We are honored to name Love Does as the Rylee + Cru Foundation Grant Recipient for the month of May.
Love Does is a nonprofit founded by Bob Goff that serves vulnerable children and families around the world through education, human rights advocacy, and practical support like building schools, providing safe housing, and caring for refugees and survivors of trafficking. For the month of May, Rylee + Cru is honored to continue our partnership with Love Does as its grant recipient, supporting their ongoing mission to bring hope, dignity, and opportunity to those in need. This feels especially meaningful during Mother’s Day season, as their work often uplifts and supports mothers and caregivers by helping create stability and brighter futures for their families.
Read our Q+A with Home Director, Ana Gomez, to learn more about Love Does and their mission and impact.
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Q+A
Q. Love Does is built around the idea of putting love into action. What does that look like in your day-to-day work right now?
A. As the Love Does Home Director, putting love into action in my day to day work means being fully present in the Love Does home, not just physically being there but really being intentional with my time with the moms and children. It’s sitting with the moms after a long day or weekend and having those hard and honest conversations. It’s encouraging her when she’s doubting herself, reminding her of how far she’s come as a single mother and how capable she is of doing hard things. Pushing her to see all the wonderful possibilities life has in store for her.
It also shows up in the everyday things, like making dinner, checking in on how school is going, having one on one outings, helping create routines that bring a sense of stability. It’s getting to sit and read books to the kids, hearing them laugh, watching them feel safe enough to just be kids. Going to their school performances and watching them grow into beautiful butterflies. Those are moments that matter to me more than anything.
It's being able to meet the moms where they are at, reading what they need in that very moment. Sometimes that means support, space, a listening ear, or just a warm hug that stops the whole room from spinning. To me, it's about creating an environment where they can breathe a little, where they don’t have to be in survival mode all the time. Love in action can mean so much, it isn't perfect or planned out. It's showing up consistently, being patient, showing unconditional love when you may agree to disagree, and choosing to care in the small moments that most people don’t always see.
Q. Can you share a story from the field that has stayed with you, one that really captures the heart of your mission?
A. One story that will always stay with me started the very first day I met a mom during her application process. I remember bringing her to the home after telling her she was accepted into the program, and even in that very moment you could feel how guarded but happy she was. She came in survival mode, didn’t trust anyone, was always on edge, and felt like people didn’t have the best intentions for her. That first month was hard. There were a lot of walls and a lot of hesitation. But I was really intentional about showing up for her consistently, letting her know she was safe, that she was cared for and that she didn’t have to do everything on her own anymore. Slowly things started to change, you could see it little by little. She started to trust, started to breathe again, started to just live instead of constantly trying to survive. She began working through parts of her past that had been weighing her down for so long. Her confidence started to grow and I got to witness her step into being the kind of mom she always wanted to be. At the same time, I got to watch her son be a kid with no worries. He was happy, carefree, confident and didn’t have to carry the heavy weight of not knowing where he would sleep that night. Over the last two years, I got to see both of them grow. She moved into our transitional home, learning to be independent and living on her own, something she had never experienced before. I watched her work hard in school, and finished this program so strong with finally being able to walk across the stage this month May 2026 with her associates degree, something she once believed wasn’t possible for her. Being able to witness her whole journey from the beginning to where she is now is something that I will carry with me forever. I'm so proud of her and all her accomplishments.
Q. How do you approach serving communities in a way that is both impactful and deeply respectful of local culture and needs?
A. For all of us it really starts with listening. Not just hearing someone out but actually taking the time to understand their story, what they are going through, and what they truly need not just what we think they need. Every mom is different, every story and situation is different, so I always come in with an open heart instead of making assumptions. I truly believe that respect shows up in the littlest things such as giving moms choices, or letting them have a voice in advocating for themselves and their children. So many people take that away from them. A lot of what they’ve experienced has already made them feel unheard or overlooked, and I never want to add to that. Whether that’s at the boutique when they come shopping or living in the Love Soes home. The real impact happens when people feel safe. There is so much judgement in the world so creating a safe and judgement free environment is the most important.
Q. What inspired you personally to be part of Love Does, and how has that journey shaped you?
A. What inspired me to be a part of Love Does and this mission is really my own personal story. I was raised by a single mom and I went through a lot: homelessness, abuse, and just a lot of instability growing up. Eventually I ended up in the foster system at the young age of 8 years old, and for most of my childhood I didn’t have a consistent place to feel safe or supported. I had no true guidance and became a teen mom myself. Because of that, this work isn't just a job to me, it's something deeply personal. I know what it truly feels like to be in survival mode, to not have a steady and safe foundation, and to just need someone to show up and genuinely care about me. Being at Love Does gives me the opportunity to be that kind of support for someone else, the kind I needed growing up. This work has changed and healed me in so many ways. It has taught me that when people are met with consistency and real care, they begin to believe in themselves and create a beautiful future.
Q. Many of our readers are families, how can parents and children meaningfully engage with or support your work together?
A. I love when families get involved together because it turns giving back into something that’s lived out, and not just talked about. It can be as simple as shopping for items for a donation drive, picking a few things off our Amazon wishlist for the boutique, or showing up to volunteer for an event. There are also ways to go deeper, like mentoring or teaching a class. What matters most is the why behind it all. When kids grow up seeing and being a part of caring about others and putting love into action, it shapes how they move through the world. It teaches empathy in a real lived out way.
Q. In a world that can feel overwhelming, how do you stay hopeful and grounded in your mission?
A. Honestly, the moms are what keep me hopeful. Watching them keep going even when things feel heavy and showing up for their children no matter what truly gives you all the hope and happiness. It reminds me why this work truly matters. I’ve learned to really hold onto the small wins, because they’re not actually small. It's a mom passing a class she thought she was going to fail, a job interview she finally felt confident walking into, a night where things feel calm instead of hectic, or even just hearing the kids laughing and being carefree. Those moments mean everything to me. And of course, there are big milestones too, like graduating, moving into their own space, landing their dream job, hitting goals they once thought were out of reach. Getting to be a part and witness those moments from the beginning to where they are now keeps me grounded. I always tell myself when something feels overwhelming to just focus on what’s right in front of me, one mom, one step, one moment at a time.
Q. Looking ahead, what dreams or goals are you most excited about for the future of Love Does?
A. Looking ahead, I would love to continue growing in a way that allows us to go deeper. More community events, more classes and support for our moms, and building stronger connections with people who want to come alongside this work we are doing.
What excites me most is continuing to see real transformation in the lives of the moms we serve. Watching them come in with so much uncertainty and leave with so much confidence, stability, and pride in who they’ve become. That means everything. I’m also looking forward to all the milestones along the way: graduations, new jobs, and stepping into their own space where they can truly start believing in themselves again. My hope is to keep doing this well, to continue creating a space that is safe, consistent, and filled with so much love and care.
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