The Broom Tree Foundation has found a way to grow in the community with a new home in Lacombe located on 5010 50th Street (formerly known as the Beet Top Café). The organization aims to provide support to young women in need in the Central Alberta area. 

“The Broom Tree Foundation is really a passion of mine. I used to work with Central Alberta Youth Unlimited. I was the director of the Stepping Stones program for about four years. There’s just a great need in our community helping young women and walking with pregnant or parenting young women,” explained Donna Abma, Founder of the Broom Tree Foundation. 

Abma says there are three components of the Broom Tree: connection programs, a café or place of work for young women, and transitional housing. She believes connecting with women will be a valuable aspect of offering them her support.  

“We run a Bridges Program which is a weekly get together. It’s been in limbo due to Corona, but it is a weekly get together with young moms and their kids where we offer support. We try to hook them up with different resources in the community. It’s huge on mentorship and just walking with them and loving on them,” said Abma. 

The Broom Tree Foundation Café will provide a valuable place to connect as well as a place of work for those who are in need. 

Having been a struggling mother herself, Abma says working in a restaurant was a valuable experience that will also be an aspect of the Broom Tree Foundation. 

“One of my biggest healing points in my life was working in the restaurant industry and the mentorship that I received from that coming from a background that I didn’t have a lot of education. The café will hopefully employ some young women, mentor them, and all the profits from this café are going to help the community, the programming, the foundation, and things that we want to do,” explained Abma. 

Abma aims to open the café in the fall of 2020 and serving only breakfast at first. As the Broom Tree Foundation grows, she hopes to have options for transitional housing down the road. 

“The third thing that we want to do is transitional housing. We want to have units available for young women who need affordable housing, goal setting, empowerment, and a safe place,” added the Founder. 

Through all three aspects, Abma hopes the Broom Tree becomes a one-stop-shop for support, love, and assistance. Eventually, she hopes the Broom Tree is able to expand programming for young men and fathers as well as women. 

“I think everyone is welcome to the table and that is a huge thing for me. I have a very, very, deep faith and all are welcome to the table even if it’s for a short time or a long time.”

The Broom Tree Foundation aims to be a sort of haven for those in need, but also provide women with the opportunities to get back on their feet once again. 

“One of the greatest stories I’ve ever heard is Elijah and the broom tree in the bible. When he was completely at his wits' end, there was a horrible queen that was going to kill him and he left for the desert. He came and sat down at a broom tree and that’s when an angel came and fed him, he rested, and he was protected. That’s what I want the Broom Tree to be, a place where you come and get fed,” explained Abma.

Although it may not be physically seen, rural homelessness exists in the community of Lacombe and remains an outstanding issue. 

“There’s a lot of couch surfing. There’s a lot of very difficult situations here in Lacombe. My eyes have been opened the last five years to the need in this community and surrounding communities,” said Abma. 

The foundation is currently accepting donations for their SOS Campaign to provide a bit of help to mothers and women right as they need it. 

“For example, we’ve already helped with grocery cards and gas cards. There’s been a need for clothing. Whatever is an immediate need and someone is having a hard time with. We meet up, we listen, there’s no judgment, and it’s confidential. I and the rest of the board members do pretty much whatever it takes to help the person out in that situation,” explained Abma. 

The Broom Tree Foundation hopes to continue to grow and provide even better opportunities for those in need. If you are in need, or would like to learn more, you can check out their Facebook page here. If you are willing to donate money to the Broom Tree’s SOS Campaign, you can find their Go Fund Me, here.