Pregnancy and Parenting
Resources for Pregnant and Parenting Students
Housing
On-Campus Housing
Learn more about on-campus housing options and contact SAIC Residence Life at stulife@saic.edu or 312.629.6870.
Off-Campus Housing
These organizations have been identified as having maternity home services or referral services in Chicago, Illinois. For more detailed descriptions of these organizations and their services, please use the contact information provided below:
Aid for Women: Residential Programs
Helpline: 312-621-1100
Email: help@aidforwomen.org
- Heather’s House: Located on the Maryville Academy Campus in Des Plaines, IL, Heather’s House provides a safe and nurturing home where pregnant women and their babies can live. Heather’s House offers mothers an opportunity to develop the life skills, education and job skills necessary to become independent and loving mothers.
- Monica’s House: Located at St. Pascal Church in Chicago’s Portage Park neighborhood, Monica’s House serves as a transitional home for Heather’s House residents who have had their babies and are either going to school or working. Monica’s House provides these new mothers more independence, while they work toward completing their goals.
The Well of Mercy
6339 North Fairfield Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60659-1705
Phone: (773) 274-4227
Email: info@thewellofmercy.com
The Well of Mercy helps mothers to know their purpose in life and to take responsibility for the discipline it takes to acquire these life changes. We’re not only providing a secure home for single, pregnant women in need—when they’ve been abused, abandoned, left broke or broken—we’re creating a program of change together. The opportunities we provide set our women on a course for stability and success.
Insurance Coverage
Your health is paramount to not only your family, but to you. One of the main problems that young single parents face in the healthcare arena is affordability! It is crucial that families have the type of plan that will give the best service, the best coverage and the best rates. Plans are varied and each profile is unique to the family and to the company you are applying to. We all need healthcare. Today your family might be healthy, but tomorrow a catastrophic illness or accident could strike. You will need the confidence in knowing that insurance is there to protect your family.
SAIC’s Insurance Policy
Learn more about SAIC's insurance policy and contact Health Services to find out whether SAIC allows students to add children to their insurance coverage.
State Insurance Policies
Medicaid is a jointly funded state and Federal government program that pays for medically necessary services. Medicaid pays for medical services for children and their caretakers, pregnant women, and persons who are disabled, blind or 65 years of age or older. Primary services funded through Medicaid are physician, hospital and long term care. Additional coverage includes drugs, medical equipment and transportation, family planning, laboratory tests, x-rays and other medical services.
Family Care
FamilyCare offers healthcare coverage to parents living with their children 18 years old or younger. FamilyCare also covers relatives who are caring for children in place of their parents. FamilyCare covers doctor visits, specialty medical services, hospital care, emergency services, prescription drugs and more.
For more information, call the FamilyCare Hotline (866) ALL-KIDS (1-866-255-5437), or TTY: 1-877-204- 1012.
All Kids: Healthcare Program
The All Kids program offers many Illinois children comprehensive healthcare that includes doctor visits, hospital stays, prescription drugs, vision care, dental care and medical devices like eyeglasses and asthma inhalers. Some families pay monthly premiums for the coverage, but rates for middle-income families are significantly lower than they are on the private market. For instance, a family of four that earns between $45,000 and $67,000 a year pays a $40 monthly premium per child, and a $10 co-pay per physician visit.
For more information, call the All Kids Hotline (866) ALL-KIDS (1-866-255-5437), or TTY: 1-877-204- 1012.
CHIP(Child’s Health Insurance Program)
This program provides free or low cost health insurance for children up to age 19. This insurance covers doctor visits, immunizations, hospitalizations and emergency room visits. The income limit changes yearly and currently a family’s gross income must be below 200 percent federal poverty level (FPL) for the children to get CHIP coverage. Generally, a family’s gross income must be below 133 percent FPL for children age one to five years to get Medicaid.
Find more information and apply at www.chipmedicaid.org. In Illinois, the CHIP program is referred to as CHIPRA (see below).
