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Hardship Grants For Single Mothers

Single mothers usually find it hard to make ends meet. As a single parent, you have more things to look after, from finances to the house and kids. This burden can be overwhelming, which is why you need assistance.

What comes to mind when you think about hardship grants? Most likely, subsidies for companies recovering from financial losses brought on by natural disasters like hurricanes or public health emergencies like pandemics. Do you know there are hardship grants for single mothers to help them through difficult situations? Though the government does not give grants to you directly, the money flows from federal agencies to state departments, non-profit organizations, and colleges. Read along to learn more about grants for single mothers and how to apply for them.

 

Types of hardship grants for single mothers

1. Debt Consolidation Programs for Single mothers

Many debt relief programs can provide financial assistance for single mothers having difficulty paying their mountain of debt. Some of them include

  • Fast cash advance

Single mothers can get cash loans from quick lending companies. You don’t have to wait for extensive credit checks before money can be loaned to you. These companies will check your work status and the stability of your account. This may be sufficient to grant you immediate funds for urgent expenses. You can search online to find instant loan companies. 

  • Unsecured debt

Unsecured debt relief grants assist single mothers struggling financially and falling behind on their credit card, personal loan, and medical expenditure payments. Government-enacted bankruptcy statutes help in this situation. Unsecured means you do not pledge collateral that the lender can seize after default, such as a house, boat, or other valuables.

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2. Children’s Health Insurance Program for Single Mothers (CHIP)

CHIP is an excellent healthcare assistance option for single mothers to help ensure that their kids are covered for medical care services. The Children’s Health Insurance Plan can assist in reducing the worry that many single mothers have about their children’s healthcare coverage. If your income is low to insure your kids’ health, CHIP is an option that provides low-cost healthcare services for children.

How to apply 

Single mothers can apply for their local Children’s Health Insurance Program to get their kids covered (it may be referred to as something other than CHIP, depending on the state you reside in). The Health Insurance Marketplace is where to apply for these grants. As an alternative, you can apply for CHIP by getting in touch with your local Medicaid Office. You can find information about your local Medicaid office on the federal Healthcare website. If your application is approved, you will receive a benefit card with your child’s personal information. With participating healthcare providers, you can use this card to receive discounted medical and dental services.

3. Unemployment benefits for single mothers

The Unemployment Insurance Program provides grants to single mothers that have become unemployed due to no fault of their own. However, you have to meet the eligibility requirements set under state law. Any compensation received from an unemployment grant is taxable, so you must include a statement of all payment received in your income tax return. As you will be receiving unemployment benefits from the State where you worked, that State will also be deciding if and how much in benefits you are entitled to.

How to apply

You must apply for unemployment grants at the local state unemployment insurance office. You can discover the details of the nearest unemployment insurance office with the online location tool.

4. Student loan programs

Repaying student loans is one of the main challenges that graduates have. Fortunately, there are several organizations and services for single mothers that can help. Continue reading to learn some single parent’s student loan programs available.

  • Deferment or forbearance

Deferment or forbearance of a student loan is an option if you can’t pay your student loans.  In this case, you can be qualified for a loan amount reduction or a temporary postponement, which can help prevent loan defaults. All you have to do is contact your loan servicer and ask about eligibility before you can apply for a deferment or single-mother forbearance.

  • Federal Loan Forgiveness Programs for single mothers

This grant is only available in the US. The Federal Direct Loan Program, also known as the Obama Student Loan Forgiveness Program, provides aid for federal student debts. Only federal student loans are eligible for consolidation under this program, and borrowers can choose a new, more reasonable repayment option. There are similar programs like this in different states. All you have to do is to do your research. 

5. Welfare benefits programs

The good news is that several organizations provide hardship grants for single mothers looking for welfare benefits that can help make ends meet. 

  • School breakfast program

In many states worldwide, schools and daycare facilities give wholesome breakfast meals to children from low-income households. Each State receives block funding from the program, which they use to purchase food to be distributed to participating schools in the breakfast program. The Food and Nutrition Service is in charge of running the program.

  • National school lunch program

Similar to the School Breakfast Program, the National School Lunch Program ensures that kids have access to wholesome lunches at school. NSLP receives funding from the federal government. Depending on the school or childcare facility your child attends, these lunches may be free or provided at a cheap cost. Single mothers can apply for benefits on behalf of their children by contacting the National Food and Nutrition Services in their state.

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Final thoughts 

Hardship grants for single mothers are not limited to the federal government alone. The State, Local government, and some private organisations provide these grants. All you have to do is check with your state to see available programs. You can also search online to find private and non-governmental organisations that provide these grants. Start applying for grants today!

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Zainab Olatunji

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