Our board is made up of wonderful compassionate women who represent several Christian denominations and ethnic groups. We choose to demonstrate Christ through our work. We are moderate, relaxed, and open in how we interact with single moms, but we take Christianity and Christian spirituality seriously. We rely on the Bible, but are not dogmatic. We are interested in all believers and will not pressure our neighbors. Our primary form of witness is by our lives, but we do not hide the fact that we are Christians. We offer a Second Sunday Support Group at Calder Baptist in Beaumont, Texas, we gather every 4th Friday for Fun with SMORE, and we host an annual retreat for single mothers  in early November in which we truly bless the moms with pampering, fellowship, inspiration, and gifts. In doing so we hope to let Christ’s love shine through. 

 Briefs about our board members:

Betty Bernard was a guest at our first retreat. She has become an integral part of the ministry as she counsels and shares her story with other moms. She has experienced life’s hardest blows and remains a steady witness to staying on the path. She is mother to Brooke and Jazmine. Their older sister, Prissy, was killed in a car wreck in 2007 just after she completed college. Betty understands what it is to face life's difficult challenges and remain standing. She is a hard worker and strong supporter of SMORE for Women. Betty has returned to college and also works while raising two terrific daughters.

At the age of 30 with two children Kay Decuir became a single mom. She raised two beautiful children that now work in the medical field serving others. One of her proudest accomplishments is to be able to say both of her children are strong, independent, mature individuals who through many tough years growing up have made a great future for themselves.  Through their faith and perseverance all three of them grew as a family and chose to make a difference in the lives of others. Kay has a vast experience in the educational arena with more than 27 years of experience. Kay has provided professional development and training for educators across the country. Kay currently is the Executive Director of the Nederland Economic Development Corporation. She is also a real estate broker and owns K Decuir Properties. She is always available to help moms find that first new home or walk them through what they need to do for mortgage financing or counseling. Some of her former employers were the Shorkey Center, University of Texas in Austin, Texas Education Agency Consultant, HOSTS Learning and Nederland ISD. She has coordinated teams of consultants and worked at the local, state, and national level on projects to support schools with federal and local funding implementations. She is highly involve in her community where she serves on the Nederland ISD school board. Kay enjoys spending time with her husband, Bruce, who she married in 1998, and keeping up with her grown children. Kay is the director of her Sunday School class at First Baptist Church, Nederland and serves on the Personnel and Insurance Committees. 

Susan Gonzalez is 39 years old. She has lived in Texas for seven years. Before moving to Texas she lived in Idaho. She is married to Israel and together eleven years they have four children ages 15, 13, 7, and 2. She attended Seattle Central University and University of Phoenix and earned  a degree in Human Services. She has been involved in the Human Services field for fifteen years. She is currently a Community Engagement Coordinator with Molina Healthcare, which is one of the managed care organizations with CHIP/Medicaid and also in the marketplace. Susan was a single parent for many years and understands how difficult it can be. She now spends much of her time assisting others in finding resources in the community. She feels it is important to share information with others who may not be in the know, like I once was.  Susan says, "Through my job I have attended two SMORE retreats. I always take back so much more than expected; it truly is a wonderful organization." 

Debora Grogan is 43 years old, a minister, musician, psalmist, poet, composer, massage therapist and medical assistant. She is mother of Private Trestandt D. Stewart, U.S. Army and Tiara D. Edwards and grandmother of Jayden D. Lopez, Patrick Citizen and Kayden Citizen.

She was raised in the small town of Nome, Texas, by my grandparents, who were hardcore Christians. Her grandparents believed that the only way to succeed was to have a foundation built on the Word and relationship with God. 

