Everyone wants children to thrive; but for half of the children of single moms, that isn’t going to happen. This was true prior to the pandemic. It is even more true now. More children are living in poverty, are hungry and as a result, can’t focus on school.
Many single moms work multiple minimum-wage jobs, which doesn’t pay the bills. See the chart showing the amount of money needed per hour to pay for major expenses, like rent, daycare and food. Note: it doesn’t include utilities, transportation, clothes for growing children, tech like internet or other school supplies.
The national poverty rate was 12.8% in 2021. The child poverty rate (for people under age 18) was 16.9% in 2021. In 2022, the average rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Grand Rapids is $1,360 per month–a 9% increase. According to care.com, daycare in Grand Rapids has gone up 60%, the highest in the country.
Hope for Single Moms is on a mission to ensure children in single mom families thrive. Our program is for single parents who are full-time students in a post-secondary education program. The primary purpose is to help parents and their young children develop the educational and family life skills needed to achieve self-sufficiency.
Now more than ever, single mom families need your help. Join us in building strong families in West Michigan. Let’s break the cycle of poverty many families find themselves in.