Being a single mother is one of the toughest jobs in the world — and when you’re stuck in a cycle of poverty, personal goals often take a backseat to day-to-day survival. But Jeremiah Program is proving that single moms don’t have to choose between providing for their families and pursuing their dreams. Through college and career coaching, quality early childhood education, and a supportive community, this national nonprofit is disrupting generational poverty and creating brighter futures for moms and their children.
In a recent interview with GBH’s All Things Considered, Alison Carter Marlow, executive director of Jeremiah Program’s Boston campus, spoke about the power of the program’s two-generational approach. “Once a mother has earned that credential, her children are that much more likely to pursue and access college themselves,” she said. “Well-educated moms and kids can change the world.” Boston’s campus, which launched in 2016, now celebrates academic all-stars and steadily rising graduation numbers, with six moms earning degrees in 2024 and eight more on track this year.
From overcoming systemic barriers to navigating complex challenges like childcare and financial aid, these women are doing it all — often on a single income — and excelling. As Carter Marlow puts it: “They are supporting families on one income… juggling and doing and accomplishing a whole lot with not as much as you or I might have.”