Why We Help

"A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows,

is God in his holy dwelling."

Psalm 68:5

 

Our Mission

Our mission is to support single mothers who are raising their children through financial hardship. We believe that when moms receive help during their most difficult times, they gain hope for a better tomorrow. By showing disadvantaged children that their community cares about them, we can strengthen families, improve lives, and help create a better society for future generations.

 

Child Support and Poverty in the United States

Understanding Poverty and Child Support

Poverty in the United States is measured by comparing a family’s income to federal poverty thresholds established by the U.S. Census Bureau. Families whose income falls below these thresholds are considered to be living in poverty. Among the groups most affected are single mothers and children who rely on child support for financial stability.

Child support plays a major role in helping custodial parents provide necessities such as housing, food, clothing, healthcare, and education. However, millions of families still struggle because payments are inconsistent, insufficient, or never received.

Child Support Statistics in America

According to recent U.S. Census Bureau reports:

  • 4.1 million parents received child support cash payments in 2021.
  • Total child support payments nationwide reached $20.2 billion.
  • The average monthly child support payment was $441.
  • 2.7 million custodial parents received non-cash support, including groceries, clothing, diapers, childcare, and medical expense reimbursements.

Despite these numbers:

  • 30% of families in the child support system receive no financial support from the obligated parent.
  • 1.6 million children receive absolutely no child support.
  • 24% of custodial families live in poverty.

Single Mothers and Child Support

Single mothers are disproportionately affected by child support issues.

  • Nearly 24 million children live with a single parent.
  • Approximately 80% of one-parent households are headed by mothers.
  • Only 23% of female-headed families reported receiving child support during the previous year.

Because women are more likely to serve as custodial parents, they often carry the primary financial responsibility for raising children.

Child Support Agreements

In 2018:

  • Nearly half of custodial parents had a formal or informal child support agreement.
  • 88% of those agreements were legal court orders.
  • 12% were informal agreements.

However:

  • 7.1 million custodial parents had no legal child support agreement at all.

Common reasons for avoiding legal agreements included:

  • believing support was unnecessary,
  • receiving informal assistance,
  • or believing the noncustodial parent could not afford payments.

Research also shows that parents with formal agreements are significantly more likely to receive consistent support payments.

Why Child Support Matters

Child support can help reduce poverty and improve a child’s quality of life. Studies show that children living in poverty are more likely to experience:

  • physical and mental health problems,
  • poor academic performance,
  • behavioral challenges,
  • involvement with welfare or justice systems,
  • and financial instability later in life.

Reliable child support helps families meet basic needs and creates greater opportunities for children to thrive.

Challenges Faced by Noncustodial Parents

Many noncustodial parents, particularly low-income fathers, face financial difficulties that make regular child support payments difficult.

Challenges may include:

  • unemployment,
  • underemployment,
  • incarceration,
  • accumulated debt,
  • or unrealistic payment obligations.

In some cases, unpaid child support can grow into overwhelming debt, creating additional barriers to employment and financial stability.

Even when formal payments are missed, many noncustodial parents continue to contribute through:

  • food,
  • clothing,
  • childcare,
  • healthcare expenses,
  • and other direct support.

Moving Toward Better Solutions

Improving the child support system requires balancing the needs of children, custodial parents, and noncustodial parents. Potential improvements include:

  • fair payment structures,
  • employment assistance,
  • parenting support programs,
  • mediation services,
  • and more flexible enforcement policies.

Strengthening these systems can help reduce child poverty and improve outcomes for millions of American families.