Located in Greenville, South Carolina, Let There Be Mom is a non-profit organization created to help local parents battling a life-threatening illness. On her website, Founder and Executive Director Kipra Anderson explains the first pull she felt toward the idea in October 2006.
The Inspiration Behind Let There Be Mom
While going about her daily routine, Kipra found herself asking “What if I’m diagnosed with a serious illness and given only a short amount of time to live?” Thinking about the sheer amount of planning, organization, and support she would need to get through such a tough situation had her feeling overwhelmed, and hers was only an imagined scenario. She experienced “an intense desire to bring peace to those who were actually face-to-face with this reality.”
Later that year in December, Kipra met Jennifer, a 29-year-old mother of two, who revealed that she might be celebrating her last Christmas with her children due to her poor health. Jennifer’s story uncovered Kipra’s idea and reignited her yearning to help people just like Jennifer. In January 2007, Let There Be Mom was born.
The Purpose Of Let There Be Mom
Let There Be Mom helps moms and dads set up a legacy for their children. In an interview with Fox Carolina, Kapri explains their process for helping the families. Volunteers interview the affected parent and put together gifts, such as scrapbooks and quilts, for their children that represent the lives they’ve lived, to be given now and at milestone events in the future. All families served must be located in Upstate South Carolina and consist of at least one child under 18 years of age. The organization spends approximately $4,000 creating mementos at no cost to the family.
Amanda Moon was the organization’s “first mom” and received assistance in August 10, 2007. She was a 27-year-old mother to Madison, her 3-year-old daughter, and was battling recurrent cervical cancer. Let There Be Mom volunteers assisted Amanda in creating a 104-page scrapbook to document her life and helped her record her hopes and dreams to leave for Madison. On August 30, 2007, Amanda passed away. Because of Let There Be Mom’s assistance, Madison will always have something to help her remember her mother. To read Amanda's full story and the stories of other parents helped by the organization, visit here.
Community Involvement
Let There Be Mom hosts many fun events within the community to support local businesses, raise funds, and increase awareness of their organization. One such event is Dine Out For Mom (DOFM). DOFM is an annual fundraiser where local restaurants agree to donate 20% of their sales to Let There Be Mom. This year, DOFM is taking place on October 22, 2020. The event lasts all day, so donations are made with any breakfast, lunch, or dinner purchase. Additionally, any money spent at the restaurant is counted toward donations, meaning that dine in, carry out, catering, and gift card purchases are all included.
Bingo Dash is another popular community event. It is a scavenger hunt held in Downtown Greenville, and participating teams have two hours to locate hidden bingo balls. The team with the most bingos will win a prize. A silent auction, raffle, and additional fundraising games are held at the end.
For more community events hosted by Let There Be Mom, visit their Facebook page.
Sources: lettherebemom.org, foxcarolina.com, facebook.com