Illinois All Kids (CHIPRA)
Illinois’ All Kids program offers health care coverage to children or helps in paying premiums of employer or private health insurance plans. All Kids services are available at no cost or at low cost. Premium and co-payments are determined based on your family income and size. All Kids Share and Premium Level 1 are jointly funded by the state and federal governments. All Kids Rebate and Premium Level 2 are state funded. All Kids Assist is the Medicaid portion of Illinois’ health care programs for children.
Clothing/Food Assistance
Being a parent and a student is tough on the bills! Finding places and people to help support your family’s material needs will help ease that burden. For material assistance (such as maternity clothes, baby items, etc), please contact the following organizations:
1510 N Claremont, Chicago, IL 60622
Phone: 312-621-1100
Business Hours: WF 9:45a-12:45p. *Appointments scheduled after hours through Option Line.*
Services Provided: Options Information, Ultrasound, Material Aid, After Abortion Support, Community Referrals, Parenting Classes, Prenatal Classes, STD/STI Information
8 S Michigan Ave, Suite 812, Chicago IL 60603
Phone: 312-621-1100
Business Hours: MTW 9a-5p; Th 10a-6p; F 8a-4p; Sat 10a-3p *Appointments scheduled after hours through Option Line.*
Services Provided: Options Information, Ultrasound, Material Aid, After Abortion Support, Community Referrals, Parenting Classes, Prenatal Classes, STD/STI Information
1400 S. Austin, Cicero, IL 60804
Phone: 708-863-1000 Business Hours: WF 9:15a-4p; Appointments preferred. *Appointments scheduled after hours through Option Line.*
Services Provided: Options Information, Ultrasound, Material Aid, After Abortion Support, Maternity Home, Community Referrals, Parenting Classes, Prenatal Classes, STD/STI Information
Goodwill
The Goodwill and other thrift stores offer low priced items. You can find clothing, houseware, and other miscellaneous supplies. Locate a Goodwill store near you.
Local Churches and Religious Communities
Local churches often have outreaches and ministries that serve their community. Contact the religious organizations in your area, and inquire about programs that may provide material support.
Child Care
National Resources Early Head Start Early
Head Start is a child development program for low-income families. Each Early Head Start program is responsible for determining its’ own eligibility criteria. Family income is one key factor in determining eligibility. The federal poverty guidelines (http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/) are used to evaluate family income. Early Head Start programs may elect to target their services to a particular population to best meet the unique needs of families and children in their community. Please contact the EHS program in your area for specific information about how to enroll in your local Early Head Start.
Head Start
The Head Start Program, administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), provides grants to local private, nonprofit and public agencies to provide child care services to low-income families. Local Head Start programs are authorized to accept a certain percentage of children whose family incomes are above the poverty level and, under certain conditions, pregnant women. HHS provides on its website a Head Start Program Locator Tool.
Childcare and Development Fund
The Child Care and Development Fund, a program of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, provides child care grants each year to state, tribal, and U.S. territory governments to assist low-income families. The program uses vouchers and provider contracts to provide subsidized child care to eligible families, which include parents and the primary caregivers of children 12 years of age and under, or disabled persons under 19 years of age. Eligible applicants are employed, enrolled in a job training or education program, or are under court supervision directives that require child care. HHS provides state and tribal contacts on its website. Local departments of social services can also provide information about the program.
Other Affordable Childcare
Illinois Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP)
DHS’ Child Care Assistance Program provides low-income, working families with access to quality, affordable child care that allows them to continue working and contributes to the healthy, emotional and social development of the child. Families are required to cost-share on a sliding scale based on family size, income and number of children in care.
To learn if you qualify for this program, please call 1-877- 202-4453 (toll-free).
Care.com
Care.com is the world’s largest online destination for care. We connect families with great caregivers and caring companies to help you be there for the ones you love. Care.com provides a database for caregivers (e.g. babysitters, nannies, daycare centers). On this website, parents can post the job (including descriptions of your needs for child care, age of your child, any special requirements). You can also search for caregivers in your area and review the profiles of potential caregivers.
ChildcareCenter.us
The Child Care Center website is the largest directory for childcare services in the nation, with over 250,000 childcare centers, home daycare providers, nannies, and babysitters to give you the best choices possible for your child’s care.
Use this resources to identify available providers in your state. Childcareaware.org and Daycareproviders.com help you search for childcare providers in your area as well as guides on what to look for in each childcare.
