With Mother’s Day just around the corner we can’t help but be reminded of how our own mums are nothing short of super heroes. Mums deserve the world and it’s great that we have one special Sunday dedicated to all of their amazingness. With so many wonderful gift guides out there, like this one, we thought why not focus on a gift guide that supports Mums who might need a little extra love and support this year.
Fortunately, there are so many wonderful organisations working hard to give kids and mums a safe space to grow and thrive, and they can always use financial contributions and volunteers to continue the awesome work they do. Here are three of our favourites.
Kids Xpress
Raising children is the most important and rewarding endeavor most of us will ever embark upon, but it is difficult even under the best of circumstances. Add in difficulties like caring for a child with special needs, trauma or even homelessness, the challenges with child rearing can grow to a whole new level of hopelessness.
That’s where the work of KidsXpress comes in. By offering 10 week programs, coinciding with the school calendar, KidsXpress gives children the opportunity to be immersed in programs like Group, Co-led and Expressive therapy.
Combining each of these therapies together ensures a well-rounded approach to success. Expressive therapy is unique but incredibly beneficial to children who have been subjected to trauma or deal with issues related to social function, like those symptoms associated with Autism and Aspergers. Expressive therapy enables sensory engagement when traditional verbal and cognitive therapies are less effective or not an option.
The work of KidsXpress ensures that these challenges are not insurmountable and even helps to build bridges within the community that prevents parents from being in constant “panic mode” while actually helping them and their children to thrive in a network of folks who find themselves in similar circumstances searching for similar solutions.
How you can give: Because their services are in such high demand, there is a long list of families eager to join. Donate to KidsXpress here. Every little bit helps bring those struggling most closer to the support they need, and your contribution is tax deductible!
Habitat for Humanity Australia
Here at Designbx the old adage, “Think global, act local” rings true. That’s why we love Habitat for Humanity Australia. We all know how important it is to be able to dwell with dignity, and their work does exactly that for those most in need.
Single mums make up 84-88% of lone parent homes in Australia, and up to 23% of lone-parents are living below the poverty line. This is a crucial problem that is only growing as housing affordability reaches crisis level across the country.
Habitat for Humanity Australia puts homeownership within reach for those struggling to put a roof over their family’s heads. It is a long-term solution to the quicksand of poverty, a problem that impacts each and every one of us, whether we know it or not.
So how does it work? Here is an excerpt from the Habitat for Humanity Australia website:
“Families partner with Habitat for Humanity in the construction of their home. Each partner family receives an interest free, 20 year loan based on 95 percent of the market value of the completed home.
Partner families contribute 500 hours of their own time in the planning and construction phases – this is called ‘sweat equity’ and is recognised in the 5 percent discount on market value that we return to them. For example, if a home is valued at $300,000, the partner family will have accumulated effectively $15,000 in equity, from their own efforts, on the day they move in.”
Whether it’s building homes right here in Australia, helping those in developing countries or areas devastated by a natural disaster, you know that your financial and on-the-ground volunteering contributions are going to great use.
If you love the idea of building something with your bare hands, then Habitat for Humanity is an excellent way to give back. Additionally, you can help by making a financial contribution, or by potentially organising a team building effort with your work colleagues. There are so many great ways to get engaged!
Here in Australia, the program is run differently state-by-state. So please check the website to see how to best participate in your community.
One Girl
What a difference an education can make. Everything about One Girl is empowering and hopeful, which is no small feat given the problems they tackle are oh-so-big. This organisation is in the business of educating 1 million girls in some of the most impoverished parts of Africa. One Girl’s work is helping to decrease rates of everything from child brides to infant mortality and the payoffs have been far reaching.
For instance, did you know that the rate of infant mortality REDUCES a staggering 5-10% for every year a girl stays in school? Additionally, educated mothers are much more likely to pass on their education to their children, and are more than twice as likely to send their children to school.
It’s easy to feel completely overwhelmed by the devastating problems the One Girl organisation handles, that we sometimes end up giving up before we even begin. Thankfully for us, One Girl has broken down the solutions to an achievable level and it’s easy for all of us to make a difference.
Whether you decide to make a monthly $25 contribution to send a girl to school, or do a fundraiser yourself, your ROI will bolster not just mums, but children, families and entire communities. That’s something to celebrate this Mother’s Day and all year long.
Do you support a great organisation and want to share it with us? Add it to the comments section to keep the conversation going.
Other fantastic Mum blogs to check out this Mother’s Day. If at heart you’re a gift giver, then here are some ones close to our heart- Great Mother’s Day gifts.
