Together, we lift single parents up

Every week, the small office on West Saanich Road hums with quiet hope. A mother arrives with her toddler, balancing a diaper bag and a nervous smile. A single father stops for a warm welcome before heading to his counselling support session. In the Clothing Room, volunteers put out freshly donated clothing, while on Wednesdays, the shelves in the Market Room begin to fill with groceries for families in the week ahead

This is the heartbeat of 1Up Single Parent Resource Centre — a place where challenges are met with compassion, and where single parents are never alone.

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For more than 47 years, 1Up has stood beside thousands of single-parent families in Greater Victoria, providing the essentials that make survival possible and the encouragement that makes thriving real. Through our free programs — from groceries and clothing to mentorship, counselling, and parenting courses — we empower parents to rebuild stability and rediscover confidence.

Every dollar we receive goes directly toward keeping these supports alive.

When Amy first came through our doors, she had just fled an unsafe situation with her two young children.

“I had nothing but a stroller and a bag of clothes,” she recalls. “The staff helped me find clothes, food, and even a Christmas hamper. But most of all, they gave me hope that things could get better.”

Today, Amy has steady housing, is back in school, and volunteers in the Clothing Room that once helped her.

These transformations are possible because of people like you.

Right now, you have a unique opportunity to double your impact. For the next month, an anonymous donor is matching all donations up to $25,000.

Your matched donation will:

• Provide fresh, healthy groceries through our Market Day program.
• Keep the Clothing Room stocked with clean, seasonal clothing for children and parents.
• Offer free counselling and mentorship to parents navigating stress, grief, or transition.
• Fund parenting courses that build skills and strengthen family relationships.

Behind every program is a story — a dad learning to co-parent peacefully, a teen parent returning to school, a child celebrating a birthday because their parent could access our Birthday Gift program.

When you give to 1Up, you’re not just donating; you’re joining a community that believes in second chances, resilience, and the incredible strength of single parents.

Together, we can ensure that no parent faces the journey alone.