Florida State Assistance For Single Mothers
Help For Single Moms In Florida
If you are a single mom, you might feel alone in your struggle to meet your family’s needs. If you live in the state of Florida, there are options available to help you better your situation and care for your family, even without the support of a second income in the family.
Childcare – If your children are not yet in school, the only way you can realistically find employment is if you have someone to care for your kids. The Florida Department of Health and Human Services offers help for those who need financial assistance for childcare while they work through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program (TANF: http://www.dcf.state.fl.us/ess/tanfweb.shtml).
Healthcare - Healthcare is a primary concern to almost all parents who want to ensure that their children grow up healthy. Medicaid programs (http://www.dcf.state.fl.us/ess/medicaid.shtml) are offered to low income families who do not have access to healthcare. The emphasis is on offering care to families with children. MediKids (http://ahca.myflorida.com/Medicaid/MediKids/index.shtml) is an affordable option for families with children between the ages of 1 and 4 who do not have healthcare coverage, but it only covers the qualifying children.
Food and Supplies - Feeding your kids healthy, well-balanced meals when living on one income is not always easy. Florida’s single moms can find help through a variety of state offerings. If you are facing a temporary lack of money and have children at home, you might be able to get cash assistance through the TANF program (http://www.dcf.state.fl.us/ess/tanf.shtml). WIC (http://www.doh.state.fl.us/family/WIC/) provides supplemental nutrition to families with preschoolers, babies, pregnant women, or nursing moms. If you need more help than what is provided by WIC and qualify for the program, the food stamps program can help you buy healthy food (http://www.dcf.state.fl.us/ess/foodstamps.shtml).
Transportation – The Florida Department of Transportation sponsors the Florida Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged (http://www.dot.state.fl.us/ctd/index.htm). This organization provides access to affordable transportation for the economically disadvantaged and handicapped individuals throughout the state.
Rent Assistance – If you ever find yourself completely without shelter due to your financial situation, the Emergency Financial Assistance for Housing Program (EFAHP: http://www.dcf.state.fl.us/homelessness/efahp.shtml) offers a temporary cash assistance to help you find a place to live, provided you have kids at home. Otherwise, for help paying the rent check into the rent assistance and Section 8 housing options offered through HUD (http://portal.hud.gov/portal/page/portal/HUD/states/florida).
Educational Grants – Today, single moms can realistically head back to school with the many online courses and night classes being offered. However, the cost of returning to school can sometimes hinder them from doing so. The Office of Student Financial Assistance offers comprehensive information about potential aid opportunities on its website: http://www.floridastudentfinancialaid.org/SSFAD/home/uamain.htm.
