Making a Difference in Single Parents' Lives

Single parents often face various challenges in their lives, and sometimes they'll need assistance from relatives or community residents. For example, some single parents are trying to start new careers and they may need help with preparing resumes while other single parents may need rental assistance because they recently lost a job. If you know any single parents in need, use any resources or connections you have to make life easier for them.

One idea is to hold a fundraiser so you can purchase home furnishings for single parents who just moved into a new apartment or purchased their first home. For example, if you're going to have a music concert as part of the fundraiser, you can contact local bands and ask if they would be intersted in performing at the fundraiser. Also promote the fundraiser by holding radio and TV interviews which detail the purpose of the event and how much is the concert admission fee. Another way to promote the fundraiser is by taking flyers to universities, restaurants, hospitals, and public libraries.

Offer to babysit the children of single parents in your neighborhood. When meeting with the parents and their children, ask the parents if there are any special guidelines and dietary restrictions you need to be aware of concerning the children, and also discuss how much you will charge and at what time will the parents pick up the children. This would especially be a good service for single parents who work or attend school at night.

If the single parents need an outlet for their children to do productive things, you can take their children on educational field trips or invite them to your home for activities. For example, if you know the children enjoy looking at artwork, carve out two weekends out of each month to bring them to local art galleries. Or if the parents want their teens to learn money management skills, you can hold a weekly lesson with the children about subjects such as writing out checks, making a monthly budget, and spending wisely.

Source:

Magdalena Wegrzyn, "Nonprofit Offers Car Clinic, Support for Single Parents." Longmont Times Call http://www.timescall.com/news_story.asp?ID=25345

ABC News, "Program Helps Single Parents Go to College." http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=3552745&page=1