In October 2015, we received an urgent request about a father who was desperate. His family was in a state of crisis and they urgently needed someone to look after their baby girl, Grace*, for a few weeks. Working as a laborer and as the sole breadwinner for his family, he couldn’t afford to take any time off work. They did not have an extended family or network of friends to help during this challenging time. He was alone and desperate. He worried that if he didn’t find help soon, his daughter might be taken from him, and he would lose her forever. That’s when his social worker called Mother’s Choice.

Within an hour, we identified an approved volunteer family to temporarily care for Grace. The volunteer family quickly rallied their friends to supply baby clothes, formula, diapers, and even a cot! A few weeks later, the family’s situation had stabilized, and Grace was welcomed home with joy. Without the help of Mother’s Choice, Grace might have gone into the institutional care system, where it would have been difficult for her to re-join her family. Instead, she was loved and cared for by a volunteer family while her own family worked hard to provide a stable home for her to live in again. You were there for us, so that we could be there for Grace’s family during a time of crisis.

At Mother’s Choice, we build stronger families for children. We want to support others like Grace’s family who are committed, but may be struggling, to provide a loving, safe, and permanent home to their children. We believe that it takes a village to raise a child, and you, our village, gave us the support we needed to be there for so many like baby Grace and her family.

* Name has been changed to protect the identity of the child.