These days’ single moms are having more and more trouble finding affordable housing. Some luck out, and find an inexpensive place to stay. But, unfortunately, more often than not single moms and their children find themselves homeless. If you and your kids ever do find yourself in this situation, there are a lot of women’s shelters that specialize in housing single moms, until they’re able to find a place to stay.

According to some estimates, between 70% and 90% of homeless families in the United States are headed by single moms. Here are the best ways women with children can find free or very low cost housing.

Call 2-1-1
2-1-1 provides information and referral to callers on where to obtain assistance from local and national social service programs, local and national governmental agencies and local and national non-profit organizations as well as where to volunteer or make a donation locally. Referrals are often given from databases accessed by call specialists. These databases could be housed off site or on site, are often regional, and linked to a specific brand of software used to access and edit database records. As of May 2010, 2-1-1 is operated in 46 states including Canada and Puerto Rico. To see if 2-1-1 is active in your state simply dial the number.
If you’re having trouble finding a homeless shelter for single moms, there are other options to get help. You can contact your local YWCA, which offers career counseling, sex education, support groups, shelters and much more.

Other options are the Wellesley Directory of Women’s Shelters and Life Haven which offers temporary housing for single moms and provides a safe and nurturing environment for single moms with kids, or for single moms who are expecting.

Starting Your Own Daycare Could Be The Best Business For You

So you decided to stop sending endless resumes to countless job sites without ever receiving a response or having a generic courtesy email sent to you, it’s exhausting and not to mention discouraging.

This time you’re taking matters into your own hands and decide to become your own entrepreneur and start your own business. If you’re a parent, starting your own daycare may be the most lucrative and convenient business for you.

If you’re thinking about starting your own daycare, here are a few helpful tips that will assist you to ensure, you’re on the right track.

1. Create a plan. Make a list of questions then have answers for them. Some things you should think about is where will I have this daycare, what will be the age group that I’m aiming for? Do a lot of internet research to make sure your competition is limited.

2. Make sure you have all the legal requirements and issues taken care of before you begin your infrastructure for your daycare. In other words, protect yourself from any liabilities that may arise in the future. different states have different requirements, so wherever you’re located, make sure you’re abiding by all the state laws.

3. Where’s the money? Well if money didn’t exist then you wouldn’t need to worry about this step, but to make money, you’re going to have to invest money. You can acquire funds in a variety of ways. If you have decent credit You can go to a bank and get a business loan. Or you can find a personal investor to fund your daycare, or have a variety of fundraisers. If you still don’t have enough money, find a business partner that you can trust and will share the cost with you. Also, you can always for apply for a government grant. Hey, it can’t hurt.

4. It’s all about location! Where are you going to hold you’re daycare? Would it be more convenient at your house or by renting an office space? Either way you’re going to need customers, that’s a given. If you decide to not have your daycare at your home, pick a spot where there’s a lot of businesses and families.

5. Advertise your new business before it opens, don’t wait. Talk to friends with children and have them talk to their friends with kids. Post an ad in the paper or even hand out flyers. Just think, the more you get the word out, the less likely you’ll have an empty daycare on opening day.

6. Here comes the fun part. Design and furnish your daycare center. This is the where you buy your furniture and supplies. A good place to look for furniture is the Salvation Army or your local Goodwill. Also, many times you can barter with people on Craigslist for used items. But most important, and I’m sure you already know this; you must child-proof your work area.

7. If you’re expecting a lot of clients, start thinking about who you are going to hire. While your business is beginning, you may want to think about hiring family and friends. Once it expands, you can place ad’s out and begin interviewing qualified candidates.

8. Remember, patience is a virtue. Don’t forget new businesses often times start out slow. If you’re experiencing a consistent slow time, do some more research, talk to fellow daycare owners to get ideas for your own business. But, above all, don’t be discouraged and give up. If you’ve done your homework, your daycare should become a huge success.

