Nonprofit Raise the Barr, Dunwoody College team up to help single moms find careers

MINNEAPOLIS — A new partnership in the Twin Cities is helping single moms who are struggling to make ends meet carve out a career path to change their lives.

It starts at Dunwoody College of Technology, which is now collaborating with Raise the Barr, a nonprofit with a leader who has navigated similar challenges of going to school while raising a child alone.

Together, they've created a support system ready to help moms better their family's lives.

Working with your hands, heavy machinery and emerging technologies are what lure students to Dunwoody College. It has more than 45 programs focused on technical education, putting people in career fields that right now are dominated by men.

"Unfortunately, women are underrepresented in the trades, and we want to change that and eliminate that disparity," said Bayza Weeks, Dunwoody's executive director of community partnerships.

She also helps manage the school's Women in Technical Careers (WITC) scholarship program. It helps pay for tuition (up to $10,000/year), childcare, books, along with mentoring to encourage women to enter the trades. Automotive, HVAC and construction are among the more popular routes women choose.

"Single parents face tremendous barriers to their success as unfortunately they're often the breadwinners in their families. And they also have to figure out the balance between caring for their families and pursuing their own goals and aspirations," said Weeks.

It's a challenge Lori Barr knows well. She's the mother of former Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr.

"I became a young single mom at the age of 19," she said. 

She paused her college career and moved in with her parents before finishing her degree. 

"Found a couple part-time jobs that were bookends to my day of going to school," she said.

Her struggle and triumph inspired her to start Raise the Barr, a nonprofit that creates a support system she didn't have.

"The data reflect that most single parents are single mothers who are also living in poverty. And so, you can imagine the challenges with having to navigate work, parenting and going to school," she said. "Something in that equation has to drop, and usually it's school because they can't afford to live and care for their family."

Raise the Barr's mission aligns with Dunwoody's WITC program. Working together appeared to be a perfect fit. 

"We have a shared value to elevate women, and for this partnership to elevate single parents," said Weeks.

Together, they'll provide up to five students this fall with:

• Rental subsidies to ensure safe and stable housing
• Financial support expenses like childcare
• Emergency grants up to $1,000
• One-on-one coaching and more.

Their hope is to find women with the greatest financial need but also a desire to take a chance on themselves. Weeks was a single parent. Several women in the WITC program are parents as well. She wants prospective students to know that their struggles will be understood and hopefully alleviated with this collaboration.

"My message would be to take the first step. Come to our open house, reach out to us," said Weeks.

"If I could do it, and I didn't have this type of support, a rental subsidy, a scholarship, child care support. If I could do this, you could do this," said Barr.

Registration for WITC's fall semester ends May 15. Students who are a fit for Raise the Barr's initial cohort will be recruited the WITC program. To learn more or register, click here.

To learn more about Raise the Barr, click here.