Phoenix non-profit supports single-parent families battling cancer

PHOENIX - Back-to-school shopping can be stressful for any family, but even more so for single parents battling cancer.

Local perspective:

Jody Boyd, CEO and founder of The Singletons, saw the struggles of being a single parent firsthand when her childhood friend was diagnosed with breast cancer as a single mother of four.

"I could see the need, and how was she supposed to raise her children? Nothing changed when it came to running a home, but she still needed to focus on her health," Boyd said.

That is why she founded The Singletons, named after that late friend Michelle Singleton, a non-profit devoted to providing resources to single-parent families battling cancer.

By the numbers:

"We rely heavily on volunteer support in our community to be able to serve over 100 families a month," Boyd said.

Community Impact:

With a new school year on the horizon, the group partnered with DoorDash to hand out backpacks students got to fill with school supplies.

"We’re happy to be here with The Singletons today with our back-to-school fundraiser, handing out supplies and really just lessening that burden on their daily life," said Tyler Kimler, operations manager of service for DoorDash.

Attendees were also treated to food, a water slide, and non-perishable goods to take home, with DoorDash volunteers delivering the items to families who could not make it.

Why you should care:

"That’s something that is so important, to help support these families," Kimler said.

For many of those helping, the cause was personal.

"I’ve had multiple family members be affected by cancer," said Shane Jackson, culinary director for The Singletons. "I love the mission and I wanted to be a part of it."

Big picture view:

Boyd says The Singletons, now celebrating 20 years, could not have the impact it does without collaborations like this.

"We are so blessed to have such a supportive community," Boyd said.

What you can do:

The Singletons is always looking for volunteers to help in their kitchen. They are also collecting donations of toiletries, paper products, birthday gifts and party supplies.

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