BY MICHELLE KEY
PUBLISHER
OPELIKA — Dr. Valerie Thomas told members of the Opelika City Council during a Sept. 1 work session that Created With Purpose is about more than helping single mothers earn college degrees — it is about removing the barriers that can keep them from reaching those goals.
Founded in fall 2022, Created With Purpose became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit the following year. The East Alabama-based organization works primarily with single mothers who have already made the decision to pursue higher education and need support to stay on that path.
“We’re not encouraging them to go to school,” Thomas said. “They have made the decision they want to go back to school, so we pick them up and walk along beside them.”
That support includes scholarships, mentoring and monthly enrichment meetings covering topics such as financial literacy, stress management, healthy relationships and other challenges that can affect a single parent working toward a degree.
Thomas, who was once a single mother herself, said she understands how quickly the pressures of parenting, work, finances and school can become overwhelming.
“When you feel like giving up, we won’t allow you to give up,” she said.
The monthly meetings are designed to create a community for both the mothers and their children. Participants can bring their children, meals are provided and volunteers care for the children while the mothers participate in the educational sessions.
Thomas said the sense of community has become so strong that mothers who have completed their degrees continue returning to the program.
“We’ve graduated two out already,” Thomas said, noting one has gone on to pursue a master’s degree in social work. “What we have found is they don’t want to stop coming.”
Created With Purpose also works to help participants manage the practical challenges that can derail their education. The organization maintains a crisis fund to assist when emergencies arise, including utility problems, food needs or temporary housing concerns.
Thomas said the goal is to eliminate as many obstacles as possible so participants can continue moving forward.
As graduation approaches, participants enter a portion of the program called “Walking Into Your Purpose.” Human resources professionals volunteer to help the women with resumes, interviewing skills, workplace attire and preparing not only to obtain a job but to succeed once they have one.
Thomas said financial education is particularly important as participants move into higher-paying careers after years of living on limited incomes.
The organization has also expanded its focus to include teen mothers who are juniors and seniors in high school, helping them understand that becoming a parent does not mean their own goals have ended.
“Your life is not over; you still have an opportunity,” Thomas said.
Created With Purpose’s work extends beyond its participants. The nonprofit partners annually with Opelika’s Shop With a Cop program and provides girls and their families with several months’ worth of hygiene products.
Thomas said the outreach effort began after she realized there were needs in the local community that could be addressed directly.
“I realized I’ve got people right here in my own community of the city of Opelika that could use a bar of soap,” she said.
Thomas told the council that education played an important role in changing the trajectory of her own family. A registered nurse, she progressed from an associate degree to bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees. She said her three daughters later pursued advanced education themselves.
“I feel like they took that road because they saw mom,” Thomas said.
She emphasized, however, that Created With Purpose does not believe college is the right path for everyone. The program is intended for mothers who have already chosen higher education and meet the organization’s eligibility requirements, which include an interview, reference letter and needs assessment.
Following the presentation, Ward 2 Council Member Janataka Hughley-Holmes thanked Thomas and the organization for its work in Opelika.
“It’s a pleasure to know so many of you are actually doing the work in the community and for us to be able to support you,” Hughley-Holmes said. “Although it’s not nearly enough for all that you do, for us to be able to support you to make your mission a little easier, that’s what I think we’re all here for.”
Later during the council meeting, the council approved a $1,500 special appropriation to Created With Purpose, with $300 coming from each council member’s discretionary funds.
Thomas said the organization is run by a seven-member volunteer board and continues to seek single mothers who may benefit from the program.
“This is my baby, and I have a wonderful board,” Thomas said. “They are amazing. We all work so tirelessly.”
