Single Mother Guide

More than $20K available from Fall River Scholarship Foundation

More than $20,000 in scholarships will be awarded by the Fall River Scholarship Foundation at its awards ceremony in June.

These scholarships are available to both high school and college students which are awarded based on need, academic standing and community service.

Scholarship applications are available from the guidance counselors at the three Fall River high schools, Bristol Community College. Interested college students may call James Rogers, president of the Foundation, at 508-675-0800 or by email, jimdee@att.net for an application. Completed applications must be received by April 1.

via heraldnews.com

Ministry to Focus on Single Mothers & Ladies

Tired of seeing church-related events that focused solely on married couples. Naverre, a 29-year-old single mother of one from Thibodaux, decided to begin a ministry geared toward single mothers and ladies.

Called Single Mom Overjoyed, Rejuvenated, Empowewred! (SMORE), the ministry is an off shoot of Visions World Outreach, located at 102 Holley St., Thibodaux.

The inaugural kickoff for Naverre's ministry dubbed "a Single Mothers and Single Ladies Appreciation" is tentatively scheduled for March 3 from 2 to 5 p.m. at Peltier Park.

via houmatoday.com

Tax Breaks for Single Mothers

Taxes are always a pain in the neck, especially for single mothers who find themselves squeezed for cash. There are, however, some useful tax breaks that can significantly lower the amount of taxes to pay.

For example, if you have a dependent child, you’re able to take advantage of a special “head of household” filing status that will allow you to use a larger exemption amount to reduce your tax liabilities.

Given below are some of the more common tax breaks for single mothers for you to keep in mind when you fill your tax returns:

1. Filing Taxes as a “Head of the Household”
2. Child and Dependent Care Credit
3. Child Tax Credit
4. Additional Child Tax Credit
5. Earned Income Tax Credit

Are Pell Grants Only for Minorities?

The next time a politician in your area starts pointing fingers and saying that urban minorities are the only recipients of federal student aid, show them this report that says the majority of Pell grant recipients actually go to rural students.

According to the study entitled “Pell Grants and the Lifting of Rural America’s Future,” the majority of Pell grant recipients, a hefty 39%, come from rural areas all over the country.

Add to that the fact that six (6) out of ten (10) American community colleges serve rural communities and it is easy to realize that the Pell grant a very important source of educational funding for students all over the country.

via singlemothergrant.net
via connect.state.gov

Too Busy Taking Care of the Kids to Understand the FAFSA?

Filling out the FAFSA, however, is not quite as easy for those who are not familiar with how things work – especially for single mothers that have very little time to spare. This is why many schools provide many opportunities to help students understand the ins and outs of FAFSA.

Take for instance the Harris-Stowe State University, which is hosting a “FAFSA Frenzy” to connect students and parents with financial aid by working together with professionals to fill out the FAFSA.

Then there’s the University of Colorado Colorado Springs, which created the Financial Aid and Student Employment office. This office then hosts “FAFSA Fest” sessions to provide help for FAFSA applications.

Eastern Connecticut State University even uses its own professors and students knowledgeable about the FAFSA to help those who do not know much about the process of application.

via connect.state.gov

Women in Leadership Society Host Groovy Bunco Fundraiser

The Women in Leadership Society hosted a Bunco fundraiser that generated approximately $6,000 for programs that benefit single mothers and their children recently.

All funds raised by the event will be used for scholarships and grants to single mothers to help cover the costs of college tuition, child care, auto repair, insurance and similar expenses. Organizers say they are still accepting applicants for the assistance program.

via yourhoustonnews.com

More Jobs for Men than Women in California

As California inches out of the Great Recession, the state's women, particularly single mothers, are still struggling.

A new report called "Falling Behind" reveals men are finding jobs at a faster rate than women, giving a new name to the economic recovery.

The report also said that continued deep budget cuts to the safety net leave women in an even worse position; job training and cash grants have been slashed, making it harder to gain new skills while raising kids.

It could get worse, as Gov. Jerry Brown proposed even deeper cuts to programs like welfare and subsidized childcare, which are parts of the budget that can be legally reduced.

via news10.net

Salary Cap for HOPE Scholarship Proposed

Democrats met for a public hearing Monday to discuss a possible floating salary cap for the HOPE Scholarship.

The cap would start at $140,000, but that amount could change each year based on lottery funds. Only students whose household incomes falls below the cap would be elligible for HOPE - even though under the initial proposed cap, around 92% of Georgians would still qualify for the scholarship

While some students at Tattnall Square Academy say houshold income should not be a factor for HOPE, others believe a salary cap could give more students the opportunity to go to college and would expand the life of the lottery-funded program.

via 13wmaz.com

Businesses Grants for Single Mothers

The Internet has seen a rise in the number of misleading articles on financial aid for single mothers in the form of small business grants.

The hard fact is, there isn’t any grant in place that provide single mothers with assistance when it comes to starting or financing their own small businesses.

While the government does have various types of grants which provide help to single mothers who want to pursue higher education, need house rent or housing assistance, medical support, etc – they categorically state that “The federal government does NOT provide grants for starting and expanding a business.” 

Grants are those funds that do not require repayment and these facilities are not available to single mothers for starting a small businesses.

via singlemothergrant.net

Free Eye Exams for Uninsured Kids

If you're child has been squinting to see the chalkboard, tomorrow may be the perfect day for an eye exam.

Davis Vision and EyeMasters are teaming up and giving free vision screenings and eye-wear for kids without insurance.

Kids who will need eye care or eye wear will receive a voucher that can be redeemed at EyeMasters locations. That'll be tomorrow at the Ysleta Branch Library from noon to 4 p.m.

via ktsm.com