Being a single mom is a tough job. You love your kids, but the challenge of doing everything on your own is overwhelming and tiring. Somehow, you have to manage to get them to school and practice, work, make dinner, get them to the doctor, help with homework, and more. And sometimes, no matter how hard you try, you just can’t do enough.
The truth is, though, that no one goes all the way through life without needing help. And if you’re a single mom in need of assistance, you are not alone. Fortunately, there are many people out there who recognize how hard single moms work – and just how much they deserve help.
Below, you’ll find a list of organizations that help single mothers. Some of them are very targeted, only helping certain locations or groups. Others have much broader assistance. And every one of them is worth a look so that you and your children can achieve the life you deserve.
1. Department of Human Services
While you’re diving into helpful organizations, be sure you check out your main local resource. In some areas, it’s known as the Department of Human Services or the Department of Human Resources. It might be called something different in your area, but many people refer to it as the food stamp office.
Regardless of what you call it, there are often several resources available to you if you meet certain income requirements. One of these resources is, of course, food stamps or SNAP. The same location typically also helps those in need get signed up for Medicaid, TANF, or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, job placement assistance, child care assistance, and more.
2. Modest Needs
If you happen to be a little above the income line and can’t be approved for government assistance, Modest Needs can help out. They often offer grants to help cover monthly bills, health care, appliance purchases, and even vehicle repairs. This is typically short-term assistance and is paid directly to the bill or creditor.
3. Single Parent Project
The Single Parent Project is also committed to helping single moms who don’t qualify for government programs. The organization does help with regular bills, groceries, gas, child care, and more, but they offer much more than that. The goal of this organization is to provide assistance that helps change lives – not just keep the lights on.
Therefore, after the immediate needs are addressed, The Single Parent Project works with families to take care of mental health problems, substance abuse issues, and any other areas that might contribute to poverty. It also offers support groups and events to help better the whole family.
4. Helping Hands for Single Moms
Helping Hands for Single Moms is dedicated to helping single moms who are attending college in hopes of achieving a better life. The program provides a wide range of assistance, some of which include:
- Scholarships
- Textbook purchases
- Assistance with computers and software
- Counseling
- Support network
- Emergency financial assistance
- Limited medical and dental care
Currently, Helping Hands for Single Moms is only active in Phoenix and Dallas, but it might cover additional areas in the future.
5. Feeding America
Most people have heard of Feeding America and are aware of its commitment to fighting hunger in America. They help those in need through food banks and other organizations. If you and your children need food assistance, you can find the locations in your area through the Feeding America website.
6. Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is well-known for its Christmas toy drives and similar events, but most people don’t know what else goes on with the organization. It is dedicated to helping single moms and other low-income families through various means, including but not limited to:
- Rental assistance
- Utility assistance
- Housing assistance
- Food
- Clothing
- Job skills training
- Emergency assistance due to events like fires and natural disasters
Different locations offer different services, so you’ll need to check with your local organization to determine what’s available to you.
7. Catholic Charities USA
Catholic Charities USA has a big mission: to cut the poverty rate in America by half. What makes this mission possible is that Catholic Charities USA is not one organization but a network of individual Catholic organizations across America that are all fighting for the same cause. The fact that it is such a large network is great for two reasons.
The first is that nearly everyone across the country has one of the individual charities close by. The other is that each organization provides its own type of assistance, which opens the doors to a range of possibilities. By contacting Catholic Charities of America, single moms can potentially gain access to assistance for the following and more:
- Affordable housing
- Nutrition and food
- Health care
- Disaster relief
- Building social enterprises
- Rent and utilities
- Counseling services
- Childcare
- Prescription costs
And you don’t have to be Catholic to receive this assistance. They extend their hand to anyone in need
8. Bridge of Hope
If you’re facing eviction or homelessness, Bridge of Hope might be able to help. They fight to prevent homelessness with the help of a network of organizations and churches. They currently only operate in California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas.
If you’re not in one of these states, it still never hurts to contact Bridge of Hope. At a minimum, they might have a lead on assistance in other areas. You’ll also find other location-specific eviction and foreclosure assistance organizations below.
9. Fellowship Housing
Fellowship Housing also provides single mothers with assistance when they are at threat of losing their homes. However, they only provide assistance to those in Chicago.
10. Mercy Housing
Mercy Housing is committed to helping moms prevent homelessness altogether, even if it’s just a rental. They help find more affordable housing across the country.
11. National Coalition for the Homeless
The National Coalition for the Homeless also helps fight homelessness all over the US, as well as fight for civil rights, affordable housing, and necessities for those facing homelessness.
