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Help for single moms in Arizona: 30 assistance programs

By Emma Johnson | Updated Jun. 10, 2024
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If you’re a single mom in Arizona struggling to make ends meet, keep reading for resources that help with: 

Statistically, families benefit most with cash assistance (vs through benefits programs).1 Here is our guide to single mom grant programs, including our own.

Every month, I give out $500 cash to one single mom struggling with money, health, stress, child care, illness or loneliness — no strings attached. 

Qualifications are simple:

1. You’re a single mom.

2. You need the money right now.

Fill out this form to apply:

(Note that the figures and information in this post are current as of publication date.)

Many of the programs on this list determine eligibility as a percentage of the federal poverty level (FPL). These are the 2024 federal poverty guidelines:

Number of people in family/householdAnnual income
1$15,060
2$20,440
3$25,820
4$31,200
5$36,580
6$41,960
7$47,340
8$52,720

* For families/households with more than 8 people, add $5,380 for each additional person.

You can also look up your area median income (AMI) here.

Emergency cash for low-income families in Arizona

If you need cash to pay bills, buy gas, feed your family, or for any other reason, these resources can help:

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) in Arizona

Cash Assistance (CA), Arizona’s version of the TANF program, helps single mothers and low-income families with emergency funds to help cover the cost of: 

  • Food
  • Rent
  • Clothing
  • Bills

You can receive CA for up to 60 months throughout your lifetime. The amount of money you receive depends on the number of people in your household, as well as your household income. For example, a family of three can receive a maximum of $278/month. 

Qualifications:

  • U.S. citizen or qualified non-citizen
  • Arizona resident
  • Unemployed or underemployed
  • Very low or low income, under 130% of FPL
  • One of the following:
    • Have a child (or children) 18 years or younger
    • 18 years or younger and the head of your household

How to get help:

Find a Department of Human Services office near you:

google-maps-usa-image

More emergency cash help in Arizona: 

Single moms in Arizona can visit 211.org or dial 2-1-1 to ask for assistance.

Check out these posts for more ways to get emergency cash: 

These are some more tips for getting cash quickly: 

Housing help for single moms in Arizona

Arizona offers housing programs and services that help individuals and families with low incomes, older adults and people with disabilities, or those at-risk of or experiencing homelessness secure housing, pay their rent, or qualify for a mortgage.

Rental assistance in Arizona

If you need help finding a place to live or paying your rent, this program can help: 

Public Housing and Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8)

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) offers affordable housing (rental apartments) and vouchers in most states to help single mothers and low-income households pay their rent.

In Arizona, there are two Section 8 programs through the Arizona Public Housing Authority (APHA) that offer housing assistance:

  1. Housing Choice Voucher Program: To view public housing availability in your area, reach out to your county/jurisdiction’s designated housing authority.
  1. Project-Based Rental Assistance

APHA is Arizona’s contract administrator for about 8,000 affordable project-based Section 8 properties around Arizona. Each property is owned and managed by private agents and has a Housing Assistance Payments Contract with HUD, administered by APHA. For information on housing availability, contact each property individually.

Qualifications:

  • Meet income limits specified by HUD — less than 50% of the median income for the county in which you live
  • Citizen or eligible immigrant
  • 18 years of age or older
  • Resident of Arizona

How to get help: 

Mortgage assistance in Arizona

If you need help getting or paying for a mortgage in Arizona, these programs can help: 

HOME+PLUS Arizona

Arizona Housing Finance Authority’s HOME+PLUS program consists of a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage combined with down payment assistance ranging from 0% to 5%, depending on the terms of the mortgage. 

Down payment assistance is available as a three-year, no interest, no payment, deferred second mortgage, fully forgiven after three years. If you refinance or sell your home before that time, the remaining second mortgage would need to be repaid (minus the number of forgiven months from the closing date). . 

Assistance can be used directly toward the down payment, closing costs, or a combination of both.

Qualifications:

  • Borrower’s annual income cannot exceed $122,100
  • One borrower per household must complete a homebuyer education course before closing
  • Borrowers on mortgage must have minimum credit score of 640 or higher

How to get help:

Check today's mortgage loan rates >>

Habitat for Humanity 

Habitat for Humanity builds and rehabilitates houses for needy families and offers homeownership assistance through volunteer labor. 

