At Mom2Mom, we strongly believe that the best way to support single moms living in poverty is to connect them with the community, resources, and support they need to thrive.
To achieve this, we provide a three-pronged approach: pairing with a relationship volunteer, monthly grocery support, and connection to community and resources.
Mothering in our society is undervalued and under-supported. Mutual and reciprocal relationships with other moms that are supportive, strength-based, and non-judgmental can decrease isolation and stress that comes with living in poverty. We believe that “it takes a village to raise a child” and everything we do is with the intention of providing positive, trusting relationships to support both you and your children.
When moms thrive, children thrive.
How to Become a Participant Mom in Our Community:
Review Eligibility Requirements and ensure you qualify (see below)
Be referred to the program by a qualified referral partner
Referral partner must contact M2M program coordinators on your behalf—we do not accept self-referrals
Complete and submit a participant intake form with your referral partner
Screening with program coordinators
Connection to a relationship volunteer
How to Refer a Potential Participant Mom:
Review Eligibility Requirements for referral partners to ensure you qualify (see FAQ section below)
Review Eligibility Requirements for a participant mom to ensure the potential participant you are referring qualifies for the program
Get in touch with the M2M team to receive a participant intake form and referral partner handbook
Complete and submit the participant intake form with the potential participant mom
Receive confirmation that the potential participant mom has been added to our waitlist for connection to a relationship volunteer
What can you expect from Mom2Mom as a Participant Mom?
To be connected to a kind, non-judgmental relationship volunteer who is interested in being a friend to both you and your children (if you choose to introduce them to your children). Some of the activities you can do with your volunteer are:
Going for a walk.
Meeting for coffee.
Taking your children to a local playground.
Grocery shopping together.
Attend M2M Community Events together.
Your participation with Mom2Mom can be up to 4 years with the possibility to extend your involvement, if you, your relationship volunteer, and the Program Coordinator determine this is required. When the time comes to leave M2M you will be provided with ideas of resources to assist you as you transition out of the program.
A small grocery stipend for your family each month. This is delivered via a monthly gift card. Currently, grocery stipends are as follows:
Families with 1-2 children at home receive $200/month.
Families with 3 children at home receive $250/month.
Families with 4+ children at home receive $300/month.
Mom2Mom holds regular events that bring our community together to build comfortable, supportive relationships with other moms.
As part of this community, Mom2Mom is connected to funding, services, and other support organizations that we can connect you or your children to as needed.
The M2M Food Program & Participant Engagement Coordinator will check in with you to make sure you are comfortable with your relationship volunteer(s). Relationship volunteers are screened and trained to ensure that they offer kind, respectful companionship, and understand the challenges of raising children on a low income in a very expensive city.
What does Mom2Mom expect of you as a Participant Mom?
To be an Eligible Participant Mom:
You must be single, reside within Vancouver proper, and have at least one child under 16 in your care attending school in the VSB, or other affiliated programs such as preschool programs or StrongStart.
If substance use has been a challenge in the past, we need to know that you are actively engaged with support services to maintain your sobriety. These supports could include:
Attending AA/NA support.
Receiving substance use counselling.
That you are not currently living in a situation where there is domestic abuse. Mom2Mom does not provide support services for these situations; however, if domestic abuse arises during your participation with Mom2Mom, we will refer you to the appropriate support.
If you have ever had a mental health diagnosis, Mom2Mom requires that you are actively engaging with mental health support services. Examples include:
Checking in with a family doctor, psychologist, or mental health worker.
Attending counselling.
That you are interested in joining the Mom2Mom community, and willing to commit to:
A reciprocal and caring relationship with your relationship volunteer. This includes responding to texts/emails/calls.
Meeting with your relationship volunteer at least once a month to spend time together (when possible).
A maximum of 4 years participation in the program.
Mom2Mom creates clear expectations for everyone in our community so that we can all trust how we will be treated by one another. The requirements above are to ensure that the support Mom2Mom offers is right for you.
Please note that we are not a crisis management organization and cannot replace any of the supports listed above.
Frequently Asked Questions
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A friendly, kind, and non-judgmental friend.
Someone to listen, who wants to hear about your life and the challenges you may be facing.
Another positive adult in your child(ren)’s life, if you choose to introduce your child(ren).
Opportunity to attend M2M community events together and build your social network.
An advocate to help you navigate bureaucratic systems and/or problem solve with you.
Communication at least twice a month, including one face-to-face visit (when possible).
Opportunity to grocery shop with your volunteer at least once per month.
A minimum of one-year together, to develop and build a trusting relationship, done through mutually agreed upon forms of communication (i.e., phone calls, text messages, or social media platforms).
When the Program Coordinator introduces you, you and your volunteer can discuss how you want to keep in touch throughout the month. We ask that you both to respect one another by communicating clearly if plans change.
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Financial support, including paying for meals or coffees.
Transportation to appointments.
Childcare.
That the volunteer would replace the support of trained counsellors, therapists, mental health or addictions supports that you may need.
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The M2M community is made up of women who volunteer their time to provide a friendship with a mom who is solo parenting and navigating the stresses of living low income. The volunteers who join us often do not have a background in the social services field and are intended to only provide a supportive friendship.
Therefore, we have specific guidelines on who we take referrals from in order to ensure the potential participant mom’s needs align with Mom2Mom’s mission.
Who is an Eligible Referral Partner:
•Support workers at the school where the mom’s child(ren) attend
•Support workers at pre-school programs like Strong Start
•Support workers at Community Neighbourhood Houses
Who is NOT an Eligible Referral Partner:
•Social workers and Family Preservation Workers from MCFD/VACFSS/Etc.
•Family doctors/Nurse practitioners
If you are unsure if you are a suitable referral partner, please send an e-mail to caitlin@m2mcharity.ca.
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Your referral partner will contact Mom2Mom and they will receive the referral handbook and intake forms. They will then work with you to complete and return the forms to M2M staff.
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Your participation with Mom2Mom can be up to 4 years with the possibility to extend your involvement, if you, your relationship volunteer, and the Program Coordinator determine this is required. When the time comes to leave M2M you will be provided with ideas of resources to assist you as you transition out of the program.
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Participant moms must have at least one child 16 and under in their care.
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To receive support from Mom2Mom you must be paired with a relationship volunteer. When you join the program, we will work together to pair you with the best possible volunteer for you.
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Currently, Mom2Mom only serves participants residing in Vancouver proper. If you did move outside of Vancouver, we would develop a plan with you and your relationship volunteer to assist you as you transition out of the program.
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If there are any changes to your living circumstances or your children leaving your care, please inform a M2M program coordinator as soon as possible.
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Mom2Mom program coordinators will work with you for months leading up to your departure from our program. We will connect you with additional support you may need, and prepare you with a list of resources.
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Once the referral partner has contacted M2M staff we will send out the required forms. It will be up to the referral partner and participant mom to fill out and submit these forms together. Once we have received your completed forms, you will be added to our wait list and will need to complete a screening phone call with a staff member. Once this is completed, we will work on matching you with a relationship volunteer who we think would be suitable for you.
For more information or to get the referral process started, please contact caitlin@m2mcharity.ca.