“We are working to support mothers and their children who have fled from Mariupol to Poland. After weeks spent in shelters — often subjected to sexual violence and without access to water, heating or food — these survivors are severely traumatized by their experience,” wrote Laurie Adams, CEO of Women for Women International in an email to CNN.
“An emergency donation to our Conflict Response Fund, in honor of Mother’s Day, will help women affected by the war in Ukraine and at-risk women in active crisis zones like Afghanistan, Myanmar, Syria and Ethiopia,” she added.
Courtney Yannacci, Director of Development & Engagement at Every Mother Counts, says that donations received over Mother’s Day weekend will be matched up to $100,000.
“Maternal health is a human right. However, both in the US and abroad, many mothers and pregnant people still lack access to the quality, respectful and equitable maternity care they need. Given the unpredictability of this moment, the need to support moms is as urgent as ever,” Yannacci wrote in an email to CNN.
Volunteer together
Rachel Kestner, Director of Marketing at Volunteer Match, writes, “Volunteering with a maternal figure in your life can be an impactful way to connect to a cause you care about and start a meaningful conversation. From social justice to the environment, education to health care, animals to the arts — your passion can fuel change in your community.”
A good way to help mom around the house while doing some spring cleaning at the same time is gathering unwanted household items, clothes and other items and donating them. Look for local shelters, churches or organizations like the Salvation Army or Goodwill and see what items they currently need. It’s another way to do good with mom. And you can surprise her with brunch afterward.
Lift older moms with letters
Here’s another way to do something nice for someone other than your own mom. Love For Our Elders, is a program Jacob Cramer started when he was 13 years old, after he began visiting a senior living community as a way to honor his grandfather. He saw how lonely some of the residents were and began writing letters to them. Since 2013, Love For Our Elders has mailed out more than 250,000 letters to seniors around the world.
“On Mother’s Day, it’s important that we show our mothers and grandmas how much we love them,” Cramer writes. “We can also honor mothers who may not be able to celebrate with family, and all it takes is a letter.”
You can also nominate a mother you think could use a little extra love this year.
Memorialize mom
Through the StoryCorps app, you and a loved one can discuss memories and stories about your Mom, which will be archived and available to share with future generations.
It’s just another way for you and your loved ones to connect and celebrate your mom on this special day.
Happy Mother’s Day.