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"Meeting Mamas Where They Are"

W EL L Well Mama Business Proposal

WELL-MAMA Executive Summary Company Description Well-MAMA is a non-profit organization that relies on a strong network of related partnering organizations to enrich the lives of single mothers in the Hyattsville, MD area. An alarming 80 percent of households in America are headed by single mothers who endure the lack of support and resources necessary to live healthy and abundant lifestyles (Single Mother Guide, 2019). This in turn negatively impacts their children. This venture sets out to meet these single mothers at their point of need, considering that each mothers’ journey and story is unique. What makes Well-MAMA unique as an organization is that it is dedicated to meeting single mothers where they are, whether that concerns their finances, health and wellness, career interests, or social support. Because single mothers are the target market, Well-MAMA relies on their input, feedback and overall success to continue enforcing change in the parenting community. We are focused on targeting the obstacles in their lives by introducing them to the benefits of health and wellness and being physically and financially proactive. Problem / Opportunity Among the numerous epidemics being faced in America today, one of the most prevalent ones is the amount of families that are supported by a single mother. According to the organization, The Life of a Single Mom, there are more than 15 million single moms in America today and they are raising more than 22 million of Americas’ youth. According to Pew Social Trends, among the 83% of single parents who are mothers – 50% are divorced, separated or widowed, 44% have never married, and 6% never had a spouse, (2019). Here we are presented with a wide array of scenarios which all require a unique and individual approach.

Pew Social Trends

As stated by the organization, The Life of a Single Mom, “There is no one type of woman that encompasses all single moms, (2019). There are many single mothers in Hyattsville, MD and many organizations willing to help them, but none are specifically focused on health, wellness or financial literacy - nor are they tailering their resources to each individual. profit

organizations

surrounding

Hyattsville,

Among

numerous

non-

community engagement and inclusion are essential

to their growth, still they offer countless resources that single mothers are completely unaware of. This allows us to act as a liaison between these single mothers and these non-profit organizations.

Well-MAMA – “Meeting MAMAs Where They Are”

Our Solution Our solution is to engage single mothers in fitness and wellness activities to aid in a healthier lifestyle. We will create a central hub for single mothers with continuous access to resources and services for them and their children. we will provide an adequate support system by connecting them with other single mothers and providing direct referrals to partnering organizations. We are combatting the depression, stress, and isolation that single mothers endure through our approach of using fitness, which means we will be exposing mothers to healthy outlets that will stimulate their productivity, confidence, and sense of security. Target Market Well-MAMA is targeting single mothers of all ages, classes, races, and all other demographics currently residing in the Hyattsville, MD area, and plans to expand its services to the local YMCA’s in DC and Virginia in the future. We promote the inclusion of all single mothers and embrace the diversity that they bring to our organization. Revenue Model Because we are a non-profit organization we will rely solely on private donations and public grants from local, state, and federal municipalities. We will host galas, parades, and marches as opportunities for fundraising and marketing our services to the community. Our Needs Our main necessity is to get the YMCA of PG County on board with our cause. Our plans for single mothers in the Hyattsville, MD community are contingent off the partnership we create with them to use their services. We need their location to host frequent events and activities and to become a central hub for the single mothers to rely on. We will also need their shuttle services to provide transportation to these single mothers and their children. Other critical factors pertain to funding, marketing, and outreach. This social venture is community and volunteer based meaning we are solely reliant of any efforts contributed by the community and other non-profit organizations. What We Want to Achieve We want to enrich the lives of all single mothers and their children through fitness, wellness, and entrepreneurship as well as serve at least 70% of single mothers in the Hyattsville, MD area.

