It is no secret that being a single mother can be tough. Taking care of a family on one salary can be draining, and sometimes outside help is needed to make ends meet. Fortunately, there are several types of aid available for unmarried moms. Read on to learn how to get government assistance for single mothers.

Single mothers may receive financial assistance to help cover basic expenses such as food, housing, health care and child care. Assistance programs are most often run by state and local agencies, but receive funding from the federal government. The steps below will go over some of the main types of assistance for single mothers, as well as how to go about receiving them.

Single mothers who are need of financial help to cover basic living expenses for their families may qualify for welfare through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. The program is intended to help support families while parents get back on their feet, and is administered by individual states. http://answers.usa.gov/cgi-bin/gsa_ict.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=8465&p_sid=XNlv6KLj&p_lva=6614&p_accessibility=0&p_redirect=&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPSZwX3NvcnRfYnk9JnBfZ3JpZHNvcnQ9JnBfcm93X2NudD0yNTUzLDI1NTMmcF9wcm9kcz0mcF9jYXRzPSZwX3B2PSZwX2N2PSZwX3NlYXJjaF90eXBlPWFuc3dlcnMuc2VhcmNoX25sJnBfcGFnZT0x&p_li= To find the TANF office in your area, visit the website of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and click on the Families link at the top of the page. Information on low-cost health care, as well as help with home heating and cooling, can also be found here.http://www.hhs.gov/children/index.html

Many single mothers are eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. This used to be known as the Food Stamp program, but now issues electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards rather than stamps. http://www.fns.usda.gov/FSP/

• To qualify, your gross household income must not exceed 130% of the poverty level, and net income must not exceed 100% of the poverty level (except in some cases where a family member is elderly or disabled). http://www.fns.usda.gov/FSP/applicant_recipients/eligibility.htm
• To apply for SNAP, you will need to contact your state or local office. It will most likely be listed in the phone book or on the Internet under "Public Assistance," "Social Services," "Human Services" or "Food Stamps." http://www.fns.usda.gov/FSP/applicant_recipients/apply.htm

As a single mother, you may need someone to watch over your child (or children) while you are away at work or school. There are a variety of state-run programs that can help defray the costs of child care. To find out more about assistance in your area, check out ChildCareAware.org or Naccrra.org. Both of these sites offer a wealth of information on receiving quality child care through assistance programs in your area. Keep in mind that you will need to be establish a legitimate reason for needing child care, and children will most likely need to be under the age of 13 years. http://www.childcaregroup.org/Parents/CCA_Eligible.html