LAKELAND, Fla. — One More Child, a faith-based non-profit in Lakeland is expanding its effort to empower single mothers that are struggling.
In May 2024, Natalie Garcia was facing a lot of uncertainty. She was pregnant with her second child and had just been evicted with nowhere to go.
“I got into an accident when I was six months pregnant with my son. Not being able to work, the bills were not getting paid so therefore I got evicted,” Garcia said.
WATCH: Lakeland nonprofit expanding to provide more housing for single mothers in crisis
Garcia was living in a homeless shelter, when she learned about One More Child and their Single Moms Program. She is now on her way to becoming self-sufficient and providing for her children.
“Learning how to do everything on my own with my two children. We did several classes to do credit repair. How to manage your money and different types of budgeting skills,” Garcia said.
As part of the residential Single Moms Program, mothers in crisis live on campus with their children for up to a year. The nonprofit covers their living expenses while providing mentoring and training to help single-mom families thrive.
“Here in Polk County, 80% of single parent homes lack the income to provide basic needs for their family. The vast majority of single parent homes are single moms, so we feel called to step into the gap and help these single mothers gain their footing,” One More Child President & CEO Stephen Robert said.
Currently, the Lakeland campus has 20 homes. Construction is now underway on six new homes to provide more moms support as they work towards long-term independence. According to Robert, since 1960 the number of single parent households has nearly tripled across the country.
“Our plans with this particular project is to be able to serve in the next five years an additional 300 mothers and children through our expansion effort,” Robert said.
The expansion also includes the Grounds For Grace Center. It will be a two-story building in the heart of campus. A hub for all services and include an activity center where families can gather.
Though Garcia said she is a work in progress, she’s excited about the future.
“Be able to afford the stability that I once had many years ago. I want to be able to provide a roof over my kid’s head and not worry about losing our shelter again. Making sure there’s food on the table, clothes on their back,” Garcia said.
The new homes will be ready for moms to move in early next year. All with the ultimate goal of empowering families to thrive.
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