Report Encourages Aid for Single Moms in Need

Nearly half the families living in poverty in Montgomery County are headed by single women who face a daily struggle to make enough money to pay for housing, food and health care, according to a report released this week by a countywide commission.

The report by the county's Commission for Women outlines the challenges faced by single mothers trying to live and raise children in one of the most affluent counties in the Washington region. Poor families might struggle but no matter the economic conditions, those headed by single women face even more barriers because they are often less educated and make less money than their male counterparts, the report said.

It cited one statistic in particular: The median income for families living in Montgomery County in 2007 was $108,464, but the median income for families headed by single women was less than half that, $45,022.

People outside Montgomery often don't realize that poverty is an issue in the community, said Tedi S. Osias, chairwoman of the commission's Mothers and Poverty Committee.

"It's a population that isn't especially visible,'' Osias said. But she said ignoring the issue can lead to consequences not just for women, but for their children as well.

The District and many counties such as Montgomery and Fairfax offer programs designed to ensure that single women with families have health coverage and other types of support, but initiatives often are scattered across government agencies and nonprofit groups, making it difficult for them to get help, Osias said.

"We need a coordinated, comprehensive approach to dealing with single moms living in poverty,'' she said. "We're hoping this report will turn a light bulb on among policymakers and advocates.''

The report recommends steps that government officials and nonprofit organizations can take to help single women become self-sufficient. The recommendations cover six key areas: education, employment, child care, income support, health care and housing.

Authors of the report say the recommendations are not unique to Montgomery and could help single women raising families across the region.

Support can begin early by establishing more programs to help low-income women earn four-year college degrees and pursue careers in science, technology, mathematics and engineering, the report said. For single women juggling work and family, local, state and federal governments can improve access to child care, as well as pass laws that raise the minimum wage and require that workers have at least five days of paid sick leave a year.

In some instances, improved outreach to low-income women about programs such as the Earned Income Tax Credit, which can reduce the amount of taxes low-wage workers pay, can help, the report said.

Montgomery Council member Duchy Trachtenberg(D-At Large) said the report provides critical information that will help policymakers understand the challenges that single woman raising families in the county must face.

She said the county should consider establishing a women's policy office to focus on this issue.

Single mothers "are trying to juggle all these balls and it's getting harder,'' Trachtenberg said. "I would challenge my colleagues on the council to really put a significant focus on this issue at this time. The wisest action we can take is to make investments around families, women and their children now."