Well-MAMA – “Meeting MAMAs Where They Are”

Introduction Throughout my life I have been able to observe the various facets and triumphs of being single mother, having considered the different reasons they are single and the ways in which it can affect their children. My primary audience is the YMCA of PG County, since I will be using their space and resources to facilitate activities and meetings. My secondary audience is each organization that Well-MAMA will be partnering with and my tertiary audience is single mothers. These single mothers are also the target market, and the whole reason this social venture is taking form. Upon my preliminary research, I discovered that there is a rising percentage of single mother households in the United States. I concluded that this epidemic drastically impacts the quality of life experienced by these mothers, in turn affecting the lives of their children. These families headed by single mothers oftentimes experience a lack of support, resources, and opportunities causing them to lag socially, physically and financially. For this reason, I have designed a social venture that will provide a plethora of resources for single mothers and their children to rely on. Well-MAMA sets out to create a platform for single mothers to participate in daily fitness activities, become more business savvy, more financially literate, and learn how to become entrepreneurs to create generational wealth for their families. They will partake in entrepreneurial endeavors with the guidance of certified mentors and trainers. This will be made possible through the partnerships created with local businesses and organizations who have similar mission statements as Well-MAMA and have a history of helping the surrounding community. A few factors that are consistent throughout my research are this growing percentage of single mother households, alongside the lack of an adequate support system. This venture is set out to create a healthy environment for women and their children to become empowered and independent and thus will be turning an epidemic into a revolution. Problem The problem at hand is the rising percentage of single mothers in the United States and the lack of support they have been provided. The Single Mother Guide states that, “single motherhood has grown so common in America that today 80 percent of single-parent families are headed by single mothers [and] nearly a third of those live in poverty,” (2019). Studies show that financial stability is a main stressor in the life of a single mother and that she often feels socially disconnected, feeling emotions such as, “loneliness, helplessness, and lack of identify and confidence,” (Problems Faced by Single Mothers, 2019). Because there is such a wide array of reasons for a mothers’ “single-ness,” her journey towards stability and independence may be very different than her neighbors. Still, all these mothers have gaps in their lives that are not being filled due to their lack of financial freedom, career or job readiness, or even lack of awareness regarding what resources are available to them. With a plethora or resources that offer free products and services for my target market, the main challenge regarding my social venture has been finding ways to make them public knowledge to single mothers and begin connecting them. Although there are several organizations whose missions are to uplift and empower women, many women are not aware that these organizations exist, and this alone is an integral factor in the creation of the WellMAMA venture. Moreover, the mental stability of these mothers is constantly at risk as they raise their families without a supportive partner to help balance daily responsibilities. Studies prove how exercise and being fit can improve one’s lifestyle and alleviate stress, yet moms do not have time or funds to include fitness into their schedules. 3 Well-MAMA – “Meeting MAMAs Where They Are”

Solution Well-MAMA acts as a threshold that gathers resources from a diverse pool of organizations and connects single mothers to them through referral. Well-MAMA, embraces the concept of well-roundedness and reaching personal goals through engaging in fitness and wellness activities which promote healthy living, longevity, and a decrease in stress and anxiety. The motto is that, “you have to stay healthy to stay strong,” as stated in a blog by Jill Roth on Body Awareness, (2018). According to an article by NIH titled, Exercise for Mental Health, “Aerobic exercises, including jogging, swimming, cycling, walking, gardening, and dancing, have been proved to reduce anxiety and depression,” (2006). NIH also states that, “these improvements in mood are proposed to be caused by an exercise-induced increase in blood circulation to the brain and by an influence on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and, thus, on the physiologic reactivity to stress,” (2006). Furthermore, “the beneficial effects of physical activity on mental health include distraction, self-efficacy, and social interaction,” and “exercise improves mental health by reducing anxiety, depression, and negative mood…,” (NIH, 2006). All these things are experienced by single mothers, and my social venture will give them the opportunity to be physically active at zero cost so that they can maintain a healthy state of mind and lifestyle. Once Well-MAMA introduces each single mom to the resources availble to them, we will provide personal advising appointments with them, including surveys that will help us better understand their needs. Understanding what needs are not being met in their lives and identifying the root causes to fix them will allow us to connect single mothers with the uniquly curated plans and SMART goals. This venture seeks to break barriers by webbing all the pre-existing organizations that are supportive of this cause together and re-distributing information and tools to our target market by meeting them where they are. Our partnerships will rely on word of mouth and community outreach to engage single mothers and surrounding organizations. Innovation You may be wondering how my venture is innovative compared to other organizations, specifically other organizations seeking to empower women. My venture has a very specific target audience, which is single mothers, and thrives off of its ability to meet them wherever they are in life. We connect all organizations related to the empowerment of women and single mothers and cater to them by making sure they get exactly what they need from each organization based on their situation. I will be partnering primarily with the YMCA of PG County and will use this space as the central hub for single mothers to gather. I will also work closely with the non-profit ministry organization: The Life of a Single Mom since they have the same target market and also use the support of surrounding organizations to help single mothers. All cooperating organizations have their own concentrations, while Well-MAMA focuses on the individual enhancement of single mothers in the surrounding area. Well-MAMA will provide members free transportation to the YMCA of PG County as to eliminate any conflicts in accessing our resources. Each mother that joins the YMCA and partakes in our fitness classes will fill out a membership form that will include a questionnaire. This questionnaire will help my organization understand what resources to connect each individual mother to and what team members or representatives to bring on board to mediate each mothers’ situation. After we get mothers on board, we will be able to offer them our services regarding financial literacy, entrepreneurship, job readiness, nutritional

