Marla Aaron was once a single mom and she says it was the most difficult time in her life. She recalls that when her son was too young to know what Mother’s Day was, the holiday was “bittersweet” for her. Since then, the jewelry designer has gotten married and they created a family with each of their sons, but she wanted to do something special to celebrate other single moms for Mother’s Day.
So six years ago, Aaron launched the Lock Your Mom Project and gave away 50 sterling silver, heart-shaped locks to single moms. They’re engraved with an exclamation point, she says to drive home the “powerful, speechless feeling of motherhood.” Every year since then, she’s strived to double the number of locks given away and this year, the goal is a thousand.
Part of her inspiration, Aaron says, is her belief that “the loneliness of single motherhood” is a feeling that “crosses every sort of demographic experience.” She explains, “It doesn’t matter if you’re rich and it doesn’t matter if you’re poor - if you’re raising children by yourself, it’s hard.” Know a single mom who should get one of these free lock necklaces? You can nominate her - or yourself - at marlaaaron.com
HT: People