By Kenita Smith
President and CEO, H.O.P.E, Inc.
DULUTH, Ga. | The rising cost of living across Gwinnett County isn’t just numbers in a report—it’s the daily reality for single parents choosing between groceries or gas, rent or textbooks, childcare or staying in school. At H.O.P.E, Inc., we believe no one should have to choose between survival and a better future. Since 2009, our mission has been to empower low-income single parents to earn college degrees and build self-sufficiency—and we’re proud to call Gwinnett County home.
Smith
With inflation and housing costs climbing faster than incomes, the struggle for single parents in Gwinnett has deepened. Many of the families we serve begin with incomes under $20,000 and little or no savings. But with our support, they’ve defied the odds.
Through rent and childcare assistance, quarterly grocery and gas cards, financial coaching, tutoring support, and access to counseling, we’ve helped single parents keep their families stable while staying in school. In 2024 alone, five single parents in our program graduated, and more than 30 families received wraparound support—including 48 children whose lives were transformed in the process.
This year, we will reach an incredible milestone: 100 single-parent college graduates. These are parents who were once at risk of dropping out, facing eviction, or overwhelmed by the cost of raising children while attending college. Today, they are gainfully employed, financially stable, and leading their families forward.
But we’re not stopping at 100. Our HOPE Accelerated Growth Plan aims to double our impact by supporting 100 single parents annually and helping another 100 graduate over the next five years. That means expanded capacity, deeper partnerships, and more families moving from crisis to confidence.
Why does that matter? Because research shows it can take up to 15 generations for families living in poverty to reach middle-income stability. By helping parents earn college degrees now, we accelerate that trajectory. We’re not just changing lives—we’re collapsing timelines and creating generational shifts.
In Gwinnett, where 17 percent of our participants reside, this work is more than charitable—it’s strategic. When single parents graduate, they increase their income by an average of 179 percent, with many surpassing $50,000 annually. Nearly all of them now have savings, improved credit scores, and employment in their chosen career field. Their children thrive, their households stabilize, and our local economy grows stronger.
We are grateful to our partners, donors, and community members who make this possible. But the need continues. As economic pressures rise, so does our commitment to ensuring that opportunity isn’t out of reach for the families who need it most.
In Gwinnett County, we don’t just believe in hope—we build it. One degree, one job, one family at a time.
- To learn more or support our work, visit https://hopbe.org.
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