ARIZONA

What benefits can a single mother get in Arizona?

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A single mother with two children in Arizona with no income may qualify for up to $347 a month in cash assistance (TANF) and up to $808 a month in food benefits (SNAP). A one-time utility payment (LIHEAP) may add up to $640. Child care assistance and Medicaid coverage may also be available.

Arizona Benefits Overview

Last updated: November 13, 2026

Benefit amounts and eligibility requirements are subject to change. Always verify current program requirements with the administering agency.

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Estimated benefits for a single mother in Arizona

Program	Estimated maximum amount
Cash Aid Short-term cash assistance for basic needs, rent, and utility bills.
TANF	$347a month
Food & Nutrition Grocery and nutrition assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Summer EBT, and the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program.
SNAP	$808a month
Summer EBT	$240each summer
WIC	$52a month
Housing & Utilities Assistance with rent, home repairs, or heating/cooling bills.
LIHEAP	$640one time
Section 8	Check eligibility
Education & Training Tuition, books, and school expenses for single mothers returning to college or vocational training. Apply through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Pell Grant	$7,395a year
For the 2027—2028 academic year, a single mother in a household of 3 in Arizona can earn up to $59,963 and still qualify for the maximum Pell grant of $7,395.
Arizona Promise Program	Check eligibility
Other financial assistance programs Copay
Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP)	$0.50a day per child (about $1 a day for 2 children)
AHCCCS	Check eligibility
If help is urgent
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This is an unofficial benefits estimator. No personal data is collected or stored. Actual amounts may vary based on individual circumstances, location, eligibility criteria, and recent data updates at the time of application. The federal programs available in every state are described in the guide to grants for single mothers.

Arizona Cash Assistance Program

Arizona’s Cash Assistance Program (TANF) provides temporary cash benefits and supportive services to Arizona’s most vulnerable children and their families.

TANF benefits in Arizona vary by household size, income and shelter obligation. According to the Arizona Department of Economic Security, a family of three with shelter cost may receive up to $347 per month in cash assistance.¹

How do I apply for TANF in Arizona?

In Arizona, you can apply for TANF through Health-e-Arizona Plus, the same application used to apply for Medicaid and Nutrition Assistance.

Arizona Department of Economic Security
Customer Support Center
(855) 432-7587

Arizona Nutrition Assistance Program

Arizona’s Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides food assistance to low-income families with children and vulnerable adults. The program helps eligible households afford a nutritionally adequate supply of food.

SNAP benefit amounts vary based on several factors, including household size, income, and allowable deductions. For example, a family of three with no income may receive up to $808 per month.

What is the income limit for food stamps in AZ?

Most families in Arizona with gross income up to 185% of the federal poverty standard qualify for SNAP. That’s about $4,212 per month for a family of three to qualify.

How do I get food stamps in Arizona?

Applications can be made online through Health-e-Arizona Plus or in person at your local office or call (855) 432-7587 to request a paper application be mailed to you.

Arizona Department of Economic Security
Customer Support Center
(855) 432-7587

Arizona SUN Bucks

SUN Bucks, also known as Summer-EBT (S-EBT), provides grocery-buying benefits to low-income families with school-aged children who lose access to free or reduced-price school meals when schools are closed for the summer.

Each eligible child (ages 6—18) will get a one-time $120 benefit to buy groceries — that’s $40 per month for June, July, and August. The benefits will be added to an existing EBT card or a newly issued SUN Bucks card.

If you do not receive the SUN Bucks benefits and believe you should have been eligible, you may submit an application online when it reopens.

Arizona Department of Economic Security
SUN Bucks (Summer EBT) Hotline
(833) 648-4406

Arizona Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP)

If you do not qualify for Nutrition Assistance benefits, or need help with food during the application process, you may visit any of the TEFAP Food Distribution sites (“Food Pantries”) near you.

The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) provides emergency food and nutrition assistance to people experiencing homelessness, low-income senior citizens, families with children, at no cost.

Arizona has several locations state-wide that provide TEFAP foods to eligible persons in need. Click the link here to find food assistance and other community services in your area.

The state agency in charge of administering TEFAP in Arizona is the Coordinated Hunger Relief Program. It supervises the overall distribution of commodities.

Arizona Department of Economic Security
Coordinated Hunger Relief Program
(602) 771-2788

Arizona Special Program for Women, Infants & Children (WIC)

Arizona’s Women, Infants, and Children Program (WIC) provides supplemental foods, nutrition education and referrals to health care, at no cost, to those who are considered to be “at nutritional risk” because of dietary problems.

Applicants must be determined by a health professional to be “at nutritional risk” and have income not exceeding 185% of the federal poverty level.²

How do I apply for WIC in Arizona?

To apply for WIC in Arizona, you must contact your local WIC clinic to check eligibility and schedule an appointment. WIC applications are completed in person, as part of an enrollment visit.

Arizona Department of Health Services
Arizona WIC
(602) 542-1886

Arizona Medicaid

Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) is Arizona’s Medicaid program. It provides health coverage through a state-administered system that includes managed care plans.

Arizona has expanded Medicaid to cover uninsured adults age 19—64 with income up to 138% of the federal poverty level may now gain coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Children under age 19 and pregnant women are eligible at higher thresholds.

How do I apply for Medicaid in AZ?

