Project Single Moms helping families in Dallas / Fort Worth

by LaToya S. Watkins of of North Dallas Gazette

Since Project Single Moms DFW launched its supportive arms to the single parents of Dallas/Fort Worth in January of 2009, a membership count of 74 single parents has been reported to the North Dallas Gazette. The organization, founded by CEO and director Stephanie Clark, was put into place after Clark's My Daughter's Keeper Inc. was founded in New Jersey in 2007. The stories of 47 single moms were told in a book titled Life As A Single Mom: It Isn't Easy, Or Is It? Project Single Moms is a nonprofit, national advocacy and empowerment program, aimed at inspiring single mothers to be the change that they desire to see in their situations.

Project Single Moms offers support to the single parenting community ranging from financial literacy to homeownership information and personal and self-development. The program, which requires a membership that is free before July 30, also offers support such as parents' night out for the mothers and activities for the single parent families as whole units as well. The group provides a 24-hour support telephone line for parents who need someone to call on anytime for support. There is even publishing information and services for parents who have written their stories down and feel that they are ready to share them with the world. "Stephanie Clark is an author of books and she loves helping others get their stories out," Tamyra Belo, one of Project Single Moms DFW coordinators told North Dallas Gazette. "She feels like all these women have a story to tell."

After speaking with all three DFW area coordinators for Project Single Moms, Tamyra Belo, Veronica Williams, and Riketa Taylor, North Dallas Gazette representatives learned that all of the women who make up the only Texas division of the organization are determined single mothers themselves.

Riketa Taylor said that the group used an event at Everest College where she attends school to promote membership and to recruit expert volunteers. In addition to being a student at Everest, Taylor is a single mother of three sons and one daughter and works full-time. Taylor commented, "All single mothers don't want to stay single, so we are even planning things like a speed dating event. We want the parents to have fun."

Project Single Moms has a few events coming up within the next few months that parents could benefit from greatly. The DFW chapter of the organization had its first meet and greet in early June and were quite please with the turnout. The group is planning a back to school event that will take place in August. There will be food, fun, and school supplies! Taylor explained, "We are even trying to get a few barbers and hair stylists to come out and offer services to help parents prepare for school as well."

The coordinators are even planning as far ahead to an October kids night out -- Boo at the Zoo. The group plans to meet up once a month for mixing and mingling, as well as hold a phone conference for all members once monthly to touch base and give parents a chance to reach more than once monthly. "We just want to have fun and support each other while doing so," Belo stated enthusiastically.

Membership criteria for the organization are loose and lenient. "Two of our single parents are actually single fathers," Taylor revealed right before Belo inserted, "There are actually now three single fathers in the group." The two coordinators went on to report that married, single, or childless individuals, are all welcome to join as long as they support the cause of better assisting and educating the single parent community. Belo added that one of the members of the group is a married male with no kids. "He just heard about the program and wanted to offer his help."

The coordinators from the Texas division of Project Single Moms plan to move toward growth in the region by adding other affiliates. They explained that they are eager for other single parents to step forward and offer expansion in the Texas area by becoming coordinators of new divisions. Veronica Williams stated that it would be productive and easier to serve more Texans by dividing the cities and even metropolises up by creating different chapters. For more information on starting a Project Single Moms chapter in your area contact one of the DFW coordinators at contactdfw@projectsinglemoms.com.

For more information on national and local chapters or to join chapters of Project Single Moms, please visit www.projectsinglemoms.com.