Legal, financial, housing and family support: find external, independent help. MotherTasker lists these resources; MotherTasker does not give legal or financial advice.
Use these resources as a foothold: help that can steady things now and support earning, saving and ownership over time.
MotherTasker is not a real estate broker, lender or funder and cannot promise eligibility, housing or funding. Each card says whether help is counseling, a benefit, a grant or a loan; loans must be repaid.
Coverage today is mostly the United States and U.S. territories, with the most local options in New York City. A few education and business awards also accept applicants from other countries; each card says where it applies. If you live elsewhere, you can suggest a resource below.
17 resources
Browse online and phone resources
No location provided. These are not matches for your location. Read each service area before contacting a provider.
External referral · no MotherTasker partnership claimed
NYC Financial Empowerment Centers (DCWP)
Provider service · Counseling
Topics
Budgeting, credit, debt, savings, personal and business finances.
Service area
New York City; remote counseling is for eligible NYC clients.
Cost
Counseling is free.
Eligibility
Age 18+ and live or work in NYC; income and immigration status do not affect eligibility. The provider confirms eligibility and availability.
Languages
Ask about your preferred counseling language; translated information is available.
External referral · no MotherTasker partnership claimed
LawHelp.org (Pro Bono Net)
Directory / referral network · Referrals
Topics
Find civil legal aid and legal information by U.S. state.
Service area
United States (including DC), Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa and Micronesia, as listed in LawHelp.org's finder; the directory links to each local legal aid site.
Cost
Directory access is free; each organization confirms its fees.
Eligibility
Browse without applying. Each legal aid organization screens applicants; no appointment or representation is promised.
External referral · no MotherTasker partnership claimed
NYC Housing Connect (HPD)
Directory / referral network · Program
Topics
Find and apply for affordable rentals and homes for sale through housing lotteries, or apply directly to re-rentals.
Service area
New York City's five boroughs.
Cost
No application fee is listed on the City's program page; check each listing.
Eligibility
Income limits vary by lottery and household size; you can apply regardless of citizenship or immigration status. Applying does not guarantee a home, and replies can take months.
Languages
Program information is available in 11 languages, including Spanish; ask about the portal's languages.
External referral · no MotherTasker partnership claimed
HomeFirst Down Payment Assistance (HPD)
Provider service · Forgivable loan (repaid if conditions are not met)
Topics
Help with the down payment or closing costs for a first home in New York City: up to $100,000.
Service area
New York City's five boroughs; owner-occupied 1–4 family homes, condominiums and co-ops.
Cost
A forgivable loan, not a grant: it is forgiven only if you keep living in the home for 10 years (loans up to $40,000) or 15 years (larger or City-funded loans). You also contribute at least 3% of the price from your own funds.
Eligibility
First-time homebuyers with household income up to 120% of Area Median Income (for example $142,560 for one person, effective 6/1/2026), who complete homebuyer education with an HPD-approved counseling agency. The agency submits the application; approval is not guaranteed.
Languages
Varies by counseling agency; several list English and Spanish.
Availability
Phone · In person
Deadline
No fixed deadline is listed; start with a counseling agency well before you buy.
Application fee
HPD lists no application fee; ask the counseling agency about any course fee.
Can be used for
Down payment or closing costs on an eligible home you will live in.
External referral · no MotherTasker partnership claimed
Soroptimist Live Your Dream Awards
Provider service · Scholarship
Topics
Cash education awards for women who are the main financial support for themselves and their dependents and are in vocational training or a first undergraduate degree.
Service area
Member countries and territories of Soroptimist International of the Americas, including the United States, Puerto Rico, Guam, Canada, Mexico and much of Latin America.
Cost
Club awards average $1,000; recipients can advance to $3,000 or $5,000 region awards and up to $16,000 in total. Awards are competitive; applying does not guarantee one.
Eligibility
Women with financial need who provide the primary financial support for themselves and their dependents, enrolled in or accepted to vocational/skills training or an undergraduate program; no graduate degree; not a previous recipient.
Languages
Application languages are not stated; the website can be viewed in Spanish and other languages.
Availability
Online
Deadline
Applications open August 1 and close November 15 each year.
Application fee
No application fee is stated by the provider.
Can be used for
Any education-related costs, such as tuition, books, transportation or childcare.
External referral · no MotherTasker partnership claimed
Patsy Takemoto Mink Education Foundation: Education Support Award
Provider service · Scholarship
Topics
Up to $5,000 each for five low-income mothers continuing their education.
Service area
Programs at not-for-profit, accredited institutions in the United States.
Cost
Five awards of up to $5,000 each per year; competitive, not guaranteed.
Eligibility
Women 17 or older with minor children and low income (2026–27: under $21,640 for a family of 2, $27,320 for 3, $33,000 for 4), pursuing a degree or program more advanced than any they already hold.
Languages
Not stated by the provider.
Availability
Online
Deadline
The 2026–27 cycle closed August 1, 2026. The foundation says 2027–28 details will be posted in May 2027.
Application fee
No application fee is stated by the provider.
Can be used for
Direct school expenses or living expenses while enrolled.
Share only the public homepage of a provider we should add, or of a listing that needs correcting. No case details, personal links, documents or appointments. Suggestions and corrections are reviewed before anything changes.