Sponsored ladies will celebrate mom’s day at VOA

On Mother’s Day, Volunteers of America is making sure some of Spokane’s lonely, low-income women have something to look forward to. This is the 11th VOA I Remember Mama lunch for women who don’t have anyone to celebrate Mother’s Day with.

“We find the mamas, as we call them, by working with the service coordinators at different senior housing complexes,” said Sarah Howard, communications director for VOA. “They make a list of women who may be alone on Mother’s Day and we try to accommodate as many of them as we can.”

The lunch is by invitation from VOA only, and it’s funded by donations – it’s also a fundraiser for Alexandria’s House, VOA’s shelter for pregnant teenagers.

“We have raised only about half of what we raised last year,” said Howard. “It looks like we will be able to cover the lunch, but we may lose the funding for Alexandria’s House.” Last year, the lunch raised about $10,000 in partial funding for Alexandria’s House.

The lunch has a different theme every year; this Mother’s Day it is Mardi Gras.

Howard said the menu includes a spinach and strawberry salad, Creole rice, fried okra and chicken colombo.

There’s pecan pie for dessert.

“We try to do something for these women, like we’d do for our own moms,” said Howard. Last year there were about 150 women at the lunch. Participants also receive a gift bag with fun and personal-care items, and there’s entertainment during the lunch.

“We provide transportation for the mamas who need it,” Howard said. “These are often women who have no family around and don’t get out much in the first place.”

Howard said she’s hoping Spokanites will use a mama sponsorship as a Mother’s Day present.

“You could do it in honor of someone, or in memory of someone,” said Howard. “We’ll even send a little card to the person whose name you donated in.”