---
id: 20260808_183342_clerk-stacie
title: COUNCIL - CLERK - Stacie Martin
category: Stories
predicted_narrative_arc: Adversity to purposeful service
sentiment: Resilient
emotions:
- determination
- gratitude
- faith
- empathy
keypoints:
- Divorced single parent post-2008 merger layoff
- Exhausted savings and faced home loss despite new job
- Turned down for aid due to owning home and car
- Divinely inspired filing for nonprofit alongside her business
- Nomination-based scholarships for working-poor families
summary: Stacie Martin founded Single Parent Advocate after a 2008-09 layoff left
her unable to support her son alone following divorce, nearly losing her home despite
working in advertising. She created the North Texas nonprofit after an aha moment
while filing paperwork, to aid working-poor single parents disqualified from standard
aid. Programs offer scholarships for meals, holidays, school supplies, and college
tuition.
tags:
- clerk
- single-parent
- nonprofit
- north-texas
- advocacy
- economic-downturn
- faith
sycophancy: 0
truth_score: 9
entropy: 3
sample: false
consent: own_laptop
agent: council
source_session: 20260808_183254_dd73ae
created: '2026-08-09T01:33:42Z'
updated: '2026-08-09T01:46:41Z'
vault_stage: 07_CODEX
headwaters: COUNCIL
prefix: COUNCIL
enrich_status: ok
enrich_blockers: []
enrich_method: llm
pipeline_filename: COUNCIL_2026-08-08_clerk-stacie-martin.md
source_kind: chat
proposed_topic: Stories
lane: Stories
voice: clerk
active_voice: clerk
voices:
- clerk
routing_source: carbon
corpus_topic: Stories
---
# Conversation transcript
_Agent: council_
## You
Chapter 24 from the Enterprising Womens Book for the KB
### Attached: 24-stacie-martin.md
### Stacie Martin ## Introduction Stacie Martin is the founder of Single Parent Advocate, a North Texas nonprofit she launched after nearly losing her home as an unsupported single parent following a 2008–09 layoff. Her chapter tells that story and describes the nonprofit's family-support programs. ##### “A Single Parent Advocate for Myself and Others” I became a devoted single parent of my son after a divorce with is dad who rarely reached out or supported us in due to his own struggles. Despite this, my son and I had a wonderful home, family, and friends. Vowing to stay positive, to be grateful for our health, happiness, faith, peace, and opportunity, I helped other single-parent families. As an advertising and media executive with wonderful family, friends, and business opportunities, in 2008-2009, I lost my employment during the economic downturn of the time in a company merger. This is when I really felt the absence of financial support from my son’s father. It was the first time I had been unable to financially pro- vide independently. Through this experience my eyes were truly being opened to how scary it is to raise a child on your own when you are not equipped for it. My exit lump sum to “get us through” was exhausted due to the time it took to gain new employment. Even my parents were reluctant to help financially due to the continued times I kept asking for help. I was very low in my spirits, self-worth and I felt ashamed even though there was nothing I did not do to get on my own feet again. Even once I found new employment it was not enough. There was an accumulat- ed amount of back due debt to pay, and we nearly lost our home. Due to the fact that I had a home and a car, I was turned down for assistance by area non-profits. When I called the State for help, they provided $14/mo. appx in food stamps and CHIPS Health Insurance for my son – but nothing for me/our household. They said I “had too much” – that they might be able to give more if I was pregnant. I could not rationalize that $14 in food stamps and health insurance was all that was available to me for the purpose of providing my child a home, healthy food, transportation, education, and so on. If I was the only person that he could rely upon; then, why didn’t there exist a resource for that purpose? I was so confused. Since I could not find financial aid through the transition that would keep us afloat, I just kept working both ends against the middle. I accepted the health insurance for my son and took the “smaller” job, worked with the bank on the mortgage, and “just kept swimming”. Along the way we met a handicapped single mom who needed help even more so. We welcomed her, and her child into our home. To- gether we found peace in companionship during our mutual struggles. I was helping her one day in Downtown Dallas at Legal Aid. On the way to file for my own business I had an “aha” moment that I feel was divinely inspired. As I was filing for my business to be created, I would file also for a non-profit to be created to help more families like ours. It was that day that Single Parent Advocate was created. In North Texas, families are nominated for our safe social or parental educational scholarship program, and are accepted from area schools, churches, businesses, or other non-profit organizations. The nomination process is designed to make it possible to assist single parent families among the working poor normally be disqualified for aid because they do not live at or below the poverty line – and yet they have children whose needs are beyond their capacity to earn. As far as my own back story. Growing up as a teen, I was energetic and enterprising. I worked hard at our family business and was a member of my school’s honor societies. I loved my 1968 red Ford Mustang, my girlfriends, and my family and my boyfriend. In college, I developed a love of singing and continued my interest in dancing. During this time, I truly found a personal relationship with God. ##### How Single Parent Advocate Equips its Families - $28 Fills a Backpack for a child - $50 Provides a family meal at Thanksgiving - $100 Makes Christmas brighter for a small family - $200 makes Christmas brighter for a larger family - $250 buys school books for a single parent going to college to increase their earnings - $500 pays for part of tuition for a single parent going to college to increase their earnings FREE Consult with founder Stacie to