There are a few things that all families need to lead a happy and healthy life, including:
- Food
- Water
- Heat
- Clothing
- Entertainment
- Education
- Health
All of these are things that many people take for granted, as they are seemingly small aspects of what makes up our daily lives. However, for a single mom, being able to pay for most of these things can be an absolute nightmare, as money becomes tight and we’re forced to be incredibly frugal. For many moms struggling to even afford daily essentials is a hard dilemma to face as all we want is to keep our children healthy, happy and safe.
Fortunately, help is at hand to help single mothers like you, to cope with daily life.
Keep your Family Well-Fuelled
Without food on the table, it is virtually impossible to keep your child healthy, and when they reach school age, it’s likely that a lack of nutrition will have an immense effect on their concentration and ability to learn.
Food-based financial aid for single mothers typically comes in the form of vouchers, coupons or stamps, which are given out on a weekly basis. Vouchers are dated, meaning that they will expire after a certain date, so ensure that you use them accordingly. Stamps are normally only accepted in specific stores, so make sure that you know exactly which stores will allow you to use them.
The amount that your coupons are worth will depend of several factors, covering:
- Family Size
- Overall family income
- Age of all children
- A variety of other factors which could include medical or dietary needs of your children.
Most mothers will seek aid for food from the Food and Nutrition Service, which is run by the United States Department of Agriculture.
For Financial Assistance for Single Mothers to gain food stamps, you can find more information from your local Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Office. The Program attempts to make the application process as easy as possible for you, and they even offer a “Pre-Screening” system that allows you to find out if you are definitely eligible for help, which saves you the time and energy of filling in an application form, only to find that you do not qualify.
Once you have determined whether you qualify for food stamps through the SNAP, you will need to fill in an application form and return it to your nearest office. If you are unsure where to find your local SNAP Office, you can find out by looking up your state on the SNAP website.
Other Financial Aid Options
Of course food isn’t the only available Financial Aid for Single Mothers. In fact most things that you might be struggling to pay for can be covered through various grants, stamps and loans (within reason):
- Energy Assistance Programs help to pay gas and electricity bills to keep your home warm. For many families, this is essential during the cold months, especially in cooler states.
- Medicaid is designed to offer financial assistance for single mothers to help pay for medical treatment.
- If you are interested in getting back into education or work, various grants could help you with fees or other costs that will help set you on the best track. This could include covering the costs of placing your children into daycare, if they are too young to be at School
Emergency Cash
We all know the scenario, when an unexpected bill crops up out of nowhere that leaves us more strapped for cash than we’d expected. Nevertheless, there is emergency cash assistance available in the form of loans. Such loans are helpful for keeping on top of such things as rental payments.