Redefining Black Motherhood: How Jaycina Almond Is Building Support Systems For Single Mothers

Forbes

08-04-2025

Jaycina Almond Founder of Tender Foundation and child
In the US, we live in a society where motherhood is heavily stigmatized. 28% of single mothers live in poverty, with Black mothers being disproportionately impacted. Jaycina Almond is actively working to change this narrative. As the founder of The Tender Foundation, she provided critical resources and financial support to single mothers in Atlanta. Her work directly addresses some economic pain points single mothers in the Atlanta area face with programs such as bill pay assistance with rent, utilities, and childcare costs; grocery store gift cards, and a diaper bank that provides free diapers, wipes, and formula. In recognition of her impact, Almond was recently named an Adidas Honoring Black Excellence (HBE) 2025 Honoree, with the brand set to debut a short-form film this Women's History Month exploring her journey.
Almond's efforts are particularly timely, as single mothers in the U.S. continue to face systemic barriers, including poverty rates and limited parental leave. Even our lawmakers in Congress are fighting to be accommodated with the ability to vote remotely for new mothers. Showing that no woman is truly exempt from the systematic barriers that come with being a mother. In this interview, Jaycina talks about teaming up with corporate partners like Adidas, whose support amplifies her work and provides more mothers the chance to thrive.
Stephanie Tharpe: Your work with The Tender Foundation is deeply personal. Can you share what initially inspired you to create this organization and how your own experiences as a mother have shaped its mission?
Jaycina Almond: Tender is definitely the culmination of my own personal experience: my mom was a single mom for the first half of my childhood. She was stuck in a bad relationship because she couldn't support 3 girls on her own. I got pregnant pretty young at 20 and I was a single mom for the first several years of my daughter's life - I didn't have to worry about things like affording diapers but being the solo caregiver was still so tough - I can barely remember the first year because it was just a battle to stay above water. Now make that even harder by being in survival mode or being stressed about making rent. I just knew mamas like me deserved care.
Stephanie Tharpe: Motherhood is often romanticized, yet Black motherhood, in particular, carries unique societal expectations and challenges. How has your journey challenged conventional narratives, and how do you hope to shift perceptions through your work?
Jaycina Almond: Before you even give birth, everybody has an opinion on what's right or wrong. All mothers are always under scrutiny in our society on if they fit the archetype of what we've been told a "mom" is. Then you add the intersection of being a Black woman and a mother; the stereotypes and judgments are compounded. I got pregnant at 20, went through my pregnancy solo, and was a single mom for the first several years of my daughter's life. I could have let the stereotypes define me, I could have let the stigmas tell me I can't do more. I'm not really supposed to be having this conversation with you right? But because I got lucky and I am - I hope that at Tender we can continue to change the narratives around single motherhood and poverty. Some women decide to become single moms, some women lose partners, and sometimes relationships just don't work out - there's no shame in these things. There's no shame in living paycheck to paycheck. These things are not individual failures.
Stephanie Tharpe: The Tender Foundation provides not just financial relief but also a sense of community for single mothers. Can you speak to the importance of both economic support and emotional solidarity in helping mothers navigate systemic challenges?
Jaycina Almond: Community is so important - just knowing you're not alone in something is enough to keep you going. But, also community can look like tangible support: providing things like diapers or cash in your hands every month. You can be there emotionally for somebody but if they don't have access to the basic human needs we all deserve to live flourishing lives like a place to call home or food in the fridge, emotional support can only go so far. We believe direct assistance and connection go hand in hand if we want to make a lasting impact in our families' lives.
Stephanie Tharpe: What are some of the most pressing issues you've seen Black single mothers face, and how does The Tender Foundation address these gaps in support?
Jaycina Almond: I struggle with questions like this honestly, I never want to speak for our mamas. I think there are some more conceptual things Black single mothers face - like the "welfare queen" trope and the stigmas we face that try to tell us we are irresponsible, promiscuous, or negligent parents. There are also more physical challenges that come with being the only breadwinner for your family. Housing costs skyrocketing, being just one unexpected bill or emergency away from financial ruin, maintaining reliable transportation, childcare costs ending up as 20-30% of your income, things of that nature. Especially in a city like Atlanta where there's a lack of affordable housing and the historically Black neighborhoods, that a majority of our mamas live in, have been under-resourced.