There Are Many Options for Single Moms To Get A Free Car

Cars for single moms can be the key factor in which a single mom can find and keep a job. Of course if you live in a large city, public transportation would be your best option. Even so, commuting via bus or subway with a baby stroller is not the easiest thing to do (believe me carrying a baby stroller in a busy subway station in NYC every day is not the easiest thing to do). Even though it’s not easy, it’s still very possible to do (think about it as an intense workout).

But what if you live in a city where there’s poor public transportation and a car is essentially your only mode of transportation to and from work? If you’re a single mom, the expenses of having a car, plus every other family related expense can just be too much for a mother with one income supporting their family.

First, let’s break down the expenses: there’s the car itself, insurance, gas and if you’re car is used, you have to remember maintenance. It’s overwhelming, I know.

But here are a few tips to help get a single mom a car she can afford.
• Don not go to a car dealership. Plain and simple

• Check car listings in the newspaper and on Craigslist for good deals. Also, it’s not a bad idea to post an advertisement on Craigslist telling people of your situation. Many times people will donate vehicles to receive a tax credit the following year.

• Check non-profit agencies and also use the internet to Google car grants and car loans for single moms.

One organization I found that seems to be the best for single moms is 1-800-Charity Cars. Established in 1996, Charity Cars, Inc. is a nonprofit organization, and the first charity of its kind in the United States. Their mission is to provide a free vehicle to assist single moms and other low income families to become self sufficient. Some websites suggest Habitat For Humanity, but they will not directly give a car to a single mom, they usually act as the middle man and give the car to an organization such as this one.
The reason I like this car donation charity for single moms, is because all it takes is three easy steps to apply.

• First single moms have to visit at www.800charitycars.org and create a profile. You can write about anything you want, but the more personable, the better. This is your chance to tell the your story and explain why you are the most deserving candidate to receive a car. Don’t hold back, the funnier or sadder your story is the better chance you’ll receive votes.

• Next single moms will have to generate votes. Generating votes is essential if you want to receive a free car. By generating votes single moms can increase their karma level therefore your profile will be ranked higher on the page. The more traffic you create for this website, your chances of receiving a free car will be a lot better.

•Last, after you have received a high number of votes, apply for a free charity car. Even if you don’t win this time, keep at it. It’ll be nothing but beneficial for single moms to continue to vote and communicate with others in the same situation as you.

•If you are unable to qualify for whatever reason, there are always loans available especially designed for people in challenging situations.  This company provides loans to single moms even if you have really bad credit: Bad Credit Motor Loans for Moms

There's Even More Help For Kids With Disablities

As of March 2010, Social Security has added Adds 38 New Compassionate Allowance Conditions to American with disabilities. Social Security has an obligation to you and your family to provide benefits for people who have severe medical conditions that obviously meet disability standards.

Commissioner of Social Security,Michael J. Astrue, announced the agency has added 38 more medical conditions to its list of Compassionate Allowances that assist those with disabilities. This is the first expansion since the original list of 50 conditions which consist of 25 diseases and cancers, was announced in October 2008. The new conditions range from adult brain disorders to rare diseases that primarily affect children.

“The expansion we are announcing today means tens of thousands of Americans with devastating disabilities will now get approved for benefits in a matter of days rather than months and years,” said Astrue.

Astrue said the commission will continue to hold public hearings to further advance the listings of Social Security Allowances for those with disabilities.

38 New Compassionate Allowance Conditions

It May Take More Than Freezing Your Credit Card To Get Out Of Debt

How to get out of credit card debt is one of the biggest concerns for a single mom these days. While there’s no quick fix, there is hope, and we’re here to advise you how you can be debt free sooner than you think.

1. You need to realize that paying with a credit card is only prolonging the inevitable, if you’re not able to afford it now, what makes you think you’ll be able to afford it later? So, in short, just say no to using your credit card. Sit down calculate what you’re spending the most money on, then try reducing it or eliminating it altogether.

2. Gather all your credit card bills and separate necessary debt, with unnecessary debt. Debt that most people need consist of home mortgages, student and automobile loans. Also, the interest rate usually ranges to about 10%. Not to mention tax credits that are available for these types of loans such as the First-Time Homeowner Credit where the government awards you $8,000 if it’s your first time buying a home. Unnecessary debt is almost everything else; credit cards from clothing stores, electronic stores, etc.

