The Love Club hosts Mother’s Day screening of Mamma Mia! at the Fox Theatre

By JESSICA SHACKLETON

What better way is there to celebrate Mother’s Day this Sunday than a Mamma Mia! sing-along at the Fox Theatre, and a chance to learn about a grassroots organization helping moms and babies?   

At the Sunday, May 10, screening of the popular movie featuring the music of ABBA, those attending can find out about The Love Club which is a non-profit charitable organization that makes and donates baby clothes. The items are handmade using surplus fabric that would otherwise end up in a landfill.

Started in 2024 by fashion creative Lauren Walker-Lee, the seeds for The Love Club were planted in her head shortly after her daughter was born in December of 2023.

“I helped a local mother in need with newborn diapers and formula when my daughter was days old. I dropped this off at a porch, and I could not stop thinking about what else I could do,” she said. “Fashion being my interest, passion, and network, I was like, I need to figure out what else I can do to help others. I was getting all of these gifts and dressing my baby, and to think that someone was going without was too much to bear.” 

From there, the idea came quickly of connecting the dots with her ties in the fashion industry. Walker-Lee received a huge donation of fabric early on and knew this was the start of something speical.

“I reached out to different charities to see if my wild idea would work, and if it did, would they want new with tags baby garments. Basically, understanding that they probably get so much used and damaged things, knowing that clothes have a sense of pride and dignity,” said Walker-Lee.

She was able to grow The Love Club quite quickly by establishing links to local manufacturing partners who were able to provide manufacturing pro bono.

The Love Club is now a registered non-profit and is formalizing arrangements so it can become even bigger.

“It’s been off the energy of a group of women, ideas, conversations, and people pulling their time, ideas, and talents so we can all give back in our way,” said Walker-Lee.

She said she sees clothes as uplifting and empowering to a mother. It also means attention can be diverted to other needs. The clothes are a “token of love” and are beautifully made.

“They come new with tags, so the mother receiving isn’t just getting hand-me-downs. They also get to make choices. Some of these women, there’s not a choice in what they get to select; they’re handed things when they arrive. The mother gets to choose a colour or choose what is there,” said Walker-Lee.

“We just hope it’s putting a smile on someone’s face. Of course, clothing the baby, that is a need, but a mother still gets to participate in this stage of life.”

So far, The Love Club has produced 3,800 baby garments, saved 1,500 metres of fabric and supported 18 women’s charities and shelters across Ontario.

“It’s a social mission first, but it’s underpinned by this environmental pillar to use something going unused, or sitting on a shelf, or even getting thrown out to help those in need,” said Walker-Lee.

The clothes are sent to a variety of charities across the GTA and beyond, including a box to Nunavut, and they are continuing to spread the mission to communities, said Walker-Lee. Charity partners include the YWCA, Jessie’s Centre, and St. Michael’s Hospital. 

Given that The Love Club is still relatively new, micro-events in different neighbourhoods in the city are part of the plan to raise both funds and awareness.

One of the organization’s volunteers reached out to the Fox Theatre about doing the Mother’s Day event, and the response was positive.

“It’s fantastic to get support and get a yes so quickly and be able to introduce The Love Club to the Beaches neighbourhood,” said Walker-Lee. “Everything is completely donated onwards. We’re looking to grow our awareness, impact, and funds, and go deeper into Ontario.”

The Love Club will have a table set up to talk to people and will be selling baseball caps with their logo at Sunday’s screening. Also, a portion of the proceeds from the “Mom-mosa” bar at the show will go to The Love Club.

The screening of Mamma Mia! is on Sunday, May 10, at 12:45 p.m., and the Fox Theatre is located at 2236 Queen St. E.

To learn more about The Love Club and the Mother’s Day celebration, please visit https://www.theloveclub.ca/