Motherful is a soulful, grassroots collective of single mothers in Columbus, Ohio.
Founded by single mothers for single mothers, we are a living, breathing, radical vision of the collective future of motherhood.
WE believe…
All single mothers are sacred and worthy of support.
In valuing the work of mothers.
In an inclusive, representative democracy, which includes:
Acknowledging the damages inflicted on Black Americans through enslavement and post-emancipation exclusionary policies
Acknowledging the damages inflicted on Indigenous people through colonialism
Protecting and upholding voting rights
Championing and fighting for Civil rights
Support for reparations
In healthcare for all.
In reparative justice.
In reproductive justice.
In justice reform and rehabilitation.
We believe in upholding disability rights, which includes:
Equitable transportation
Equal opportunity to employment and education
Access to affordable health care
Workforce development
In LGBTQIA rights.
In strong public education.
In religious and spiritual freedom.
In equitable economic prosperity for all, which includes:
Paid family leave
Equal pay for women and femmes, particularly women of color
Acknowledging and addressing racial inequity
Access to affordable housing and childcare
Food security
Workforce policies & labor force equity
In humanitarian crisis support, which includes:
Supporting immigrant & refugee neighbors
Volunteering for local humanitarian aid requests
We believe in a thriving and sustainable environment, which includes:
Clean air, water, and parks
Access to outdoor community spaces
Homes free of toxins and poisonous chemicals
Access to affordable and sustainable energy sources
WHERE WE GATHER
The Resource Garage helps moms with food security.
Local partner The Overcomer Foundation donation multiple laptops to single mom students!
Our Dinner on Us nights provides moms with a night off from cooking dinner.
Mothers are Revolutionary.
Moms work in Our Community Garden.
Volunteers teach in the garden.
Moms Night Out lets moms get together in a social setting sponsored by Saucy Brew Works.
Tabling at Women and Girls Fest with Education Foudation for Freedom.
Our quarterly clothing swap helps families get clothes and household items they need.
Through a partnership with Made to Save, Motherful provides PPE for single mother families during COVID-19 pandemic.
Motherful kids play at the Gahanna Youth Center while their mothers gather resources.
Resource Garage open to all single mothers every Sunday 10-12 at 254 Agler Rd.
Our Giant Peace Dove speaks volumes at local demonstrations
Art is an integral part of our programming.
Local Farm Partners like Raven Rocks donate organic meat to our Food Pantry.
In 3 weeks we built a full multi-media production with giant puppets and a choir.
Our Arts Residency building the Mother Tree Performance.
Scott's Miracle Grow and Home Depot helped us expand our garden beds in 2021.
Member moms can shop our food pantry 3x weekly
Motherful provides up to 50 families a week with groceries.
Our Mama Love Box features mother makers and their creations.
Motherful babies harvesting.
OUR FOUNDERS
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Co-Founder & Co-Director
Heidi was born in Columbus, Ohio but spent many years in the northwoods of Wisconsin before coming back to Ohio. A mother of 3, she is a singer-songwriter, poet, healing artist, and interfaith minister.
Over 14 years ago, when Heidi became a single mother, she envisioned a co-housing space where mothers could live and parent in a community to solve the struggles of raising her oldest two kids solo (now ages 18 and 20). Heidi knows just how much community love and support played a part in her toughest moments (and still do). Her vision of a collective to share resources and support made Motherful a dream turned reality.
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Co-Founder & Co-Director
Lisa was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, and studied Modern Dance. She is a single mother of three ladies, first becoming a single mom at age 17. She is a fiery Aries and is a true Jack-Of-All-Trades. After relocating to New York in 1999, she studied fashion design and started work as a Personal Assistant in the music industry. Lisa is a vegetarian and loves a good garage sale.
Meet the TeaM
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Board President / Collective Care Coordinator
Chere Hampton is Motherful's President of the Board of Directors. She also serves as the Collective Care Coordinator, helping connect our moms to the resources that they need and helps to assess how Motherful can best help them. Chere has been with Motherful since the beginning, first serving as a volunteer, then becoming the president of the board. Chere loves her role and feels very passionate about advocating for single mothers and their children.
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Vice President
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Board Treasurer
Marissa Turner is currently a senior at Ohio State University, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree in accounting. With four years of accounting experience at Wells, CPA LLC and over two years of dedicated work as Motherful's accountant, she brings a wealth of expertise and a deep commitment to the organization. As an Ohio native, she is passionate about uplifting her community, as well as supporting single mothers and living by Motherful’s core values.
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Marketing & Communications
Board Member
Tonnisha brings over 10 years of marketing experience to the Motherful team and has been with us for over four years. As a mother, she understands the importance of ensuring that mamas have what they need to care for their families and is passionate about helping women.
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Marketing & Design
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Pantry Transport
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Volunteer Coordinator
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Housing Co-Director
Amanda brings over 16 years of comprehensive experience in urban planning, community development, housing, and real estate, with nearly a decade dedicated to independent consulting. Her expertise spans the full spectrum of community development initiatives, from managing affordable housing developments and solar energy projects to crafting strategic housing plans and administering complex funding programs at local, state, and federal levels.
Throughout her career, Amanda has collaborated with government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and private companies to deliver transformative projects that strengthen communities. Her multidisciplinary expertise encompasses planning principles, real estate development, affordable housing policy, community engagement, grants management, financial analysis, and regulatory compliance.
As founder of Spatialist, Amanda leverages her diverse background to provide practical, results-driven solutions for complex development challenges. Her previous roles include serving as a project manager and financial analyst at a prominent New York City real estate development firm, where she underwrote and managed dozens of commercial and residential projects nationwide. At a nonprofit affordable housing developer in Brooklyn, she led strategic recovery planning initiatives following Hurricane Sandy while managing multiple affordable housing developments.
Amanda began her career with the Franklin County Economic Development and Planning Department, where she administered federal housing and community development grants, spearheaded innovative pilot programs, and conducted comprehensive housing market analyses to expand affordable housing opportunities across the region.
Her unique combination of public, private, and nonprofit sector experience positions her to navigate complex regulatory environments while delivering practical solutions that create lasting positive impact in communities.
As a mother of two, Amanda is personally committed to supporting the aspirations and well-being of single mothers and their families, bringing both professional expertise and lived experience to her community development work.
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Resource Pantry Manager
Juanita Amakor first joined Motherful in 2022 as a mom seeking community. What she found was a sense of belonging that inspired her to begin volunteering, eventually leading her to step into her role as the organization’s Resource Pantry Manager. As a Motherful mom, she knows firsthand the difference a caring community can make and is passionate about creating spaces where mothers feel welcomed, valued, and supported.
In her role, Juanita oversees the Resource Pantry, helping ensure mothers and families have access to food, household essentials, and essential resources. She also supports donor stewardship through heartfelt appreciation, helping nurture relationships with donors, community partners, and supporters who make Motherful’s work possible.
Guided by both her lived experience and her background in psychology, Juanita believes that caring for a community means caring for the people who make it possible. Whether welcoming a mother into the pantry, expressing gratitude to those who support Motherful’s mission, or helping connect families with resources, she believes every interaction is an opportunity to remind someone that they matter.