Local Church Affiliations: Another great option is to approach your local church about after school care or extended daycare hours. Usually, they will offer church members free care or very cheap assistance. Most of the time these pre-schools and daycare have much less strict requirements than a Government Daycare Assistance program. This is a great alternative to finding a home daycare or after school program that can end up costing upwards of $150 a week.
Financial Aid Resources
School of the Art Institute of Chicago’s Student Financial Services Office
Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA)
Government Grants
Academic Competitiveness Grant
The federal government also offers students with the opportunity to obtain needed college funds through the Academic Competitiveness Grant, or ACG. This grant may be used in conjunction with Pell Grants. Unlike Pell Grants, however, the ACG is performance-based. It is designed for those who are enrolled in the first or second year of their college education. Application is open to all students who submit a Free Application for Financial Student Aid.
Pell Grants are available to all college students who can demonstrate financial need, including single mothers and pregnant mothers. This is a need-based program offered through the federal government, so it is best suited for low-income individuals. The Federal Pell Grant can be extremely useful to finance study material cost and the tuition fees of university. Reward amounts may be as high as $5,000 per semester for those who qualify. Applications can be conducted online by completing the Free Application for Financial Student Aid at www.fafsa.gov. Students should research application deadlines to ensure that funds are received for the upcoming semester as needed.
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
This is another grant offered by the federal government. It is a need-based grant like Pell Grants, and it is designed to be used as a supplemental financing option in conjunction with Pell Grants. As with the previous two federal grants, interested candidates can complete the Free Application for Financial Student Aid to be considered for this program.
Private Foundation Scholarships
Women’s Opportunity Awards
Soroptomist International has the Women’s Opportunity Awards are given to women who serve as the primary head of their household, so basically single moms. Depending on the woman’s financial need and the cost of tuition at her chosen school, this award could pay for a mom’s entire college education.
The letters in the R.O.S.E. Scholarship stand for Regaining One’s Self-Esteem, and the R.O.S.E. Scholarship is awarded to women who are survivors of domestic violence and abuse. This award gives financial assistance to survivors of abuse planning to attend any four-year college in the New England area. In order to be eligible for a R.O.S.E. Scholarship, women must have already attended one full year of undergraduate studies at a college in New England, and is interviewed by the scholarship committee to establish need. The R.O.S.E. fund does much more than pay scholarships; the fund also helps women pay for reconstructive surgery after incidences of abuse and even find work and lodging after leaving an abusive relationship. Though not aimed specifically at moms, many mothers qualify for financial aid money from the R.O.S.E. Foundation.
Jeannette Rankin Foundation hands out scholarships to women age 35 or older who show an interest in higher education. During that time, 500 plus women have earned awards to attend the college of their choice through Jeanette Rankin scholarships. These offers are for women pursuing a four-year degree. The Foundation hands out about 15 scholarships a year, with the amount of the award dependent on financial need. No, Jeanette Rankin Foundation scholarships are not targeted at moms, but if you’re a mom 35 or older, you qualify to apply for a scholarship from the Jeanette Rankin Foundation.
The Margaret McNamara Memorial Fund
The Margaret McNamara Memorial Fund gives 20 scholarships each year to 20 women around the world who want to return to earn a college degree. The Margaret McNamara Memorial Fund is sponsored and run by the World Bank, and awards educational grants to women from North America as well as some developing countries around the world. To earn these awards, a woman has to plan to pursue graduate studies that benefit women and children’s health worldwide. That means the main criteria is an essay and phone interview to establish a woman’s commitment to improving the lives of underprivileged women and children. These awards are worth $12,000 a year toward college costs, and are renewable for four years.
Women who are enrolled in a program focused on computer science, engineering or engineering technology may consider applying for an SWE scholarship. There are several different scholarships and grants awarded each summer to prospective students who are either sophomore, junior, senior, or grad students in an accredited program. The financial support options include endowed scholarships, corporate-sponsored scholarships, and grants.
