Being a single mother can be both rewarding and challenging. Some of those challenges you are faced with mostly pertain to finances, income, housing, and childcare just to name a few. These government assistance programs for single mothers are extremely helpful when it comes to your finances.
If you’re looking for emotional help and care, please reach out to us so we can connect you with a mentor and get you involved with one of our support groups.
However, when it comes to your finances, the government has foreseen such challenges and has assistance programs in place for single mothers who need help in any of the following areas.
- Financial assistance
- Housing assistance
- Food assistance
- Child care assistance
- Healthcare assistance
- Legal assistance
- Grant assistance
We will be discussing the above in more detail in hopes to help alleviate any financial stress you might be faced with.
Let’s first discuss all of the different types of assistance programs the government has to offer.
Financial Assistance in Florida
Florida Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA) program provides cash assistance to families with children under the age of 18 or under age 19 if full time secondary (high school) school students, that meet the technical, income, and asset requirements.
The program helps families become self-supporting while allowing children to remain in their own homes.
Pregnant women may also receive TCA, either in the third trimester of pregnancy if unable to work, or in the 9th month of pregnancy. Parents, children and minor siblings who live together must apply together.
Eligibility Requirements For TCA
- Time Limits – Cash assistance is limited to a lifetime total of 48 months as an adult (except for child only cases, which have no time limit).
- Work Rules – Some people must participate in work activities unless they meet an exemption. Regional Workforce Boards provide work activities and services needed to get or keep a job.
- Income and Deductions – Gross income must be less than 185% of the Federal Poverty level and countable income can’t be higher than the payment standard for the family size. Individuals get a $90 deduction from their gross earned income.
- Citizenship – Individuals must be U.S. citizens or qualified non-citizens.
- Residency – Individuals must live in the state of Florida.
- SSN – Individuals must provide a Social Security Number or proof they have applied for one.
- Assets – A family’s countable assets must be equal to or less than $2,000. Licensed vehicles needed for individuals subject to the work requirement may not exceed a combined value of $8,500.
- Relationship – A child must be living in the home maintained by a parent or a relative who is a blood relative of the child.
- Child Support Cooperation – The parent or the caretaker relative of the children must cooperate with child support enforcement to identify and locate the parent(s) who do not live in the child’s home, to prove a child’s legal relationship to their parent and to get the court to order child support payments.
- Immunization – Children under age 5 must be up to date with childhood immunizations (shots).
- Learnfare – Children age 6 to 18 must attend school and parents/caretakers must attend school conferences.
How to Apply For TCA
- First go to the MyFlorida.com
- Then select Apply For Benefits
Government Housing Assistance In Hillsborough Count
LIHEAP energy grants and assistance for single parents (help with energy bills)
Need help paying your energy bill? Hillsborough County can assist! The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and Emergency Home Energy Assistance Program (EHEAP) helps Hillsborough County residents pay for energy bills so they don’t have to choose between electricity and groceries. Assistance is provided for as long as program funds are available.
Eligibility Requirements for Government Housing
Have a household gross income of no more than 60 percent state median income for households of 8 members or less, or a households gross income of no more than 150 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines for households with 9 or more members
Other eligibility requirements can be found at benefits.gov
How To Apply
Go to the Hillsborough County Health and Social Services website and select HUD Housing.
Step 1: Choose where you want to live
- Apartment provided
- Public Housing
- Use a Voucher to Pay for all or part
Apartment
Search for an approved apartment in your area using the map. Then contact the manager of the location you are interested in.
Public Housing
Contact an agency in your state here, then select your state. It will direct you to a pdf that is organized by city.
If you live in Tampa, FL see below.
How to use a voucher to pay for housing
When looking for government assistance when it comes to housing, The Housing Choice Vouchers are a great way to assist those in need of a home to live in.
Eligibility Requirements for Government Assisted Housing
Eligibility is determined by income and family size. The household income may not exceed 50% of the average median income for thee country or metropolitan area in which the family chooses to live. If you’d like to read more about eligibility for Section 8 housing follow this link.
How To Apply
In order to apply, you need to contact your local PHA, and select your state.
Tampa, FL see below for Section 8 housing agency to contact.
Food Assistance For Single Mothers
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
SNAP provides nutrition benefits to supplement the food budget of needy families so they can purchase healthy food and move towards self-sufficiency.
Eligibility: Your household must meet certain requirements to be eligible for SNAP and receive benefits. If your state agency determines that you are eligible to receive SNAP benefits, you will receive benefits back to the date you submitted your application.
How to apply: Each state is different and you must apply at your local state SNAP agency office. You can select your state here to see who to contact for SNAP assistance.
Child Nutrition Programs
The Child Nutrition Program
The Child Nutrition Program is comprised of multiple programs that assist families in feeding their children in a school setting.
How to apply: You can apply for these programs through your child’s school. You can find the application on their website, most times, or call and get a copy in person.
National School Lunch Program
The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools and residential child care institutions. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to children each school day. The program was established under the National School Lunch Act, signed by President Harry Truman in 1946.
School Breakfast Program Fact Sheet
The School Breakfast Program (SBP) provides reimbursement to states to operate nonprofit breakfast programs in schools and residential childcare institutions. The Food and Nutrition Service administers the SBP at the federal level. State education agencies administer the SBP at the state level, and local school food authorities operate the program in schools.
Special Milk Program
The Special Milk Program (SMP) provides milk to children in schools and childcare institutions who do not participate in other federal meal service programs. The program reimburses schools for the milk they serve. Schools in the National School Lunch or School Breakfast Programs may also participate in the Special Milk Program to provide milk to children in half-day pre-kindergarten and kindergarten programs where children do not have access to the school meal programs.
