Single Parent Family Outreach

Formation of SPFO: 1993

SPFO has its roots in a single parent ministry formed at Boston’s Concord Baptist Church in the early 1990’s by parishioner Arlisha Johnson, now SPFO’s executive director.

In 1993 Deaconess Lois Prout, President of the Missionary Ministry asked Johnson,

then only recently relocated to neighboring town of Brookline from Maryland, to launch a program at the church for new teen mothers, who were single parents. The effort was subject to the approval of Reverend Conley Hughes Jr., pastor of the Church. Shortly thereafter, the Reverend gave the program his blessing. Many of the group members funded this early incarnation of SPFO, which initially went under the name of Single Parent Ministry. Operating out of the church, SPFO began with nine families, a majority of whom were parishioners.

The Early Years: 1993-1996

During the organization’s early years, several individuals were especially generous with their time. These founding members would become the Board of the Directors, as well as participating members of SPFO’s Community Advisory Committee. In addition to Arlisha Johnson, SPFO’s founding members include Johnson’s mother Olivia Stanback, her sister Roylene Hunte, Queen Beal, Jacqueline Silva, Katherine Bush (Arlisha’s cousin,) and Emily Carmen. Cynthia Meyers and Bonnie Johnson (Arlisha’s sister-in-law,) left the group in its earlier years for career and personal reasons.

From 1993-1996, SPFO grew rapidly as news of its services spread through word of mouth. With 10 volunteers serving 17-30 families, SPFO soon outgrew their space at the church. In 1997, they relocated to the Harriet Tubman House (United South End Settlements), where they rented two rooms. Both the numbers of volunteers and families served continued to grow, to 16 and 35, respectively.

Expanded Mission and Outreach: 1998

In order to create lasting change, Johnson realized she needed to engage not just the congregation, but also the local community. She asked Reverend Conley Hughes Jr. if SPFO could become an independent organization; the Reverend agreed and SPFO entered their next phase of its growth, while still retaining their church affiliation and spiritual model.

By 1998, membership had swelled to 40 families—the average single-family household they served had three children—and SPFO outgrew the space they were renting at Harriet Tubman House.

Community Advisory Committee Created: 1998

1998 was an especially busy year: Brookline business owner Elias Audy, (who had been introduced to the group by his son, Omar), formed a 15- member Community Advisory Committee. He has served as the committee’s co-chair since and donates office space in Brookline to SPFO, plus uncalculated amounts of time and energy on numerous endeavors related to the growth and stabilization of the program.

Linda Larson-Schwartz, now retired director of Brookline Adult and Community Education, joined the program in 1998 and serves as the co-chair of the community advisory committee. All of the members of the advisory committee work full time or are retired.

In November 1999, with the help of Brookline attorney Roger Lipson and Brookline accountant Steve von Lichtenberg (both of whom remain SPFO Community Advisory Committee members), SPFO incorporated, receiving non-profit 501(c) (3) status.

Move to Current Home: 2000

SPFO continued to expand. By 1999, the program moved to the First Church of Roxbury’s parish hall, where 25 volunteers served 50 families. In 2000, they relocated again, this time to Roxbury Community College, where they currently rent space.

November 2006, Arthur Conquest, one of the Community Advisory Committee members, wrote the following in an Op-Ed column for the Brookline TAB newspaper about SPFO:

“Single Parent Family Outreach, undeniably, is one of the most interesting and inspiring social service programs in greater Boston. Since 1990, this program has offered a wide variety of activities and events that serve (mostly Black and Latino) underclass families from Roxbury, Dorchester and Mattapan: (1) Thanksgiving food baskets that include turkeys, vegetables, rice, cranberry sauce, and many other treats; (2) an annual Christmas gathering that is held at Roxbury Community College, which not only provides presents of needed winter clothing, toys, holiday tree and decorations for more than 100 families, but a festive evening of food – a six course meal, for example -- holiday songs and fellowship that is truly remarkable and uplifting; (3) monthly Saturday morning motivation and self-help classes for children and their parents; and (4) the offspring of economically deprived families attend on scholarship SmartsSummers, a Brookline Adult & Community Education run program for school aged children with month-long adventure classes ranging from arts to computers to sports.(I wish I had more space and time, to share some of the other activities and services this unique program offers.)”

SPFO has grown to serve over 69 families monthly and enlists the support of over 35 volunteers. Today, there is a continuing and growing need for SPFO’s services. The organization’s most pressing need is a permanent haven from which to serve single parents and their families. The program needs stability and permanency, as opposed to moving every two years as it outgrows facilities that are rented or donated. The program very much wants to demonstrate to the families served that although it’s growing and can provide the necessary services to them and offspring, it is stable and will be there to assist them on a permanent basis.