There's always more I wish we were doing but currently at Tender, we're building a safety net for single mothers living on the margins here in Atlanta so that they can invest in what they need from housing to keeping the fridge stocked and everything in between. We offer emergency bill pay assistance with rent, utilities, and childcare costs, we operate a Diaper Bank where all families can get diapers, wipes, and formula for free, and we also run a guaranteed income program called The Bridge where our mamas receive monthly cash payments for a full year - no strings attached. We truly do believe in trust-based solutions that are rooted in dignity.
Stephanie Tharpe: With adidas making a donation to your foundation, what new opportunities or expansions will this funding allow for? Are there any specific programs or initiatives you're excited to introduce?
Jaycina Almond: As a grassroots organization, our partnership with Adidas of course allows us to reach more mamas with direct assistance but it also gives us the space to dream about what's next, to be flexible and adapt to our mamas' needs, and to try new initiatives out. With Adidas's help, we'll be doing an inaugural event for our families that will combine physical activity, advocacy, and community building into one day. We're still in the R&D phase but extremely excited! We also will be launching the second cohort of our direct cash transfer program, The Bridge. Single moms will receive monthly cash payments for a full year with no strings attached.
Jaycina Almond Founder of Tender Foundation
Stephanie Tharpe: Being recognized as an adidas HBE Honoree is a major milestone. What does this acknowledgment mean to you personally and to the broader mission of The Tender Foundation?
Jaycina Almond: Receiving such recognition on such a large scale is so surreal! When you are in the thick of it, there's always more you feel like you could be and should be doing. I want to make sure all our families stay housed, everybody has enough for groceries this month, etc. There's always more we want to do but only so many dollars in the bank to do it with. Receiving this honor not only allows us to reach more mamas with direct assistance and it also helps raise awareness to destigmatize poverty and single motherhood. Also, being named one of adidas HBE Honorees made me take time to reflect on everything we've been able to accomplish and how my community, and village are the folks who made it possible for me to be where I am today.
Stephanie Tharpe: The upcoming short-form film on your journey aims to redefine Black motherhood and challenge stereotypes. How do you see this film influencing the broader cultural conversation around Black motherhood and the support systems that need to be in place?
Jaycina Almond: I hope the film can be a conversation starter or the catalyst for someone to interrogate their beliefs about Black motherhood. Storytelling plays such a powerful role in shifting perspective and I think this film reflects the heart of community, creativity, and care that's at the core of both Tender and the HBE initiative. I just hope that whoever watches it feels something — whether it inspires them to take action, learn more, or simply check in on a mom friend. Even small actions can be part of building a more supportive and understanding community.
Stephanie Tharpe: Beyond financial support, how do you envision corporate partnerships evolving to create sustainable, long-term change for Black mothers? What more can brands like Adidas do to move from momentary gestures to systemic impact?
Jaycina Almond: Non-profits aren't sustainable on their own — we rely on our supporters to choose us, year after year. One of the most impactful things a for-profit company can do is offer financial support and visibility to grassroots organizations so we can focus on our mission. That's why partnerships like the one we have with adidas through HBE are so meaningful — their support has been both financial and deeply rooted in driving awareness.
Long-term change needs to happen at a structural level, and that requires community building and public engagement so we can collectively advocate for solutions that work. For example, we run a guaranteed income program at Tender — something that was once seen as unconventional but has now started gaining traction across the country. These programs have been shown to be more cost-effective and more efficient than many existing social services. Thanks to our corporate partners, we've been able to launch our own initiative where mamas receive direct monthly payments for a full year, no strings attached. We're contributing our findings to the growing national conversation around guaranteed income, with the hope that these programs become a widely available solution for those who need it most.
Stephanie Tharpe: As a mother, model, writer, and founder, you embody multiple identities. What's next for you and The Tender Foundation?
Jaycina Almond: We would love to add a mobile Diaper Pantry to our programming within the next couple of years. We currently operate a Diaper Bank and deliver diapers, wipes, and formula to families across the metro Atlanta area for free but there are many families we cannot reach because we rely on volunteer drivers and families don't always have reliable transportation to come pick up. Having a truck of our own, stocked with diapering supplies, and being able to hire a driver is a major goal! Otherwise, the ability to respond to what our families indicate they need, advocate for our mamas, and continue building and sharing a culture of community care is always our north star. Personally, I'm just open to exploring everything that excites me! I love when I get the chance to blend all of my passions together.
Adidas's HBE initiative is a prime example of how corporations have a social responsibility to its consumers. Partnerships between global corporations like Adidas and change makers like Jaycina Almond show that intentional allyship leads to major impact and quantifiable systematic change.