Since 2015, the number of single mothers has been growing among the college student population in the United States, according to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research. Single mothers are less likely than their peers to complete college.
Located thirty minutes north of Milwaukee in Menomonee Falls, HOPE Network for Single Mothers offers programs and resources to all single mothers in surrounding communities. They connect members to an abundance of opportunities and educational guides to advance their parenting journeys.
They provide emotional and financial support, while keeping their main focus on ensuring all mothers feel safe and ready to support their families.
HOPE’s website states that the largest group of members by age group are 26 to 30-year-olds, sitting at 20% of the entire organization; members who are between 20 and 25 account for 11% of the organization.
Among that 11% are this year’s scholarship recipients Esmeralda Martinez, Kenyatta Falkner, Briana Rose, Bethany Simon, Simone Tatum and Tierra Thomas. Each year, the organization gives out roughly $25,500 in scholarships, to the value of at least $1,000 each, to be used for tuition or childcare while attending school.
With exponential data showcasing the struggles between being a caretaker for a child and completing post-secondary education, investing in programs that support the needs of single mothers has the potential to greatly improve their rates of graduating college.
Organizations like HOPE Network play an essential part in offering resources to single mothers who struggle to obtain government assistance and have been systematically placed at the bottom of the hierarchy.
Women of color account for the majority of the population of single mothers. According to an article posted by the Milwaukee Biz Times, births to single mothers of color in Wisconsin and Milwaukee are roughly between 85% and 87%.
With a legible difference in birth rates between ethnic groups within Wisconsin, financial quotas are drastically distinguishable too.
In Shepherd Express’ article, the median income for African American single mothers in Milwaukee is $15,900, compared to $26,800 for white single mothers.
This is where HOPE Network’s objective to help mothers comes to life: in order to help participants get back on their feet, HOPE offers resourcefulness through its scholarships, secure employment, or support for childcare costs of returning to school.
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