learn how to start your own Single Parent Advocate Program' ##### STACIE MARTIN ##### Founder, Single Parent Advocate ##### 214-534-4460 Stacie.Martin@SingleParentAdvocate.org SingleParentAdvocate.org Instagram.com/singleparentadvocate Facebook.com/SingleParentAdvocate Twitter.com/singleparentadv **PODCAST** Becausetheymatter.buzzsprout.com **SCAN QR CODE TO HEAR STACIE'S STORY** Book Stacie Martin to speak or MC your event as the founder of Single Parent Advocate, as a Single Parent Motivational Speaker, TV/Radio/Podcast Guest ### WHAT OTHERS SAY *"Single Parent Advocate has been there for me and my 3 kiddos for* *several years. They have provided physical items such as clothes, bikes,* *Thanksgiving meals, and Christmas presents. More importantly, SPA* *has provides emotional and spiritual support." ~* (Client Served: Mys- tyne in 2023) *"SPA has supported me in my journey as a single parent after transi-* *tioning to Texas from Maryland. The resources and community have* *been great. I’ve made life long friendships and I believe my kids have* *too!"* ~ (Client Served: Mystyne in 2023) *"Single Parent Advocate organization is so amazing. They, especial-* *ly Stacie Martin has done so many things for so many single parents* *we are in such debt to her. I am very thankful they allow me into this* *organization as I am a single grandparent raising 3 kids. I absolutely* *appreciate it when someone remembers us and includes us because so* *many don’t. Thank you Stacie Martin for being one of Gods servants on* *earth."* ~ (Supporter, Wanda Gaddis, 2023) *It is so rewarding to serve families via Single Parent Advocate! We get* *to serve the parents with Mother's and Father's Day outings/meals,* *education of financial literacy, self-improvement, and overcoming barri-* *ers; We get to serve the parents and children during Thanksgiving and* *Christmas with parties, gifts and food. In the fall we get to bless the* *new school year by supplying backpacks, school supplies, and clothes* *for the kiddos and even college scholarships for the parents. Single* *Parent Advocate is going into the communities and helping those who* *need it most. I am honored to be able to be a part of the team!!* ~ (Vol- unteer, Terez S. 2021) *"This is an amazing gift from God. As a single mom of 2 boys with* *no child support, this foundation provided a wealth of knowledge to* *get me through the hard times. There are events, and ways to make* *friends. They help so many and do it with eagerness. I wish more peo-* *ple knew about the founders cause for Single Parent Advocate. They* *move mountains already, they could do even more support.I love help-* *ing this group simply because I love where their heart is. Love you SPA!"* ~ (Client Served: Jeanne C. in 2013) *"Single Parent Advocate has been a huge blessing to my program I* *work in Community Outreach for The Family Place. They sponsored* *my program and went well beyond what I could have ever hoped. For* *Mother’s Day, they charted a bus (because very few of my clients have* *vehicles) and took the single moms and their children to a Mother’s* *Day celebration where they were feed and given many gifts. They also* *have provided Thanksgiving and Christmas food baskets and donated* *toys Christmas 2012. I cannot say how much their support has meant* *to the families I serve. What a WONDERFUL organization!* ~ (Collabora- tor, A. Simon, 2013) ### DID YOU KNOW ##### MYTH: Single parents are unsuccessful in relationships:
**Reality:** Some people believe that if someone is a single parent, it in- dicates a failure in their past relationships. Relationship dynamics are complex. Being a single parent doesn't reflect personal failure. People become single parents for various reasons, such as divorce, the death of a partner, or choosing to raise a child independently. ##### MYTH: Single parents are financially unstable:
**Reality:** While financial challenges can be present, many single par- ents successfully manage their finances and create stable homes for their children. Economic stability varies among single-parent households, just as it does in two-parent households. ##### MYTH: Children raised by single parents are at a disadvantage: There's a misconception that children raised by single parents are more likely to face difficulties and have poorer outcomes in life.
**Reality:** Research indicates that children raised by single parents can thrive emotionally, academically, and socially when provided with a supportive and nurturing environment. The quality of parenting and the support system matter more than the family structure. Numerous studies suggest that children can thrive in single-parent households when provided with love, support, and positive role models. It's the quality of parenting that matters more than the family structure. ##### MYTH: Single parents are lonely and have no social life: Single parents, like anyone else, can have fulfilling social lives. Many build strong support networks with friends, family, and other single parents. While there might be challenges in finding time for social activities, it doesn't mean single parents are isolated. ### NEXT STEP Schedule a Complimentary Discovery Call. ##### STACIE MARTIN ##### Founder, Single Parent Advocate 214-534-4460 Stacie.Martin@SingleParentAdvocate.org SingleParentAdvocate.org Instagram.com/singleparentadvocate Facebook.com/SingleParentAdvocate Twitter.com/singleparentadv ## Summary - Former advertising and media executive; became a single parent after divorce. - Founded Single Parent Advocate to provide backpacks, holiday meals, scholarships, and support to single-parent families in North Texas. - Runs a nomination-based program working with area schools, churches, and other nonprofits. - Contact: SingleParentAdvocate.org, 214-534-4460.
## Clerk
**Chapter 24 — Stacie Martin** received for the KB.
Her story of the layoff, the near-loss of the home, the “aha” at Legal Aid, and the birth of Single Parent Advocate is now held here.
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_PRISM refractions and Sherlock notes may be appended to this item in later turns._