Being a mom is a full-time job, but according to a recent survey, more than 48 percent of mothers are also the primary earner for their household. Feed the Children, a leading nonprofit focused on alleviating childhood hunger, is inviting everyone, everywhere to honor their mothers and the women who have made a difference in their lives by supporting the nonprofit’s fundraising efforts to provide food and essentials for struggling families this year.
In addition to their household responsibilities, moms also play an important part in today’s workforce. Despite many women returning to the workforce following the pandemic, jobs held by women have declined more than 1.1 million since February 2020. This situation is amplified in the U.S. because 28 percent of all families experiencing food insecurity are led by single women, according to the USDA. These women have helped meet the needs of their children through the challenges of the pandemic, often banding together to find solutions and help one another.
Even though mom Monica earns a full-time income, sometimes she must make difficult decisions. She’s had to choose between paying the power bill and buying groceries before. In her words, “Being a single mom, working a full-time job, there are times where there’s more month than money. There are sometimes where things come up unexpectedly and I have to make sacrifices.”
At times, she’s been afraid that she wouldn’t be able to feed her children. But even in the face of that fear, Monica never wanted her kids to worry. She’d answer their questions confidently, in the faith that something good would happen.
While Feed the Children works with its community partners to support moms like Monica in all 50 states in the U.S., the nonprofit also works internationally in eight countries to support mothers through its Child-Focused Community Development (CFCD) program.
Before Feed the Children’s CFCD program came to Silvia’s community, one in three children under the age of five were malnourished. In addition to learning and now teaching other moms about better nutrition, Silvia performs regular weigh-ins for local children to monitor their growth. Since the CFCD program started in 2017, more kids are now hitting their weight goals, and there’s much less malnutrition.
“I am very happy because I have acquired more knowledge in my life thanks to Feed the Children,” she said. “They are always training us for the sake of our children.”
A strong family has a strong foundation, and we couldn’t be more grateful for the foundations in our lives: our mothers. Thank you to all the moms who carry the world and more on their shoulders every day. If you would like to honor your mother by donating to help mothers and their children across the U.S. and around the world, visit feedthechildren.org/mothersday.