Mother's Day is just a few days away, stirring the reflections and gratitude of many for their moms.
But being a mom isn't always easy. Jo-Anne Dalton, executive director of the Steinbach Family Resource Centre (SFRC) is a mom of three, and wants to encourage those tackling the challenges of motherhood that they're not alone.
"Each one of my kids has been a different experience, and continues to be a different experience," she says. "It can be hard. Everyone struggles."
There will be days when mothers feel like they're doing something wrong or failing, but she confidently asserts there is a path through.
Dalton says the SFRC provides a place, and programs, to feel and process all the emotions of motherhood—the good, the bad, and the ugly—alongside others feeling the same, or similar.
"OK, yes, this is hard and nobody is necessarily going to be able to fix it for me, but I'm in good company. It's not just hard for me, it's hard for someone else and look at all these amazing families who are doing it everyday or come through it on the other side," she says.
The opportunity to establish bonds like this is important for younger families, she notes, who don't benefit from the support of school systems and can feel isolated.
It's why the SFRC's bottle drive is making the rounds again this year: To support families.
"We've recreated our bottles, and we've revamped the program a little bit. We've made it a bit more technology friendly... and easier for people to give," Dalton says, acknowledging not everyone has spare change on them.
She says, until May 16, Clearspring Middle School students will be in the community collecting donations for the SFRC as a part of the drive.
While it's a bonus for the organization, kids that are going door-to-door are eligible for prizes.
"Drop your spare change... or you can scan the QR code on the side of the bottle and it will ask you to enter the student's name you're supporting so we can keep track of who is fundraising for us and how they're doing," Dalton says.
The QR code leads to an online checkout service, she says, adding all donations over $20 will be given a tax receipt.
She encourages community groups and families to get involved in the bottle drive and pick up one, or a set, from the building.
"You can have one of these in your purse, come pick one up, and then you can just hand it around the dinner table, or around the family gathering," she says.
"Every little dollar makes such a big difference for us."
The funds go to the SFRC's family programs, as well as materials, supplies, and building costs.
"Those all come out of the generosity of our donations that we receive," Dalton says.
Written with files from Adi Loewen