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Even with college education, young mom struggles to make ends meet

Editor's note: The Time is Now to Help was founded by a local businessman who knew extreme poverty as a child. With the help of donations from the community, The Time is Now is able to help local residents in need.

Dear W.C., I recently graduated from college. I have been unable to find a job other than part-time. I have student loans, rent and utilities to pay.

I am unable to move back home with my family. They are struggling financially to make ends meet with my three younger siblings still at home. They live in a very bad neighborhood in the city that I struggled so hard to leave

On top of all this, I am a single mother. It was not planned and I know the mistakes I have made.

I am working hard to be a good mom. I had no idea I would have to struggle so hard being a single mother. I thought obtaining my college education would help me become successful and self-sufficient.

I worked so hard to get my degree, yet I feel like a failure. I always thought if I got out of the neighborhood I grew up in, I would never be poverty-stricken again. I had no idea poverty was everywhere. Nowhere to turn

Dear readers, We all have our preconceived ideas about what causes poverty in our country.

Many people, just like this single mother, thought poverty was only for inner-city poor neighborhoods, drug addicts, alcoholics and uneducated individuals.

Now, we all know poverty touches all neighborhoods, nationalities and ages. It does not discriminate by level of education, job experience, abilities or disabilities.

There are many highly educated people graduating from college with a huge amount of debt. Add to that being an unemployed, single mother.

This woman struggled so hard to become the highly educated person she is now, but the struggling economy has not made it possible for her to pay her rent or utilities, much less become successful or self-sufficient.

The Time Is Now to Help is there to give people a helping hand up when life has brought you to your knees. This young mother was brought to her knees by her inability to find work.

At this point, she has gotten a job waitressing in the afternoons when her young son can be in day care. She has applied for childcare assistance and rental assistance. She is going to job fairs and has been working with her college to receive job assistance and career counseling.

She spoke openly about her brief misstep in college. She had always been a good student and focused on her future.

Then, she found herself pregnant and alone. She chose to bring her son into the world and loves him with all her heart. She receives no support from the father of the child and has had no contact with him.

She spoke about her life growing up in the inner city. She did not want that lifestyle for herself or her child. She does not visit her family that often because they live in a bad neighborhood.

She would like to have her family move out of the city, and closer to her, but they are trapped due to falling home values. They are unable to help her financially in any way.

The Time Is Now to Help has assisted this young mother with rent and utilities. We also provided her with a used car. The car we gave her was donated to us and was in good shape.

She will now be able to safely drive her son to day care and herself to job interviews and work.

She is very hopeful for her future. She knows that, when the economy improves, the job she trained for will be there for her. She is determined to aggressively look for it every spare moment she has.

Thank you for your caring and sharing. Health and happiness, God bless everyone, W.C.

A very special thank you to: Paper Dolls, Paul Ziegler/Ziegler Charitable Foundation, Martin O’Brien, Kathryn Alder, James Laney, Donald Johnson, Kim Olsen, Debra Guzman, Gerald and Marilyn Wilkin, James and Janice Batten, Howard and Maureen Gleason, Geraldine Hinton, Bonita Breit, W.C. Family Resource Center/Food Pantry volunteers, Michael and Sue Borden, Dick and Jean Honeyager, all of you who support The Time Is Now to Help donation boxes, and the businesses that allow our donation boxes.

Anyone who would like a Time Is Now donation box in your business, please call (262) 249-7000.