How to get help:

Contact Habitat for Humanity for more information.

USDA Rural Housing

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Housing program in Arizona is a homebuyer program for rural communities. 

How to get help:

Contact USDA AZ Rural Housing for more information in Arizona.

Homeless housing assistance in Arizona

If you are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, check out these programs: 

Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV)

The EHV program helps families and individuals experiencing homelessness by helping them find affordable housing in the short term and establishing housing stability in the long term.

Qualifications:

EHVs are limited to individuals and families who are:

  • Homeless or at risk of homelessness
  • Fleeing or attempting to flee domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking
  • Recently homeless and for whom providing rental assistance will prevent the family’s homelessness 
  • High risk of housing instability

How to get help: 

Arizona Department of Economic Security Homeless Service

The DES Homeless Coordination Office (HCO) uses federal and state funding to partner with nonprofit and local governments to provide the following services in Arizona:

  • Rapid rehousing
  • Emergency shelter
  • Homelessness prevention
  • Street outreach

How to get help:

More housing help: 

Electric bill assistance in Arizona

If you’re struggling to pay your utility bills in Arizona, check out the following programs:

Low-Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) in Arizona

LIHEAP helps eligible households with their home heating and cooling bills through energy bill payment assistance, energy crisis assistance, and long-term weatherization assistance. 

Eligible households can receive up to $1,200 per year, plus an additional $1,000 in the event of an energy crisis.

Qualifications:     

  • U.S. citizen or legally admitted immigrant
  • Total gross household income at or below 60% of state median income — $3,615/month for a family of three
  • Responsible for paying cost of energy bills
  • Resident of Arizona

How to get help:

Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP)

WAP helps qualifying households lower their monthly energy bills by making their homes safer, healthier, and more energy efficient. Types of assistance include:

  • Air and duct sealing
  • Wall, floor, attic insulation
  • Heating, ventilation, air conditioning system improvements
  • Lighting efficiency 
  • Hot water tank insulation
  • Water conservation devices

The average expenditure per household is $7,669 depending on the home audit results.

Qualifications:     

Low-income individuals (at or below 200% of FPL), with priority given to higher-risk residents such as: 

  • Elderly
  • Disabled individuals
  • Families with children
  • High energy users

How to get help:

Low-Income Household Water Assistance (LIHWAP) in Arizona

LIHWAP was created in response to COVID-19 and helps eligible households pay for drinking and wastewater. Funds are paid directly to the vendor. 

Households may receive up to $3,000 in assistance. 

Qualifications:

  • Receive water through public pipelines from participating vendor
  • Total gross income at or below 60% of state median income — $3,615/month for a family of three
  • Responsible for paying the cost of water
  • U.S. citizen or legal immigrant
  • Resident of Arizona

How to get help:

More electric bill help: 

Free money to help pay bills

Medical insurance & dental help for single moms in Arizona

The following medical and dental services are available to qualifying individuals and families in Arizona:        

Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) in Arizona

HRSA, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, funds health centers that provide free or subsidized health and dental care to low-income people and those otherwise unable to access quality health care, like people living in rural areas.

HRSA also offers a 24/7 free and confidential mental health hotline for pregnant and new moms. Dial 833-943-5746 (833-9-HELP4MOMS) if you are struggling.

Qualifications: 

Each health center sets its own eligibility criteria for free or reduced-cost care. 

How to get help:

Find an HRSA health center in Arizona by typing in your address on HRSA’s search tool.

Arizona Medicaid

The Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) is Arizona’s version of Medicaid, an assistance program that helps lower-income families pay for some or all of their medical bills. 

Qualifications:

  • Arizona resident
  • United States citizen or a qualified immigrant
  • Has a Social Security number or applying for one
  • Under the income limits (examples below are for a family of three):
    • Adults 19 to 64 – $2,756/month
    • Pregnant women – $3,232/month
    • Children 6-18 – $2,756/month
    • Children 1-5 – $2,922/month
    • Children less than 1 – $3,046/month

How to get help:

Arizona KidsCare

KidsCare, Arizona’s version of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), provides health coverage for children under 19 who aren’t eligible for other AHCCCS health insurance programs. 

Unlike Medicaid coverage, families with children enrolled in KidsCare must pay a monthly premium of $10-$70 a month based on income and the number of children per household. 