3. Just pick one, or two credit cards with the lowest annual interest rate and ONLY use them for emergencies. But don’t keep them in your wallet, keep them in a drawer or box, so you’ll know when it’s a real emergency. ALL the other credit cards- get rid of them, and I don’t men by freezing them or leaving them at home with your other two “emergency cards,” I mean cut them up in tiny pieces so you won’t be able to even read the numbers anymore. It sounds drastic, but drastic times calls for drastic measures.

4. Pick up all the other credit card bills that you’ve probably thrown on your floor and add up all the minimum payments. Make a solid effort to pay the minimum on each card, and choose the one with the highest annual interest rate to pay more on. Repeat until you have paid this off in full. Then pick the card with the second highest interest rate and pay more than the minimum balance until you’ve paid that one off. If you can’t afford to do this you’ll need to increase your income or lower your expenses even more, it’s harsh, but it just has to be done.

5. Take one of your credit card bills, call the 1-800 number and barter with the collector to lower your interest rate, Reassure them that you want to continue your business with them, but you simply can’t afford to pay that high of interest. This part’s not going to be fun, but if you’re really serious about getting out of credit card debt you’ll do it.

6. Try, try, try to stick by your regime and not skip any payments. if an emergency does occur and you can’t make a payment one month, don’t give up, you’re still way ahead of what you were when you initially started.

7. Celebrate by buying yourself something really nice. Just kidding!! But do give yourself credit for getting yourself out of bad debt. Remember, this may take awhile, but in the end, it’ll be worth it.

8. Contact Debt Agency to get a plan together to get out of debt in 3-4 years

The U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) secretary, Shaun Donovan united with other officialsin Jersey City and Trenton, to declare that both cities will receive a HUD HOPE VI Revitalization Grant to revitalize public housing developments into multi-income communities. The HOPE VI, was created to eliminate  severely distressed housing by refurbishing buildings.

The Difference Between a Homeless Shelter and a HUD Home.

The city of Trenton will receive $22 million to restore Miller Homes and Jersey City will receive $9.7 million to renovate the A. Harry Moore public housing development.

“The Hope Vi Program has done an outstanding job over the years to improve housing conditions for countless low-income communities, and this year, we took it a step further,” Donovan said.

This year HUD encouraged housing officials  to associate early childhood education programs  in their revitalization plans.

In addition to these two cities, Donovan announced that revitalizing other housing authorities are also being awarded through HUD’s FY 2009 HOPE VI to the following cities.

• Housing Authority of the City of Charlotte (NC) will receive $20,900,000 to revitalize the Boulevard Homes public housing development.
• Housing Authority of Covington (KY) will receive $17,000,000 to revitalize the Jacob Price public housing development.
• Housing Authority of the City of Dallas (TX) will receive $22,000,000 to revitalize the Turner Courts public housing development.
• Memphis (TN) Housing Authority will receive $22,000,000 to revitalize the Cleaborn Homes public housing development.

]]> http://single-mother-help.org/2010/06/02/hud-gives-cities-hope-by-revitalizing-distressed-public-housing/feed/ 0 http://single-mother-help.org/2010/06/02/hud-gives-cities-hope-by-revitalizing-distressed-public-housing/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/single-mother-help/nDsK/~3/_Wq_NVc8MFE/ http://single-mother-help.org/2010/06/01/child-care-for-single-parents/#comments Tue, 01 Jun 2010 17:12:57 +0000 SingleMotherHelp http://single-mother-help.org/?p=118 Read More]]>

Almost all single moms have to work to support their families. It’s impossible for a single mom to work full time and look after their preschool children while having to be at work. Daycare assistance is expensive,

There's Child Care Assistance For The Single Parent

so most single moms have to make arrangements in which they are able to afford. But fortunately there are many helpful groups that understand your dilemma and offer assistance by providing inexpensive child care support.