She was a single parent that raised her kids by working as a musician and working odd jobs. She had the opportunity to go back to school in 1999 to take up medical assisting. Debora graduated in 2000 from Texas Careers Institute of Technology where she then went on to work for such companies as Southeast E.N.T. as an allergy tech. for Dr. George Katei, internal specialist, Dr. Gambrah, cardiologist, and Baptist hospital, as a phlebotomist She worked for Marshall Family Practice, as laboratory manager, office manager, phlebotomist, and administrator for vaccines for children. Throughout the years she began to get to know who she truly was and is. The fact that she has endured many hardships as a single parent causes her to look at her successes and thank God for each of them. She says, “Because it is God that has molded me into the woman that I am today. Having the pleasure of returning to school in 2013-2014, and graduating with a certification in massage therapy, has allowed me to become an entrepreneur and the opportunity to own my own business. Who would have thought? My encouragement for any young woman that is struggling with the fact of being a single parent, just know that all things work together for the good of them that love the Lord. Be blessed.”

Donna Renee’ Kinlaw-Guilbeau was born March 24, 2026 in Port Arthur, Texas. She is a 1978 graduate of Abraham Lincoln High School. She received an Early Childhood Certificate from Lamar, Port Arthur and a ParaEducator certificate through the Port Arthur Independent School District where she is currently employed as a ParaEducator in Special Education at Dick Dowling Elementary. Donna is the proud mother of two awesome sons, Larry Guilbeau II and Donovan Guilbeau and grandmother to seven, four boys and three girls. She is an active member of Antioch Missionary Baptist Church where she serves in our Single Parents Ministry, Voices of Antioch, and Hymn Choir. She is a small group Bible study leader in her home via Antioch. Donna is also a volunteer with Pioneer Women. She serve on our Dowling School Awards/Graduation, Black History, and Fun Day Committees at school. She is a member/volunteer of PTA and Communities in School. Her favorite saying that she tries to live by is, “Who I am is my gift from God, who I become, is my gift to God.” 
Donna says, "Becoming a single parent was not in my plans after being married for sixteen years. But just as Woody Allen said, 'If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans.' But, through it all I have learned to lean, trust, and depend totally on God, and 'if I can help somebody as I pass along, and spread love’s message, as the Master taught, then my living shall not be in vain.'” (Mahalia Jackson)

As a teacher, Laurie Harris feels most rewarded when she can make a difference in students’ lives and kindle a desire to learn.  She loves experiencing new things and finds that it inspires her to be creative and share with others.  One of her main passions is photography, but she sometimes expresses my feelings through poetry or prose, sharing what God is doing in her life as He teaches her along the way.  She feels honored and grateful when God can use her creativity for His glory because her goal is to “do all to the glory of God.” I Corinthians 10:31

  

Kay Miller-Horne was born in Port Arthur, and now resides in Lumberton, Texas.  She graduated in 1990 from Lamar State College-Port Arthur, with an Associate of Applied Science degree as a Legal Secretary.  She worked in the legal field for several years, and then went to work at Exxon-Mobil as a Q.C. Laboratory Technician.  That is where Kay met and married her first husband.  After almost 10 years, she “retired” from working, and began her family.  Kay is the proud mom of two amazing boys, Mason and Reese.

Kay enjoyed being a “stay at home mom,” but circumstances and situations were less than ideal. In 2007, she found herself divorced with two small children.  When Reese, the youngest of her children, began attending first grade, Kay began wondering what she could do to help bring in money, and leave her time during the week to be available for her boys with activities.  Kay was born with a talent of singing and playing the piano, and began to pray about using her gifts to support her children.  She bought a newspaper on a random Monday morning and there on the front page, was an advertisement for her alma mater, Lamar State College-Port Arthur’s new Commercial Music Program.  Kay had never auditioned with her voice or piano playing before, but at 40, she didn’t have anything to lose!  She contacted the college, set up an audition, and a week later, she was registering for college….again! 

Kay was a full time student, full time mom, and juggled a full time schedule of performing on weekends.  She maintained a 4.0 GPA, and in December of 2010, graduated with her second Associate’s degree, as a Performance Major in the Commercial Music Department.  Hard work and perseverance paid off and she thanks the good Lord every chance she gets for this incredible stroke of fate in her life.  Kay met her new husband, Aaron, while pursuing this degree. 

Kay and Aaron are joint owners of a recording studio located in Beaumont, Texas and are working on several CD projects of their own.  Kay continues to play music locally on weekends, as well as participating in and providing worship music for retreats and local women’s events. 

