Grants for Single Mothers in Michigan

Single mothers in Michigan are eligible to receive numerous grants and assistance that cuts across various segments of life regarding education, healthcare, housing, feeding, counseling, legal services, employment etc.

Michigan has a population of about 10 million residents, out of which about 284,000 are single mothers. The need to assist these women cannot be undermined. Hence, several organizations and the Government Of Michigan makes various programs available which are targeted at helping single mothers in Michigan. In this article, we shall be looking at those programs.

Michigan Department of Health and Human Services

The Government of Michigan through the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services provides various programs aimed at assisting single mothers financially. Single mothers are required to meet some criteria to access these benefits.

• Temporary Cash Assistance (Loans)
• Temporary Food Assistance (Food stamps e.t.c)
• Women, Infants and Children (WIC)

Application process and details about Women, Infants and Children can be found at https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/0,5885,7-339-71547_4910—,00.html. They can also be contacted on their hotline at 1-866-540-0008 for enrollment and details. For further information, you can visit https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/0,5885,7-339-71547—,00.html

Housing Assistance

Single mothers who earn a low income may have access to low-income housing. This is due to the various low-income housing programs that are offered by the State of Michigan. This program includes home loans that are both government insured and offered, Hence making low-income housing easily accessible to Michigan Single Mothers. Some loans options available to Single mothers are:

FHA Loans: Federal Housing Administration loans or FHA loans are highly recommended for single mothers because it has many advantages when compared to others. FHA loans are insured by the Federal Government hence making the criteria required to apply for these loans very low. FHA loans only require a down-payment of between 3.5% – 10% the value of the home. Also, a credit score of 580 or above is all that is required. A credit score below 580 still gets consideration for these loans.You can contact the FHA line on 1-800-555-2098.

USDA Loans: United State Department of Agriculture also offers mortgage loans to single mothers living in the rural areas of Michigan. These loans are structured in order to encourage people to migrate to rural areas. USDA loans do not require a downpayment, but they will be required to have a credit score of 640. Also, they will need to buy a house in a USDA approved location like Michigan. You can visit https://eligibility.sc.egov.usda.gov/eligibility/incomeEligibilityAction.do

Scholarships and Educational Grants

Many scholarships and educational grants are available to single mothers in Michigan. Various scholarships have various requirements before applying. This requirement can be but not limited to different factors such as residence in the state of Michigan, GPA requirements, previous educational qualifications, major applying for, gender, ACT score, amongst others.

Michigan Tuition Grant:The Michigan Tuition Grant requires that the applicant be a resident of Michigan with significant financial need and intend to attend a degree-awarding, non-profit independent Michigan post-secondary institution. Applicants will be required to apply for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). MTG covers only the tuition and other mandatory fees. This award pays at most the sum of 2400$ per academic year. To access more information about how the Michigan Tuition Grant and eligibility status, They can call at 1-888-447-2687 or visit their website at mistudentaid@michigan.gov

Unemployment Insurance for Single Mothers

The State of Michigan, through the Unemployment Insurance Agency,  provides unemployment insurance to single mothers in Michigan. This entitles them to unemployment benefits as long as they are unemployed up to the period where they find suitable employment. The hotline for the agency is 1-866-500-0017. More information about this program can also be found online at https://www.michigan.gov/leo/0,5863,7-336-78421_97241—,00.html

Health Care

In terms of healthcare,  single Mothers in Michigan have many health insurance options to choose from. This includes Medicaid, MIchild, and The Child Development and Care (CDC).

Medicaid:Medicaid provides healthcare for and other health-related services to Michigan’s low-income families and individuals. It covers families with children below the ages of 21, pregnant women, people living with a disability, and the elderly. Information about Medicaid in Michigan can find be found here at www.michigan.gov/medicaid

MIchild:MIchild is another health care program targeted mainly at the uninsured children of Michigan’s working families. MIchild is unaffiliated with the Medicaid program.  A monthly premium of 10$ is paid for all the children in a family. The toll-free line for MIchild is 1-888-988-6300. Details about MIchild can be found online at www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/0,5885,7-339-71547_2943_4845_4931—,00.html

Child Development and Care (CDC)

Single Mothers in Michigan have access to the CDC program. It assists single mothers in covering the cost of the childcare services they might require. Single mothers that meet the requirements can call the DHS at 1-866-540-0008 to apply for the program. Details can also be found online at https://www.michigan.gov/mde/0,4615,7-140-63533_63534—,00.html