More Charities that Provide Adaptive Equipment to Children

In addition to the various loan closets throughout the country that help disabled children and adults--and various ways of financing or receiving donations for adaptive equipment that I've found in the past--there are some charities that accept applications for adaptive equipment for children.  Here are three nationwide programs:

Firsthand Foundation covers many medical needs for children, but also vehicle modification and adaptive equipment.  They don't do van purchases or home modifications, but will finance many smaller things.

Wheel to Walk Foundation provides many adaptive devices that may not be covered by insurance, like shower chairs, therapy tricycles, etc. 

Variety, the show business charity, has a program called Kids on the Go, which provides mobility equipment for disabled children, including tricycles, car seats, stollers, van lifts, house ramps, wheelchairs and more.  Variety suggests that if there is a local chapter of their organization near you that you apply there first,  but if not, you apply to the national office.

Military Stop-Loss Pay Deadline is Extended to October 21, 2012

Yes, you can still get compensated for stop-loss extension of your tour of duty.  The new deadline is October 21, 2012.  See the Department of Defense page for details and numbers to call.

A Relief Fund for Wounded Ohio Veterans

This blog already has posted information on the veteran's bonus available to Ohio veterans, but there's also a payment of $500 available to Ohio veterans and soldiers in Operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom or New Dawn if they have sustained injuries and wounds in one of those conflicts.  It's called the Military Injury Relief Fund, and its' administered through the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services. 

It's a one-time only award for Ohio residents, and when you file the application, you must include: military activation orders, proof of injury, proof of Ohio residence, and either Report of Separation papers (for veterans) or proof of current service (if still in the military).  For more information, you can contact your county veteran's office or call 1-888-296-7541.  For more information on programs available for veterans in Ohio, see the state's Department of Veterans Services, or the Department of Jobs and Family Services Veteran's Services.

K-12 Scholarships for Private Schooling in Ohio for Disabled Kids, and Vouchers and School Choice for Children Around the Country

The state of Ohio, besides having school choice programs for children within the boundaries of failing publicschools, has two programs for alternative education for special needs kids.  One is the Jon Peterson SpecialNeeds Scholarship program.  Children from kindergarten through 12^th grade who have an IEP (individual education plan) that is current and finalized are eligible for scholarships of up to $20,000 for education and supportive services from a private provider.  There aren’t enough scholarships for all disabled children—by law, no more than 5% of children identified as disabled in a district are eligible.  If there are more entries, scholarships will be distributed by a lottery.  If you have a child who’s eligible, you have to move fast, since the deadline for applying for a 2012-2013 scholarship is April 15^th.

Likewise, there is a separate Ohio program providing for state aid for the private education of young people with autism between the ages of 3 and 21.   It provides up to $20,000 a year for educational services outside of the school district.  Application for aid for the 2012-2013 school year begins in May of 2012.  Parents who want to be on the Ohio Education Department’s mailing list for more information about state programs for autistic children can sign up for it here.

For state, regional and nationwide programs for state-subsidized alternatives to public education, see this website by the Alliance for Choice.  It shows state “choice” and voucher programs, and has a separate state-by-state rundown on availableK-12 scholarships.  Here's another list of possibilities.

A Real Grant for For-Profit Women-Owned Busineses

I'm the first to debunk urban legends about all the grants for women-owned businesses, unless they're not urban legends.  The Foundation Center's RFP Bulletin rarely has anything for for-profits, but this past week, they did: Eileen Fisher, the clothing firm, announced available grants to women-owned for-profits that, in their words, "combine the principles of social consciousness, sustainability, and innovation to create new businesses or invigorate existing ones."  If you want to see examples of what that means, see Eileen Fisher's website for a list of past winners and their businesses.

The grants have two categories: one for start-up businesses (less than three years old), and another for more established businesses.  The former is for businesses that can document solid plans and potential for growth.  The more established businesses must have plans to take their business to a new level. They will give grants to up to five businesses in all, with grants of up to $12,500 apiece. The deadline for this year's application is May 15, 2012, and here's the application.

For more sources of funding for women's business funding, see this link.  And good luck.

Information on the Foreclosure Settlement. And Watch Out for Scams.

The settlement between forty nine states’ attorneys general, the federal government and five of the largest mortgage servers (Citi, Ally/GMAC, Wells Fargo, JP Morgan Chase, and Bank of America) in the United States has opened up an avenue of help and compensation for many people that are in danger of foreclosure, are underwater in home value, or even those who have already been foreclosed on and lost their homes since 2009 (Oklahoma’s Attorney General reached a separate settlement.  See their website for more information).  How can you tell if you are eligible for help?
 

A great webpage has been set up to give you a place to start looking for the answers.  National Mortgage Settlement has all the information you need-- contact numbers, eligibility information-- and ALL FOR FREE.  If anybody contacts you and offers “help” for a fee, slam the phone on them.  It’s a scam.  Click here to findout how to recognize signs of scammers trying to take advantage of people, and what to do about it.

There is a page especially for homeowners that gives the contact numbers for the mortgage servers involved, but the link to the state’s attorney general’s offices is dead.  Try this one instead. However,  anyone whose mortgage is held by Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae is not eligible.  You can find out if your mortgage is held by either of them here and here.   Here’s another link to a page dealing with U.S. military members that are eligible relief.

Officials are in the process of appointing administrators, figuring out who is eligible, and will contact them.   The whole process should take place over the next three years.  If you feel you may be eligible or need more information, contact the attorney general’s office of your state or your mortgage holder, especially if you think that officials may have a hard time tracing you.

