On National Single Parent”™s Day ”“ today, Tuesday, March 21 ”“ we take a moment to note that 80 percent”¯of single-parent families are headed by single mothers ”” and nearly a third live in poverty. The nonprofit Jeremiah Program”¯(JP) ”“ with communities around the country, including Brooklyn ”“ strives to help single moms invest in themselves and take steps towards economic mobility by:
Removing the stigma of being a single mom. JP said it is shifting the conversation to address inequities in our systems that many families in poverty experience, such as inaccessibility to quality childcare, housing and economic opportunities, a spokeswoman said.
”¯Demystifying entrepreneurship and economic mobility: JP is working with mom entrepreneurs to provide coaching, resources and funding through its Spark Tank initiative — a professional development boot camp at the organization”™s annual summit in Austin, Texas.
Addressing the child-care crisis:”¯Millions of Americans ”“ mostly women ”“ continue to grapple with the financial breaking point of childcare. As of January 2023, there were”¯217,000 fewer women in the labor force than in February 2020. Those most affected are”¯single mothers. Unemployment daycare closures, staffing shortages and inflation have made finding affordable childcare harder than ever.
For more on the local picture for single mothers, check out the Westchester Women”™s Agenda”™s “2022 Report on the Status of Women in Westchester” here. www.wwagenda.org.
