You've likely heard the phrase, "It takes a village to raise a child." One of our newest members is putting this phrase into action. Motherful empowers mothers in Central Ohio by providing the resources, support, and community connections they need to thrive. Focused on mental health, personal growth, and parenting, their mission is to create a nurturing environment where mothers can find strength, understanding, and wellness. Through advocacy, education, and shared experiences, Motherful helps mothers navigate life's challenges while fostering a sense of belonging and empowerment.
We chatted with Motherful to share more about their work, recent achievements, and challenges. Here’s what they had to share about their mission, impact, and role within the community:
1. Every organization has its unique identity. What sets your organization or program apart from others working in a similar space?
Motherful was built for moms, by moms. The mothers who lead Motherful are not doing so based on statistics or the stories of others, they are doing so from the heart because they have lived experiences and know what it’s like to be a single mother.
2. Reflecting on recent achievements, what has been your biggest success as an organization in the past year?
In 2024, we launched two big initiatives we’ve been working on for a while: 1) Ohio Mother’s Trust: 32 single moms will receive $500 per month of unconditional support for 12 months, and 2) Plentiful, a social enterprise with a buy one, give one model that will give one meal to a mom in need for every meal purchased.
3. Turning to challenges, what is the most pressing issue your community or clients are currently facing in the coming year?
For our moms, there’s an increasing need for resources and support as the price of living is continuously rising. For our organization, we are overwhelmed with “asks” from moms in need. Currently, Motherful has 400+ moms on our waiting list! We need more support so that we can expand our operations and help more moms.
4. Community involvement is key. How can people who are inspired by your work get involved with your organization?
People can become part of our Motherful Village by becoming a monthly donor at motherful.org/donate. We are also in need of volunteers who are willing to transport food to moms without transportation.
5. Collaboration is often essential in creating impact. Who are some of your favorite partners or collaborators in the community, and how do you work together?
- 254 Youth Center- Motherful’s HQ operates out of 254 Youth Center – this is where we host our weekly pantry and resource garage, our community garden, and events.
- Saucy Brew Works- A longtime partner and friend of Motherful; Saucy provides food and drinks to all of our events
- Garden 4 All- They give us pounds of produce from their garden, and they also have been a tremendous help in getting our own community garden started
- Trader Joes -Provides us with all of the food for our pantry every week
- Columbus Public Health - Brings its medical truck to our headquarters every month to provide moms with free health screenings
- Justice Mobile- Brings their mobile justice unit to our headquarters to provide moms with monthly legal counseling
- Many more here.
6. Becoming part of this network brings you to a new community and potential collaborations. Why did you decide to join Community Shares of Mid-Ohio?
We know there is a growing need for support in our community and we also know that it can be difficult for moms to find resources. Joining Community Shares of Mid Ohio makes it simpler for moms to find us along with other amazing organizations that want to provide resources and support.
7. The heart of Community Shares’ work is to create a more just, caring and healthy Community for all, how does your organization contribute to this vision?
Motherful is a grassroots collective; we build power collectively in everything we do. We are not giving moms a hand-out, we are giving them a hand-up so that they can create the lives of their dreams for themselves and their children. Ultimately, this helps moms to be able to reciprocate and contribute to the communities they live and work in which creates a better community for all.
8. Let’s end with something surprising. What’s an interesting fact or statistic about your organization that most people might not know?
At Motherful, we believe in matriarchy and reciprocity, which is why most of our volunteers are collective members!
Motherful is transforming the lives of single mothers in Central Ohio through grassroots efforts, innovative programs like Ohio Mother’s Trust and Plentiful, and meaningful community partnerships. Their work, guided by lived experiences, addresses the real challenges moms face while fostering a sense of empowerment and belonging. By building stronger families and creating growth opportunities, Motherful is helping to shape a more connected and compassionate Central Ohio community.
