We all have stories of moms who've gone to extraordinary lengths to provide for and protect their children. But we all need a little help sometimes, and often, the most courageous thing many of us can do is ask for it. This Mother's Day, World Vision is asking you to consider helping a mother in need. She might be your next-door-neighbor, or a woman on the other side of the world.

I fell for my husband the day he took a homeless man to lunch. Before then, my future mate had been a smart, funny, slightly older guy in the CBC newsroom where we both worked. But when I learned about his kindness to someone in need, David became "the one."

Without money, it would be nearly impossible for food banks to provide clients with a healthy dinner plate. That's because essentials like pasta, soup and beans pour in, while equally important items like fresh produce, meat and dairy items are in shorter supply. Financial donations create flexibility.

What is also clear is that the arrival of these refugee families is not the end of the process, but merely the end of the beginning. With the kindness and compassion present in so many Ontario communities large and small, it is clear that these new Syrian families will receive a warm welcome and be supported as they make a new start in this vast and diverse country.

I've heard it said that "it's better to give than receive," and I've always joked that that couldn't possibly be true. Yes, I give. I give generously, but I have never experienced such an incredible joy from making someone feel special for a few hours.

When you're loving and giving, the people on the receiving end of your kindness and generosity are touched by your warmth and it often moves them and inspires them to be more loving and giving to those around them, as well.