Well-MAMA – “Meeting MAMAs Where They Are”

education, and even other female-focused organizations that welcome new moms for social engagement. In order to make my approach as strong as possible, I had to consider the diversity of each single mother’s situation. Below I describe the different ways in which my venture would handle each scenario. Meeting MAMAs Where They Are Gestational/Postpartum: My social venture, Well-MAMA, will target single mothers while they are going through their gestational appointments as referred by their healthcare provider. They will also target single mothers’ post-partum or while they are in the hospital as referred by a nurse practitioner or case manager. As the due date approaches, these “mothers-to-be” will make frequent visits to their healthcare providers and will likely need specific resources. For example, a “mother-to-be” who lacks an adequate support system, may struggle finding transportation to and from her gestational check-ups or to the hospital for the delivery of her infant. Considering that the hospital will be providing these new moms with a bundle of items to take home for their infant(s), my organization will ensure that whoever is delivering the gift-basket is trained to provide the new mom with information on the services my social venture provides and leave a flyer in the basket. This also applies to mothers who may have an adequate support system, but still need the extra assistance that Well-MAMA provides. After bringing their infant(s) into the world it is likely that they may experience postpartum depression. Studies show that although only 10-20% of new mothers experience clinical postpartum depression, nearly 70-80% of them experience, at a minimum, the “baby blues,” (Postpartum Depression Statistics, 2019). Well-MAMA will bring groups of new moms together at the YMCA and host engaging activities that will allow the moms to bond, connect, socialize and decompress. We will offer a calming meditation session and teach them some yoga exercises that can be practiced at home. Being a new mom can be hectic and tiring, so remembering to breathe and knowing that they are not the only ones going through it will help comfort them.

Well-MAMA – “Meeting MAMAs Where They Are”

Newly Divorced Moms: Well-MAMA will also target single mothers who are newly divorced. Studies show that the number of divorces in America have doubled over the past two decades and because of this, more households have been left being led by one parent, typically the mother (Kennedy, 2014). Studies also show that many single mothers who are newly divorced experience depression. According to healthline.com, depression following divorce can occur with other behaviors, such as: ignoring responsibilities, avoiding family and friends, performing poorly at work due to a lack of focus and, fighting, (2016). By helping newly divorced mothers prevent and combat depression, we can ensure their ability to function for themselves and their children. We will target these moms through local clinics or therapy centers and use their answers from our questionnaire to highlight signs of depression. We will bring groups of newly divorced moms together at the YMCA and host engaging activities that will allow these moms to talk about their feelings and work on coping strategies together. We will teach these single moms how to properly nurture their children as well, as this is a very sensitive transition to adjust to for the entire family. These mothers may also be more inclined to seek entrepreneurial opportunities as they may need new financial independence or may need a positive distraction. Young Moms: 8 out of 10 teen dads don’t marry the mother of their child leaving the mother and/or grandparents to rear the child, according to Christina Gochnauer, (2018). Moreover, “parenthood is the leading reason that teen girls drop out of school. More than 50 percent of teen mothers never graduate from high school, (Gochnauer, 2018). Well-MAMA will mitigate this issue by providing young moms with free “GED Prep” courses. We will educate them on sex and how to have a healthy sex life by bringing in representatives from Planned Parenthood. These young moms will have the chance to socialize with other young moms and partake in fitness and nutrition activities that will help empower and motivate them to use fitness as an outlet. For young moms, fear and insecurity are detrimental factors regarding their well-being, and a lot of it stems from lack of knowledge, experience, or education. Considering this, young moms will be connected with any organization that will help them jumpstart their journey through healthy living and motherhood.

