WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — Gifts that offer comfort, coziness, and inspiration will make their way under the Christmas tree this year for mothers across northeastern and central Pennsylvania.
But sometimes for mothers parenting alone, Santa can't always make sure all those items are under the tree.
"One year when my oldest son was about four, he said to me, 'Mom, what did Santa get you?'" said Donna Nelson, the founder of Adopt a Single Mom Project. "And that was such an eye-opening awareness for me because it hadn't occurred to me that he would even care. And you know, we had a very little support system, no family in the area. So if there was going to be anything under the tree for me, I was going to be buying it for myself."
In 2017, Donna Nelson founded the Adopt a Single Mom Project.
"I wanted to connect with these women who were like me, the single moms who didn't have much of a support system, may not have presents under the tree unless they spent their own money or told somebody what to get them so that they could feel special and feel seen," said Donna.
In Donna's first year, the project delivered gifts to 30 moms. Eight years later, the goal this Christmas is to help 300 mothers.
The nonprofit raises $100 to spend on each mom, $50 for gifts from Boscov's, and a $50 gift card to Walmart.
"When we start the Christmas gift drive in November, we start at zero so we have $0 nominations. So it's a 40 day blast of fundraising, getting nominations, volunteers, shopping, wrapping and delivering these presents to these hand delivering these presents to these moms before Christmas," added Donna.
The project is still looking for nominations and donations. Suppose you want to support the cause or know a single mother in Luzerne, Lackawanna, Wyoming, Wayne, Susquehanna, Pike or Monroe counties. In that case, you can nominate them on the project's website you can visit the Adopt a Single Mom Project's website by clicking here.
