About Us
SPAN was founded in 1987 by Margaret Acreman.
Our Founder
Margaret Acreman founded SPAN in September of 1987, based on her own experience as a single parent and her work in crisis intervention in the service community. She recognized that there were many gaps in available services and little awareness of the issues facing single parent families. Margaret undertook the daunting task of trying to provide both necessary ongoing supports for single parents and advocating on their behalf in the public sector.
With a small group of dedicated volunteers, Margaret worked to make her vision a reality.
SPAN was incorporated in October of 1989 and received charitable status in January 1991. Margaret’s objectives were to help parents help their children, to provide long-term peer support and a sense of connectedness, recognizing the unique issues particular to single parenting, and also to raise public awareness of the challenges faced by the single parent families.
Our Mission
The Single Parent Association of Newfoundland was founded in 1987. Our objective is to provide supports for single parents, enabling them to regain control over their lives for the empowerment of themselves and their children.
Single Parent Association of Newfoundland
Understanding today’s pressures for Single Parent Families
The organization has grown and expanded over the years and the demands on the services we provide are growing steadily. Pressures on the family unit are increasing in today’s world, and the single parent, as sole earner, with no partner to share these stresses, is under almost unbearable strain.
However, it has been our experience that the right supports, at the right time, can help single parent families have a brighter future.
How We Help
Messages from our single parents….
“Thank you so much your words and understanding, it means a lot! Honestly I’m glad that I found you guys when I did. It couldn’t have come at a better time in my life. I didn’t think I would ever see the light at the end of this very very long tunnel!” – Single Parent
“As a single Mom of 3, working 2 jobs. I can say it’s been a struggle. I’ve been waiting on child support for over a year. Trying to keep up on mortgage payments & rising costs has been tough. Thank you so much for helping with Christmas & school supplies, it helps people like me so much. I am so thankful and wanted you to know. ” – Mom & Kids
“I wanted to take a quick minute and say thank you so very much. This year has been rough personally and you just made me cry at work. A good cry. I appreciate what you have done for me as a single father since I found out about your services. It is definitely uplifting to know we can get support too. At the end of the day, it’s for my kiddos.” – Dad