2014 Leading Mom Nominees: Part 1

A few weeks ago we asked you to nominate a Vancouver mom who has inspired you for our first ever Leading Mom award. You told us about some amazing local leaders, who use their motherhood as a springboard to create a better world. We reviewed the nominations, and we deliberated over our decisions. It wasn’t easy, but we’ve narrowed it down to just five finalists. We believe you’ll be just as impressed as we are by the work these women are doing. Today we’re happy to share our first two nominees with you.

2014 Leading Mom Finalists

Jamie Dunlop, #HashtagLunchbag

Here’s what Jamie has to say, in her own words:

My name is Jamie and I am an early childhood educator. I am also the mother of three daughters, ages eleven, seven and three. Last year, a group of girlfriends and I decided to get involved with a movement called #HashtagLunchbag. It’s a movement that started in LA that is dedicated to utilizing social media to bring awareness to and eliminate hunger in local communities. We gather a community of volunteers, through social media to join us in making lunches for the homeless in the Downtown East Side. We provide all of the supplies, and the space for the volunteers to assemble lunches and in return ask for a ten dollar donation, to help us with costs. The turnout of willing volunteers has been incredible, and we usually make over 1000+ lunches at each event.

When asking my eldest daughter, how she feels after an event, her response is “I felt really good, helping those in need.” These small acts of kindness being instilled at such a young age, will hopefully help my daughters create even bigger change in the future.

Some other projects that I’m involved in include my blog, Styling the Inside. My blog is dedicated in sharing my real life experiences, the highs and the lows, in hopes to inspire those around me, to create a life that feels good on the inside. When we do the inner work to feel good on the inside, we are becoming, as Ghandi put it, “the change that we wish to see in the world.” I’m also a part time Stella and Dot stylist and an active volunteer on the PAC.

Jacqueline Way, 365give

Jacqueline has dedicated herself to social good projects both personally and professionally for over two decades, but it was Motherhood that inspired her to make a world of difference. Jacqueline is the mother of three boys aged two, three and six years old. In 2010 she made a commitment with her oldest son to give back to the world every day for one year. They called it 365give and documented it via a blog as a way to teach others the value of giving. In 2014 she has taken 365give to new heights. Now as a not for profit organization 365give educates children in elementary schools how they too can give every day. With another Vancouver mother, Sareh Donaher, they have made it their mission to create positive social change through the minds and hearts of children.

Stay tuned tomorrow for more Leading Mom Award nominees, and keep your eyes peeled for the voting, which opens on Friday. And of course, get your early bird tickets for Leading Moms 2014, happening September 26.