Last Updated on January 23, 2024 by Lori Pace
Parenting is too important to be done alone. Yet, single mothers don’t have a choice but to take on this responsibility. Parenting is the key to successful and well-adjusted kids. Single Mothers Outreach supports families who are experiencing sudden housing instability, income loss, social deterioration, and emotional trauma as a result of divorce, abandonment or widowhood.
Single Mothers Outreach dream is to create small businesses that will employ our single parents. Many of these parents are struggling with disability or have suffered from domestic violence. The organization also focuses on organizational sustainability.
How Single Mothers Outreach Support Single Parent Families
Assist
SMO gives single parents meaningful donations to help them care for their children. SMO offers food and emergency housing resources to families, clothing and accessories, backpacks with school supplies and free food. There are also many items donated by the Santa Clarita community. SMO partners with Baby2Baby for diapers, wipes and formula, as well as clothing and other necessities.
The Closet Program benefits both moms and their children. Closet on Main offers families the opportunity to shop at no cost on a monthly basis. Thanks to generous foundations and the City of Santa Clarita, the organization offers rent assistance and hotel vouchers to single parents in need.
Connect
SMO connects special single parents with vital and crucial social services resources. They offer emergency stabilization to families in serious danger of losing everything. Initial intake assessments will be done by case management to ensure that as many needs as possible are met. Experienced staff will guide the agency’s ability to provide advocacy and resources on a personal and individualized basis
The goal is to help single parents reach their goal of self-sufficiency. Participants receive targeted resources for emergency stabilization that are tailored to their individual needs. Each family receives a customized list of resources. They are provided with resources in many areas, including childcare, financial aid, food, clothing and legal assistance.
Each family is unique and each care plan is tailored to their needs. SMO connects parents to each other through SMO’s SCV Support Group and classes. It is also great to connect single parents with each other. Single parents often feel isolated from their community. Parents feel empowered when they can connect with other parents to share resources, support, encouragement, and friendship.
Single Mothers Outreach Helps Grow You
SMO offers training programs to help low-income parents find work. Stopping financial ruin, gaining emotional stability, and learning the life skills needed to raise their children alone. These programs include:
Individual And Group Therapy
SMO offers counseling services to single parents and their children in an effort relieve emotional distress and mental problems
Money Management
Single parents can increase their employability, manage money, grow their emergency savings, reduce their debt and make career choices that will improve their financial future. This financial program is based on a well-respected, internationally recognized training protocol. It is taught in an English or Spanish format over a 9-week period. Participants learn topics such as how to save for emergencies, budgeting, bargain shopping, getting out of debt, understanding insurance, credit bureaus, mortgages, retirement planning, and other financial issues.
Career And Technology Center
Offers computer-training to parents to help them gain marketable skills that will allow them to be competitive in the job market. Participants are offered training in all the fundamental software programs by College of the Canyons in partnership with The WorkSource Center. They also receive career assessment seminars, resume-building and interview tips, as well as donated professional clothing to help them prepare for job interviews.
Life Skills Workshops
Professionals in specific fields teach classes on topics such as personal finance, education, family law, health and wellbeing, career development, personal finance, and healthy relationships. These workshops are offered monthly by direct service provision, or through community partnerships with Santa Clarita Valley Zonta Life-Forward Workshops, College of the Canyons Career Services Department, and Santa Clarita Valley College of the Canyons Career Services Department.
Single Mothers Outreach Inspires
Single parenting can be very difficult. SMO offers a range of rewards and incentives for families that are working towards self-reliance.
Mother’s Day Event
Mother’s Day typically arrives with flowers and breakfasts, as well as gifts to honor the special mom in our lives. This day is often just another day for some mothers and a difficult memory. These women love their children just as much as any other mother, but most single mothers don’t receive the same appreciation. Single Mothers Outreach celebrates mothers with beautiful brunches, flowers, chocolates, and gifts each year.
Adopt-a Family
Single parents who work hard can make wonderful memories with their children by adopting a family. SMO parents are “adopted” by local churches, community groups and neighbors. They receive gifts, ice-skating, party invitations, and other goodies.
Holiday Celebrations
Thanksgiving baskets and Easter baskets, Halloween costumes, Single Parents Day, and many more.
