‘Dangling a Lifeline’ for Single Parents

by Amy Storms 

 

“Pray for lifelines,” writes Melanie Lightbourn-Rowe, “and don’t drown while one is dangling right in front of you!”

Two years ago, Melanie found one such lifeline in front of her: Valencia’s own Single Mothers Outreach. Newly divorced, and new to the Santa Clarita Valley, she was in desperate need of support. At a friend’s recommendation, Melanie tried SMO.

“I got so much more than I had bargained,” she says. “I was introduced to [Programs and Services Director] Jennifer Kennedy for the first time and was completely impressed, not only with the level of professionalism with which I was handled, but with a great support base from the beginning.”

Since that day, SMO has been a much-needed resource for Melanie and her two boys. She has participated in the monthly Shop the Closet and annual Adopt-a-Family events, but her favorite program at SMO is Financial Peace University.

“I had a ton of financial issues that I didn’t know how to resolve,” Melanie writes. “But through FPU, I was able to pay off my debt and focus on saving for emergencies. Empowerment is SMO’s specialty, and I’ve been empowered in such a way that when I am able to make large contributions, SMO will be at the top of my list.”

Being debt free let Melanie return to school without excuses. She recently obtained her M.Ed. in Educational Administration and Leadership Policies, and she hopes to become a middle school administrator this fall.

Melanie admits that she isn’t yet where she’d like to be, and she credits Single Mothers Outreach with helping her strive for more. She inspires others to do the same.

“As single parents,” Melanie says, “we are not hopeless, nor are we crippled by our circumstances. We are uniquely strengthened because there is something that resides in us that pushes us to greatness.”

Today, Melanie “dangles the lifeline” of SMO in front of others, too. She has invited several single moms to the local office.

“We seldom seek help for ourselves because we are proud to be self-sufficient,” Melanie notes. “I had to place my pride in my back pocket. I realized that if a little help goes a long way, then a lot of help could change a life! And that is what SMO provides.”

Please shop at Closet on Main, located in Newhall, CA. All proceeds benefit the families Single Mothers Outreach serves. For more information on Single Mothers Outreach, call 661-288-0117 or visit www.singlemothersoutreach.org.

Not Alone: Single Mom Finds Help and Hope | Single Mothers Outreach Success Story

by Amy Storms

For many women, having a baby is one of life’s happiest experiences. For Kathy Yeyna, it was one of the hardest.

Ten weeks before her due date with her third child, Kathy’s husband surprised her with these words: “I love you, but I’m not in love with you. If it weren’t for the kids, I’d divorce you right now.”

As their relationship continued to crumble, Kathy prayed that her baby would be late, to give her more time to save the marriage. Just after her son arrived, Kathy learned that her husband of eleven years had been unfaithful. He reunited with his high school sweetheart, and Kathy found herself alone and unemployed with two young children and a newborn.

“When I think back,” Kathy says, “I don’t even know how I got through it. I cried every day for a year, curled up on my bed in a fetal position. The only reason I got up was to help my baby, and I thought I might actually die of a broken heart.”

Kathy had lost her husband, best friend, and business partner all in one. Thankfully, she found another source of support. Single Mothers Outreach stepped in, just when Kathy needed them most. When Kathy’s ex-husband took her to court to reduce his child support by 30%, executive director DaAnne Smith offered encouragement, hope, and practical resources to help.

“I drove to SMO even though I didn’t have an appointment,” Kathy says, “and I signed on as a member that day.”

Single Mothers Outreach is located in Santa Clarita California. Our mission is to empower single parents and their children by providing hope, support, and resources so that families can become self-sustaining. 

Volunteer Moved by Mission | Single Mothers Outreach Impacts a Volunteer

Diane is one of Single Mothers Outreach’s regular volunteers. She joined our nonprofit because she wants to help and make an impact. Her contribution is significant, offering compassion and help to struggling single parents. She shares a recent experience at the office. – DaAnne Smith, Executive Director

Yesterday, at the place where I volunteer on Mondays, something wonderful happened. This isn’t anything out of the ordinary there, as this organization helps people like this every day, but for some reason, this time, I was touched so profoundly that I couldn’t stop crying for hours.

