Single mothers are among the most hardworking people in our community, often putting their children’s needs before their own and maintaining a strong front during times of struggle.
Sparkle Foundation is a non-profit organization created by Samantha Tradelius in 2016, wanting to recognize and give back to these single mothers. The foundation assists single mothers by stocking their fridges, purchasing clothes, financing education enrichment programs, providing micro-loans and more.
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Sparkle Foundation is most known for its Holiday Gift Drive, where the community nominates single mothers to get “sparkled”. The families create holiday wish lists, and mothers who get “sparkled” receive gifts from community members.
The idea for the Sparkle Foundation originated from Tradelius’s Dear Santa program, where kids wrote Christmas wish lists to Santa. The post office sorted the letters and volunteers purchased the Christmas presents.
“The first year, I did two [families]. The next year, I did five [families], and then it kept growing,” Tradelius said.
After approximately 13 years, she wanted to reach a larger group of people, so she transitioned from the Dear Santa Program to the Sparkle Foundation, focusing on single moms like her grandmother.
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“My grandma was a single mom in the 1950s and her story, her legacy and everything I ever knew about how my dad was raised subconsciously stuck with me,” Tradelius said. “So when I could decide on the demographic and the individuals I wanted to help, those single moms really made sense to me because I knew they worked the hardest and were the last ones to ask.”
As the founder and executive director, Tradelius’s mission was to continue the tradition of helping families during the holiday season by starting a holiday toy drive. Annually, Sparkle Foundation begins the process in early October. This year, over 200 families were nominated and 98 were selected, or “sparkled”. Tradelius and her team begin a detailed process to ensure everyone receives special gifts.
“We’re very specific and personalized in our gifting experience. It’s a very bespoke moment for these moms,” Tradelius said. “They tell us what they want and we will [purchase] everything [from] furnishing, clothing, bedding, pots and pans, bikes, backpacks, school supplies and whatever these kids need. We also provide food, toiletries and makeup baskets for each mom.”
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After all the gifts are selected, volunteers and foundation members sort the gifts, wrap and deliver them. This year, over 250 volunteers are helping with the process, ranging from young kids to senior citizens.
Lisa Lovely, a Redwood parent who is also a single mother, describes how it was difficult to balance work and motherhood when her child was younger, although having family nearby was helpful.
“I have a full-time, very big job and it’s challenging from that standpoint because I have to travel for business. [However] it’s much easier [now] because [my daughter] is older and she drives. I have relatives who come and help when I’m gone if [my daughter] needs it. Raising children, whether you’re single or married, is always a juggling act,” Lovely said.
She appreciates the impact this foundation has on single mothers during the holiday season. “I think it’s great. It’s a wonderful opportunity for those moms, especially when [they] have more than one child. I don’t know how they do it. Quite frankly, I don’t know how anyone does it when they have large families [while] juggling work. I think [providing] for that kind of family is really important. What [Sparkle Foundation] is doing is really cool,” Lovely said.
Sophie Dempsey, a senior at San Marin High School, started volunteering at Sparkle Foundation in sixth grade with her mom, a single mother. After volunteering, she was promoted to junior board member in her junior year of high school. She recognizes volunteers are integral to the Holiday Gift Drive.
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“We’ve had around 300 volunteers. We wouldn’t be able to get it done without the donations people have graciously given us and the volunteers. It truly is a volunteer-oriented event,” Dempsey said.
Dempsey shares how much of an impact volunteers have on the holiday event and wants to continue inspiring people to become volunteers for this special foundation.
“It’s really unique. It’s really beautiful how it’s all put together. It’s a very genuine organization; [every] dollar in, [is a] dollar out, and just volunteer-based. I think that’s really amazing and I’m really thankful to be a part of it,” Dempsey said.