Daphne Kurtulus

Hi everyone! My name is Daphne Kurtulus and I am the founder of Resilient Resource Collective! Our mission: At Resilient Resource Collective, we unite our local community to support single-parent households, fostering resilience and nurturing their journey to thrive. Through collaborative support, we create a network of resources and connections that uplift families, ensuring that every individual has the opportunity to flourish in a nurturing environment. Together, we build a stronger, more resilient future for all. Why? I wanted to start this nonprofit to help address the staggering statistics we see in our country. Almost a quarter of California's children are being raised by a single parent according to 2024 census data. And families with children headed by unwed mothers have a poverty rate of 31% while those headed by an unwed father had a poverty rate of 15%. The lowest poverty rate is 5% for families headed by a married couple. (National Women’s Law Center, 2020) I grew up with a single mother from the age of only 3. She worked tirelessly throughout her life to support her children. I learned very quickly that my upbringing was different than my classmates who had both parents. I did not have extra curriculars, nor did I have brand name items. I didn't even have cable. My small family consisting only of my mother, sister, and I struggled to survive when I was growing up. My mother did not have friends or family to help support us in times of need. Sometimes our electric bill was simply too high, so we did not use our air conditioner in our desert home. Typically, the fridge would be empty besides a half cut up stick of butter, a couple of tortillas, and half of a block of cheese. We often had no extra money for gas to put in our car, so we walked or took the bus if we could scrounge up enough change. We would always beg our mom for the $3 bouncy balls at the front of the store. This was only financially possible about once or twice a year. Field trips, school events, and any extra curriculars had to be completely free, or I likely was not participating. Due to the recession of 2008, my family lost our home and ended up having to move 4 different times . I struggled and tried to grapple with the fact that my life would not change unless I made it happen. My mother had raised my sister and I to be independent, strong, and to fight for what we want. She never knew of any assistance programs or nonprofits that could help us. We were completely on our own. Fast forward to my university years. I had already gotten familiar with teaching preschool and working with infants in a child development center. I took a nonprofit course at the suggestion of one of my professors. It was then, that I learned what the true meaning and definition of resilience is. I spent a year interning for a nonprofit in Orange County that helps families with after school tutoring and enrichment. They offer meal services, extra curriculars, tutoring, mentoring, and even health support services. I had the privilege of working with multiple age groups and school grades. After familiarizing myself with the nonprofit sector and personally witnessing the magic that comes from community support, I decided that this was what I wanted to do. I want to help other single parent households build resilience within their families and thrive. As someone with lived experience and knowledge, I know the struggles that these families face each day. All current board members come from single parent households and or are single parents. We want to show others that we can and should help support our neighbors and ensure a better quality of life for all. Our Foundation's Goal Resilient Resource Collective hopes to expand our volunteer base and fundraise enough money to fund a utility grant for single parents struggling to pay their electric, water, and or gas bills. We would love to start a monthly food bank as well as a book and toy program for any parents that would like to get new books or toys each month for their children. In the future, we can see hosting financial management or small business courses to parents, and even childcare or tutoring services. The possibilities are endless and we hope to see you there! Fundraising Goal This fundraiser is not AI adjusted and is the total amount needed to get things in motion. There are several necessary startup expenses we must cover. These include nonprofit application and registration fees, event setup materials, volunteer T-shirts, and other essential supplies. It's in our best interest to begin fundraising now and get our message and mission out into the community. Covering these upfront costs allows every dollar raised afterward to go directly toward our initiatives.