1 UP Victoria Single Parent Resource Centre

About

1Up Victoria Single Parent Resource Centre is a registered charitable organization that has been serving the varied and changing needs of single parent families in the Greater Victoria area since 1978. We provide practical support, opportunities for growth, and a sense of hope to single parent families across Greater Victoria.

Guided by skilled and committed staff and trained volunteers, at 1Up we offer important services to create foundations for personal and community growth in a welcoming and non-judgmental environment. We are committed to offering effective services that accommodate individual differences and respond to changing needs. Currently, we are serving over 1,800 families in the Greater Victoria community.

Our Impact

Our work transforms lives by creating stronger families and healthier children. It provides hope and the promise of a brighter future for parents and children, not just today, but well into tomorrow, creating a stronger and more vibrant community in the process. The Society’s purpose has always been to assist and support single parents in their task of raising a family alone; to assist in increasing single parents’ self-worth, self-confidence, and self-reliance by providing a central facility where they can meet, develop friendships, and share experiences with other single parents and their families; learn of, and use community resources; and find counseling, programs, and workshops related to their needs.

Over the years, how these goals are achieved has changed to meet the shifting needs of single parents and their families. For instance, in the early days, our services were directed almost exclusively to single moms. These days, our clients are still primarily single moms, but the number of single parent dads is growing each year and is about 15% at the moment. This demographic change makes it viable to offer courses tailored to single fathers such as our Dads with Dads Support Group.

How your gift will be used

Your contribution makes an immediate difference in the lives of children and parents from single parent families. From counselling to education, from mentorship programs to supplying clothing and goods, 1Up delivers a wide arrange of support services to make a tangible difference in the lives of single parent families in our community. The generosity of our donors makes all of this possible. Your gift will be used to keep these services going and to expand even further so that we may reach even more families in need of support, to help set them up for a successful future. The impact of your gift can be seen in the gratitude of the parents and children we help every day.