Pew Social Trends

Well-MAMA – “Meeting MAMAs Where They Are”

Note: There are countless other scenarios which make the status of each single mother unique. The scenarios listed above are a few of the main scenarios that exist across the board. The graph above provides a brief census of the average characteristics of single mothers.

Recommendations Well-MAMA is an organization contingent of the current situation and needs of the mother. For this reason, we have revolved our selection of partnerships, outreach methods, and engagement tactics around the slogan, “Meeting MAMAS Where They Are.” This means acknowledging that every single mother’s story and journey is unique and deserves the same level of attention, nurturing, and guidance. According to W.R. Avison, “Community-based primary prevention programs can promote the well-being of all families by improving the social and economic conditions in which they live,” (1997). During an interview with a relative I was able to confirm the ways in which my venture will help single mothers. I was also able to speak to her alongside 4 other single mothers who all had very different stories to tell. She is a single mother of four children, her youngest being two years old and her oldest being nine. As a young mother whose partner passed shortly after the birth of her two-year-old daughter, she is now responsible for providing food, shelter, help with homework and attend all school events alone. She does not have a car and must pay for childcare on her own as well. She recently took on classes at a University in DC and is still able to take the time to visit family and even surprise us with home cooked meals at times. As generous and loving as she is, a lot was revealed about the reality of her situation during our interview. She is constantly battling depression, anxiety, and a sense of disconnection with her surroundings but also concluded that she, “feels very fortunate and blessed. Although it isn’t ideal, she is thankful that she has resources to help her in times of need.” Another relative who is a single mother is newly divorced and states that, “things happened too fast.” She elaborated by explaining that her unplanned pregnancy and marriage caused a lot of stress and pressure due to family views. She is dealing with the bitterness of her child’s father as he refuses to contribute financially now that they are split and is also coping with the pain caused by the domestic abuse she endured. To her, being a single mom means she is always, “on the go, therefore [she] doesn’t have time to be sad or acknowledge her pain.” She is in the NAVY and thus is stationed in Virginia Beach, far away from her family in Maryland. Because of this, she lacks an adequate support system that can easily help her in times of need. These are two different scenarios that require two unique approaches. Still, they are both in need of a support system that can help them through their situation. Well-MAMA will work to ensure mothers that we have handled every problem they can imagine. This will motivate them to come to us without any fear of judgement or rejection. We want to eliminate any obstacles that may stop single mothers from taking full advantage of our services, meaning we will fill in all gaps. Filling in the “gaps” means providing things such as transportation, child-care, and direct access to grants or courses geared towards whatever it is they need to excel in their lives. The YMCA offers childcare services and has a shuttle system that takes care of this and will be a place that these single mothers can view as a “safe haven”. After becoming members of our organization, they will have direct access to all our partnering organizations’ resources. This means they will get direct referrals, eliminating the tedious task and fear of having to track down unproductive leads and will know about any new programs or advantages that our partnering organizations have to offer before anyone else.