You can even get an independent review of your case.  Again, FOR FREE.  Nobody is charging for this.  But the deadline to apply for the independent review by July 31, 2012.  There’s a website with all the information that you need, but if you like to get your information from humans, there’s a toll-free number, too: 1-888-952-9105, from 8 a.m-10 p.m. Monday through Friday, Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.  And assistance is available in Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Hmong and Russian. 

Even more information is available at this online pamphlet from the Center for Responsible Lending.

Finding Help and Support for Fathers

While not in the form of cash handouts, there is a growing network of help for fathers in their role of supporting and helping to raise their kids.  I was made aware of a program called Fatherhood Connections in nearby Wood, Ottawa, Sandusky Seneca and Hancock counties in Ohio that provides support services and job training for fathers in those counties.  Last fall, I also found out that part of the Northwest Ohio Reentry Coalition work involved helping fathers with child support issues.  It's part of a nationwide initiatve to help fathers. 

How do you find if there's a program in your area?  One way to track them is through the 211 social services system in your area. Another is to check this nationwide map of state and local fatherhood initiatives.  But it's not exhaustive.  However, if you find the state office in your state, you can check them out and see who they may have funded locally.

That's how I found out about a number of programs in Ohio:  the Urban Light program in Clark county/Springfield, Fame Fathers; in Portage, Stark, Medina, Summit and Wayne counties(Akron-Canton area) in Ohio, which runs among other things, mentoring for both younger and older fathers, help for incarcerated and soon-to-be-released fathers, and workforce opportunities for low-income fathers; and the Columbus Urban League's Fathers 2 Fathers program, which offers advocacy and support in child support, visitation, and other legal issues.

Another way to find programs in your area is to google "fatherhood initiative" and the name of your city. 

Getting a Low-Cost Prom Dress in 2012

Prom season is nearly here, and besides our past roundup of low-cost prom grown projects, we have some new ones to announce.  Here in the northwest Ohio/Toledo area, Owens Community College students are hosting their 2nd annual Prom Dress Extravaganza, in which high school students can purchase prom dresses for $5-$20 on April 14th at the Student Health and Activities Center from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., as well as accessories ranging from 50 cents to $3.  For more information, call Owens College at 567-661-2569. 

In Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, there is a  Prom Project till March 10 for prom gowns, AND young men can get a tuxedo voucher, plus etiquette lessons.  In central Illinois, the Perfect Prom Project will be held March 31st at Latzer Hall in the University of Illinois YWCA.  Northeast Christian Church in Louisville, KY is having their Prom Project March 9 and 10, 2012 for girls looking for a gown. 

As in the past, Donate My Dress is always a good jumping-off point in finding gently used prom gowns at a low cost, but googling "prom project, " along with the name of your town, is another useful tactic.  Of course, you may accidentally find programs on alcohol and drug free post-prom lockups, but that's the price you pay in finding cheap gowns.  Good luck.

****UPDATE:*****for teens in metro Detroit area:  The Detroit Free Press has a contest to win $500 towards prom expenses.  You have to make up a prom dress, or some other part of prom attire....from copies of the Detroit Free Press newspaper, and take a picture of it.  The winner gets the money to pay for prom costs.  Send a picture of your newspaper prom attire to freeprom@freepress.com by April 23rd. 

Find House-Buying Money in Toledo and Northwest Ohio

If there's anything a blog entitles you to do, it's shamelessly self-plug.  Not enough to annoy people who read the blog more than once, just a little.  And if the subject matter is a perfect match to the blog, than it's more than excusable.  If you live in northwest Ohio, and are looking to buy a home, you could do worse than come to the Main branch of the Toledo-Lucas County Public Library on April 23 from 6 to 8 p.m.  It's Great Homebuying Opportunities.

You can hear speakers, pick up materials, and talk to people from organizations that can fill you in on great state and local programs that can help you buy a house.  A rep from the Ohio Housing Finance Agency will be there to discuss their first-time homebuyer program, the Ohio Heroes Program, where qualified active service, veterans, firefighters, police, health care workers and others can get help in buying a home, and the mortgage certificate program. We'll have people from the Northwest Ohio Development Agency to discuss their homebuying programs, Neighborhood Housing Services home ownership programs, United North, Habitat for Humanity, and more.  And refreshments.  Did I say that?  Yes, you can munch and sip while discussing your homebuying options. 

If you aren't from northwest Ohio, and are looking for great opportunities yourself, here's some ways to investigate your mortgage-trimming, tax-saving home buying opportunities in your own backyard.

Eat Soup, Support Creativity in Your Community

This Sunday, Toledo Soup will host its inaugural soup dinner and vote for 5 creative projects that have been vetted by a panel of local people from 36 submissions.  The doors open at 5 p.m. at 116 10th Street in downtown Toledo, and then they will pay $5 to listen to the five candidates pitch their projects.  Then they vote, and the top vote-getter gets the money from attendees to fund their project and the voters eat soup, salad and bread. 

This is just part of a worldwide phenomenon.  The Soup Network maps places in North America, Europe, Egypt and Australia where similar projects are supporting the arts, or sometimes, as in Chicago, community groups as well.  It's part of the growing trend of using social networking to raise money in the arts, like Kickstart, where artists announce their financial goal and a time limit when describing their proposed project to people who have a chance to finance it.  Either they get the goal, in the time prescribed, or they get nothing.  If not, the project fails and no money changes hands. 

Teh internets offer some exciting new ways for artists to reach potential funders and new markets, so I'm looking forward to the upcoming book, New Markets for Artists: How to Sell, Fund Projects, and Exhibit Using Social Media, DIY Pop-Ups, eBay, Kickstarter, and Much More by Carey Brainard in a few months. Buy it or nag your local library to buy it.  Meanwhile, check and see if your community has a soup circle that can help fund your project.