“Motherful is home. It is like a mother to mothers. 

And that is important because a lot of single moms don’t have a mother. Many of us don’t have people who we can lean on, who can relate. 

Single motherhood is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do in my life. It tests you in ways that you never imagined possible. There are good days and there are bad days, but it’s hard. 

My story is not the most pretty. I’m Nigerian, and being pregnant without being married is not something that my family was particularly excited about. It was like I became the black sheep, and it was just too much for me at the time. I needed a fresh start. So I had just come to Columbus, and I heard about Motherful from a nurse. It took me a whole year to come check it out. I guess I felt like I just had to do it on my own. I was trying to do everything perfectly. Get it all right. There was so much self-judgment going on. There was so much self-doubt. There were days when I was like, ‘How did I get to this point?’ 

When I first started coming to Motherful, I would just sit and observe. I had trust issues, and I was quiet. But I liked the vibe, so I kept coming back. Every woman who comes here has a different story. I could see so much strength in the room. This was a place of no judgment. You walk in, and you give each other a hug and have simple conversations. I realized I was able to be vulnerable with Heidi and Lisa. They took me in, and they made my issues like their own personal mission to solve. Then I started volunteering because I had the time, and the community welcomed me and my daughter. 

This country teaches us to be individuals. And I understand the fear of not knowing who your tribe really is. Like, are they truly my community? Are they going to accept me? But you never know until you try. You have to make that commitment within yourself. You have to think, ‘Am I willing to protect this community?’ And if I’m willing to protect them, then I have to trust that they’re going to protect me. 

This space creates room for moms to feel a sense of belonging. We have classes, and we go out together. We have fun, and we go to spa days. We have a beautiful garden that we work in together in the summer. We are there for each other through the best and the worst days. 

I manage the pantry and all of the donations that we get. Everybody gets something to share. We come to this space with the mindset of abundance. We’re open three times a week, so even if you don’t get something you’re looking for on Sunday, you can come in on Tuesday and Thursday and get it. We shop with kindness, so that the next person gets something. It’s all about leaving something behind for the next sister and her family. 

However, we are speaking about more than just coming and getting food. We are an ecosystem built on love, community, acceptance, and dignity. We’re getting empowered. We’re learning skills. And we’re changing the world. 

Being a single mom has built me in ways that I never imagined. I don’t think I give myself enough credit, but I think sitting here today has actually opened my eyes to the fact that I’ve grown so much, and I know there is so much out there for me. 

Back home, a single mom is a castaway. She’s not enough. She’s not worthy of love or worthy of achieving greatness. But I want the world to know that a single mom is not someone that needs saving. She is someone that needs seen.”

– Juanita Amakor is the Pantry Manager at Motherful, a collective of single mothers in Central Ohio.