Can You Help a Mom this Mother's Day?

[Originally published 5/9/2020]

It’s never easy being a mother, even at the best of times. And these aren’t the best of times.

Just yesterday, I was talking to a Trenton mom who is headed to the hospital on Monday. She’s 41 weeks pregnant, and is about to be induced. She told me she’s nervous, but confident. She smiled broadly when I brought up having a baby so close to Mother’s Day, and thanked us for all our work in the community. That day, the Maker’s Place had provided her with diapers and care items for her newborn. Because of partnership with other nonprofits who provide food access, she also walked away with bags of groceries and ready-made meals for her child at home.

It’s not easy being a mother, but it’s easier when a community comes together, near and far, to lend their support.

This Mother’s Day, I am grateful for the community we’re gathering through the Maker’s Place, and the resilience and determination I see every day in so many mothers, and those who fill the role of mothers, all around me.

And I’m grateful for the extended community that has come together, to support mothers and caregivers in Trenton⁠—through the gift of diapers, and for the tangible expressions of love and support. Last Monday, we launched a special COVID-19 fundraising campaign. I’m pleased to announce that in less than a week, we’ve collected a little over $2250. That means with our dollar-for-dollar matching donations, we’ve raised $4500. We’re also heard from churches and individuals that are starting their own collections for the Maker’s Place. That’s incredible! Thank you!

If you haven’t given already, would you consider helping a Trenton mom this Mother’s Day? Maybe you’d like to dedicate your gift to a special mother in your own life. If you give soon, you can double your donation. There’s still $750 in matching dollars available, and a lot more good we can do. Help our work stay strong, and join us as we continue to show love for mothers and caregivers in Trenton and beyond. Learn more about the campaign here.

At the Maker’s Place, we believe that life’s most important resource is relationship⁠—relationships based in the divine mutuality that comes from sharing our lives with each other as beloved children of God. Thanks for being part of our abundant community! If you’re a praying person, please include us in your prayers. Pray too for the mom being induced on Monday. She told me she would appreciate it!

All the best, and Happy Mother’s Day!

Pastor Michael Reed