One question we often hear is, “Why must single moms be enrolled in school to participate in Buckner Family Pathways?”  

The question is a valid one. For example, in Texas, just under 159,000 college students are single mothers, according to the Institute for Women's Policy Research, and they represent 26% of the undergraduate population in the state.  

That’s a small percentage when given the whole state of Texas. There are many programs for single parents available, some that help with housing, rent assistance, parenting, counseling and more. But by focusing on a niche group of moms, we can go deeper with our impact in breaking generational poverty and strengthening families.  

We get many of our referrals from organizations where women have taken the time to recover from abuse, addiction, homelessness, and more. Once they have settled on their feet, they can start to dream again. And research has shown us that one of the best ways to reduce generational poverty is through education. 

Higher education allows a woman the opportunity to secure a job that pays more than minimum wage. When a single mom has to provide for her kids, pay the rent, buy food, and more, all in an economy with growing prices, it can be tough. And if her kids are under school age, she also has to pay for childcare.   

The costs of childcare alone are a difficult expense even for an upper-middle-class family. According to the Texas Women Foundation, the annual average cost for full-time childcare for one child in Texas is $9,000 or more. This means that for a woman making a mean income of $41,687, childcare takes up over 21% of her earnings.  

This is why helping women with childcare, reduced rent, counseling, and more can greatly increase the success rate of a single mom completing her education. And by completing her education, she is less likely to be living below the poverty line.  

In fact, the increase in median earnings for a woman with a bachelor's degree than a woman with an associate degree is $19,000 more.   

As a nonprofit that works in the child and family services sector, we have seen what can happen to families who feel the pressure of needing to go to work and not having enough funds to pay for childcare. Often, kids are left alone at home beyond their age maturity. This can lead to neglect cases and separated families.   

Family Pathways not only focuses on single moms pursuing their degree but comes alongside them to help succeed by offering childcare, reduced rent in a safe and clean apartment, community with other moms, mentors, counselors, family coaching, Bible studies, and more.   

“Buckner has been the structure and safe space I needed to succeed. They have been by my side for the last four and a half years to guide me and teach me to work hard and never give up,” said Christina Bunge, a former Family Pathways resident. “There are no words to express my gratitude for everything the Buckner staff has done for me and my girls. I know that I can be successful in the future thanks to the staff at Buckner.” 

It matters because when women rise, their families rise too. According to Money Management 2019, Dallas ranked 90th out of the 100 largest metros for the hardest places for single parents to live, while Houston ranked as the worst place to be a single parent in the United States.   

When we get the question about why Family Pathways is only for single moms in school, we are reminded of our focus on breaking generational poverty through education. We can certainly refer women to places that can help them with other emergency needs, and then once that hard road of recovery has been travelled, we are here to take them on the next step.   

If you or someone you know can benefit from our program, visit our website and fill out the form to connect with one of our locations across Texas.