Church honors single moms in unique Mother’s Day program

Single mothers have one of the most challenging jobs in the world. Every day they face the challenges of raising their children and putting food on the table without the support of a partner, often forgoing their own dreams to provide for their young ones. Making matters worse, they rarely get the credit they deserve. But St. Bartholomew the Apostle Church in Scotch Plains wants to change that.

To celebrate Mother’s Day this year, the St. Bart’s Community Outreach division distributed 30 “appreciation bags” to single mothers who benefit from the church’s food pantry. It also gave another 40 bags to single moms seeking help from Mercy House, the Archdiocese of Newark’s charity supporting expecting mothers, individuals dealing with addiction, and those in abusive relationships.

Each bag contained a variety of items donated by community members that were meant to reward the recipient for her sacrifices. These included chocolates, makeup, and costume jewelry — all gifts single mothers would not buy for themselves.  

“Single moms put themselves at the end of the line, so I thought it would be really nice to give something beautiful that they wouldn’t normally get to help encourage them to keep going,” Director of Community Outreach Elaine Coupe, who oversaw the project, said. “This is a way of lifting them up and making them feel special because a mother is a special thing. And these women are working pretty hard.”

The Scotch Plains-Fanwood community felt the same way. Coupe said she received hundreds of items from area residents shortly after announcing the appreciation bags initiative, including gifts like fake nails that were not even on the list of recommended donations. It was not just individuals contributing, either. Woman-owned businesses rose to the occasion, Coupe said, giving large amounts of supplies to the program.

Of course, this generosity was not surprising to the Community Outreach director. Coupe said she never has any problem collecting items for charity drives because St. Bart’s parishioners and the greater Scotch Plains-Fanwood community are extremely selfless. And she appreciates this kindheartedness, pointing out people need charity now more than ever.

“This is a great time to follow our Catholic teaching, which is to love one another and support one another,” Coupe said. “People need help, and the church offers a lot of ways to do that. And it feels good to serve one another.”

Kelly Price certainly knows the benefits of giving. The St. Bart’s parishioner and self-described “volunteering fanatic” said helping those in need is a huge part of her life, so she always makes sure to contribute to the Community Outreach department’s initiatives. When she heard about the appreciation bags project, Price thought it was such a “wonderful” idea she filled several large bags with socks, scarves, tea, reusable water bottles, and numerous other items she purchased. She also collected multiple bags of toiletries a friend wished to donate.

This effort and expense were worth it, Price said, because single mothers deserve to have things that make them feel good. But many would not be getting such rewards if it were not for the appreciation bags, she pointed out.

“In some cases, single mothers are too proud to ask for help,” Price said. “So, it’s such a joy getting these things together because I know they’re going to someone who really needs it.”

For parishioner Liz Pierson, donating candles and other items to the appreciation bags program was meaningful in more ways than one. Pierson acknowledged she has been blessed in her life, so she always contributes to Community Outreach projects like the bags as a way of giving back. She also likes to involve her 15-year-old son, so he learns to do the same.

More than that, Pierson loved the idea of supporting single mothers. Raising a child is overwhelming, she said, but it is even more so if someone is doing it by herself.

Distributing the appreciation bags showed these women they are not alone, Pierson said.

“One of the worst feelings in the world is the feeling that no one’s there for you,” Pierson said. “We all want to know that someone is thinking about us, and I think that’s what these bags do. My hope is that every time a person looks at one of the candles I gave, she knows that somebody is thinking about her.”    

Perhaps no one was more pleased with the appreciation bags program than Father John Paladino, the pastor of St. Bart’s, who first proposed creating the Community Outreach department three years ago. Back then Father John wanted a ministry that would fulfill the parish’s mission of using everyone’s “time, talent, and treasure for the benefit of all,” and he has not been disappointed yet, he said. The appreciation bags project was particularly special because mothers are often the ones responsible for informing their children’s faith, so it was nice to pay tribute to them, Father John added.

Looking ahead, he hopes more people will get involved with upcoming St. Bart’s Community Outreach programs, which include a similar Father’s Day appreciation bags initiative. Completing such work embodies what it means to be Catholic, Father John said, and he could not be prouder to be part of a parish that makes it a priority.

“We’re doing what Christ asks us to do, which is represent him to all people, but especially to those who are most vulnerable,” he said.

To learn more about St. Bart’s Community Outreach department, contact Elaine Coupe at 908-322-5192 ext. 141 or stbcommunityoutreach@stbartholomewchurch.org.