Mother’s Day is here (not that any of us moms have forgotten!) and while I’m 100% in favor of a long nap and a gift card for a house cleaning service, I’ve also compiled a short list of organizations that specifically serve women and mothers both locally and globally. Poke around some of these awesome websites and learn about some non-profit charities that are making waves in improving the lives of moms!
1. Care Net of Central Texas– Care Net of Central Texas provides compassionate medical care and practical parenting support to women (and men!) experiencing unexpected pregnancy, mothers facing homelessness, or women in need of pre- and post-abortion counseling. In addition to assisting with basic needs during pregnancy, Care Net also offers services and classes to new mothers for the entire first year of their child’s life. Services include ultrasounds, STD referrals, material services, including infant care items, diapers, mother toiletries, etc. Care Net also connects women to community resources such as infant care classes, lactation services, community bible studies in English and in Spanish, and hosts classes on child raising and wellness. Care Net’s purpose is to love and empower women to making informed decisions about their health and the health of their children.
2. YoungLives Waco– YoungLives is a ministry that focuses on outreach and mentoring to teen moms in our area. Our desire is to connect as many teen moms as we can with a Jesus loving mentor who is willing to journey through life with our teen moms. YoungLives loves teen parents where they are and we want to give them the hope of Jesus. We are wiling to walk through the hardships of life that being a teen mom presents while sharing the love of Jesus with these girls and their babies that we love so much!
3. Save the Children– Save the Children works nationally and globally to provide for children and families in crisis situations. One thing mother’s want more than anything is to be able to provide for their children. Save the Children has many different ways to help! You can donate by purchasing an Emergency Newborn Care Package, which includes basic necessities for babies born in difficult situations. Kits include blankets, clothes, diapers, soap, etc. You can also opt to purchase a baby scale for a health center servicing hard-to-reach women. A baby’s weight is one of the very first and most essential measures of health. The ability to accurately weigh newborns helps health workers identify and treat serious conditions quickly. When a health center is provided with an accurate baby scale, it helps save precious time and even more children’s lives. There are several other ways to donate through Save the Children.
4. Single Parent Advocate– Single Parent Advocate is a non-profit organization providing resource connections, growth-based training, and support for single parent families, based in Dallas Texas and the surrounding areas. Additionally, Single Parent Advocate corresponds with families from all over the United States and consults non-profits, churches, and businesses on how to build a program for success in serving and engaging single parents within their respective organizations. The organization is committed to breaking the generational cycle of single-parenting and to help build resource connections for families that help them to become more productive, more resourceful and more informed on how to be the best parent they can be for their children. Single Parent Advocate and it’s growing community has already provided auto repair, school supplies, food, toys, beds, family portraits, computer assistance, and hope to families that are in the gap now, and the organization vows to continue making a profound difference in the lives of single parents and their families in the years to come.
5. Every Mother Counts– Every Mother Counts is dedicated to making pregnancy and childbirth safe for every mother, everywhere. They educate the public about maternal health, engage individuals to advocate for the well-being of mothers, and invest in community-led programs to improve access to essential maternity care. Every Mother Counts works nationally and around the world to raise awareness and provide support for women in areas with shortages in health care providers in hopes of preventing maternal death. The organization believes that every mother should have adequate access to prenatal care and childbirth services, whether they live in a developing nation or in our own back yard.
Take some time to read up on some of these wonderful organizations dedicated to empowering women and helping mothers to improve their lives and the lives of their children. If you’re able, make a donation in honor of a day that celebrates motherhood. Share this page and spread the word!