12. Warrick Dunn Charities
If you’re ready to purchase a home and have the credit to do so but struggle with the down payment, take a look at Warrick Dunn Charities. It’s dedicated to helping qualifying single parents with down payments and purchasing furniture, appliances, and food for the new home. They also offer workshops on finances and healthier eating to help parents make the best choices possible.
13. The Singletons
The Singletons is a great organization with a very specific purpose: to provide support to single parents of children diagnosed with cancer. This assistance comes in the form of emotional support, financial help in the form of monthly stipends, food, kids’ programs, and even household necessities like laundry detergent.
14. Single Parent Advocate
Single Parent Advocate is an organization that lives up to its name. It works with a network of businesses, churches, and more to provide a variety of resources. It does provide financial assistance to help cover bills and other expenses. However, it also helps with childcare, employment, credit counseling, and more, while helping single moms get an education. The organization works with each single-parent home closely to determine needs and goals so that a customized plan for resources can be developed.
Other Helpful Tips and Resources for Single Moms
The organizations above can help single moms get the help they need, but you don’t have to stop there. There are other steps you can take to help improve your life – both long and short-term. The following are just a few that you can give a try.
Consider Joining a Support Group
Sometimes, the biggest assistance you need is support, and several groups out there provide this to single moms. Some of them include:
Some of these support groups can also help you get access to financial assistance and more. You can visit each individual site to learn more.
Look Into Other Homebuying Options
Typically, you need three things to buy a home: a down payment, good credit, and the necessary income. Many moms have one or two of these but are lacking the third. For instance, their credit might be a little off, but they make plenty of money and have a down payment. Or they make enough to pay the monthly payment on a mortgage, but just can’t seem to save enough for a down payment.
If you can’t get your family into a home because you lack a down payment or perfect credit, there are other home loan options for you. USDA loans require no down payment for those who qualify and wish to move to a rural area. And FHA loans can come with as low as a 3.5% down payment. You can learn more about the requirements for each on the individual websites.
Habitat For Humanity is another resource when you need safe and decent housing. The requirements are nowhere near as stringent as they are with traditional mortgages. Instead, you typically have to put in “sweat hours” by helping build your home or working on another project. Your income also has to be high enough to pay the regular monthly payments until your home is paid off.
SingleMom.com
SingleMom.com is a website that helps single moms find things they need. It can provide you with links to help with child support, housing, scholarships grants for school, and more. You’ll also find parenting tips and even dating advice – if the day ever comes you can fit that into your schedule.
Free Clinics
Many areas have free clinics to help both you and your kids. They often offer dental services, medical care, and eye care, too. If you have a pet, there are even some veterinarian practices that offer free or low-cost spaying and neutering. You can often run a Google search for something like “free medical clinics near me.” Sometimes, though, all it takes is to ask friends at work or even on social media. There are usually several people who can tell you where in your community to find these things.
Use Resources for Cutting Expenses
Getting your bills lowered can be a life-changing thing for single moms, and there are a few different ways to do it.
- Sign up for an app like Trim. They’ll negotiate your bills for you. It usually doesn’t cost you anything upfront. Instead, they’ll take 10% or 20% of the amount they save you.
- Look into weatherization programs. Heating and cooling costs make up a large portion of monthly bill costs. Weatherizing is one of the best ways to cut these bills. And even better, low-income families can usually get help with weatherizing their homes through the LIHEAP program.
- Cut your phone, cable, and internet bills down. Many people pay a lot more for phone and internet services than they need to because they don’t realize what they’re paying for. Start by taking a look at your bills to determine line by line what you’re being charged for. If you find something you don’t need, call your provider and have them take that off of your services. And if you are on any government programs, like SNAP or Medicaid, you can apply for free phone and Internet services through EASY Wireless.
Look Into ALL Kids
If you can’t qualify for Medicaid because you’re a little over their income limits, consider ALL Kids. It helps parents by providing low-cost insurance to kids who are under the age of 18 or 19, depending on your state.
Use Apps for Extra Cash
When you need extra cash as a single mom, it typically feels like you have to give up more time with your kids to make it happen. However, there are a few ways to make a little extra here and there with little effort.
For example, apps like Ibotta and Fetch Rewards give you cash back for scanning your receipts or purchasing specific items. Shopkick lets you scan items in the store and earn points. Granted, none of these will make you rich, but they come in handy when you need some extra gas or last-minute science project supplies.
Conclusion
There’s no shame in needing some help – and no reason not to ask for help when you need it. Never forget the saying, “It takes a village to raise a child.” That statement still rings true today. If you are a single mother in need of any type of assistance, reach out to any – or several – of these organizations that help single mothers.
