10 Women of Hope helps single families back on their feet

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    COBB COUNTY, GA (WGCL) — A few years ago, 22-year-old Jay found herself in a dark place. She was a teen mom, struggling to care for her daughter with a minimum wage job.

She wasn’t making ends meet, so the Department of Children and Family Services stepped in.

“I had a short time limit to get my stuff together to be able to get my daughter back. And one of the requirements was that I have an apartment or somewhere stable for us to live. Also that I graduate high school to be able to get her back,” she said.

She asked us not to use her real name.

She said she felt alone.

“I had no family support at all. My mom was a truck driver so she was always on the road in different states. And all my other family members, and sisters and brothers were grown and had their own families so it was just me,” she said.

Jay’s social worker referred her to a nonprofit that changed her life.

The 10 Women of Hope helped her find an apartment, provided rent for two months and gave her the emotional support needed to get her life on track.

“It really put me in a great spot where I was able to stay in school. I graduated, got everything I needed and in three months, my daughter was home with me and it was the best feeling ever,” she said.

The 10 Women of Hope provides financial support to single parents in Cobb County. The organization is made up of 10 women dedicated to making a difference in the lives of struggling families, said board co-chair Jacki Payne.

“We thought if we could pay that essential need to kind of help that person get over that hump. Then they could get to the next step and they’d be okay,” Payne said.

Payne said the turnaround to provide assistance is immediate.

Recipients submit applications, and the 10 women review, decide and provide money immediately.

“One of our first cases was a woman who was living with her kids in a house, and the refrigerator was broken and she didn’t have the money to buy a refrigerator. She had teenage sons, and we know how much teenagers eat,” said Payne. “She had an ice chest, so every night she was buying ice and putting it in the chest to keep milk and everything cool, so we helped buy her a refrigerator”

The nonprofit helps around 200 families each year and partners with various community organizations that provide referrals.

Payne said 10 Women has helped in a number of ways from providing money for tire repairs to helping a CNA student finance a nursing course.

The organization has partnered with The Aesthetic Center of Skin Cancer Specialists in Marietta for a special fundraiser.

Payne said the support is critical to the organizations success.

A few years ago, 22-year-old Jay found herself in a dark place. She was a teen mom, struggling to care for her daughter with a minimum wage job.

She wasn’t making ends meet, so the Department of Children and Family Services stepped in.

“I had a short time limit to get my stuff together to be able to get my daughter back. And one of the requirements was that I have an apartment or somewhere stable for us to live. Also that I graduate high school to be able to get her back,” she said.

She asked us not to use her real name.

She said she felt alone.

“I had no family support at all. My mom was a truck driver so she was always on the road in different states. And all my other family members, and sisters and brothers were grown and had their own families so it was just me,” she said.

Jay’s social worker referred her to a nonprofit that changed her life.

The 10 Women of Hope helped her find an apartment, provided rent for two months and gave her the emotional support needed to get her life on track.

“It really put me in a great spot where I was able to stay in school. I graduated, got everything I needed and in three months, my daughter was home with me and it was the best feeling ever,” she said.

The 10 Women of Hope provides financial support to single parents in Cobb County. The organization is made up of 10 women dedicated to making a difference in the lives of struggling families, said board co-chair Jacki Payne.

“We thought if we could pay that essential need to kind of help that person get over that hump. Then they could get to the next step and they’d be okay,” Payne said.

Payne said the turnaround to provide assistance is immediate.

Recipients submit applications, and the 10 women review, decide and provide money immediately.

“One of our first cases was a woman who was living with her kids in a house, and the refrigerator was broken and she didn’t have the money to buy a refrigerator. She had teenage sons, and we know how much teenagers eat,” said Payne. “She had an ice chest, so every night she was buying ice and putting it in the chest to keep milk and everything cool, so we helped buy her a refrigerator”

The nonprofit helps around 200 families each year and partners with various community organizations that provide referrals.

Payne said 10 Women has helped in a number of ways from providing money for tire repairs to helping a CNA student finance a nursing course.

The organization has partnered with The Aesthetic Center of Skin Cancer Specialists in Marietta for a special fundraiser.

Payne said the support is critical to the organizations success.

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