For many of us, owning our own home is an important part of being a “grown up”, as is having children. But, what happens when life throws you a curve-ball and you find yourself as a single mom, taking care of the children and the mortgage of your dream home, all by yourself? How can you possibly prioritise which is more important:
- Paying your Mortgage
- Putting food on the table
- Buying clothes for both yourself and your children
- Keeping your home warm in the winter, and cool in the summer
- Making your child better, should they get sick
The answer: You just can’t ,because all of them are so incredibly important. You might be reluctant to even look at what options may be available for housing assistance for single mothers, but they really are there to help your life run that little bit more smoothly.
There are several national, as well as state-wide government and local government schemes that offer mortgage assistance for single mothers. Their aim is to free up more of a moms probably small income to be spent on other important parts of family life.
What grants may be available, and where to find them?
The grants available that offer housing assistance for single mothers will depend predominantly on which state that you reside it. Therefore, to find out which grants you may qualify for, it is worth looking into all of the various avenues of independent and/or government-based bodies that may be able to offer you help. Groups to research include:
- Both stateand local governments
- Not for Profit organizations, including charities and public housing groups
If you are finding it difficult to pinpoint groups that may be able to offer you help, never be afraid to ask questions. If you are a member of a single moms group, the chances are raised that at least one other mommy will have been in the exact position that you are in, and they may be able to push you in the right direction. Other options include asking around at any other groups that you may be a member of, perhaps a Church Group, a Book Group, a Weight Group etc. Otherwise, contact your local government office and inquire as to which department may deal with helping single parents. Local and National Charities, such as the Salvation Army, may also be able to offer help and advice.
How to Apply for Grants
There’s no point glossing over the obvious, but applying for grants of any kind is definitely not an easy task. Typically, they involve filling in extensive forms that will appear to be a list of seemingly endless questions about every single aspect of your life. The forms are often confusing, and often can seem to be slightly pointless. If you do find yourself struggling to answer any questions, it is worth the time to ask for help, preferably from the body that supplied the form, as any problems or mistakes may hinder the application process further down the line, and that isn’t beneficial for anyone. Traditionally, the forms will be paper hard copies, however, it is becoming more popular for groups, especially groups offering government housing assistance for single mothers based, to ask you to fill forms in online. Even once the form has been submitted, the process is hardly ever easy, as you may be forced to wait a lengthy period of time before you find out what, if anything, you may be entitled.
What could you be entitled to?
Again, this depends on your state, and the group that you approach for help. Some groups may offer one-off payments to help you, whilst others may be able to offer a more long term help plan. The most important factor is to ensure that you understand exactly what you are applying for, so that you know:
- Where the grant is coming from
- If you will need to pay it back, and if so, under what conditions
- When you will receive a payment
How much, and how often, should you expect to receive payments.