The Emerge Scholarship program has been helping women pay for a college education since 2001. The program is designed to help women who have already had significant real-life experiences such as stay-at-home mothers, women who are considering switching careers, those who graduated from high school years ago and did not have the opportunity to attend or finish college earlier in life, or who otherwise are non-traditional students. These scholarships are generally not awarded to those who already have received financial aid, and funds can only be applied toward tuition and fees rather than supplementing living-related expenses.
Patsy Takemoto Mink Scholarship for Low-Income Women
This scholarship program was founded in 2003 by Congresswoman Patsy Takemoto Mink. Throughout her career, Congresswoman Mink has worked to promote education and support resources available for low-income women and their children. Her foundation provides financial assistance to low-income women enrolled in a higher education program or a specialized training program. The number of awards and the amount of the awards will vary from year to year. In 2012, five scholarships in the amount of $2,000 each will be awarded.
The Sister Thea Bowman Foundation is an example of a group dedicated to a specific cause; providing funds for single African-American mothers to attend the College of St. Mary. That college, located in Omaha, Nebraska, works closely with the Sister Thea Bowman Foundation to hand out plenty of scholarships to young black single moms who want to better themselves. You can find similar organizations at colleges all over the country.
Scholarships for Moms is a scholarship program that is available to single or married women who are mothers or who are pregnant. Essentially, any college student or prospective college student who is a mother may apply. The program will award up to $10,000 in money to be used for higher education costs to the recipient of the scholarship. The scholarship application can also be completed online at the above website.
P.E. O. Sisterhood has been providing women with the financial assistance they need to attend college and improve their lives. Scholarships are mostly awarded to mothers. In addition to scholarships, the organization also helps mothers fund their college education through grants and loans. In total, this organization has provided over 77,000 women with financial assistance, and this assistance has totaled over $200 million dollars over the past 150 years.
Women’s Independence Scholarship Program (otherwise known as WISP)
WISP is designed to help women obtain the money they need to attend college and earn a higher education degree. The program is suited for survivors of domestic abuse from an intimate partner such as a spouse or a boyfriend. The program prefers to award scholarship funds to those enrolled state community colleges, state colleges or universities, and technical or vocational schools. Those enrolled in other programs may also apply. The application for the WISP fund as well as more information about this program may be found online.
The UNCF is designed to help African Americans, including mothers and expectant mothers of African American descent, obtain funds needed to attend college and work toward a higher education degree. Some scholarships are sponsored by specific corporations including Intel, Google, and others. More information about the different scholarship programs available can be found on the UNCF website at the UNCF website.
American Association of University Women
AAUW offers scholarships, grants, financial awards, and fellowship opportunities to women across the country. The organization aims to promote equal education for all women, so it is a great resource for funding higher education endeavors made by women with children or who are currently pregnant.
Talbots Women’s Scholarship Fund
Talbots Women’s Scholarship Fund is provided annually through Talbots Charitable Foundation. Only the first 1,000 applications are considered each year. Of these 1,000 applicants, five scholarships will be awarded in the amount of $10,000 and fifty scholarships will be awarded in the amount of $1,000. These scholarships are designed for non-traditional female students. Only applicants who graduated high school or earned a GED at least ten years prior to the application date are considered.
The HSF awards up to $15,000 in free scholarships for Hispanics attending or who plan to attend, two or four year colleges and universities. The average award is $2,500 for those attending 4 year universities and $1,500 for two year community colleges.
Denny’s Single Parent Student Scholarship
Denny’s Single Parent Scholarship gives $500 to 1500 to single parent students. Applicants must be have a 3.0 or above GPA and must demonstrate financial need.
Lifetime Adoption Foundation
They offer educational scholarships in deep appreciation to birthmothers who have chosen adoption for their children. They have enabled others to experience the joy of becoming parents and created futures, not only for those families, but also for their children, for a lifetime.
State-Specific Scholarships
There are several scholarships in Illinois- such as Illinois Student Assistance Commission and Illinois College of DuPage Foundation Single Parent Scholarship-that are available for pregnant or parenting students. To learn about other scholarship opportunities, contact the financial aid office (or business office) at your local college or university, and ask about any scholarships for single parents. Go online to search for more scholarship offers for pregnant students and single parents.
Illinois Student Assistance Commission
Illinois College of DuPage Foundation Single Parent Scholarship
