The Single Mothers Outreach of Santa Clarita, CA is near and dear to my heart. As I know first hand, being a single parent, especially a single mom, is
the most difficult task a woman can undertake. Generally it’s mothers that stay at home with their children, earning far less wages, having fewer chances
at establishing a career and credit in their name, and even less of chance at futures that include a healthy retirement fund. Being a single mom is the SCARIEST journey of my life!
I am one of the fortunate ones. I have a good relationship with my kids’ dad. He is a solid partner in raising our children and we exchange a healthy
amount of good faith between us, keeping what’s best for our children as our #1 goal! But my story is so so rare. I have witnessed first hand from friends
and other single parents in my community the horrendous amount of anger, manipulation, selfishness, and sabotage that transpires between ex-spouses and
co-parents who have never married each other. It is too obvious to state that that type of behavior only hurts children, causing copious
amounts of anxiety and mistrust and ruining their future relationships….yet it is the most traveled path for divorced co-parents, the “destructive” path,
even by seemingly well intentioned parents.
I wanted to honor the single mom heroes of my community in some way this season. Working with the Single Mothers Outreach, I had the chance
to honor a few of them with family holiday portraits and prints. The SMO is a non-profit organization and is always in need of monetary
donations as well as gently used clothing donations to the Closet on Main, SMO’s beautiful clothing store. Please contact the SMO through their
website at www.singlemothersoutreach.org for more information on how YOU can help the mothers of our community! Also, PLEASE watch
the INCREDIBLE video at the bottom of this post, illuminating the plight of single moms in our community and across the country!!! Be prepared, it’s a
tear-jerker.
Here are just a few of the lovely mothers and their children I shot this season at the beautiful Savia Center in Newhall, CA.
The video essay, the journey as a single mom.
