Dr. Valerie Thomas told the Opelika City Council during its Sept. 1 work session that Created With Purpose is less about persuading single mothers to go to college than about clearing the obstacles that stop them from finishing.
“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.”
Founded in fall 2022 and granted 501(c)(3) status the following year, the east Alabama nonprofit provides scholarships, mentoring and monthly enrichment meetings covering financial literacy, stress management, healthy relationships and other pressures that can derail a single parent pursuing a degree. Participants bring their children to the meetings, meals are provided and volunteers watch the kids.
Thomas, once a single mother herself, said the point is not to let anyone quit: “When you feel like giving up, we won’t allow you to give up.”
Source: Opelika Observer
Opelika Daily News — Thursday Report, September 10, 2026 | Compiled by Viktor AI for Opelika Daily News
