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Help for single moms in Kansas: 31 assistance programs

By Emma Johnson | Updated Apr. 25, 2023
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If you’re a single mom in Kansas struggling to make ends meet, keep reading for resources that help with: 

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 Kansas

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

Kansas Successful Families Program

The Kansas Successful Families Program includes cash assistance to help low-income families with children cover the costs of: 

  • Food
  • Rent
  • Clothing
  • Bills

The amount of cash benefit you’ll receive depends on your income, family size, and county. For example, a family of three living in a rural county can get $386/month. The same family living in a high-cost and highly populated county can receive $429/month.

Families can get cash benefits for a maximum of 24 months in a lifetime. Families who receive benefits may also get medical benefits and child care, as well as support for education and employment.

Qualifications:

  • U.S. citizen or qualified non-citizen
  • Kansas resident
  • Unemployed or underemployed
  • Very low or low income (determined by county)
  • Looking for work while cooperating with Kansas’s Department for Children and Families (DCF) Child Support Services Division
  • Participate in work-related activities, unless needed to do one of the following:
    • Take care of a child under two months of age
    • Take care of a disabled household member

How to get help:

More emergency cash help in Kansas: 

Single moms in Kansas 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 Kansas

If you need help finding a place to live or paying your rent/mortgage, these programs can help: 

Rental assistance in Kansas

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

Public Housing and Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8)

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) offers affordable housing and vouchers to help low-income households pay their rent. The voucher covers a portion of the rent. The tenant pays 30-40% of their monthly adjusted gross income for rent and utilities. 

Qualifications:

  • Kansas resident
  • Income cannot exceed 50% of median income for the county in which you live

How to get help: 

Contact your local public housing agency (PHA) and ask how to apply for assistance.

KHRC Tenant Based Rental Assistance

KHRC’s Tenant Based Rental Assistance is a program designed to help income-eligible households pay their rent, security deposits, and/or utility deposits. 

How to get help: 

  • Contact KHRC at 785-217-2001
  • Contact Cynthia Howerton, Tenant Based Rental Assistance Program Manager, at 785-217-2025
  • Contact the grantee for your county

Mortgage assistance in Kansas

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

KHRC First Time Home Buyer

KHRC’s First Time Home Buyer program helps income-eligible households purchase their first home by providing down payment assistance. 

Assistance is given in the form of a 0% interest loan for 15% or 20% of the purchase price, which can be forgiven if the buyer remains in the home for at least 10 years.

Qualifications:

  • First-time homebuyers (can not have owned a home for three years)
  • Income at or below 80% of AMI
  • Homebuyer must make an investment of 2% but no more than 10% of the sale price from their own funds

How to get help: 

  • Locate a KHRC First Time Home Buyer lender serving your area
  • Contact KHRC at 785-217-2001
  • Contact Cynthia Howerton, First Time Home Buyer Program Manager, at 785-217-2025

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.

Check today's mortgage loan rates >>

Homeless housing assistance in Kansas

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:

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

How to get help: 

Kansas Housing Resources Corporation Emergency Solutions Grant

The KHRC Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) helps those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness by partnering with service providers to provide the following services in Kansas:

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

How to get help:

More housing help: 

Electric bill assistance in Kansas

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

Low-Income Energy Assistance (LIEAP) in Kansas

LIEAP helps eligible households with their home heating and cooling bills through energy bill payment assistance, energy crisis assistance, and long-term weatherization assistance. LIEAP provides a one-time-per-year benefit; the application period is within the first three months of the year. 

Qualifications:     

  • U.S. citizen or legally admitted immigrant
  • Kansas resident
  • Adult living at the address must be personally responsible for paying the heating costs incurred at the residence, payable to landlord or fuel vendor
  • Applicants must demonstrate a recent history of payments toward purchase of the primary heating energy
  • Household income may not exceed 150% of FPL — $32,318/year maximum for a family of three

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

Qualifications:

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

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

Households that receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI), TANF, or LIEAP are automatically income-eligible for WAP. In Kansas, the maximum income for weatherization assistance is $49,720 for a family of three.

How to get help:

Emergency Water Assistance Program (EWAP) in Kansas

EWAP is a federally funded program created in response to COVID-19 and helps eligible households in Kansas pay for drinking and wastewater. Funds are paid directly to the vendor. 

Qualifications:

  • U.S. citizen or legal immigrant
  • Resident of Kansas
  • Receive water through public pipelines from participating vendor
  • Households earning less than 150% of the FPL — $2,879/month for a family of three
  • Responsible for paying the cost of water

How to get help:

More electric bill help: 

Free money to help pay bills

Medical insurance & dental help for single moms in Kansas

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

Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) in Kansas

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.

Kansas is part of the HRSA Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs (IEA) Region 7 Office, based in Kansas City, and serves Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, and Kansas.

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’re 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 Kansas by typing in your address on HRSA’s search tool.

Kansas Medicaid

KanCare is the Medicaid program in the state of Kansas. KanCare helps lower-income families pay for some or all of their medical bills.

Qualifications:

  • Kansas resident
  • U.S. citizen or a qualified immigrant
  • Has a Social Security Number or applying for one
  • Under the income limits (examples below are for a household of three):
    • Children under 19: Up to $5,283/month
    • Pregnant: Up to $3,543/month
    • Parents and caregivers: Up to$787/month
  • KanCare is also available to the elderly, disabled, and refugees during the first eight months of arriving in the U.S.

