Local single moms need help

All parents say they want to give their kids everything they’ve never had growing up. But how can a single mom in Scarborough do that when her baby’s daddy is absent from the family picture?

Single mothers from the local area are struggling to raise their kids with very few resources. Because of little money, they usually live in public housing where the children may be in harm’s way more than if they were living, for example, in Forest Hill.

As their kids are in a battlefield bombarded with hazards such as drugs, guns, and gangs without even a helmet for protection, these single moms make an immense effort to put food on the table while often working more than two jobs at a time.

Not only do single moms have to struggle daily just to make ends meet, but they are also immersed in fear of another dreary possibility-their kids turning to criminal activity.

But several resources are available for local single moms who may be seeking help.

The YWCA Scarborough Village Employment Resource Centre on 3730 Kingston Rd. offers various free services for community members who are looking for work. The Scarborough Women’s Centre on 2100 Ellesmere Rd. also provides housing, training, and health assistance for women in the community.

As well, the Malvern Family Resource Centre at 1321 Neilson Rd. supplies counselling, legal, and employment help to local women and mothers of all ages.

We often hear single mothers refer to the irresponsible dads who are constantly darting in and out of their kids’ lives. And these fathers are always offering the typical, unchanged excuse: “I don’t have money.”

That’s why it’s time for a wake up call to fathers in east Scarborough.

To say the least, a single mom’s world is nerve-racking and difficult. So fathers, we ask you to please step up to the plate and take some responsibility.

About this article

By: Irina G. Burtan
Posted: Nov 13 2008 6:41 pm
Edition:
Filed under: Opinion