Caring Causes: Ella's House

I recently had a chance to interview Elise Jenkins of Ella’s House, the first residential nonprofit in Nashville that serves pregnant and parenting collegiate students. The refuge offers holistic help to balance education, health and family — through semesters and trimesters. Jenkins founded Ella’s House in response to the struggles she faced when she chose to obtain her college degree and have her daughter at 21. She went on a mission to create a safe spot in Nashville for women to feel empowered to continue their education while becoming a parent.

Why was Ella's House created? 

Ella’s House was born out of a need that I struggled to fill as a pregnant collegiate student trying to find connection and community. Nashville has over twenty colleges in it’s vicinity and currently no programs or nonprofits that specifically serve the 30,00+ students that are single moms in Tennessee. We saw that there was a great need for connection but also for more practical services like housing and connections to mental health, wellness, and educational resources. Our goal is to help women feel empowered to have their baby and their degree and to surround them with love and likeminded women while they achieve their goals!

Why is it so important to have support specifically for pregnant and parenting mothers focusing on earning a college degree? 

The statistics we found when researching for Ella’s House were staggering. Women with children are 65% more likely to drop out of college than women without children—leaving many with unfulfilled academic and professional goals. Additionally, a single mom earns on average over 600,000 more in her lifetime than with a high school diploma. This not only ensures a better life for her and her future but also goes back into our economy. I could go on and on about why the research shows this is an important, albeit often overlooked, group to support.

How did you balance being a young mother and earning your degree? 

I was so privileged to have parents, friends, and a boyfriend (who is now my husband) who were so supportive and encouraging. I also was extremely lucky that my pregnancy came at the end of my final semester of college. My daughter was born 10 days after I received my diploma so I never had the experience of actually parenting while in school. Now, with two kids, I have the upmost admiration for women who are parenting in college. My hope is that Ella’s House can offer even a glimmer of hope and support during their journey.