How the Single Mom Project Evolved

BACKGROUND

In 2017, Janet Jones and her sons Evan and Carter (then ages 15 and 18) founded the SIngle Mom Project affiliated with the Richstone Family Center in Hawthorne, California. Richstone is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit that for nearly 50 years has provided counseling, after-school programs and other services to low-income families impacted by domestic violence. The alliance between Richstone and the Jones Family began when Carter was a high school freshman who created a community service project called The Sweatshirt Project. His goal was to collect new and “gently used” sweatshirts to distribute to Richstone’s clients. He ultimately gave away thousands.

The first giveaway took place at Thanksgiving in 2006. When clients picked up their holiday foods, they were welcomed to a special room to select sweatshirts and try them on with full-length mirrors to decide what they wanted. The Sweatshirt Project led to other events coordinated by the Jones Family at Richstone — from a Back-to-School Barbecue to Free Haircut Days to Free Family Portrait Days.

THE SINGLE MOM PROJECT EMERGES

Janet Jones became a single parent when her sons were ten and seven years old. The plight of the single mother daunted her continually, especially because of financial insecurities. In 2017, Janet received a life-altering gift. A longtime friend with terminal brain cancer surprised her by tucking a $5000 check into a Mother’s Day card. It was his dying wish that the Jones Family continue to thrive. The gesture became a catalyst for things to come.

THE LAUNCH

The Single Mom Project is the Jones Family’s way of paying the $5000 gift forward. At the height of the pandemic in 2020, Janet, Evan and Carter hatched the idea to provide $500 to hard-working mothers at Richstone to help them get on steadier financial footing. The family undertook fund raising by reaching out to friends and family members. In one month, the Joneses raised enough to honor 11 Richstone clients who were nominated by Richstone’s staff for monetary gifts.

On December 12th, 2020, the Single Mom Project presented the parents with $500 each to help with rent, food, etc. Richstone is instrumental in ensuring the funds are spent appropriately. Each honoree is given an account that requires receipts to be presented in order for funds to be allocated.

Now, parents are honored twice annually on the Saturday before Thanksgiving and the Saturday before Mother’s Day.

The Team

Janet Krause Jones lives in Manhattan Beach, California. She received her B.A. from the University of Michigan and her M.A. from Boston University’s College of Communication. She began her award-winning career in Television at WGBH, the flagship PBS station in Boston, before working for the NBC affiliate there.

After moving to Los Angeles, she became a Producer and Writer for NBC’s “Unsolved Mysteries” (hosted by Robert Stack) for its 10-year run. Later, she produced and wrote for a variety of series on HGTV, MSNBC and A&E. Janet later worked at Northrop Grumman Aerospace in a variety of positions.

The Manhattan Beach City Council appointed Janet to a three-year term on the Parks & Recreation Commission in 2012 and again in 2017 to the Library Commission.

Carter Jones received his B.S. from USC and currently works as an account executive for TikTok.

Evan Jones received his B.A. from USC and his M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Pepperdine University. He currently works at a Los Angeles counseling center.