The plight of a single mother living in poverty. Here’s what the numbers say…

According to the US 2020 Census there were 10.72 million single parent families with women representing over 80% of that number or approximately 8.58 million. Nearly a third of that number were living in poverty. So, how does a mother with one or more children raise a family today? Here are some additional data points regarding single mothers from the 2020 Census:

1. 29% were jobless the entire year. The covid pandemic will not help this number improve any time soon.
2. 28.7% were food insecure, meaning, they didn’t have food in the pantry and consistent access to healthy and good quality food.
3. Only 22.4% received unemployment benefits. In California they are still sorting through paying out over $31 billion in fraudulent claims and so they suspended millions of accounts for those that need it.
4. Only a third of single mothers received any child support and the average of those that received any was about $286 per month.
5. 13.4% had no health insurance at all.
6. The Federal Poverty Line (FPL) today for a family of four (4) is $26,500.

While many women decide to have children out of wedlock, the reasons for raising a family on their own vary. Many leave toxic and abusive relationships and decide to go it all alone on the streets. The ones that can barely survive end up in a dual parenting role. Often, they were abused by other men growing up because they too did not have a father figure. So, they would seek comfort and support in men who abused them. Now they struggle to trust men and others in life and yet they decide to courageously raise the children alone and begin to live a life in fear. Both from fear of raising their children alone and the fear of their past resurfacing, bringing violence and turmoil to their unstable lives on the streets or in less-than-ideal housing. They can even relapse back into addiction again.

These courageous women are faced with tough decisions when their partner leaves or they leave the relationship. Sometimes the father is not ready for the responsibility of raising children and leaves when the children are young. Sometimes these men become caught up in addiction, incarcerated or die tragically following a string of bad decisions. There are many reasons. Sometimes the shame of being a single mother overwhelmed by the responsibilities of providing for their children escalates to addiction to drugs and or alcohol.

A major contributing factor to the rise of poverty amongst single mothers is that there is still income disparity between men and women seeking the same job with women sometimes only earning about 82% of what their male counterpart earns. Without alimony and child support, many women work long hours including two jobs. Some work and go to school in hopes of providing upward mobility for their family along with financial independence from the government, family, and men. In the United States alone, there are 2.7 million mothers who are living in poverty while trying to raise a family. While this number is staggering, it doesn’t include the millions of women who are slightly above this number and at-risk of being homeless at some point in their lives with their children.

Whether it is, by the environment, choice or circumstance these mothers are raising millions of children in this country. How can they possibly do this at, near or below the poverty line? Single mothers and their children are the most underserved segment of the homeless and the at-risk population today. If they do become homeless and addicted, then they need programs that will help stabilize them in the short term, however, homeless shelters and treatment centers are not equipped to do this for the longer term.

When these mothers leave a shelter or rehab, then they need the opportunity to continue to learn and develop the necessary life, family, and business skills that will give them the best chances to be successful as the leader and provider of their families. Then when they find a job and affordable housing, they can begin to continue to stabilize on their own and perhaps thrive in society as business and community contributors. These mothers are raising children and these children are the present and future of our society. Society benefits from these mothers having the best possible resources and tools available to them.

Currently, millions remain homeless and at-risk and vulnerable. The opportunity to change this narrative is in our hands, and our support is critical in these ever changing and uncertain times. They remain vulnerable and at-risk. They need our support.

Steve

To learn more about how our organization helps single, at-risk mothers and their children, please visit our website at: www.believeinbigchange.com