Dexter Garcia
Single or lone parents face a lot of difficulties and challenges especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lone parents always shoulder extra responsibilities and the pandemic presses more weight on their obligation as a parent or as the breadwinner of the family. Like many parents, lone parents juggle between work and home, and oftentimes, one of these is left behind. Many of the lone parents, particularly among mothers, lost their job because of the pandemic. They struggle to get their savings to cover daily expenses, some get delayed paying for their rent, and making ends meet is becoming more a daunting task that impacts their mental health and well-being. Nevertheless, their resiliency is what makes them stronger than before and motivates them to stand against whatever crisis comes on their way. To keep them moving forward, supporting them as a community is crucial and important now more than ever.
According to Toronto Social Services Survey: 40% of single parents could not access reliable childcare; 2 out of every 5 single parents had not completed high school; 79% of single parents relied on public transit as their primary mode of transportation; and, 1 in 3 single parents (33%) identified major problems with their residence. It is never too late to reach out and help lone parents who are struggling financially and emotionally. You can help by donating to Single Mothers In Progress (SMIP), a registered charitable organization providing programs and services that assist single mothers and their children with basic needs, education, and employment within the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). S.M.I.P also provides support to single mothers and serves its registered families in Canada and Internationally. After 7 years of programs and services, the organization has assisted over 700 families.
The Federal and Provincial government is also offering immediate assistance to lone parents in need. To learn more about the updates, you can visit the site at singlemoms.org.