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Lakeland's 'One More Child' building more housing for single mothers and their children

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Published  June 17, 2025 5:51pm EDT
Lakeland
FOX 13 News
Single-mother housing expansion in Lakeland

Single-mother housing expansion in Lakeland

FOX 13's Carla Bayron went to the groundbreaking in Lakeland on Tuesday as one non-profit is giving single mothers a chance with more housing.

The Brief

    • On Tuesday morning, a groundbreaking ceremony was held to add six new homes for single moms.
    • In Polk County, 80% of single moms don't have enough income to provide basic necessities for their families.
    • The second phase of the project will be the ‘Grounds for Grace Center.’

LAKELAND, Fla. - A Christian non-profit, based in Lakeland, is expanding to offer more housing for single mothers and their children.

The backstory:

In May 2024, Natalie Garcia was pregnant with her second child and homeless.

The following month, she was accepted into the Single Moms program at One More Child and has been living on campus for nearly a year so she can get back on her feet.

"A big relief because they don't charge you rent. They charge a small fee every month to be able to provide for us," said Garcia. "They help out with childcare, food, diapers, wipes. They help us out with a lot."

What we know:

There are currently around 20 units for single moms and their children on the campus located at 1015 Sikes Blvd.

A Christian non-profit, based in Lakeland, is expanding to offer more housing for single mothers and their children.

On Tuesday morning, a groundbreaking ceremony was held to add six new homes to provide more families with a path to long-term independence and self-sufficiency.

A Christian non-profit, based in Lakeland, is expanding to offer more housing for single mothers and their children.

Big picture view:

Since 1960, the number of single-parent households has nearly tripled around the country, according to the CEO of One More Child, Stephen Robert.

"Here in Polk County, 80% of single moms don't have enough income to provide for basic necessities for their families, and so we feel called to step in to that space and be able to provide those services to allow them to flourish," he said.

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The second phase of the project includes the 'Grounds for Grace Center, a two-story, 23,000 sq. ft. building in the heart of campus.

The center will offer job and life skills training, advocacy, anti-human trafficking education, and other services for single moms.

What's next:

Garcia will be moving out soon as the Single Moms program only lasts a year. She calls it a true blessing.

"We feel we get forgotten about and people don't want to help us because we're single moms, but it takes a village, and we help each other out," said Garcia.

One More Child hopes to have the new homes built by the end of this year or the beginning of next year.

The 'Grounds for Grace Center' is expected to begin construction during the first half of next year.

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The Source: Information for this story was gathered by FOX 13's Carla Bayron.

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