Many single parents are stuck financially, professionally, or emotionally. Since 1995, Single Mothers Outreach (SMO) has helped over 2000 single parents move forward. This is not only good for families, it is also good for communities. 

Single parents living in the Santa Clarita Valley desire to provide a safe home for their children, secure stable and meaningful work, and find cost effective, high-quality childcare. Unfortunately, this is beyond the reach for many who call Santa Clarita their home.

Based on personal interviews with every parent who becomes a member, we discovered many are in low paying jobs with no advancement opportunities. Fifty-four percent indicate they have been a victim of emotional or physical abuse and, therefore, suffer from low self-esteem. Many have physical or emotional disabilities and have been placed on full-time disability, resulting in income below the federal poverty level. Several have children with special needs preventing the parent from holding a traditional job due to excessive absenteeism, the result of caring for a chronically ill child.

SMO meets each parent at their point of need, but also actively seeks solutions that encourage them to move forward. Toward this end, SMO developed a comprehensive program plan that pulls, not pushes, them forward. We effectively serve these families through community partnerships with College of the Canyons, Charter College, Domestic Violence Center, Child and Family Center, The Boys and Girls Club and local womens' organizations such as The Zonta, and Soroptimist, just to name a few.

SMO also desires to become self-sustaining. SMO is actively developing social enterprise opportunities based upon Mohammed Yunus' model. These for-profit centers will be staffed by parents in our program. Not only will the single parents we serve earn income, Single Mothers Outreach will also generate revenue, an important funding stream for on-going programs and services.

Looking forward,

DaAnne