Child and Adult Care Food Program
The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) is a federal program that provides reimbursements for nutritious meals and snacks to eligible children and adults who are enrolled for care at participating child care centers, day care homes, and adult day care centers.
Summer Food Service Program
The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) is a federally-funded, state-administered program. SFSP reimburses program operators who serve free healthy meals and snacks to children and teens in low-income areas.
If you have school aged children, then you are eligible to apply for free or reduced breakfast and lunch through the Child Nutrition Program. Your school will have the application in order for you to apply.
Eligibility will be based on income and other qualifying factors.
TEFAP grants
The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) is a federal program that helps supplement the diets of low-income Americans, including elderly people, by providing them with emergency food assistance at no cost. Through TEFAP, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) purchases a variety of nutritious, high-quality USDA Foods, and makes those foods available to state distributing agencies.
You can review the TEFAP Fact Sheet here.
How to Apply For TEFAP Grants
In order to apply you will need to select your state here then contact your local agency for assistance.
For Florida residents, please see the information below.
Child Care Assistance
Head Start and Early Head Start/ Child Care Grants
Florida School Readiness Program.
Florida KidCare (SCHIP)
TCA – Relative Caregiver Program
The TCA Relative Caregiver Program provides monthly cash assistance to relatives who meet eligibility rules and have custody of a child under age 18 who has been court ordered dependent by a Florida court and placed in their home by the Department of Children and Families Child Welfare/Community Based Care (CW/CBC) contracted provider.
The monthly cash assistance amount is higher than the Temporary Cash Assistance for one child, but less than the amount paid for a child in the foster care program.
Only the child’s income and assets are counted when determining eligibility and payment amounts. Payments are based on the child’s age and any countable income. Monthly payments for children with no countable income are as follows:
- Age 0 through 5 – $242 per child
- Age 6 through 12 – $249 per child
- Age 13 through 17 – $298 per child
Eligibility
Please click here for eligibility requirements for thee TCA-Relative Caregiver Program
How To Apply for the TCA-Relative Caregiver Program Here
Healthcare Assistance Programs
WIC Program Assistance
WIC is a nutrition program for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding or who have recently been pregnant, infants & children under age 5. Please click here to view the WIC Program Assistance website.
WIC provides the following at no cost:
- healthy foods
- nutrition education and counseling
- breastfeeding support
- referrals to health care, immunizations, and community services
Eligibility: To bee eligible, you must meet certain income requirements. Please see table below.
How To Apply
You must call the Hillsborough County Local WIC Office phone number at 813-307-8074 and tell them you want to apply for WIC.
For Local WIC Offices in other Florida counties visit this website here.
What to bring to your appointment:
- Bring EACH family member who is applying to receive WIC services. This would mean mama and baby or babies.
- Bring proof of ALL income for everyone in the household (before taxes and deductions are taken out)
- Bring ONE proof of where you live (no P.O. boxes)
- Utility bill
- Bank statement
- Bring ONE proof of identification for you and ONE proof of identification for any infant or child applying for WIC
- Driver’s license
- Social security card
- birth certificate
- Crib card
- Military ID
- Hospital record
- If your doctor has completed the WIC Medical Referral Form, bring this form to your appointment.
- Bring the Social Security Number for each person applying for WIC, if available.
- Bring the immunization (shot) record for each child, if available.
Medicare (under 65)
Medicare is not just for individuals over the age of 65, however you must meet certain requirements to qualify. If you have a disability then you are one of the ones who qualify.
Click the link To read more about if you qualify for Medicare under the age of 65.
Medicaid
Medicaid is a joint federal and state program that provides health coverage to Americans, including children, pregnant women, parents, seniors, and individuals with disabilities.
Eligibility
To be eligible for Florida Medicaid, you must be a resident of the state of Florida, a U.S. national, citizen, permanent resident, or legal alien, in need of health care/insurance assistance, whose financial situation would be characterized as low income or very low income. You must also be one of the following:
- Pregnant, or
- Be responsible for a child 18 years of age or younger, or
- Blind, or
- Have a disability or a family member in your household with a disability, or
- Be 65 years of age or older.
You can view all of their health plans here.
How to apply
You can contact them by phone at (866) 762-2237
OR
You can enroll into their Member Portal then select Create An Account.
You can also visit Medicaid.gov in order to enroll into the program. If you are a Florida resident you can also explore The Florida Agency for Healthcare Administration
Legal Assistance
Federal Government Pro Bono Program
If you are needing free legal assistance, Florida has set up a free pro bono program that will assist you with your legal matters. Their services include the following.
Florida Courts Help
Florida Courts Help is a website to help consumers navigate the court system. The site includes a list of frequently asked questions and forms related to family law, the probate process, guardianship, small claims and more.
Florida Law Help
Funded by the Florida Bar Foundation, Florida Law Help is Florida’s free legal information website and directory of all legal aid offices throughout the state. Areas of law include: Family Law, Domestic Violence, Immigration, Housing, Public Benefits, Seniors, Consumer, Community Education, and Education.
Free Legal Answers
Florida Free Legal Answers is virtual legal advice clinic in which qualifying users post their civil legal questions. Attorney volunteers log in to the website, select questions to answer and provide legal information and advice. Users receive an email when their questions have a response.
Final Thoughts
There are many local and nationwide government assistance programs for single moms that we would love for you to utilize. The process does take time, so we suggest getting started today. There is so much money to be saved and resources to be gained. If you have any questions please leave a comment below and let us know.