The quickest way to apply for Medicaid (AHCCCS) is through Health-e-Arizona Plus — Arizona’s one-stop-shop for easy Medicaid enrollment — the same application used to apply for KidsCare (CHIP).

Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS)
Health-e-Arizona Plus (HEAplus)
(855) 432-7587

Arizona KidsCare

Arizona KidsCare is the state’s Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which provides low-cost health insurance for eligible children under age 19 whose families earn too much to qualify for Medicaid (AHCCCS).

Arizona has one of the lowest income eligibility thresholds for CHIP in the nation at just 230% of the federal poverty level (AHCCCS sets the limit at 225%, plus a 5% income disregard).³ For a family of three, this equates to a monthly income of up to $5,236.

How do I apply for KidsCare in Arizona?

Families can apply for KidsCare through the state’s online portal, Health-e-Arizona Plus, or get free application assistance by contacting Cover Arizona at (800) 377-3536.

Arizona Head Start and Early Head Start

Arizona Head Start and Early Head Start (EHS) programs promote school readiness for children in low-income families by providing comprehensive educational, health, nutritional, and social services.

Early Head Start is open to children under 3 years old in low-income families, while children 3 to 5 years old participate in Head Start. Pregnant women may also be eligible for Early Head Start.

What is the income limit for Head Start in Arizona?

A family is eligible for the Head Start program if its household income is at or below the federal poverty level. That’s about $2,277 per month for a family of three.

How do I apply for Head Start in Arizona?

Head Start and Early Head Start Programs across Arizona are currently accepting applications. Call (866) 763-6481 to locate the program serving your community.

Arizona Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP)

Due to increased demand and limited funding, DES now has a waiting list for most families applying to the program.

Arizona Child Care Assistance Program is available to eligible families with children under the age of 12 that might not otherwise be able to afford the costs of child care.

Child care assistance is also available for children experiencing homelessness and children referred by the Arizona Department of Child Safety (DCS) or a Tribal child welfare program.

What is the income limit for child care assistance in AZ?

A family is considered “income eligible” when their gross monthly income is at or below 165% of the federal poverty level at the time of initial application.

How do I apply for child care assistance in Arizona?

To apply for assistance, you may contact your local DES Child Care office to schedule an appointment and fill out an application. Referrals are also available online.

Due to limited funding, a statewide waiting list may be implemented to prioritize eligible families waiting to receive child care assistance.

Arizona Department of Economic Security
Child Care Assistance Program
(602) 542-4248

Arizona Emergency Rental Assistance Program

The Arizona Rental Assistance Program has ended and applications are no longer being accepted. Applications submitted on or before August 31, 2024 will continue to be processed.

Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) now offers rent and utility assistance to eligible Arizona renters impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Eligible households in one of the 12 counties listed below may receive up to $3,500 per month for both rent and utility assistance for a maximum of 18 months.

Currently, ERAP are only available for renters in the following counties —

• Apache
• Cochise
• Coconino
• Gila
• Graham
• Greenlee
• La Paz
• Maricopa
• Mohave
• Navajo
• Pima
• Pinal
• Santa Cruz
• Yavapai
• Yuma

How do I apply rental assistance in Arizona?

Applicants may apply for rental and utility assistance through the ERAP online portal or by phone through the ERAP hotline at (833) 912-0878.

Arizona Utility Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

Arizona LIHEAP helps low-income households meet their home energy needs. The amount of assistance is based on household size, household income, fuel type, and type of residence.

LIHEAP provides both regular and crisis benefits. Crisis benefits are a separate form of assistance available to households experiencing an immediate energy-related emergency.

How do I apply for LIHEAP in Arizona?

To apply for LIHEAP, contact the local Community Action Program (CAP) in your area or apply online through DES Portal. A copy of your current utility bill, disconnection notice (if any), and proof of income are needed for eligibility determination.

Arizona Department of Economic Security
Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
(866) 494-1981

Arizona Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership (AzLEAP)

Arizona Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership (AzLEAP) provides need-based awards of up to $2,500 per academic year to help low-income undergraduate students pay for college.

Students must be enrolled at least half-time (six or more credits per semester) and demonstrate substantial financial need as determined by the FAFSA.

There is no separate application for AzLEAP. The program is administered and awarded through each participating institution that will select eligible recipients for the award.

Arizona Board of Regents
(602) 229-2500

Arizona Promise Program

The Arizona Promise Program is a state-funded guaranteed scholarship that covers tuition, mandatory fees and program fees to students enrolled on the main or regional campus at one of Arizona’s three public universities immediately following high school graduation:

• Arizona State University (ASU)
• Northern Arizona University (NAU)
• University of Arizona (U of A)

There is no separate application. An eligible student receives the funding automatically after submitting a university admission application and the FAFSA.

College Ready AZ FAFSA Scholarship

The Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR) has launched the College Ready AZ FAFSA Scholarship to encourage high school seniors and their families to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

It provides a one-time scholarship award of $2,000 to 25 Arizona high school seniors who plan to attend one of the state’s public universities or community colleges.

To be considered for the scholarship, students must complete the FAFSA and submit a scholarship application through College Ready AZ.

Arizona FAFSA Hotline
(833) 293-2372

Local help in Arizona cities

Local organizations that provide services such as legal aid, food, shelter, health care and family services.