Financial Help for Single Mothers and Unpaid Maternity Leave

A.
I noticed you live in Indiana. I did a tiny bit of research and if you go to http://www.in.gov and click on family and health there are several links that will connect you to alot of different things. I saw links to WIC; child care assistance; TANF; and other agencies that can help point you in the right direction. I also found a number for the Indiana State Information/ Hotline Number: 1-800-622-4932. According to the website they should be able to help you apply for food stamps. Another website I found lists food banks for Indiana. It's http://www.secondharvest.org Also like the other mamas said I would talk to you township office. I also found this website helped me find resources http://www.govbenefits.gov/govbenefits_en.portal when I needed them. You can take a questionnaire and when you finish it will list different programs you could be eligible for.
The key is to stay on top of agencies you go to for help. If you don't pretty much get in their faces and keep pushing you won't get help. At least that is the way it is in Illinois.
Good luck and hang in there. It can be tough to be a single mom.

I can help you. Have you heard of LIHEAP? It is energy assistance and if you qualify for that, you might qualify for some money off your phone bill too. There are lots of things you can do. Have you applied for food stamps? You can also get help from LIHEAP with your house being weatherized. We qualify for this and it was all free.

S. Bailey CLD
Aurora
www.tendermomentsdoula.com

Here where I live you can sign up at the job source office for energy assitance. They will pay 100.00 dollars on your eletric/gas bill if you qualify. Also my husband works for a company Called life streams they have a number that you can call and they have all kinds of information. I had to call it for a freind when he was out of work and they gave us about 8 numbers of people that would help out. The number is simple *211. Maybe they can point you in the right direction. Also your township should also help you out. As well as Food Stamps for the help with food. The salvation army also will pay like 50.00 dollars on a bill (I think)Finally most local churches will also help you out once if needed.

Good Luck. I tried LIHEAP (for my utilities), YWCA, YMCA, SALVATION ARMY, UNITED WAY, CATHOLIC CHARITIES, and LUTHERAN CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS. All I did, was get the complete run around. Very tiring and fustrating. Your township office where you live, would probably be your best bet. The twp office, helped me, minimumly, but, at least they helped. I also signed up for this work at home business, that is easy, and ABSOLUTELY FREE! It helps, and it is FREE, so there is nothing to lose. If you put some effort into it, it can definitely help pay bills. Check it out for yourself. Click on to the website, and watch the business video. Go to : http://www.mypowermall.com/biz/home/49793

You may qualify for Liheap or sharing program for your gas and electric.
http://www.nicor.com/en_us/residential/financial_assistan...
http://www.nicor.com/en_us/residential/financial_assistan...
Depending on your phone provider, you may be able to get some help with your phone bill, check your providers website or call them.

All Kids insurance is great if you qualify.

Also WIC program is a program for moms and kids, they help out with food items...http://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/

Freecycle.org you can get some free stuff from people, sign up in your town and local towns, and you can get a lot of good stuff. People post messages with what they have to offer, and you can go pick it up. Also a good way to get rid of your own "junk" without filling up landfills.

Apply for TANF and you can get help from the Trustee Office in your local area.

from experience, i can say it's not easy. depending on your income...
i didn't have short term disability so i didn't get paid for maternity leave. instead i used all my sick, personal and vacation days, then didn't get paid for the rest. my daughter was born in januaray, so, of course, for the rest of the year she would have check ups or i would have an appointment, etc. my boss was super cool and let me have the time for those appoinments even though i wasn't getting paid for the time i had to take off. in that year, i made a whopping $16,000, but i couldn't qualify for tanf or any other government help because they only would look at what you make per hour, and let's face it... $10/hour is definitely difficult to stretch out for a mama AND a baby! the only thing i had was w.i.c - which saved me from spending hundreds of dollars on formula. i did have medicade - but only until i went back to work and not while i was pregnant.
good luck. best thing to do is this... asking other people and try to find a social worker that can probably help. and one more thing... try to find/contact a healthy families program - they are awesome at helping you find resources. look for them on line or something.
best wishes!

Talk to the Cathedral Shelter in Chicago (if you live in the City). They help lots of people in many different ways - we always "adopt" a family for Christmas through them. Also, if you haven't contacted Action for Children yet about getting assistance with paying for childcare when you go back to work, I suggest you do that.