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Foundation provides hope for single moms

Being a single father I soon found out that that there are many many things out there to help single mothers and very few if any to help fathers. The schools, businesses etc need to just help people that really need it not just mothers.

What About Dads: Not to minimize your situation, but statistically males have greater opportunity to earn decent (liveable) wages with less education, than women do. Women are STILL making 50-70% on the man's dollar for the same job, with the same education.
I think this foundation is wonderful, and I hope more foundations with similar goals start popping up. Being a single mom myself and REALLY struggling for years to be able to make ends meet (and now doing very well), I thought long ago how much I would like to start something to help single women. I think childcare is a huge issue, the state does have subsidies, but they're not always realistic or available. It really does take a village. I'm not talking about hand-outs, I'm talking about hand-ups. There are plenty of women who are very motivated, doing everything they should be to take care of their kids, and still can't quite make it. They deserve hope.

My wife passed away in 2006. I have two kids at home. Its a good thing that I have lots of friends. I dont find many Single Fathers Foundations out there.

"They are often victimized in their own expectation," he said. "Until they get rid of the need for men in their life to solve all their problems, they cannot be healthy."

I just hope this statement does not mean men are not or cannot be important in their lives. There is no substitute for a good, responsible and loving father in the home.

The best way to help them is to keep them married in the first place, or find them a new husband fast. It is not good for men or wmen to be alone.

Fact is, divorce, death, etc... is tough on both genders, especially those with children. I agree we need support groups for both. Here's another fact: it hurts the children most of all. Instead of making this a gender issue, let's make it an issue about how to help everyone deal with this issue.

It's tough for both genders. However, you will find in most cases that the community and local churches will take care of the woman. Men in general are not generally given much notice on needs.
Would love to see a support system for men also.

a coalition of men ..single fathers would be of tremendous help as the roles are changing...solutions before the problems and during for men!

Why not license people to have kids? We license people to drive automobiles or to become teachers or to become doctors/nurses ... why not to become parents. And oh yeah ... it would be nice if people could actually afford to support children before they produce them.

What about single dad's? I was a single dad of three kids. I only made $10 per hour and I couldn't get anything. No welfare, No WIC, No housing assistance, No college assistance, NOTHING! Not even child support. Yet I, after fighting to keep things together for my kids, still have to stomache these poor, single mothers. To them I say, "get a job and stop sucking off others by waving your Single Mother's flag" and to the State of Utah I say, "Wake-Up, and start making it fair".

RE Ethel: Boy I'm glad your life is so perfect! Most people don't choose to get divorced. I am not a single parent by any means,;however being a recent college grad with 6 kids in tow it was a difficult time of life. I had a husband who was very supportive. I couldn't have imagined doing it all on my own. This foundation is awesome in the way they help women become independent! I applaude anyone who would help people change their lives for the better.
It has been my experience to see that most single parents are not single by choice. What about widows, widowers or people that life has slammed down hard on them with a cheating or abusive spouse? Life changes and can change on a dime, why not show a little compassion to those who need it the most?

It is also a statistic that kids who are raised by their Dad's do better in school and have less teenage pregnacies and drug usage. What do you think of that statistic?

This woman has more of a chance then I did. I tried to get into college but couldn't because I was taking care of three kids. My ex slept around with other guys and then, even though I had the kids, she qualified for college and for housing assistance, etc. YET I HAD THE KIDS and got nothing.

I had to stop going to school because I had to take care of my kids. I don't care what you say about statistics, I was NEVER interviewed to participate in these statistics.

I'm tired of people wanting to rescue the damsel in distress. Most of these damsels are wanting to get their MRS degree, so let's send them to college on a free ride just to produce more dependant children for the next time they need to be rescued. I say grant the kids to the Dad's and give the single dads opportunities. My kids are doing VERY well.

Dads, Cowboy up and quit your whining...

"Women are STILL making 50-70% on the man's dollar for the same job, with the same education."

Could we please stop this myth. If the above statement were literally true than any bussines man with a brain would only hire women since he can pay them less for the same job. Since this does not happen ind society the above statment is not true!

I wish society was caring enough to say "I am happy that there is a wonderful program for single moms. It would also be wonderful to have a program for single dads" without attacking one of these groups. Whether your are a mom or a dad and you are single...times can be tough. Let's be mindful of and concerned for both groups. Let's not make it an either/or deal.

Twenty years ago my children and I went through the fire trap of divorce. All of us were badly burned. Thankfully, all of us survived, some with more scars than others.

When an individual is alone, with the money to earn AND the children to teach and care for, and they are struggling through the lowest emotional point of their lives, it is tough to get moving forward again. Surely this happens to men and women. However, most often mothers are the ones left with children to raise and money to earn, as so many men evaporate into the unknown, leaving their families to pretty much fend for themselves.

As the previous comments from men and women show, this is a seemingly never-ending project. Hang on, hang on for dear life and your children's lives, the best you can and as long as you can, and then hang on some more. Address the most critical needs first and keep moving forward. There is light ahead, though it seems faint and dim.

This week I talked with yet another woman beginning the divorce fire trap. It broke my heart to know firsthand the heartache ahead of her.

I agree: single dads need help, too. Maybe some of the single dads commenting here could get together and actually do something about the problem. Constructive action is always better than whining. Brainstorm about solutions, meet with your school administrators and potential donors, set up a support organization. Get 'er done.

Any help, encouragement, money, or time you can share with a single parent is kindness well spent. They need all of us to care about them and their heart broken children. Divorce is a shattering reality for so many families. Thoughtful friends, family and neighbors giving a hand up, instead of dishing out anger, abuse, or self-righteous statements, would address some of the tremendous hopelessness and pressure families in divorce live with for many years.

We all are our brother's and our sister's keepers.

I was thrust into single parenting 7 years ago... my goal was to help my children get through school and then it would be MY turn... welllllll.......

We have scraped by and now my youngest is in college. However, I have to admit I am scared to death about returning to school at 48 years of age. Especially in this economy, I may get a degree but there is NO job security out there AND no guarentee after I have the degree a job will be waiting. Just yesterday I was told ANOTHER neighbor has been laid off!

I appreciate this article, because it gives me courage. In my generation, we, young women, were taught to finish high school, get married and start a family... Just what I did! BUT the young ladies today are encouraged to get as much education as they can. Something that would have been very helpful to me in the past 7 years.

Expecting men to pay child support is not unreasonable. The foundations gaols are admirable, but should not negate the non-custodial parent from paying their end of the responsibilities.