Qualifications:

  • Arizona resident
  • Under age 19
  • United States citizen or a qualified immigrant
  • Has a Social Security number or applying for one
  • Not currently covered by other health insurance
  • Under the income limits — $4,174/month for a family of three

How to get help:

Arizona Dental Services

Arizona residents enrolled in Medicaid (AHCCCS) are eligible to receive emergency dental care. Medicaid in Arizona does not cover exams, x-rays, cleanings, or other preventative dentistry. The annual limit for emergency dental care is $1,000. 

Qualifications for emergency dental care:

  • Resident of Arizona
  • Enrolled in Medicaid

How to get help:

More medical/dental help: 

Food help for low-income families in Arizona

A number of federal and state food and nutrition programs are available across the state:

Nutrition Assistance in Arizona

Nutrition Assistance is Arizona’s version of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), a federally funded program that provides emergency and monthly food-related benefits to eligible low-income households. Funds are loaded on an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card to buy food items like: 

  • Breads
  • Cereals
  • Fruits
  • Vegetables
  • Meats
  • Fish
  • Poultry
  • Dairy
  • Plants and seeds to grow food 

Click here for a list of what you can and cannot buy. 

Qualifications:

You must be a resident of Arizona and meet one of the following requirements:

  • Current bank balance (savings and checking combined) under $2,001, OR
  • Current bank balance (savings and checking combined) under $3,001 and share your household with one of the following:
    • Person or persons age 60 and over, or
    • Person with a disability (child, spouse, parent, or yourself)

How to get help: 

The Emergency Food Assistance Program

The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) is a federal program that provides emergency nutrition at no cost through local food banks.

Qualifications: 

  • Each food bank sets its own eligibility and proof of need requirements
  • Persons receiving Nutrition Assistance automatically qualify for TEFAP

How to get help: 

Arizona’s Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children is a nutrition program that provides free baby formula and nutritional food items to low-income mothers and their babies. 

Qualifications:

  • Low-income, pregnant, breastfeeding, and postpartum women, for up to one year postpartum
  • Women up to six months postpartum who are not breastfeeding
  • Infants and children under 5 years old, including foster children
  • Low-income sole provider parents of children under age of 5 who are at nutritional risk and who are below 185% of FPL
  • If you are currently receiving Medicaid, Temporary Assistance, or Food Assistance help, you are also eligible for WIC

How to get help:

National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP)

Arizona recently allocated $6.75 million to school lunch programs to waive fees for all children who qualify for reduced-price meals. This change went into effect in January 2023.

How to get help: 

Contact your child’s school directly to enroll.

Arizona’s Summer Food Service Program (SFSP)

Arizona’s SFSP, funded by the USDA, serves healthy meals to youth ages 18 and under at no cost during summer break. Food is distributed at local schools, nonprofits, parks, and libraries. 

Qualifications: 

Must meet current income guidelines for the federal SFSP — $42,606/year for a family of three

How to get help: 

More food help: 

Child care help for low-income families in Arizona 

There are several federally funded education programs and resources in Arizona:

Arizona Head Start and Early Head Start

Head Start is a free federal preschool program for children aged 3 to 5 from low-income families. Early Head Start serves pregnant women and children under age 3. The programs focus on cognitive, social, and emotional development and prepare children for school. 

Qualifications: 

  • Have children from birth to age 5 
  • Meet federal poverty guidelines 
  • Children in foster care, homeless children, and children from families receiving public assistance (TANF, SSI, etc.) are eligible, regardless of income
  • Pregnant women can also receive prenatal and postpartum information, education, and services

How to get help:

DES Child Care Assistance (CCA)

DES provides CCA through its Division of Child Care (DCC), helping eligible families afford child care so parents can work and/or attend school/training. 

If you’re eligible for CCA, you will still have to pay a portion of child care costs, based on income. 

