Our Mandate
Our mandate is to nourish the bodies, minds and souls of vulnerable mothers and children. We offer compassionate relationships rooted in grace and prayer, while sharing in meaningful programming and nutritious food.
By deepening our relationships with one another and with God, we seek to restore our identities as beloved, belonging and transformed people. Through encouragement and affirmation we support each other to identify and employ our gifts, both within and outside of our community.
Our Mission Statement
We are guided by Christ’s life and teachings which transform us, individually and in community, through confession, reconciliation, forgiveness and healing. In living this out, we welcome mothers and children of all faith backgrounds to join and participate in our community.
Our Vision
Our urban context can negatively impact both mothers and children through the following contributing factors:
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- increased isolation – limited role models and family support;
- limited access to proper health services, for physical and mental health challenges;
- poverty – limited education, underemployment or unemployment, the high cost of healthy food options;
- limited legal, financial and structural resources/systems – expensive and inadequate housing, poor financial literacy skills, limited childcare options; and,
- limited creative outlets and opportunities – being overburdened and experiencing the breakdown of family relationships.
Therefore we nurture the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being of mothers and their children by…
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- building strong community based on encouragement, forgiveness and trust;
- offering a break from the intense demands of low-income parenting;
- providing opportunities to develop life skills;
- connecting to diverse community resources; and
- inviting engagement in creative self-expression and spiritual reflection.
Our Community
MOMS is led by:
- Fiona Lee, our Coordinator
- Ute Warkentin, Advisory Board Chair
Our community also includes those who offer their experience and creativity as cooks, workshop leaders, and facilitators, as well as prayer and peer mentors. Collectively, we want to grow emotionally, spiritually, physically, and in creative ways.
Opportunities to Volunteer
MOMS is seeking new volunteers to mentor and provide prayer support to our older mothers. In addition, we are seeking a set up/clean up volunteer and a child care worker for our moms with toddlers and preschoolers. Please contact Fiona if you are interested in participating in investing in our community in one of these ways.