So if you are a single mom looking for affordable day care, you need to know how to find them. Public Assistance Grants do not directly give single parents cash, but assist by providing programs such as Head Start, to help you with child care. Head Start provides services such as education, health and provides a safe environment for your kids. Eligibility for Head Start is income based and the parent usually has to be considered on the federal poverty level.

There are many different types of Head Start programs that offer child care regardless of how young they are. Early Head Start promotes healthy prenatal outcomes as beginning as young as new born infants. There’s also family and community programs Head Start offers that allows parents to identify and eventually meet their potential goals.

It may happen that your income exceeds the federal level for public assistance and Head Start, but don’t give up, there are many other options you can explore. For example, there are many preschools affiliated with churches and other non-profit organizations that offer support for single parents. Some of these are run for extended hours and their selection criteria are also not very strict. They also relax their fees for church members. Another hope is given by some private schools which support single parents. They offer financial aid which is linked to your income. You are required to fill in a form and give your financial position and support it with documents such as tax returns. You will benefit from their services if you are eligible. So help is available not only from the public sector but also from private schools and churches and it is up to you to take advantage of these affordable child care programs. Also, contact a few daycare centers and offer to do clerical work in exchange for reduced child care. you’d be surprised at how often you can actually do this.

The main thing to remember is to not lose hope. It’s extremely difficult for a single mom to raise children, but there’s a lot of help for single parents, and as long as you do your homework, you and your family will be just fine.

If you’re a single mom and really want to go back to school, I suggest student loans should definitely be your last resort. While they can definitely be helpful, they’re loans, which means you have to eventually pay them back. But the bright side of a student loan rather than a private loan, is that almost anyone will qualify regardless of your credit score.

Your Children Can Help You With School More Than You Think.

There are three main types of federal student loans:

Federal Stafford Loans
These are awarded based on financial need and are regulated by the federal government. They can be obtained through a bank, credit union or directly from the credit union. There are three types of federal Stafford loans to chose from.

• Subsidized Federal Stafford Loan is long term, need based and has a very low interest rate. The word “subsidized” means the government will pay the interest on the loan as long as the student is in school. If you need to take a semester off, you’ll have to request a grace period or deferment or else you’ll start having to pay back the loan immediately.
• Unsubsidized Stafford Loan is long term, but not need based that also has a low interest rate. This type of loan is best for students who don’t qualify for any other types of financial assistance, or for those who need additional funds from other forms of financial aid. “Unsubsidized” means the borrower is responsible for the interest on the loan, however this payment can be postponed.
• Additional Unsubsidized Stafford Loan are reserved for borrowers that are classified as independent students determined by Federal guidelines.

Federal Plus Loans
These loans are available to parents who have children that are attending college either full or half-time. They are awarded based on credit history and cost of attendance. The interest is low but repayment usually begins within two to three months after the funds have been dispersed.

Federal Perkins Loans
Perkins loans are awarded to students who are in need of financial assistance. But, monies provided for these loans are usually very low. If a student drops out of college for more than nine months, interest will start accruing. One important thing to remember about these loans is that if you don’t pay them, it will be reported to the credit bureau which can damage your credit score.

Private Lenders
If you don’t qualify for federal loans, may be another option. These loans usually have a low interest rate but one usually has to have a decent credit score to qualify.

A Mother Can Have a Family And An Education With a Little Financial Assistance.

After women have children, many feel like going back to school is impossible. Having a full time job while supporting a family is enough to have on one’s plate, but there are tons of grants for single moms everywhere, that can assist you with your transition of going back to school. If you’re unsure of what a grant is, it’s simple, money awarded to you by different organizations that you don’t have to pay back.  Many single moms have a false misconception that grants are only given to high school kids. But we’ve created a list below to learn more about the potential opportunities you can take advantage of, if you do decide to go back to school.

College Grants

With most grants, especially federal funds granted by the government, you’re going to have to fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Just type in www.fafsa.ed.gov/ and you’ll be directed to the correct website.  If you’re a single mom, you should especially focus on the “Expected Family Contribution” section, and just be sure to correctly follow each step and honestly answer every question and your school will decide if you qualify for a college grant to help you with some of your expenses.

