Blog Posts
The Mind of a Single Parent at Northern Kentucky Scholar House
Morning
I have to get up
I have to wake the kids up
I have to get the kids dressed
I have to feed the kids
I have to get myself dressed
I have to take the kids to school
I have to get to the daycare
I have to get to school
Afternoon
I have to concentrate in class
I have to meet my group for our class project
I have to get to work
I have to pick up the kids
Evening
I have to pick up the kids
I have to cook dinner
I have to do homework
I have to study for a test
I have to help the kids with homework
I have to give the kids a bath
I have to get the kids to bed
I am so glad that I live at Northern Kentucky Scholar House...I need the support.
Being a single parent is often a monumental task but being a single parent while also trying to better your life through higher education is on an entirely different level.
That is where the support of Northern Kentucky Scholar House (NKSH) comes into play. NKSH, a partnership between Brighton Center and Neighborhood Foundations, is part of a comprehensive statewide, two-generation self-sufficiency initiative for single-parent families. The program provides affordable housing, child development services, and case management support as parents pursue a degree in higher education.
And while the program takes away the two largest barriers for parents, childcare, and housing, there are many more that are addressed along the way.
Since the first set of families moved in during the Fall of 2015, staff have worked to create a community atmosphere while offering support, additional resources, and often acting as a cheerleader for single parents and their children. Learning to navigate the multiple challenges of caring for children alone, working, going to school, and keeping up with daily life takes determination and will power. All of which, the families we serve fight to demonstrate on a daily basis.
It is a long-term journey that often breaks the multi-generational cycle of poverty and instead sets families and future generations up for a chance to make their dreams come true and not worry about how bills are going to get paid or where their next meal will come from or if they will have a roof over their heads tomorrow.
Although it's bittersweet to say goodbye to families, it’s also beyond rewarding to see a family move on to the next chapter of their lives and not need NKSH anymore because they have achieved their dream of completing higher education and can support themselves and their children.
To learn more about Northern Kentucky Scholar House Click Here
To support the 2-generational life, changing work at Northern Kentucky Scholar House Click Here