While there may be a glimmer of hope for the economy in recent times, the effects are grim. There are many people who have yet to see any benefit from it, greatly depending on income, race, education and marital status. Single mothers seem to be at the top of the list here.
The number of single moms in the U.S. Has been steadily climbing for decades. But according to the Census Bureau’s report last year, the number of single moms have recently went through the roof. Over 60 percent of women who gave birth in 2011 were single. There were 80 percent more single moms in 2007 as compared to 1980. But it wasn’t a slow, gradual increase. 20 percent of the increase happened in merely five years – from 2002 to 2007.
Education and income apparently play a very large role in whether a mom is married or single. The demographers reported that women with a higher income and college degree are nowhere near as likely to be single as those with lower incomes and no college degree.
Fortunately, there is hope. There’s a growing number of services, charities and programs popping up across the country that offer help to single mothers. Here are just a few:
The New Horizons Permanent Housing Program – Cleveland
In Cleveland, area churches, the City Mission and Cuyahoga County Bank have all come together to form this program. It’s designed to help single mothers who have successfully went through the program at Laura’s Home get into their own home.
Helping Hands for Single Moms
This program can be a lifesaver for any single mom going back to school. Going back to school adds a whole new level of challenges for single moms. Not only are they trying to feed their children, find adequate childcare so they can work and pay the bills, but now they’re dealing with term papers, study time and juggling it all – alone. This can easily lead to dropping out. So Helping Hands for Single Moms tries to alleviate the pressure so more moms can finish school, get a degree and find a better job.
They help a wide variety of things. They provide a monthly stipend, assistance for computers, limited health care, holiday gifts, professional counseling & mentoring and even hair cuts. Visit their site for more information. As for financial assistance to be able to go back to school, here’s one site that offers a pretty good list of scholarships for single mothers.
The Jeremiah Program
A forward thinking approach to helping not only single moms, but their children as well. In this program for single moms, the mom pays a small monthly fee for housing, childcare and education. A complete package. They’re welcome to stay as long as they remain in school. They strive to provide a stability and foundations for a solid future that’s all too often unknown to single mothers.