Kay says that God has blessed her more abundantly than she deserves.  “There have been so many times I could have been angry at the events and happenings in my life.  But I know a God, who has my life in His hand, and His plan is certainly a better choice than the decisions I have made for myself.”  She believes that with the right mind set, you can determine in your heart to make your life better OR just get bitter…the only difference is “I”.  

Charmaine Jackson was born and raised in the Trinidad West Indies. She moved to Port Arthur Texas at the age of fifteen, to live with her father and stepmother. She graduated from Lincoln High School and Lamar State College Port Arthur. Charmaine is the mother of a nineteen year old son, Torrian Norrel whom she has raised alone since he was five months old. She is certain that the only way she was able to make it being both a mother and a father to her son is because of the grace and mercy of the Almighty God, and the words of wisdom and encouragement that she received from grandparents.

Charmaine is employed by the Port Arthur Independent School District as Executive Assistant to the Director of District Communications Services and Public Affairs. She is a member of Antioch Missionary Baptist Church, under the leadership of Dr. John R. Adolph. She is actively involved in the Choir and the Single Parents Ministry.

Being a single mother has enabled Charmaine to work her Faith in God continuously, no matter how bad the situation may be, always remembering what her grandmother, Doris, instilled in her, “PRAY IN SEASON AND OUT OF SEASON.” In other words pray all of the time. Charmaine states that one of her greatest passions is being able to encourage and help people of all walks of life, always reminding them that success comes from determination, but determination comes from struggles. She also stays focus on one of her favorite scriptures, Psalms 121.

Mary Achan Simon is a native of Louisiana and has been a resident of Texas since 1985.  Being a single parent is not the goal that Mary had in mind when she decided to marry and have a family, but, the blessing of being a mother has brought many wonderful experiences.  Her two sons, Joseph Brandon Simon and Stephen Jamal Simon are a living testimony of what God can do when you seek Him for guidance, direction and perfect provision.  Mary's belief is that ministry starts first in the home and when that is in order, then she has freed herself to go out among God's people to do His work in accordance. One thing Mary knows for sure is that during difficult, unexplained and challenging times, her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is with her and her sons through it all.

Mary is a graduate of Grambling State University and has a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work. She has a wealth of additional training and education that has complimented her work in the field of Mental Health and Mental Retardation for many years and enjoys working with a diverse group of  people. Mary has also served as a CASA Youth Specialist, Volunteer Trainer, Training Specialist and a Family Advocate . Currently, Mary is employed with Texas Department of Criminal Justice as a Parole Officer.  

Mary's passion for working with parents and children continues through her volunteer work while serving as the Ministry Leader, Single Parents Ministry at Antioch Missionary Baptist Church under the leadership and direction of Rev. Dr. John R. Adolph, Pastor.  Mary is also a participant in the Women of the King Choir at Antioch. Additionally, Mary serves as a SMORE Advisory Board Member and is a Facilitator for the SMORE Sunday Support Group at Calder Baptist Church, Beaumont, Texas.

Mary states, “I continue to pray and ask God to have His way with my life and to teach me in preparation to help another family.” Her favorite scripture is Psalm 23 as it reminds her that, ”no matter what I am going through the Lord is My Shepherd and I must follow HIM. No matter what HE has placed in my path; I know that God has directed every step along the way and that HE is with me upon this earth.” Her prayer is to be used by God by being his vessel to share his Word, express his Love and to encourage every person to trust him and to have the faith of a mustard seed. She says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, daily.”

Margaret Somers lived and raised her three children in Port Arthur area for 30+ years. After her divorce in 1989, she continued her clinical lab work in microbiology.

She went on to earn a M.B.A. degree and free-lanced as a grant writing and marketing consultant in Beaumont area in mid 90’s.

Currently, she lives in Houston as a caregiver to her mother, who is in her 80’s, and enjoys her six grandchildren! 

Life is a journey! Feed your spirit daily (Galatians 2:20) Understand who you are in Christ-you will be blessed and bless others.