A woman came in with her son to find out if our service could help them. I was the one to greet her and arrange a meeting. She spoke with our staff for an hour. She was a woman who had been imported from another country and she was trying to escape an abusive spouse. I could only hear her tears of pain and relief as she told her story quietly to our sweet staff who comforted her and provided her with the desperate help she needed. When she came out, the look on her face was indescribable. I could see she was still holding back her tears. I reached out to her and gave her a hug, and it was in that moment that I too experienced her pain and her joy.

This woman’s gratitude was beyond anything I had ever been a part of. She had been in hell and thought she’d never get out of it. A hand was extended to her, and she was suddenly and unexpectedly able to climb out of that hell. It’s like coming back from the dead. I know this woman and her child will go on to have good lives and help others, as all of the people getting help there seem to do.

I am the one who is grateful for the opportunity to be a part of an organization that is helping people like this. Not a day goes by that I don’t hear a story from someone who cries with the deepest gratitude from the help they have received there.

Almost 50% of Single Mothers Outreach parents join us after fleeing from abuse. All parents are treated with dignity and respect, without judgement.

Single Mothers Outreach welcomes Santa Clarita residents who wish to help us move our mission forward by empowering single parents and their children with hope, support, and resources so that families can become self-sustaining. Go here for more information on becoming a part of our team!

Santa Clarita Single Parent Wins State Educator Award

Melanie Lightbourn-Rowe is one of Single Mothers Outreach‘s members and we celebrate this deserving achievement with her! -DaAnne Smith, Executive Director

Melanie Lightbourn-Rowe is a teacher’s teacher. For over 20 years, she has exuded excellence in many roles. A former Literacy and Instructional Coach, she now serves as the Dean of Students for her school of 1,700, applying concepts from Caught in the Middle to the Common Core State Standards to help diverse students fulfill their learning potential.  Melanie is a psychologist, doctor, teacher, mother, guardian and advocate for all children.  Her energy is boundless and her enthusiasm and creativity are second to none.  She is a reformer and works as a team player for kids’ success by conscientiously including staff, parents, and teachers.  Her leadership qualities are precise, effective and inspiring.  Melanie is a true educator who does whatever it takes to help students succeed and learn. 

On December 18, 2012, Ms. Lightbourn-Rowe was named Educator of the Year for Region 8 within the California League of Middle Schools.  On March 2, 2013, Melanie walked away from the California League of Schools Conference, held in the state’s capitol, with the title of State Educator of the Year 2013.  Melanie will represent the state of California, speaking at conferences throughout the year, as well as presenting initiatives for the new implementation of the Common Core State Standards.  Congratulations to her for a job well done!

An Unexpected Gift | Single Mom Helps Another Parent

by Julissa Garcia

I have had osteoarthritis in both hips since I was 15 years old.  I could never learn how to ride a bike because I have balance problems, and I wasn’t able to have physical activity per doctor’s orders. I have always had mobility problems, but now, at age 45, my hips have gotten very stiff and my mobility range has gone from bad to worse. Recently, I’ve been asking other moms if they know of anyone who might be getting rid of or selling an exercise bike. I couldn’t afford a new one.

Two weeks ago, my friend Maria—an SMO mom of twins and a daughter in elementary school—said she would look into it. I thought it was a nice gesture. Then last Sunday, I received a text from Maria.

“I have your exercise bike,” it read, “and I’m bringing it to you right now.” I thought she was joking. Sure enough, she brought it to my house. I was stunned! It looked brand new. I asked, “How much do I owe you?” She replied that her cousin’s friend was getting rid it, and told Maria to take it.

I said, “No way. I have to pay something.”

Maria insisted that she was giving it to me. I still could not believe it.