Well-MAMA – “Meeting MAMAs Where They Are”

Budget Because our organization is a non-profit one, along with our current partnering organizations, the funding for our social venture will be contingent of community donations and charity funds. The YMCA receives funding through grants, private donations and the support of patrons to meet its annual expenses,” (Reference, 2019). Additionally, the YMCA relies on the support of volunteers which reduces staffing expenses for its centers and its worldwide network of community programs according to Reference.com, (2019). Well-MAMAS will follow the same line of operation and will use its own grants and private donations to make the YMCA membership fee for single mothers completely free. Operations Well-MAMA will establish a strong partnership with the YMCA of PG County and use the center as a central hub for special activities, meetings, and events. We will also use their shuttle system to provide free transportation for single mothers and their children. We will reach out to single mothers by meeting them wherever they are. This means, having representatives at our partnering organizations inform single mothers of our services and connect them with us. Upon referral, we will have our own representatives at the YMCA who can sign single mothers up to the program. We will give them a tour of the facility and all the services offered by the YMCA and Well-MAMA. We will invite and prepare them for their first fitness course where they can bring their kids and meet all the other single mothers that have signed up. After an orientation, we will start the course which will include a series of activities and bonding exercises for the mothers to get to know each other. Once the activities are done, we will give them a questionnaire where they can explain exactly what things they are lacking in life. They can specify whether their struggles are strictly health and wellness related, financial, emotional and mental, related to the well-being of their child, or all the above. This will allow us to depict which partnering organizations will be receiving the most traffic from us, regarding referrals. For example, if a single mother is seeking entrepreneurship courses, Operation Hope would be the first place we refer her to. Because we are in Hyattsville where the Hispanic population is very high, the main obstacle for many single mothers may be their lack of English-speaking skills. In this case, we will have volunteers from the National Center for Families Learning who will provide free English language courses at their facility. Fitness instructors and trainers will volunteer at the YMCA to guide the weekly fitness activities that we will host (and mothers will have access to the YMCA’s gym anytime as well). Any other activities or services that are held at the YMCA on behalf of Well-MAMA will be hosted by representatives from our partnering organizations whose job is already to connect with other organizations through outreach. They will be able to host special activities designed for the single mothers and integrate their organizations’ products and/or services, thus having the opportunity to market their programs. We will facilitate community engagement to raise funds. For example, we will receive donations through frequent galas, parades, and marches. We will also partake in the fund-raising activities hosted by our partnering organizations to support our new team members and promote our services. Impact and Scale Although we are partnering with some organizations in DC due to its close proximity, we will be starting our social venture in Prince George’s County, specifically Hyattsville, MD. Once we have established our venture and create a strong network, we will partner with the YMCA in DC and Virginia and replicate the same line of operation to meet mothers in these regions. Well-MAMA – “Meeting MAMAs Where They Are”

Research and Findings Some of the highest percentages of single parent households are found in both Prince Georges County and in Washington D.C. Data on CountyHealthRankings.org show that there are 201,849 households in the Prince George’s County area, including 89,164 single – parent households. This is an alarming 44% (almost half the amount) of households. In Washington, D.C. there are 32, 794 households with 11, 333 single parent households, reaching a percentage of 35% of households. As mentioned before by the Single Mother Guide, “Single motherhood has grown so common in America that today 80 percent of single-parent families are headed by single mothers — nearly a third of those live in poverty,” (2019).

Children in Single Parent Households

Data from statistica.com emphasize that financial stability is a main issue in the welfare of these mothers and their capacity to support their families. The website specifically states that, “For most single mothers a constant battle persists between finding the time and energy to raise their children and the demands of working to supply an income to house and feed their families. The pressures of a single income and the high costs of childcare mean that the risk of poverty for these families is a tragic reality,” (2019). It states that, “In 2018, while the overall rate was at 11.8 percent, the rate of poverty for single mother families was 24.9 percent,” which again is an alarming reality that further motivates my team and I to push our agenda. As we narrow our focus and concentrate on the different situations that each mother is in, we have also considered the Well-MAMA – “Meeting MAMAs Where They Are”

