GCC and Local Nonprofit Join Forces to Help Single Moms
June 30, 2008
To help single moms with kids attend college, Glendale Community College (GCC) partners with an award-winning local nonprofit group called Helping Hands for Single Moms. (See last paragraph for contact information.) Developed by visionary and ordained minister Chris Coffman, Helping Hands is a 501c3 community-based, nonprofit organization. Its mission is to empower single mothers to independently provide for their families. It accomplishes this by assisting them attain a college education, affordable housing and financial literacy.
In May, single mothers Emis Cox and Sarina Wilson graduated from GCC. In addition to their own hard work and perseverance, assistance from this award-winning program was instrumental in their success. Cox received an Associate's degree in Social Services and plans to pursue a bachelor's degree. Wilson received an Associate's degree in Fire Science and plans to obtain a Paramedic Certificate.
Helping Hands began in 2001 with one single-mom family. After developing a solid program and recruiting a strong board of directors, Coffman worked tirelessly to obtain funding from various foundations, corporations and individual donors. The search for continuing funding is never ending.
Currently the organization is assisting 43 single-mom families; 16 of the moms are attending GCC. One hundred twenty more have applied to the program and are on a waiting list. At this time, the Helping Hands program is only available to single moms in the greater Phoenix metropolitan area.
Once selected for the program, the moms receive:
In turn, the single moms must:
The Single Moms Network is a supportive community comprised of the Helping Hands moms at the GCC campus and any other single mothers attending GCC who wish to join the group. They get to know and help each other through the network, which serves as a support group, a social group and the sponsor of fun activities for the moms and their children.
Visit www.helpsinglemoms.org for more information about DONATING TO or APPLYING FOR this program. Click on
Make a Donation
to donate. Click on APPLY to apply online. Contact numbers are 602.475.1718 or 602.796.7875.
If your donation qualifies, the first $200 ($400 for a couple) will reduce your 2008 AZ tax bill, as Helping Hands for Single Moms is on the approved tax credit list for Arizona charitable contributions.
Emis Cox
Sarina Wilson