How to get help:

KanCare Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)

KanCare CHIP provides no-cost or low-cost health coverage to Kansas children whose families do not qualify for Medicaid. 

Benefits under CHIP include:

  • No deductibles
  • No co-pays
  • No co-insurance
  • Monthly household premiums from $0 to $50
  • Free annual checkups and screenings, including dental 
  • Choice of three (3) Medical Carriers each offering different benefits
  • Coverage is accepted by most doctors

Qualifications:

  • Kansas resident
  • Under age 19
  • U.S. 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 — $5,283/month for a family of three

How to get help:

Kansas Dental Services

Medicaid and CHIP offer free or low-cost dental care for children up to age 19. Dental services include: 

  • Check-ups
  • X-rays
  • Fluoride treatments
  • Dental sealants
  • Fillings

Qualifications:

Household must be eligible for Medicaid and/or CHIP.

How to get help:

Kansas Mission of Mercy (KMOM)

The Kansas Mission of Mercy (KMOM), a project of the Kansas Dental Charitable Foundation, is a large-scale dental clinic providing free oral health care to Kansas residents who can’t afford or access care. 

Services include cleanings, fillings, and extractions. KMOM offers regular two-day free dental care clinics to the public, serving children, adults, and sometimes entire families. 

Qualifications:

  • First-come, first-served basis during KMOM events
  • No dental records required
  • No proof of income required

How to get help:

More medical/dental help: 

Food help for low-income families in Kansas

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

Nutrition Assistance in Kansas

The Food Assistance Program is the State of Kansas’s version of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly the Food Stamp Program, a federally funded program that provides emergency and monthly food-related benefits to eligible low-income households. 

SNAP recipients are issued an EBT card that can be used like an ATM card in retail food stores to purchase food, including:

  • 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:

  • Resident of Kansas
  • Meet income limits — $2,495/month for a family of three (maximum benefit is $740)

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 in Kansas.

Qualifications: 

  • Each food bank sets its own eligibility and proof of need requirements
  • People receiving Food Assistance in Kansas automatically qualify for TEFAP

How to get help: 

Kansas 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) & School Breakfast Program (SBP)

NSLP serves healthy, well-balanced, reduced-price, or free meals to children in school. An extension of the NSLP, the SBP provides free or low-cost breakfast to eligible students. 

Qualifications: 

Household income must fall at or below the limits of the federal poverty guidelines.

How to get help: 

Contact your child’s school directly to enroll.

Kansas Summer Food Service Program (SFSP)

The Kansas 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 and other central sites in low-income areas. 

Qualifications: 

  • Must meet current income guidelines for the federal SFSP: $42,606/year for a family of three; please see the SFSP Income Eligibility Guidelines chart for full qualifications and eligibility 
  • Children must be present to receive the “grab & go” food bundles

How to get help: 

More food help: 

Child care help for low-income families in Kansas

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

Kansas Head Start and Early Head Start

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

Qualifications: 

  • Have children from birth to age five
  • 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:

Kansas Child Care Assistance Program

The Kansas Department of Children and Families (DCF) helps low-income households and single-parent families access safe, affordable, and quality child care assistance. DCF partners with several agencies to help parents afford and access child care. 

For example, Kansas Quality Network helps parents find child care providers in their area and access subsidies.

Qualifications for subsidy:

  • Families who receive TANF
  • Low-income working families
  • Eligible families engaged in educational / training activities
  • Teen parents completing high school or GED
  • Income eligibility —$4,798/month for a family of three for first-time applications

How to get help:

More child care help:

Education help for single moms in Kansas

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

Get a GED in Kansas

In Kansas, GED testing is delivered through the Kansas Board of Regents. Students looking to earn their GED can take four separate GED subtests at one of Kansas’ testing centers or online in English or Spanish:

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

Adults 18 years of age or older can take the test in Kansas, plus 16 or 17-year-olds with parent or guardian permission. The test costs $33 per subject. 

How to get help:

  • Visit the Kansas Board of Regents website for GED Information to set up an online account, take practice tests, and find a testing center near you
  • Contact the Kansas GED State Administrator at 785-430-4289 or [email protected]
  • GED Testing Center Student Support Helpline: 877-392-6433

Grants and scholarships in Kansas

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

State of Kansas Student Aid

You can apply for State of Kansas Aid either online or by printing and mailing the State of Kansas Student Aid Application. You can find more information about specific scholarships and grants at Kansas Scholarships and Grants.

More education help: 

Employment help for single moms in Kansas

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

Kansas WorkforceONE

Kansas WorkforceONE Centers provide workforce-related services and assistance for job seekers in Kansas. Services and assistance include:

  • Career assessments
  • Job search and placement services
  • Workforce preparation activities
  • Work-based learning
  • Occupational skills training
  • On-the-job training

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 Kansas

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

The Salvation Army of Kansas

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 Kansas & Western Missouri Salvation Army or Kansas City, Kansas Salvation Army to find your nearest location.

Catholic Charities of Kansas

There are four chapters of Catholic Charities across Kansas: 

  • Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas
  • Catholic Charities of Northern Kansas
  • Catholic Charities of Southwest Kansas
  • Catholic Charities of Wichita

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 Kansas

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

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

How to get help: 

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