demographic in the surrounding area that may be at an even greater disadvantage than their counterparts. In Hyattsville, MD, which is right next to college park and a few miles away from Washington, D.C. there is a large Hispanic population and statistica.com points out that, “In 2018, 30.8 percent of Hispanic families with a single mother were living below the poverty level in the United States, (2019). As mentioned earlier in my plan, the financial hardships of mothers along with their lack of time to decompress has a lot to do with their increasing rate of depression. In an article titled, Understanding Depression in Single Mothers, out of 2,921 single and married mothers it was discovered that single mothers have a 40% higher incidence of major depression, with a depressive episode lasting an average of 12 month [and] there are two primary areas that catapult single mothers into depression, [being an] increased number of life stresses [and] deceased amount of social support,” (Moore, 2013). It is safe to assume that the increased number of life stresses has a lot to do with financial instability, not enough time to spend with their children due to working longer hours or multiple jobs to make ends meet, and the fear of letting their children down because of these factors. In a conversation with 5 single mothers, each of them agreed that the main stressor for them in raising a family is balancing finances and putting food on the table. Two of them are widows, one of them is divorced, and two never married. They must sacrifice traveling to nice places and buying “nice things” in order to have enough money to pay bills and still have some leftover for food, gas, or an emergency. When I asked how fitness plays a role in their everyday life, they answered that they barely think about working out and they have tried a few times to make it a routine, but it got too hard to incorporate it into their hectic schedules. For the younger single mother who was a part of this conversation, transportation and childcare was her main concern, whereas for the older single mothers who are a bit more established focused on the lack of time and energy they have to work-out after a long day at work and driving home in traffic. The cost of a gym membership was a common factor that all the single moms agreed was an obstacle. Overall, I tried my best to stress to these mothers that being physically active releases a brain-derived neurotrophic factor, known as BDNF which reduces depression that would improve their mental health and help them perform better at life altogether. Not only did I find that financial stress is a huge obstacle for single mothers, but studies are beginning to show that if mothers are given adequate emotional support through a network of individuals, they are more likely to thrive, (Burden, 2019). Many mothers feel like they are alone because of their “single-ness,” when there is a plethora of networks around them willing to help them and offer free services. My venture’s job is to bring all these networks together to create the utmost positive experience for single mothers and their children. I found and combined a group of non-profit organizations that would allow me to create the perfect network for single mothers. These organizations all focus on community engagement and personal growth in some way, while others also have a specific focus on women and even more specifically, single mothers. I found that their work is very “referral-based,” and that social services agencies are likely to be the ones referring individuals to each given organization. As mentioned in the innovation section, this differs from my venture in the sense that it takes on a more social approach and works specifically with single mothers through fitness.

Well-MAMA – “Meeting MAMAs Where They Are”

Partnering Organizations’ Mission Statements: YMCA of PG County “Through the YMCA’s various programs, we nurture children in a playful academic environment, support seniors and families, and partner with various community leaders and organizations to make an impact in the communities we serve.” Single Mothers Grants “We offer largest directory of single mother grants that help with rent, utility bills, child-care, education, medication, housing, medical bills, and mortgage, among others. Many of these financial assistance programs have limited funding, and some might not be available for single mothers who do not meet specific income requirements.” Planned Parenthood “Today, Planned Parenthood is a trusted health care provider, an informed educator, a passionate advocate, and a global partner helping similar organizations around the world. Planned Parenthood delivers vital reproductive health care, sex education, and information to millions of women, men, and young people worldwide.” USDA - WIC “The Women, Infants and Children’s program, frequently referred to as WIC, is a supplemental food and nutrition program for pregnant women, new moms, and children under the age of 5yrs old. Through the WIC program, women and children receive financial assistance in purchasing food, counseling, and information on healthy eating, breastfeeding support and information and referrals to health care and other community resources.” Walkers Legacy “Walker’s Legacy Foundation exists to improve the livelihood and economic quality and equality of low-income women and girls. We do this by providing programming focused on improving financial literacy & financial empowerment skills for low income, high potential multicultural women and girls. We equip women-led microenterprises through entrepreneurship training and business development programming.” Operation Hope “Operation HOPE is a for-purpose organization working to disrupt poverty and empower inclusion for low and moderate-income youth and adults. Our focus is financial dignity and inclusion. We equip young people and adults with the financial tools and education to secure a better future— coaching them through their personal aspirations and life’s challenges and facilitating their journey to financial independence.” National Center for Families Learning “NCFL works to eradicate poverty through education solutions for families. Partnering with educators, literacy advocates, and policymakers, NCFL develops and provides programming, professional development, and resources that empower and raise families to achieve their potential. Over our 30-year history, we have changed the lives of millions of families across the country. Engaging multiple generations from the same family has been a fundamental and distinguishing aspect of our work, because we know this holistic approach creates a stronger impact and greater success for families.” The Life of a Single Mom “In our efforts to ensure that no single mom walks alone, it is our mission to see that every single mom is connected to a group in her area. We have worked to launch or improve 1,500+ single mom support groups across the nation. We are a hub for all things single parent and single parent- ministry related, offering a barrage of resources and services for single moms and those who work with single moms.”

