael Cookson
Michael Stewart
Michelle Barker
Michelle de Montigny
Michelle Mah
Mike Snider
Minju Kim
Miranda Danielle Sakich
Moira Mcdonald
Molly Young
Monica Gail Majer
Morgan Elliott
Myles K Blank
Nadine Urquhart
Nargess Delia
Natalie Anne Swanson
Natalie Archibald
Natasha Edgar
Natelle Gulevich
Neelam Gill
Nicola Fantin
Nicola Ingram
Nicola Wealth Gives Back
Nicole Felser
Nicole Quinn
Niklas Embretsen
Niloufar Setoudegan
Nirvona Soraya
Noelle Hogan
Oksana Nevedyuk
Olympic International Sales Ltd
Pacific Blue Cross Foundation
Pamela Smith
Parham Derakhshani
Pascaline Denblyden
Patrice Pratt
Patricia Taylor
Patrick Brian McCristall
Patrick Kirwan
Paula Giancroce
Peggy McMullan
Penny Breadon
Peter Bohne
Peter Klaus Fograscher
Peter Smith
Phillip Murray
Phyllis Butler
Philip and Iris Dayson Foundation
Preet Dhaliwal
Priscila Costa Lima
Priyanka Rathnam
Puneet Bains
Qianhui Sun
Ramneet Guraya
Rangappa Balakrishna
Raymond Louie
Rich Ramberg
Richard Riley Mari
Rino Murata Murata Lien
Rita Evelyn Britton
Rita Koivunen
Robert Hoddle Investment Holdings Ltd
Robyn LaPlante
Robyn Smith
Rojeanne Allworth
Ron Carson
RongKun Yan
Rosa Jamal
Ross A. MacDonald Law Corporation
Ross MacDonald
Rudolf Roelofsen
Run For One Planet Legacy Fund
Ryan McKinley
Sabrina Turnbull
Sally Zaplatynsky
Sam Braun
Samantha Wale
Sara Gardner
Sara Warthe
Sara Yuen
Sarah Gustin
Sarah Riddell
Sarin Ghougassian
Scott Edmonds
Scott L Perrin
Scott Sinclair
Sean Mercer
Servane Phillips
Shannon Russell
Sharon Berringer
Sharon Stewart
Sharon Straathof
Shauna Lim
Shawn Milo Kangro
Sheila Creighton
Sheila Marjorie MacCallum
Shellina Tarmohamed
Shenal Swamy
Sheri Thomasen
Sherri Halliday
Sherrill Mair
Sherry Zamrou
Shiho Togano
Shirley Tam
Shona Sinclair
Siavash Miri
Sin Kam Chiu
Siobhan Key
Sonia Weiers
Spencercreo Foundation
Stan Smith
Steph Cochran
Stephanie Bringeland
Stephanie Connolly
Stephanie Redding
Stephen Kenneth Holinski
Stephen Zuliani
Stewart Marshall
Stewart McGillivray
Stikeman Elliott LLP
Sue Rowan
Sue Woods
Sunny Marshall
Susan Marie Sherbuck
Susan Rotzien
Suzanne Wheeler
Tammy Denise Muller
Tamuel Nguyen-Serrano
Tara Hallgren
Tara Watson
Tavia Ann Perron
Terence M Grazier
Teresa Lea
Tess Vally
The Cut Fashion Academy
Theresa Pearson
Tia Tracy Eisner
Tiffany Sloan
Tim Dickson
Tracey Elgert
Tracey Marie Morrison
Tracey McGrogan
Tracy Kwan
United Way
Valentina Jiew
Valerie Cullum
Valerie Sprenger
Vancity Community Foundation
Vancouver Foundation
Vanessa Coupar
Vanessa David
Vanessa Marie Johnson
Veronica MacInnis
Vicky Li
Victor Gerchikov
Victoria Donoghue
Victoria Louise Newitt
Vikas Kumar Mishra
Vincent Jean Leguyader
Vivian Graham
Voltaire Tamisin
Wayman & Penny Crosby
Wendy C Williams
Wendy Tilford
Winda Chan
Wylie Spencer
Yogaraj Kandasamy Vadivel
Yuta Koike
Zachary O'Keefe
Zhengdong Zhu
ZLC Foundation
Zohra Bonnis