b'There is strong evidence that people with healthy support networks fare far better than those with fewer supportive contacts and that social support is a contributor to wellbeing.on whether we are safe, trustworthy,At Not Alone, the first encounterWhat are your processes for wel-credible, and capable of helping.is all about an emotional connection:coming a single mom and her children They read multiple cuesfromI see you, you matter to me. Weinto your ministry? How are your the physical appearance of buildingsintentionally take time to be present.scripts uniquely designed to commu-to the people with whom they areEmotional support and dignity arenicate acceptance and welcome? How engaging, including discerning theirvital. We want to get to know thewarm and relational is your frontline tone of voice, levels of empathy, andmom, hear her story, and validate herteam? Will the mom immediately feel facial expressions. feelings and experiences. Tears aresafe and seen? Many rescue missions, programs,common in these conversations. LifeLoved and aesthetics have focused on singlehas been hard and the injustices are men, historically the majority ofmany. The pain is often overwhelm- Love one another. As I have loved clients served. Today, the face ofing. But the path to healing beginsyou, so you must love one another.(John 13:34)those coming through the doors iswith this hope and connection. We use changing quickly. To what degree areour most nurturing and empatheticWe are wired for community and we ensuring that aesthetics, a sensevolunteers to make these first encoun- connection. Yet, compared to mar-of safety, services, programs for momters in order to ensure each new mamaried mothers, single moms tend to and children, and relational warmthfeels seen, setting the trajectory forreceive lower social support, carry a are being prioritized? the relationship to come.stigma, and receive less compassion and more criticism. As a result, a sin-gle mothers natural tendency is to pull away and isolate. This results in her being more likely than married mothers to suffer depression, stress, and other mental health problems. She is likely to experience higher rates of psychological distress, mood disorders, and anxiety disorders, commonly two to three times higher than the general population.We may be tempted to provide support and services individually to a mom. However, there is strong evidence that people with healthy support networks fare far better than those with fewer supportive contacts 44 WWW.CITYGATENETWORK.ORG JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024'