Financial Assistance Programs for Single Parents

Money is tight when you are on your own, but that’s no reason why you shouldn’t be able to provide a decent home for your children. If you could use a little extra help to pay the bills and keep food on the table you can apply for financial assistance for single parents. This article will explain a few of the better programs available to help get you on a good start to finding some help. One of your highest priorities when you have children is to make sure that they have enough food. A simple solution to this problem is to find your closest food bank and apply for single parent financial assistance. They will provide you with free or reduced price food which can save you a fair amount of money in the long run. Since food banks rely on public donations, they can sometimes have a difficult time keeping their shelves stocked. Be sure to apply for food stamps as well to help lighten their burden. You can usually find where to apply in the phone book under ‘food stamps.’ One of the best programs available for single parent financial assistance is Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, which is sometimes referred to generically as welfare. Usually abbreviated as TANF, this program is federally funded and provides states with resources needed to help out its citizens in need. To apply you should contact the Department of Health and Human Services for your county. In order to receive the benefits this program provides, you must be gainfully employed at least 30 hours a week. While it differs between the states, in most cases you can only receive benefits for a certain number of years, usually five is the maximum. A growing resource that provides financial assistance for single parents is known as 2-1-1. This is a free service with the goal of connecting needy individuals with programs that may be of some help. This may include such services as food banks, health care, utilities, child care, etc. To see if this service is available in your area, all you have to do is dial 2-1-1 on your telephone. This program is always growing and it is estimated that by now 80 percent of the United States population should have access to this program. Finally, if you are someone who is interested in returning to school so you can hopefully improve your life with a better career, there is financial aid for single parents available at most colleges. Simply contact your school’s Financial Aid office to fill out a FAFSA form which will determine whether or not you qualify. Awarded funds are usually given through the Federal Pell Grant which will pay for a pretty good portion of your tuition fees. The best part is that unlike a student loan, these never must be paid back.