From Single Mom to Single Parent Advocate: The Story of H.O.P.E.

Kenita Smith’s passion for single parents grew from her own struggles as a single mom. 

As a child, her dream was to become a doctor. Years later, she started school to achieve her childhood dream, but at 21, she became pregnant with her first son. 

“I thought becoming a doctor and raising a child through residency may not be realistic because I wanted to raise my child myself,” Kenita explained. “I decided to do the next best thing, which was to become a nurse practitioner.”

Kenita shifted her career plans and attended school for this new career. “I got to my final year of nursing school and learned that I was expecting my second son. I couldn’t do clinicals with restrictions, so I ended up changing my major to business administration, concentrating in healthcare.”

With multiple changes to her major, Kenita was facing more time in school while a single parent. Unable to receive government assistance while attending a four-year college, Kenita juggled school and parenting until she graduated. 

She started working in healthcare management to support herself and her children. While there, she not only excelled in her position but also connected with certified nursing assistants (CNAs) who were attending school as single parents or had done so in the past. 

“I found myself encouraging a lot of them,” she shared. 

Her own experiences and relationships like these planted a seed in Kenita’s mind. 

“I thought of a program that would help single parents in college that were like me, that needed ongoing childcare or rent assistance. I knew some programs helped single parents who were homeless or who had one-time emergency assistance available, but nothing that was really ongoing.”

Even though she had no nonprofit experience or donor base, Kenita believed she needed to pursue this idea. 

“I wrote up [a proposal] and gave it to a doctor I worked with,” Kenita said. “He said, ‘You have to start this program, and I’ll give you the seed money for the 501c3 application.’”

In 2009, Helping Other People Be Empowered (H.O.P.E.) was born. Over the next few years, she built an infrastructure and determined how she would serve single parents. 

“In that process of building community awareness, I found out about the Community Foundation for Northeast Georgia from a rotary club,” she explained. “I began to get familiar with the community and the needs of the community through the foundation, and we got one of our first grants from Scott Hudgens who gave through the Community Foundation.”

This grant was pivotal in helping H.O.P.E. begin its outreach to empower single parents through financial assistance and training, counseling and more.

Though she is the President and CEO of a growing organization, Kenita still plays a personal role in each new parent’s entry into H.O.P.E.’s program and connects with applicants while conducting their second intake interview. 

She remembers a participant, Victoria, who entered the program during a very difficult and painful time in her life. 

On top of needing help with rent and childcare, both of Victoria’s parents were diagnosed with cancer, and Victoria was a primary caregiver. 

“We came in and supported her with rent assistance, childcare and emergency assistance with food and gas,” Kenita explained “But the stress of everything was quite significant. We also offer mental health services, so we were able to provide her with mental health support.

“To see her come through that whole ordeal and be able to still tell her kids that she’s graduating is phenomenal.”

Another participant had two months left in her school semester but was facing eviction. She had struggled to find help through other organizations and felt discouraged.

When she met with Kenita to review her situation and finances, Kenita knew H.O.P.E. could help.

“I surprised her when I said, ‘I want to accept you into the program, and we’re going to pay your entire rent,’” Kenita shared. “She cried so much, and she kept saying, ‘Why, why, why?’ And I said, ‘Because I think you need to have some good news and some good things happen to you.’”

Stories like this are common in H.O.P.E. but that doesn’t mean Kenita takes them for granted. She’s still committed to growing and serving more single parents in the community.

One important way H.O.P.E. is planning for the future? Opening a fund with the Community Foundation!

After almost fifteen years as an organization, H.O.P.E. saw 100 single parent graduates. Through their fundraising efforts and increased community exposure, they’re hoping to see another 100 graduates over the next five years.

“I would like to say thank you to the Scott Hudgens Family Foundation and the Community Foundation through the utilization of funds to help others,” she said. “Opening a fund provides great benefits and more visibility to resources available within the foundation. When you’re a fundholder, their donors are also provided more information about your organization.”

As a child, Kenita dreamed of serving others. Because of the community’s generosity and her commitment to single parents, she’s been able to fulfill that dream — just in a different way than she imagined!
To support single parents, give to H.O.P.E.’s Reserves fund.