Educate
Interactive training that helps single moms better manage their finances, build assets, advance their careers, and work toward their goals.
Details >>
WANDA teaches specific competencies in financial literacy, career planning, and life skills to cohorts of single, working mothers over a 12-month period.
Invest
Matched savings accounts that are invested in an asset — creating opportunity and greater stability for WANDA moms and their families.
Details >>
WANDA incentivizes a 2:1 financial match of up to $4000 to clients who save up to $2000 for investment in a home purchase, retirement savings, or college education for themselves or their children.
Empower
Mentoring and networking opportunities within WANDA’s large network of supporters and partners.
Details >>
WANDA facilitates networking opportunities within our large network of supporters and partners and fosters a supportive community of achievement-minded women with similar challenges and goals.
Our Goal
Roughly one quarter of children in the U.S. – about 18 million – are being raised by single mothers. Of these households, 70% of children – or 12.6 million – are considered to be poor or low income. In Silicon Valley, with the notoriously high cost of living, making ends meet can be especially difficult for families headed by a single parent.
Through strategic partnerships with other mission-aligned regional nonprofits that serve the same demographic, WANDA is able to expand client access to our program. Our program complements existing programs that support striving single mother families.
Our Partnerships
Through strategic partnerships with other mission-aligned regional nonprofits that serve the same demographic, WANDA is able to expand client access to our program. Our program complements existing programs that support striving single mother families.
MidPen Housing
In January 2020, WANDA launched its first official Elevate partnership with MidPen Housing, training a number of MidPen staff in the WANDA curriculum covering Financial Literacy, Career Advancement, and Life Skills. With this training, MidPen was well-equipped to recruit single mother clients from their numerous residential sites across Santa Clara County.
Due to the pandemic, single mother clients selected by MidPen were able to learn and discuss topics like credit, debit, and taxes in September 2021. Building on the success of the pilot program, the partnership with MidPen continues in 2022 and will focus on serving 25 single mothers among their local residential portfolio.
In further support of this partnership, we have introduced a dual-language curriculum that will provide our educational programs in both English and Spanish. This inclusive approach aims to ensure that language is not a barrier to accessing our program.
Our History
WANDA (formerly known as Women’s Achievement Network and Development Alliance) was founded in 2007 by three friends who combined their individual philanthropic and volunteer efforts to launch an initiative designed to assist single mothers in San Mateo County to achieve financial self-sufficiency. Learn more about our Founders >>