Assistance for single moms in Albuquerque (student loans, unemployed, high school)

[filihok]

My sister lives in Albuquerque and is a single mother (two kids), with no job, no high-school diploma and no help from the father. She lives with out mother and the situation is deteriorating rapidly. I feel pretty helpless 5000 miles away in Stockholm.

If anyone has any experience with a similar situation, or knows of any local groups or organizations that work in this area, or what state help is available I would appreciate any and all advise and resources.

Thank you

[karmathecat]

Three issues:

1. Job. Probably hard to get without a GED/HS diploma. Once she gets one, it's going to be pretty hard to support herself and 2 kids on the income generated from a minimum wage job.

2. GED..CNM offers these. $25 for first timers/$15 to retest.

General Educational Development (GED)

3. Money from her baby daddy. Is he employed? Does she know where he is? Here's a link to child supprt

http://www.hsd.state.nm.us/csed.html

which might be able to help.

Some other links:

http://www.womenscommission.state.nm...0Workforce.pdf

WRC - UNM Women's Resource Center women@unm.edu


Most of the city programs are available to women who are victims of domestic violence and/or homeless and/or recovering or want to recover from substance addiction.

It sounds like your sister made some really questionable decisions with her life and I hope she can turn it around.

[lisdol]

Is there a career she can do (meaning get through the training/education) and is willing to do that will pay the bills?

I have a friend who received very limited child support and relied on public assistance - she decided to go back to college and get a job that now supports her family well. I don't know all of the financial resources she used but she did use student housing at UNM and the child care center there as well. I would assume there was child care subsidy, continuing public assistance for her living expenses, pell grants, other federal ed grants, and probably some student loans for her. She said it wasn't easy but she drug herself through it because the alternative was however many more years on assistance.

If this is something your sister might be interested in, she should try to look into it, obviously starting with the GED. CNM has a lot of vocational programs, and I think if she could manage to eke out another one to two yrs past her GED to get training in something better than minimum wage, she will be better off in the long run. She would have to choose what program she wants wisely though so she is not worse off after finishing.

So when she goes down to CNM to look into getting the GED, she should see about what else they offer.

[nmnita]

i would suggest she apply for assistance if she hasn't, including WIC. Then she needs to get her GED and get it quickly. Without it she will remain on welfare the rest of her life.

Nita

[leavingGA]

I don't know if this number works in Albuquerque but it works in other states. She needs to pick up the phone and call 211 to get local resources. Welfare is limited in the length of time you can get it and not the best solution. But if she is fed up and ready to make serious changes, there is help out there. I am sure it won't be easy since all the places are overwhelmed because of the economy. I dream of opening a residential women's center that really "rehabs" single moms into a life that doesn't revolve around welfare or sticking with abusive or exploitative men because it is not a good situation for children.

[Kato408]

If she is homeless or might be soon try Joy Junction.

[karmathecat]

311 is our city resource number.

What would Joy Junction do for her, other than try to convert her?

[filihok]

Thanks to those who have taken the time to respond and best of luck to leavingGA. That sounds like a very worthwhile venture.

We've tried to stress the importance of getting her GED (at a minimum) and she knows that. She's also taken some GED classes and night school classes and hasn't had much success.

The problem, I think, is that she was last successful in school around 7th grade. She had a traumatic experience at this time and she basically 'checked out' of school. I think the GED prep classes are made for people who at least have the foundation of early high school that she lacks.

Does anybody have any ideas how to get over this hurdle.

I have an email in to CNM testing center as they say they offer free tutors but the more options the better, of course.

[karmathecat]

Filihok, how old is she?

Of course hindsight is 20/20 but it's a shame no one ( teacher, counselor,anyone ) recognized that there was a problem when she was in 7th grade and took steps to fix it.

[leavingGA]

Age is not an issue. She can still get into evening or adult high school and they will basically prep her for GED exam. It just takes more time.

She does have to hurry. If she is currently getting benefits of any kind, she will find herself and her kids homeless, unemployed and unable to work for the rest of her life if she fails to get her GED before the time runs out. That is no good for anyone.

Given the "traumatic experience" why hasn't she gotten help for that. It seems certain that she needs to get help to get beyond that to be able to do anything else. I currently do non-judgmental and interfaith pastoral counseling. If she might be willing to talk to me, I can help by checking in to motivate her now and then and keep her on track. No charge. I just like to help people whenever I can. I have had the experience of being responsible for my kids but having my husband, parents and everyone else talked out out of being responsible to me or my kids. I saved a few of my friends from suicide when I was a teen so I know it is my calling to help women one by one. If she might not be willing to hear from a stranger, just send me her name so my group can pray for her.