Single parent students will receive an extra holiday surprise this year: New coats to keep their families warm.
The Little Rock Chapter of the nonprofit Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund (ASPSF) Women’s Giving Circle collected new and gently used coats, jackets, vests, sweatshirts, gloves, and scarves. This winter gear will be given to over 100 local single parents as they work toward a new degree leading to a career with higher wages that brings their family out of poverty.
“A coat may seem so small, but it’s one less thing for single parent students to worry about: They and their kids will be warm this winter,” said ASPSF Communications Director Jen Para. “For our single parents watching every penny, it’s hard to justify buying a textbook or gas to get to campus for a study session when their child is cold, hungry, or sick.”
ASPSF will distribute the coats Dec. 18-19 to Fall 2023 recipients in Central Arkansas. To receive ASPSF’s financial aid and wraparound services, single parent students must be working toward a skilled-trade certificate, associate degree, or bachelor’s degree; maintain a 2.0 GPA; and earn a household income typically not more than 250% of Federal Poverty Guidelines.
“A special thank you to Right At Home Metro Little Rock, which served as a collection spot for the coats, and our donors and Women’s Giving Circle members who gifted the coats,” Para said. “Their generosity is going to make a meaningful difference in the lives of single parent families.”
Photo caption: ASPSF and Right At Home staff collected coats for single parent students in Central Arkansas on Monday, Dec. 4 at the Right at Home Little Rock office. From left: ASPSF Executive Director Ruthanne Hill, ASPSF Development Manager Wendy Stotts, Right At Home Metro Little Rock owner Lauren Miller, ASPSF Program Manager Keisha Smith, and ASPSF Communications Director Jen Para.