Well-MAMA – “Meeting MAMAs Where They Are”

Well-MAMA thrives off the journey and story of each single mother. Our goal is to introduce them to the world of fitness and wellness as a tool for reducing stress and depression. Once we can guide single mothers into leading a healthier lifestyle through the connectivity of the mind, body, and soul, we can assess any other roadblocks that are keeping them from being independent and stable. Creating a better life for these single mothers by providing them with the tools necessary to enrich their lifestyles will in turn create a better life for their children and the entire community around them. Community engagement is essential to the support we provide to single mothers. It is commonly stated, that it takes a village to raise a child, but our focus is using our strong network of partnering organizations as this village which nurtures the mother and thus enriches the lives of her children. The mother cannot function for her children if she is not healthy, therefore the incorporation of fitness and physical activity for her and her child are essential to their growth and the reduction of depression and stress altogether. We will provide all the resources necessary to get single mothers and their children to our home base, being the YMCA of PG County. We will also provide her with child-care services and fun, educational activities for her children that will allow her to prioritize fitness and wellness. As we work alongside each other as non-profit organizations to support single mothers in the Hyattsville, MD area, we will create traction that is likely to grasp the attention of numerous organizations whose missions are also to uplift and empower mothers in need. Single mothers can expect to be connected to the resources that best fit the needs of them and their family. They will be able to make new life-long friends and maybe even business partners as they take advantage of our entrepreneurial connections with other single mothers. Being able to partake in entrepreneurship will grant them the independence they desire and the ability to create generational wealth for their children. They can also expect to meet their goals, whether they are related to fitness, mental and emotional health, finances, entrepreneurship, or even how to give back to the community. Overall, we will work our hardest to do our part so that single mothers can do theirs and we will do so by meeting MAMAs where they are!

Well-MAMA – “Meeting MAMAs Where They Are”

Glossary of Terms: Intake: Initial examination of both a client and their situation. This occurs at many levels from the intuitive to the thorough analysis of data that a client will provide. Dependent variable: In an experiment, a dependent variable is the factor which is observed and measured to determine the effect of the independent variable, that is, that factor that appears, disappears, or varies as the experimenter introduces, removes, or varies the independent variable. The dependent variable is the participant’s response. Gestational: The process of carrying or being carried in the womb between conception and birth. Postpartum: Following childbirth or the birth of young. Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis: The interaction between the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and adrenal glands. The hypothalamus and pituitary gland are located just above the brainstem, while the adrenal glands are found on top of the kidneys. BDNF: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor. A chemical found to be released into the brain in response to exercise. This chemical has been shown to help reduce the symptoms of depression along with endorphins and serotonin. Endorphins: Endorphins are released by the pituitary gland in the brain during sustained, vigorous exercise. Thought to be released in response to painful or stressful stimuli, endorphins diminish the pain associated with exercise, allowing you to exercise longer and at higher intensities. Other endorphin effects include decreased stress, euphoric feelings often referred to as a post-exercise high, decreased appetite and improved immune response. Serotonin: A natural mood enhancer. When levels of serotonin are increased, symptoms of depression can be decreased.

Well-MAMA – “Meeting MAMAs Where They Are”

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Well-MAMA – “Meeting MAMAs Where They Are”