Places to Find Free Tattoo Removal (Ex-Gang and Ex-Offenders)

I ran across a program in the Detroit area via Julie's List, the font of many good things, that offers free tattoo removal to ex-gang members in the Detroit area in exchange for community service.  It got me thinking about where else this may be offered. 

In metropolitan Los Angeles, there's Homeboy Industries, which offers tattoo removal along with its other outreach to former gang members.  The Central Texas Tattoo Project offers tattoo removal to minors for free, and asks those over 18 to contribute $60 to cover costs.  In the New York City area, former prisoners and gang members can get free tattoo removal via the Fresh Start program.  In Oxnard, California, the Chuck Muncie Foundation performs free tattoo removal for former gang members on the third Saturday of the month.  In the Denver area, GRASP provides free tattoo removal for those between 14 and 24.  Finally, in the Chicago area, the village of Hanover Park offers free tattoo removal to former gang members.  Contact police officer Jodie Wise of the Lisle Police Department at (630) 271-4218.

Some more sources of help from the website Jails to Jobs.

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. 

Where to Look for Burial Funding Assistance

Providing the poor with a decent, dignified burial is one of the oldest social services on earth.  If you need help with the expenses of burying a loved one, here are some places to look:

--If your locality has a 211 agency referral number, call ask the referal experts to see if there are any agencies that provide burial expenses.  If your area has a searchable website, search under "burial/creamation expense assistance."

The Funeral Consumers Alliance, a fine organization, has a page devoted to indigent funerals, including a state-by-state chart of public funeral funding.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs also provides some assistance to members of federally recognized tribes if they lack other resources.  See this site for details on how to file for assistance. 

--Your state's social service agency.  Some help with burial expenses for poor people.  In Michigan, this is the website for burial assistance.   

Another source for help in Michigan for the families of those who commit suicide is the nonprofit group Six Feet Over, which offers assistance with the cleanup, funeral and memorial for the victim.  See their website (bottom of the page) for financial assistance).

 --In the city of Toledo, the Cemetary Office of the Department of Parks and Recreation handles the cremation and burial of indigents.  Their website is in need of modifications.  Please call directly at 419 936 3081.

 --FYI, here's a page from the Ohio Legislative Services (albeit 2007) on the obligation of local and state government to provide burial or cremation for certain poor people, like veterans and residents of state institutions.  According to 9.15 of the Ohio Revised Code, if an indigent person dies and is not a resident of an institution, the city or municipality must pay for the cost of a burial or cremation.  The government body is not absolved of the cost of a burial or cremation if the body is claimed by an indigent person.

--Here's a listing of some indigent burial services in the greater Cleveland area, courtesy of the 211 referral service.

--Some counties help with indigent funerals.  In Florida, contact your county's human services agency.

--In Oregon, indigent burial costs can be applied for at the state Department of Health.

--In Pennsylvania, here's the state regulations and who to contact for indigent burial.

--In Alaska, here's the site of the state social service agency that has "limited" funds for that.

--In Alabama, the county has the responsibility to provide a small sum for the burial of indigents, and those whose relatives cannot bury them.  In the case of deaths on the job, the employer is supposed to pay up to $3000 towards the funeral.

--In Illinois, it's covered by the Department of Family and Community Services, and here's the informational link.  For more information, call  (217) 524-5294 or (217) 558-6653. 

--In the District of Columbia, there's the Department of Human Services, which will give $800 towards a funeral or $450 for a cremation.  The total cost of the funeral cannot be over $2000.

--In Louisiana, the burial of paupers may be paid for by the municipality or parish where they died, with each city or parish establishing the maximum amount paid.  If the pauper were in a state institution, the state of Louisiana is responsible for their burial.

--In Georgia, the county deals with costs for the burial of indigents, and you start by contacting the county's Department of Social Services. Here's a useful publication to give more details--see #16.

--Here's the state information on indigent burial assistance in the state of Indiana.

 .--In New York, there is a guide for burial assistance options.  It's been updated (2011) and may give you an idea of where to go for help. There’s also assistance for New York City residents of up to $900 and an application online.

--For indigent people of the Jewish faith in the New York City area, the Hebrew Free Burial Association will provide a religiously and culturally appropriate funeral.

--Social security.  There is a small lump sum amount at the death of a Social Security recipient ($255).

