Mom of the Month · Greater NW Houston · SEPTEMBER 2026

Sandy Keeton is Building Belonging for Single-Parent Families

Founder, Faith Forward Families

Sandy Keeton has lived in seven states since her son Dawson was born, but Greater NW Houston is the place that finally felt like home. Three and a half years after moving back to be near her sister, Sandy is raising her two kids, working full time in aviation administration, finishing an MBA, and running Faith Forward Families, a nonprofit built to help single-parent households experience the joy and connection that a stretched budget can make hard to reach. We sat down with Sandy to hear her story.

Meet the Family

"My family has collected quite a few hometowns over the years. Since my son Dawson was born, we have lived in Idaho, New Mexico, Utah, Arizona, Texas, New York, and Florida. My sister has lived in the Houston area for more than 30 years, so Texas has always felt like a familiar place to return to. We moved back three and a half years ago, and after many years of moving and rebuilding, my children and I finally feel deeply rooted in this community along with my siblings."

Sandy is the proud mom of Dawson, 21, who serves in the Texas National Guard and starts this fall at Sam Houston majoring in Psychology, and Juliann, 12, a math whiz who fills their days with horse riding lessons and school theater. Sandy spent 22 years with Ameriprise Financial as a Planning Analyst before joining Swissport North America, where she now serves as Administrative Manager at George Bush Intercontinental Airport. She is also pursuing an MBA in Nonprofit Management at Liberty University, with graduation set for May 2027.

The Spark Behind Faith Forward Families

"I started Faith Forward Families because I knew firsthand how difficult it can be to hold a family together while managing work, finances, schedules, and the emotional needs of your children, often without much of a safety net."

Sandy noticed that most support for single-parent households focuses on urgent needs and financial survival, which matter, but leave little room for the extras that help kids belong. Activities like sports, music, art, and family experiences can become unaffordable when one income covers every essential expense. She also wanted to give single parents and their kids a way to volunteer together, since many organizations cannot accommodate younger volunteers and single parents rarely have time to serve separately.

"Faith Forward Families grew from that gap. We support working single-parent households through experience-based programs that strengthen family relationships, emotional well-being, and community connection. My own journey taught me that families need more than help getting through the day, they need opportunities to experience joy, build traditions, and create the #momentsthatmatter that help them move forward together."

A Day in Sandy's Life

"There is no typical day, but I am blessed to do work that I love. By day, I am the Administrative Manager for Swissport at IAH, where in aviation there is no shortage of something happening daily. Outside of work, I balance being a mom, building Faith Forward Families, completing my MBA, and keeping up with family life. Some days include meetings and grant writing, others involve school activities, events, or filling cookie-mix orders."

The Most Rewarding Part

"The most rewarding part is seeing the fruits of our work. When a sponsorship comes through and a student gets to participate in an activity they wanted to pursue but did not believe was possible, it makes every hour of work worthwhile. I am also energized by meeting people throughout the community who recognize the need and feel encouraged knowing that a resource like Faith Forward Families exists. Seeing hope replace uncertainty for both families and supporters reminds me why we started."

Balancing Motherhood and the Mission

"My challenges are typical of many single moms: being fully present in every role. Even when I am with my children, it can be difficult to quiet the running list of work, school, household, and nonprofit responsibilities in my head."

Sandy's answer has been to bring her kids into the mission itself. Dawson serves on the Faith Forward Families board, and Juliann leads its Student Advocacy Committee. "Faith Forward Families has become something we build together, while I remain intentional about protecting family time that has nothing to do with work."

Her Advice to Other Moms

"There may be late nights when you are doing your own printing at 2:00 a.m. or building a website from scratch because hiring someone is not yet in the budget. Start with what you have, ask for help when you need it, and keep moving forward. It may take longer than you imagined, but you can do it."

Family Time

"Much of our family time revolves around Juliann's activities, but we also make shared meals a priority, from planning the menu together to sitting down around the table. We love road trips, exploring new places, and finding a good adventure. Both of my children are history buffs, so we especially enjoy visiting places with a story to tell."