Qualifications:

  • Working families who meet these income guidelines
  • Teen parents enrolled in high school, GED, ESOL, or remedial education programs
  • Residents of homeless or domestic violence shelters
  • Individuals unable to care for their children due to a physical, mental, or emotional condition
  • Individuals unavailable to care for their children due to participation in court-ordered community service or participation in a drug treatment program
  • Individuals currently receiving full-time DES CCA who enroll in a full-time education or employment training program, and submit a work requirement waiver to DES

How to get help:

More child care help:

Education help for single moms in Arizona

If you’re a single mom who wants to further her education, here are some helpful resources: 

Get a GED in Arizona

In Arizona, students looking to earn their GED can take four separate GED subtests at one of Arizona’s testing centers or online in English or Spanish:

  • Literacy (Reasoning through Language Arts)
  • Math (Mathematical Reasoning)
  • Science
  • Social Studies

These are the GED testing fees in Arizona: 

  • Test center: $140 for the complete test or $35 per module
  • Online testing: $164 overall or $41 per subtest

Qualifications:

  • Minimum age to qualify for GED testing is 16; however, underage applicants must provide verification that they have formally withdrawn from high school and include a notarized, dated, and signed consent statement from a parent/guardian
  • No residency requirement
  • No preparation program requirement
  • Must also pass the state’s Civics Test
  • Not be in enrolled in any other education program and have not graduated from secondary school

How to get help:

Visit GED in Arizona for requirements, classes, and testing centers

Helping Hands for Single Moms Phoenix

Helping Hands for Single Moms Phoenix helps single moms achieve their higher education goals through scholarships, emergency funds, technology assistance, and cleaning services while they attend school. The charity also has holiday gift programs for families in need.

Qualifications: 

  • Be a United States citizen
  • Live in Phoenix Metro Valley / Maricopa County
  • Have at least one child under 11 living with them most of the time
  • Be a single parent
  • Have at least one college semester completed
  • Have an income at or below 150% of FPL

How to get help: 

Apply on the Helping Hands for Single Moms website or fill out the online form.

Grants and scholarships in Arizona

If you are a single mom currently enrolled in or going to school, check out these options for financial aid: 

Arizona Commission for Postsecondary Education (ACPE)

The Arizona Commission for Postsecondary Education (ACPE) provides access to state and federal grants through the National Association of State Student Grant and Aid Programs. 

ACPE currently offers two main programs:

  1. Arizona Teacher Student Loan Program: This program is a need-based forgivable loan to financially support Arizona college students to study education and teach at a public school in Arizona. The maximum forgivable loan is $7,000 per academic year for up to three years. 
  2. Arizona Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership (AzLEAP): AzLEAP provides need-based grants to low-income, undergraduate, Arizona-resident students. The maximum AzLEAP award for the academic year is $2,500; the average is $1,000.

How to get help:

Arizona Community Foundation scholarships

The Arizona Community Foundation (ACF) offers more than 150 scholarships to post-secondary Arizona students. You can apply for all applicable scholarships online through one general application.

How to get help:

More education help: 

Employment help for single moms in Arizona

Workforce programs in Arizona provide training and assist with employment and education:

ARIZONA@WORK

ARIZONA@WORK is a statewide network of career centers that offer employment-related services for job seekers, including: 

  • Access to current job listings 
  • Career counseling services
  • Resume assistance
  • Interview techniques
  • Job fairs

How to get help:

American Job Centers

American Job Centers offer employment and training services, career counseling, and job search assistance. 

How to get help: 

More employment help: 

Charity organizations in Arizona

There are a number of charitable organizations throughout Arizona that offer support to single moms:

The Salvation Army of Arizona

The Salvation Army assists with:

  • Food, shelter, and clothing
  • Medication costs
  • Education and job training
  • Rent and utility bills
  • Emergency disaster response
  • Substance abuse rehabilitation
  • Youth services
  • Christmas gifts

Qualifications: 

Each Salvation Army branch determines its own eligibility criteria for different programs.

How to get help: 

Visit The Salvation Army in Arizona website to find your nearest location.

Catholic Charities of Arizona

There are 10 chapters of Catholic Charities across Arizona, serving both Central and Northern Arizona. They assist with:

  • Housing
  • Utility assistance
  • Food assistance
  • Health care assistance

Qualifications: 

Each Catholic Charities branch determines its own eligibility criteria for different programs. 

How to get help: 

United Way of Arizona

The United Way of Arizona connects people in need with local resources like: 

  • Food
  • Shelter
  • Child care services
  • Housing
  • Health care
  • Support groups

How to get help: 

SOURCES

  1. “The Long-Term Impacts of Cash Assistance to Families,” by Kevin Werner, The Urban Institute, Jan. 31, 2024 https://www.urban.org/research/publication/the-long-term-impacts-of-cash-assistance-to-families

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