Pell Grants

One of the most widely available grant programs for students and single moms entering college is the Federal Pell Grant program. This award is also granted to you by the government and you’ll need to fill out a FAFSA to determine your eligibility. But if you’re a single mom, you’re more than likely to get approved. In my experiences, I’ve found that not only do single moms get awarded money for school, but there’s usually a hefty amount left over to pay for living expenses or basically anything else you want to spend it on, not bad, you’re basically getting paid to go to school. Another benefit of a Pell Grant, is that you’ll keep on getting funds as long as you stay in school. For example, if it takes you eight years to finish, the money is available for eight years.

Grants for Women

There are also grants from private organizations that are awarded to single moms wanting to go back to school. The Jeanette Rankin Foundation, offers money to low-income women who are 35 or older and wish to go back to school. The $2000 grants are awarded to women who can show how a degree will be beneficial to their lives, families, and to their community as a whole.

The Educational Foundation for Women in Accounting offers money to women who wish to pursue a post-graduate degree in accounting. The award ranges from $1,000 to $5,000.

The Possible Woman Foundation International offers women a second chance to pursue a higher education with $2,000 to $4,000 scholarships to underprivileged women. These educational experinces provide women all over the world information and skills to return to the work-force after they’ve completed school.

If you have an undergraduate degree and are looking to improve upon it, consider the Selected Professions Fellowships. These are sponsored by the American Association of University Women, and they offer substantial amounts of money, between $5,000 and $20,000, to women who are returning to school for graduate in a specific field, such as architecture, computer and information sciences, math and statistics, or engineering.

While many of the scholarships focus on women who are pursuing a degree in science or math, there are some for artistic women as well. For instance, the College Art Association offers $5,000 fellowships for applicants coming from communities that are marginalized from artistic professions, and the National Sculpture Society offers $1,000 to students who wish to study culture.

These are just a few of the options a single mom can take advantage of if they want to go back to school. With so much financial assistance available in regards to going back to school, why not take advantage of it, and try to create a brighter future for your family, but more important for yourself.  For free information on Grants visit this site:  US Financial Resource

Danitra Henry, This year's $10,000 Scholarship Winner

Real moms share their scholarship success stories and explain how you too can be the next winner in the Scholarship 4Moms drawing. This year’s winner, Danitra Henry, a native of California, was overwhelmed with gratitude when she found out she won the $10,000 award this year. A struggling mother of two, she’s no stranger to hard work and dedication. She was in her second year of college when she decided to register.

“Just as I started to lose sight of all that I accomplished in life and began to dwell on what I thought were missed opportunities, said Henry. It took a single phone call to quickly bring me back to reality- and to tears, too (the happy kinds, though).”

She explains that this scholarship is not only a monetary ward, but an opportunity for her and her family to live a life she’s worked so hard for.

“The reassurance that life will be okay for my daughter and I is why FreeCollegeScholarships.Net has given me a true blessing, much more than a ten thousand dollar check, winning this scholarship has proven to be a golden opportunity, also,” said Henry. “I am finally able to breathe- just a little- and stay humble- and hungry- about furthering my education.”

Sharonne Hillman, the 2008 Winner

Sharonne Hillman is another winner, who has always stressed the importance of school to her four children. So she finally made the smart decision of going back herself. She applied to AIU and many scholarships to get financial aid with tuition and other costly supplies. Finally she learned she was the winner and was in complete shock.

“I thank God and freecollegescholarships.net for helping me continue my education. I will be able to buy a better laptop to do my homework, and I can pay off some of my school loans,” said Hillman.

Not only will Hillman will have the luxury of receiving a higher education, but on once she’s finished with her degree, her employer will give her a promotion.

Scholarships4Moms, is only one opportunity to receive financial aid to go back to school. All you have to do is go their website and register. It may seem like a long-shot, but you never know when an opportunity will be waiting at your door.