A new space to help transform the lives of struggling single moms in Fort Worth
Tanisha Thomas was homeless, bouncing from friend to friend for housing. She was unemployed, had no car, and had no family to help her and her son Kingston.
Everyone told her to get a job. But without a car, money to pay for child care, or any kind of plan, she felt stuck.
In 2023, she was depressed and even suicidal. With few options, she called the 2-1-1 hotline, which connects people with local services.
Thomas was referred to the Center for Transforming Lives for on-site emergency homeless shelter at the organization’s downtown office at 512 W. 4th St. Thomas was nervous about what she would find there but once she arrived it was a “community of sisters,” she says.
Thomas said she felt only kindness and support and never felt shame. The organization provided her free child care, counseling, and placed her in its economic mobility program, which helps mothers with financial literacy.
On Friday, May, 2, Thomas fought back tears as she recalled where she had been in life. Now, she has a car, a home, and a healthier view of life, which she said she owes to the Center for Transforming Lives.
“They really gave me hope,” Thomas said, crying. “They told me I could, when I didn’t think I could.”
Supporting women and children experiencing poverty
The Center for Transforming Lives, a nonprofit organization that supports women and children experiencing poverty and homelessness, held a grand opening of its new location Friday at 3001 S. Riverside Drive. Thomas was in attendance.
One-third of single mothers with children under the age of 5 live in poverty, without access to child care or support for financial stability in Tarrant County, according the organization. The Center for Transforming Lives meets the needs of 3,000 women and children annually and describes its system as a “comprehensive, two-generation and trauma-informed model.” It provides housing, early childhood education, economic mobility and counseling.
The organization’s new 65,000-square-foot building — a former Montgomery Ward store — is on a 14-acre property on the northeast corner of East Berry Street and South Riverside Drive. The property had been vacant since the mid-1990s. The Center for Transforming Lives’ new campus is projected to increase the number of families served by 30 percent in the first year.
“No longer will mothers with young children be shut out of opportunities simply because they are mothers,” said Carol Klocek, CEO of the Center for Transforming Lives, speaking to dozens of people at the grand opening.
Childcare slots will be expanded from 72 to 106 children. The new child care center, open from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. for children 6 weeks old to 5 years old, includes a playground and outdoor learning area that is about 10 times larger than the nonprofit’s current outdoor space. Drop-in care for up to 20 children no older than 10 will also be available for parents who are on-site receiving services. The number of rooms available for on-site therapy services is being increased from two to eight.
The new center has a state-of-the-art economic mobility center with a content creation studio, commercial kitchen, business education offerings, and child care to foster entrepreneurship among mothers. The space will also be available for use by outside groups on a sliding scale.
Downtown building will be new library
The Center for Transforming Lives had operated out of its downtown Fort Worth building for almost 70 years. That space will become the city’s new downtown library branch after the Fort Worth City Council unanimously approved in August to purchase it for $6.4 million.
Mayor Mattie Parker told the crowd Friday that the way a community treats its women and children is a reflection of who it is as a city. This new space will provide a home for women to find purpose, hope and healing, she said.
“We are reaffirming our commitment to build in Fort Worth, where every single family, no matter their ZIP code, has a better shot at life, and we can all agree this is possible in this amazing space,” Parker said.
Tanisha Thomas was provided therapy at the Center for Transforming Lives, which helped her understand she was not being the best mother. It helped her to get her life in focus.
She returned to school, studying social work at Tarrant County College to become a professional counselor. She plans to continue her studies in mental health and social services. She wants to help women, especially Black women, who often feel they have to be the strongest and help others even when they themselves need help.
“In order to help, you need to be helped sometimes too,” Thomas said.