“Impossible,” I said. “I feel bad for accepting it for free.”

Maria insisted that I did not have to pay for it. Of course, I became emotional, and filled with so much happiness at the unexpected gift. What a blessing to have such good friends in my life!

It’s a Fools’ Paradise | Escape Tax Day with a Round of Golf and Wine Tasting

They say there’s a silver lining in every cloud. This tax day, join Vance Wealth Capital and Single Mothers Outreach for  a day of fun and frolic at the 5th Annual Fools’ Paradise Golf Tournament and Wine/Beer Tasting event on April 15, 2013 at Robinson Ranch Golf Club. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m.; shot-gun start at 11:00 a.m., and the beer and wine tasting begins at 4:15 p.m. for those who don’t like to golf but want to come on out and celebrate and support a good cause. Dinner and auction immediately follows.

Every dollar raised supports vital programs and services to scaffold single parent families facing sudden housing instability, income loss, emotional trauma, and economic and social discrimination.

For more information or to register, go here or click on the flyer.

Meet Single Mothers Outreach VIP’s | An Outstanding Board of Directors

Nonprofit boards of directors are often unsung heroes. They generally work quietly behind the scenes, yet are some of the most important people to the nonprofit. They serve as fiduciaries, protecting and securing the organization’s future through fiscal watchfulness and policy compliance.

I am so very proud of my board of directors who care so deeply about our mission of empowering single parents.

Jeffrey Shapiro – as the 2013 President, Jeffrey has raised the level of professionalism and governance expertise to the board. His extensive nonprofit experience is a real asset. A single dad, he brings sensitivity to single father issues.

Debbie Rio – is a professional through and through. She brings her college administrative expertise and has been a vital resource to single parents who make the difficult decision to return to school. She is committed to helping them achieve academic success and makes the whole process less intimidating for parents. She serves  as Vice President/Secretary and keeps very thorough records.

Trevor Rice – Not only does he bring his CPA background to the table as SMO’s Treasurer, he has helped me personally with SMO’s financial management. He spent several hours with me this year teaching me cash flow management and helping simplify the budgeting process.

Steve Corn brings a passion and energy to the board. He joined the board in December 2012 and has already helped SMO by sponsoring one of our distinguished honorees in this year’s Empowering HeArts event, and has experience with golf tournaments and has agreed to serve on the committee, and he recently raised over $750 at the Realtors Grand Prix event.

Marc Emmer – As immediate past president, he served countless hours using his strengths as a strategist to put SMO on the path toward operational sustainability.  One of the strategic goals this year was to build our board. As a result, we’ve added four exceptional directors: Dora Zavala, Jason Lane, Steve Corn, and Gary Saenger.

Dawn Hovhannisyan is our oldest board member. She has served since 2004, bringing experience and historical context to decision making. Since she has a background in insurance, she actively serves as the organization’s guardian and insures that we are protected from risk. Her dedication to advancing SMO’s mission is legendary, using her social media to help get the good word out.

Jason Lane joined the board in November 2012 and is the current chair of Fools’ Paradise Golf tournament. He saw the need and jumped on board.  He is selfless, generous, and a great family man and church member.

Martin Rodriguez never stops working for SMO. He chairs the Fund Development subcommittee, chairs the SCV Pool Party, helps me coordinate Simply SMO, and regularly connects with our grant writer, so that we have the funds we need to serve the mission. His most outstanding attribute is his genuine concern for the parents we serve.

Gary Saenger joined the board December 2012. Though he is new, he takes his fiduciary role seriously, most notably by investigating Closet on Main trademarking to insure there is no conflict. He financially supported the SCV Pool party and Empowering HeArts before joining the board.

Dora Zavala brings her extensive leadership experience to SMO and shares her wisdom actively during board meetings. She worked alongside Margo Miller-Hudson in securing Closet on Main and advocates for SMO, particularly with Soroptimist International, where she serves at the regional level.