The Gatehouse, a leading nonprofit dedicated to providing women in Dallas-Fort Worth with a hand up for permanent, positive change without government assistance, has launched enrollment for a first-of-its-kind regional education initiative.
The nonprofit’s new Education Track focuses on empowering goal-oriented, single moms overcoming crisis and temporary hardships to complete their associates, bachelor’s and master’s-level degree programs in on-demand career fields including healthcare and education.
The Program furthers The Gatehouse’s success with its existing Career Track, which serves underemployed, motivated women and single mothers in building their careers and to-date includes serving over 800 people.
As part of its programs, The Gatehouse, founded in 2015 by Lisa Rose and located on 61 acres in Grapevine, Texas, offers ample time, practical resources and supportive relationships for up to two years in fully furnished, rent-free apartments in a gated community.
Key resources that The Gatehouse offers based on need, in order to eliminate barriers that hold women back from becoming permanently self-sustainable include onsite quality early learning, childcare and access to Grapevine ISD schools, reliable transportation, legal assistance, basic medical care, professional counseling, a proven curriculum for positive parenting and a monthly stipend to offset other regular expenses.
Throughout their time in the Program, graduates of both the Career Track and the Education Track build vital life skills and healthy relationships and are put on a path to earn a family-sustaining wage to permanently reduce or eliminate debt.
“Our new Education Track offers one more avenue to support women in overcoming temporary hardships and empower them to create a foundation for permanent self-sustainability,” said Rose. “Our goal is to provide a hand up to women and single moms on career paths with the tools to earn a family-sustaining wage, so they never need our help again.
“The current economy is such that single women and moms are barely able to ‘do it all,’ and with this new Program, they can have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to complete their education without worrying about housing, childcare and the rising cost of managing a household. Through our Education Track and Career Track, we remove barriers for women as they achieve their God-given potential. We are about permanent, positive change — inside and out.”
Participants in the Education Track may be enrolled in any accredited college or university throughout Dallas-Fort Worth. Current students at Parker University, Texas Women’s University or The University of Texas at Arlington, which are part of The Gatehouse’s growing list of official partners, receive priority admission.
The Education Track focuses on degrees that help participants earn a family-sustaining wage based on MIT’s Living Wage Calculator. The nationally recognized calculator provides an estimate of what people need to earn to cover living expenses such as housing, food, insurance and other essentials for their families.
According to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, single mothers in Texas who graduate with even an associate degree are 70% less likely to live in poverty than a high school graduate. This also saves Texas $41,995 in public assistance spending over their lifetime.
To qualify for the Education Track, a single mother in the Dallas-Fort Worth area must be at least 21 years old, complete her degree from an approved institution within two years and have children between the ages of 1 to a senior in high school. During her time at The Gatehouse, children of enrollees participate in the Student Enrichment Program, which includes fun and meaningful activities to build a foundation for their educational, social and emotional success. The Gatehouse focuses on children in the same manner that they focus on empowering women.
“We know that education can create a foundation for lasting, positive change, and our Education Track equips women who are motivated to make a significant change in their own lives and their children’s futures,” said The Gatehouse President Mary Parker. “Through this Program, The Gatehouse also supports women in fostering their self-worth and the endless possibilities of a lifelong, fresh start. This is a win for them, their families and everyone in our region.”
To learn more about The Gatehouse, its Education Track, becoming an official school partner, or to apply for admission, visit https://gatehousedfw.org/education-track/.
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