Food Assistance

• The Food Assistance Division of the Alabama Department of Human Resources administers the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Eligible families can receive monthly food assistance benefits to purchase groceries of their choice. Income limits are based on household size. At the time of publication, a household of two must have a gross monthly income less than $1,579 to qualify. If you are currently receiving child support, you must report it as income. If you have no money or few resources, you can apply for expedited SNAP benefits. If approved, you can begin receiving assistance within seven calendar days.
  
  

Cash Assistance

• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) is also referred to as Family Assistance in Alabama. The program provides monthly cash grants to low-income households with children living in the home. The cash can be used at your discretion to pay necessary personal or household expenses. To receive Family Assistance benefits, you must complete a work requirement. Single mothers who have children under age six must work or participate in a work-related activity for 20 hours a week. If your children are older than six years of age, the work requirement is raised to 30 hours. Work-related activities include job searches, on-the-job training or community service. The program also helps with child care costs. You can receive benefits for up to 60 months.
  
  

Medicaid

• The Alabama Medicaid program can provide health insurance coverage to you and your children as long as you meet the income criteria. If your children are age five or younger, your entire household income from all sources cannot exceed 133 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). If your children are over age six, the income limit is 100 percent of the FPL. Medicaid covers medical, dental and certain vision services to ensure that you and your family are able to maintain good health. The program also covers emergency care and prescriptions.
  
  

Child Support Enforcement

• The Child Support Enforcement Division is a joint effort between the federal government and state of Alabama to help parents establish paternity, obtain child support orders and enforce existing support orders. As a single mother, child support is essential to becoming self-sufficient. If you are receiving TANF, child support enforcement services are automatically provided free of charge. For all other single mothers, you can initiate services by completing the request obtained at your local County Department of Human Resources office.