If you live in Wyoming and need help paying bills and meeting basic expenses, there are lots of options for getting single mother help you need.
Cash Assistance for single mothers
Wyoming’s version of Temporary Assistance to Needy Families Program (TANF) is called Personal Opportunities With Employment Responsibilities (POWER). It’s for working adults with at least one dependent child.
Help with Food
Wyoming’s Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) is its main effort to help needy households with food. The Emergency Food Assistance (TEFAP) is a state government effort to support Wyoming organizations that help people with food and meals. It maintains a List of Food Banks and Soup Kitchens that receive TEFAP funds where you can go to get help with food. You can also find another list of Wyoming food pantries at Foodpantries.org.
Help with Shelter & Housing
The state government of Wyoming has a Homeless Services Program that maintains a list of community resources across the state that can provide assistance with rent, emergency shelter, and other housing related needs. The list can be accessed at this link: Community Resources List. The US Dept. of Housing and Urban Development lists three different statewide programs in Wyoming that provide homeowner assistance.
Help with Energy
Wyoming’s Low Income Energy Assistance (LIEAP) helps single mother homeowners and renters pay for heating from November through June, whether you use electricity, natural gas, propane, wood, diesel heating oil, coal, or pellets. You can also get help weatherizing your home so that you pay less in heating bills through the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP).
Help with Telephone Bills
Wyoming’s Telephone Assistance Program (TAP) is available through telephone companies to help you maintain a phone, landline, cable, or cell phone. If you’re enrolled in at least one of Wyoming’s other assistance programs (SNAP, LIEAP, Medicaid, etc.), you’ll be eligible for TAP.
Childcare assistance for single moms
Low-income families where the parent(s) are working or in school can get help paying for childcare through The Child Care Subsidy Program.
Help with Medical Care
Wyoming’s Department of Health has lots of different programs to help people get the medical care they need. Wyoming Medicaid helps low-income single mothers get affordable healthcare. And you can get affordable healthcare for needy children through the Kid Care CHIP (Children’s Health Insurance Program). The Maternal and Child Health Unit has all kinds of programs for moms and their babies. You can also find a list of foundations in Wyoming that give grants to individuals, mostly focused on those facing serious medical challenges and bills, at Nonprofit Expert. Scroll further down that page to find those foundations that can help.
Help with Legal Matters
Legal Aid of Wyoming is a non-profit law firm funded by the federal government to provide legal assistance and representation to low-income single mothers free of charge. Its main office is in Cheyenne and additional offices can be found in Casper, Lander, Rock Springs and Gillette. People can apply by calling the hotline at 1-877-432-9955.
Help from Community Action Agencies
Wyoming has a network of regional and county agencies that can assist you to get the help you need:
Carbon County Community Action Committee (307) 328-2670
Community Action of Laramie County, Inc. (307) 635-9291
Community Action Partnership of Natrona County (307) 232-0124
Community Resource Center Jackson (307) 684-7933
Council of Community Services Gillette (307) 686-2730
Northwest CAP of Wyoming (NOWCAP) (307) 347-6185
Uinta County Human Services (307) 789-7194
Yellowstone Country Assistance Network – Park County (307) 754-2073