Support Black Lives in Atlanta Through Education

Throughout 2021, you made possible our success as an organization and elevated our programs to support Black single parents enrolled in college. Because of people like you who choose to invest in our community, together we've impacted 267 people's lives by providing rent and child care assistance, financial literacy training, and counseling services. And, for the 16 Black single parents currently enrolled in our program, your donations will help them reach their goals of earning a college degree, lifting them out of poverty, and reducing racial disparity in our community.

As we optimistically look forward to 2022, I invite you to remain on this journey with us. The traditional path to a college degree was not set up for single parents to succeed, especially Black single parents. But together, we will make a lasting, positive impact in the lives of Black single parents who have been marginalized, undermined, or unaccounted for as they try to change the trajectory of their lives. 

Wishing you good health and happiness in the New Year,

Kenita Smith, BBA, MBA, MA
H.O.P.E., Inc. Founder/CEO/President

Links:

• H.O.P.E. Website

"Education is not a way to escape poverty, it is a way of fighting it.” - Julius Nyerere 

Your donations to H.O.P.E., Inc. continue to support black lives in Atlanta, as you help raise Black single parents out of poverty. The average participant income when they first enter our program is just $400 above the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). Nearly a third of all households in Metro Atlanta are headed by African-American single mothers with no college degree, and approximately 40% of these households live in poverty. Employment is perhaps the most obvious path to success, but single parents frequently struggle to find part-time jobs that pay enough to support their families. One of the best ways to fight inequality is by taking steps to guarantee economic mobility for black families and their children for generations. A way to get there is through education. American families, especially black families, are staying in poverty for many generations, with some scientists estimating that it takes as many as 10 to 15 generations for families to break free of it. 

However, because of your support, we are able to offer our H.O.P.E., Inc. single parents the resources they need to help them finish college, earn their degrees, and break the cycle of poverty. As a result, our graduates on average have increased their yearly income by 121%, pulling them out of the FPL. And this year, we are on track to graduate eight more!

One example of someone in our program breaking the cycle of poverty is, Tyronda. She is a single mom of a ten-year-old boy who is obtaining an Associate's Degree in Dental Hygiene. Tyronda is the first in her family to graduate from college, and she will make all of us proud in January of next year. It would not have been possible without you!

We thank you for continuing on this journey with us and changing the lives of Black families in Atlanta.

Gratefully,

Kenita Smith
H.O.P.E., Inc. President / CEO / Founder

• HOPE 2020 Annual Report (PDF)