{"id":191,"date":"2026-06-30T16:44:01","date_gmt":"2026-06-30T16:44:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/calgarysinglemotherssociety.ca\/?page_id=191"},"modified":"2026-06-30T17:53:33","modified_gmt":"2026-06-30T17:53:33","slug":"our-story","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/calgarysinglemotherssociety.ca\/?page_id=191","title":{"rendered":"OUR STORY"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"191\" class=\"elementor elementor-191\" data-elementor-post-type=\"page\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-62b53c8 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"62b53c8\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-06771e4 e-grid e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"06771e4\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e3518f9 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"e3518f9\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f2daa86 elementor-nav-menu--dropdown-tablet elementor-nav-menu__text-align-aside elementor-nav-menu--toggle elementor-nav-menu--burger elementor-widget elementor-widget-nav-menu\" data-id=\"f2daa86\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;layout&quot;:&quot;vertical&quot;,&quot;submenu_icon&quot;:{&quot;value&quot;:&quot;&lt;svg aria-hidden=\\&quot;true\\&quot; class=\\&quot;e-font-icon-svg e-fas-plus\\&quot; viewBox=\\&quot;0 0 448 512\\&quot; xmlns=\\&quot;http:\\\/\\\/www.w3.org\\\/2000\\\/svg\\&quot;&gt;&lt;path d=\\&quot;M416 208H272V64c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32h-32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v144H32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v32c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h144v144c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h32c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32V304h144c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32v-32c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32z\\&quot;&gt;&lt;\\\/path&gt;&lt;\\\/svg&gt;&quot;,&quot;library&quot;:&quot;fa-solid&quot;},&quot;toggle&quot;:&quot;burger&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"nav-menu.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<nav aria-label=\"Menu\" class=\"elementor-nav-menu--main elementor-nav-menu__container elementor-nav-menu--layout-vertical e--pointer-underline e--animation-fade\">\n\t\t\t\t<ul id=\"menu-1-f2daa86\" class=\"elementor-nav-menu sm-vertical\"><li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-182\"><a href=\"https:\/\/calgarysinglemotherssociety.ca\/?page_id=98\" class=\"elementor-item\">ABOUT US<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-183\"><a href=\"https:\/\/calgarysinglemotherssociety.ca\/?page_id=176\" class=\"elementor-item\">OUR VALUES<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-206\"><a href=\"https:\/\/calgarysinglemotherssociety.ca\/?page_id=191\" class=\"elementor-item\">OUR STORY<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-205\"><a href=\"https:\/\/calgarysinglemotherssociety.ca\/?page_id=197\" class=\"elementor-item\">PRACTICUM OPPORTUNITIES<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\t\t\t<\/nav>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-menu-toggle\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Menu Toggle\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"elementor-menu-toggle__icon--open e-font-icon-svg e-eicon-menu-bar\" viewBox=\"0 0 1000 1000\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M104 333H896C929 333 958 304 958 271S929 208 896 208H104C71 208 42 237 42 271S71 333 104 333ZM104 583H896C929 583 958 554 958 521S929 458 896 458H104C71 458 42 487 42 521S71 583 104 583ZM104 833H896C929 833 958 804 958 771S929 708 896 708H104C71 708 42 737 42 771S71 833 104 833Z\"><\/path><\/svg><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"elementor-menu-toggle__icon--close e-font-icon-svg e-eicon-close\" viewBox=\"0 0 1000 1000\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M742 167L500 408 258 167C246 154 233 150 217 150 196 150 179 158 167 167 154 179 150 196 150 212 150 229 154 242 171 254L408 500 167 742C138 771 138 800 167 829 196 858 225 858 254 829L496 587 738 829C750 842 767 846 783 846 800 846 817 842 829 829 842 817 846 804 846 783 846 767 842 750 829 737L588 500 833 258C863 229 863 200 833 171 804 137 775 137 742 167Z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<nav class=\"elementor-nav-menu--dropdown elementor-nav-menu__container\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t<ul id=\"menu-2-f2daa86\" class=\"elementor-nav-menu sm-vertical\"><li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-182\"><a href=\"https:\/\/calgarysinglemotherssociety.ca\/?page_id=98\" class=\"elementor-item\" tabindex=\"-1\">ABOUT US<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-183\"><a href=\"https:\/\/calgarysinglemotherssociety.ca\/?page_id=176\" class=\"elementor-item\" tabindex=\"-1\">OUR VALUES<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-206\"><a href=\"https:\/\/calgarysinglemotherssociety.ca\/?page_id=191\" class=\"elementor-item\" tabindex=\"-1\">OUR STORY<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-205\"><a href=\"https:\/\/calgarysinglemotherssociety.ca\/?page_id=197\" class=\"elementor-item\" tabindex=\"-1\">PRACTICUM OPPORTUNITIES<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\t\t\t<\/nav>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c5c74b9 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"c5c74b9\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 data-interaction-id=\"8aad6a9\" class=\"e-heading-base\">OUR STORY<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"e-paragraph-base\" data-interaction-id=\"085058d\">The Calgary Single Mothers Society began not as a formal organization, but as an act of care and community.<br><br>It was founded informally by single mother Shamaila Maqsood, whose home became both a real and symbolic place of shelter, safety, and support for many women and their children. During her own journey through single motherhood, Shamaila opened her doors and her heart to other single mothers facing isolation, hardship, and uncertainty.<br><br>She provided emotional support, guidance, and practical help, always with the belief that no woman should have to navigate motherhood alone. Driven by deep compassion for women and children, Shamaila believes strongly in healthy family living, dignity, and community care.<br><br>What began as informal, grassroots support through listening, helping, connecting, and standing beside women in difficult moments naturally grew as the needs within the community became more visible.<br><br>The initiative was formally established as the Calgary Single Mothers Society in July 2022. While the organization was incorporated at that time, CSMS began actively delivering programs and community services in [insert year], expanding its reach through partnerships, advocacy, and culturally responsive programming.<br><br>CSMS is a completely volunteer-based organization, built on the dedication of community members who give their time, skills, and lived experience to support others. The Society relies on community support, partnerships, and collective care to sustain its work and ensure single mothers, women, and families continue to receive the help they need.<br><br>Today, the Calgary Single Mothers Society remains rooted in its grassroots origins. It is led by compassion, informed by lived experience, and strengthened by community, working together to support healing, resilience, and stronger futures for all.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-830775b e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"830775b\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>OUR STORY The Calgary Single Mothers Society began not as a formal organization, but as an act of care and community. It was founded informally by single mother Shamaila Maqsood, whose home became both a real and symbolic place of shelter, safety, and support for many women and their children. During her own journey through [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-191","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/calgarysinglemotherssociety.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/191","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/calgarysinglemotherssociety.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/calgarysinglemotherssociety.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/calgarysinglemotherssociety.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/calgarysinglemotherssociety.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=191"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/calgarysinglemotherssociety.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/191\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":253,"href":"https:\/\/calgarysinglemotherssociety.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/191\/revisions\/253"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/calgarysinglemotherssociety.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=191"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}