With over 700,000 children under the age of 18, and over 38% of them living with single parents, the state of Arkansas holds a high ranking in terms of number of single parents. The state has low personal per capita income at a pit $30,060, justifying the over 11% children living in crowded houses. However, the state government of Arkansas offers various support programs for the single mothers in the state for aiding them with proper and healthy upbringing of their kids.
Childcare: The Department of Human Services, state of Arkansas offers childcare assistance to working single parents who can avail such services helping them manage their kids better during their working hours. To be eligible to benefit from such services, you need to fulfill certain criterion of work hours per week. For more details visit the website of the Department of Human Services (http://www.arkansas.gov/). For families in the lower income categories, there is another state run program by the name of Arkansas Better Chance aimed at funding the children between the age of 6 weeks and 5 years. There are other childcare options like public preschool and church day care services to support single mothers with affordable childcare.
Healthcare: The state run health insurance plan by the name of ARKids First is a very popular and successful healthcare scheme. The scheme offers two different choices for the lower income and the higher income segments. Depending upon your financial situation, you can choose either of the two plans which offer complete comprehensive coverage package for kids. You can apply to ARKids online or call them on their toll free number 1-888-474-8275. Low-income single mothers can also choose the state run Arkansas Medicaid for the whole family insuring themselves and the kids together.
Food & Supplies: The State run Woman, Infants and Children program offers to aid pregnant women, breastfeeding mother, mothers who have had a childbirth in the last 6 months, infants and children under the age of 5 with supplemental nutritious food. This state aid is to support the cause of healthy long lives with proper health and nutrition at the early stage of a kid’s life. The department of Human Services offers Supplemental Nutrition Assistant programs to assist people of all age groups, who lack resources to afford and fulfill their basic nutrition and food needs. The Arkansas Food Bank is also another organization lending a helping hand to the residents of the state. In 2009, the Arkansas Food Bank distributed 14.2 million pounds of food under various programs.
Rent Assistance: The US Department of Housing and Urban Development also support single mothers of the state of Arkansas who need a roof on top of their heads but need financial support for the same. You might also qualify for subsidized housing under different government schemes depending on your family situation and known sources of income.
Educational Grants: The Arkansas Department of Higher education offers aid for children and single mother planning higher education. Apart from the state aid, you are also eligible to apply from the federal aid FAFSA for a variety for federal fund scholarships available.
Transportation: The Transitional Employment Assistance Transportation program helps single mother who have transportation problems in community to and back from work. This scheme benefits single mothers who raise their kids on welfare scheme and plan to enter the working class for independent living.