--Was the deceased a veteran?  Besides VA benefits, some states have burial funds for veterans.  For veterans who have died in military conflict, while a resident of a VA-approved nursing home, receiving veteran's pension or other circumstances, they may be entitled to more compensation.  See this page.  Check your state's veterans office.  Here' the information for Ohio veterans burial benefits.

--Did they die as the result of a crime?  Some states have benefits for those who have died as the result of a crime

--Did they die as a result of a federally-declared disaster?  If so, and the family has no financial resources for burial, they may be eligible for disaster aid.   If so, contact FEMA at 1 (800) 621-FEMA (3362) for more information.

--Religious organizations. If you are a member of a church or denomination, they may help the burial of indigent people in that faith. 

--If the deceased is a child, there are organizations that assist in funding the burial of children in parts of the U.S.  The Unforgettables helps with funeral expenses of children in Orange County, San Bernadino and Riverside, California.  AMT Children of Hope, based in the New York City area, works to prevent the abandonment of infants, but also provides assistance for the burial of children.  Child Burial Assistance Inc. of Georgia also helps child burials in that state.  In Michigan, the Olivia Raines Foundation helps up to $500 with the cost of an infant's burial.  In California, the Emilio Nares Foundation helps with the cost of children who die of cancer in their area of service.  Call 1 (877) 507-7788 for more information.

AgapeCare Cradle, Inc offers financial help for the burial of infants in the Witchita, Kansas area.

The Tears Foundation will assist in funding the burial of an infant between 20 weeks gestation and 1 year old in the states of New York, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey and Washington state, if there are sufficient funds.  You can contact them at (253) 200-0944.

--The angels of Aidpage came up with another winner: a page full of suggestions on burial financial help.  They include references to several individual cities.  like Milwaukee,   The link to Nashville is dead, but I found the new Nashville burial help site here, and here is the Maryland burial site.  Colorado has burial assistance also.

--Another possibility is crowdfunding. See this blog entry for more.

***See more on indigent burial at this entry.****

Veterans Bonuses in Ohio and Other States

Ohio is now giving cash bonuses to veterans of the Persian Gulf, Iraq and Afghanistan wars.****Now, only veterans of the Afghan war can apply--ALL OTHER DEADLINES HAVE EXPIRED. For online applications, see the state web site, or call 1-877-644-6838 for a paper application. There is also a website with eligibility requirements.  They are exempt from state and federal taxes. 

The deadline for filing for those who served in the Persian Gulf War (August 2, 1990-March 3, 1991) is December 31, 2013.  However, for those who served later, the deadline is later.  For those that served in Iraq between March 19, 2003 and December 31, 2011, the deadline is December 31st, 2014.  For those who served in Afghanistan since October 7, 2001, the deadline is three years after the President calls an end to involvement.  See this post for more details. Also for the VERY LATEST, from the Dept of Veterans Services in Ohio:

Down to the Wire for Iraq War Veterans...

The application deadline for the Ohio

Veterans Bonus is approaching rapidl

y for veterans of the Iraq War

–

Dec. 31, 2014, is the last day to apply for the

Ohio Veterans Bonus for

military veterans who

served boots-on-the-ground in Iraq

between March 19, 2003 and Dec. 31, 2011.

The Ohio Veterans Bonus is available to

veterans, and active duty service members

who are legal residents of Ohio, who served

anywhere in the world during the time of the

wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Service must

have been for more than

90 days active duty,

not for training. Eligible veterans must have

been Ohio residents at the time of their entry

into the service, and must be Ohio residents

at the time they apply.

Although the end of the year marks the dead-

line to apply for service in Iraq, the Bonus

remains open for veterans who served in the

country of Afghanistan or anywhere else in

the world since Oct. 7, 2001.

With the news of this new bonus by the state of Ohio to veterans of the Persian, Afghan and Iraqi wars and benefits for their survivors (created by voters last year), I decided to check out other states, too, and find that there is a mixed bag of such cash bonuses in other states for different conflicts in U.S. history. Most are small cash bonuses, restricted to those with honorable discharges who were residents of the state before going to war.

Vermont has one that is still in effect for veterans of Vietnam, and goes back to the War of 1812, to compensate citizen-soldiers for the use of the horses and weapons they were expected to bring with them to that conflict. Massachusetts has offers on the books for veterans from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf and the “war on terror,” covering conflicts since 9/11. In West Virginia, there is a bonus for veterans of Iraq, Afghanistan, and Kosovo and their survivors. Pennsylvania has a bonus for veterans of the Persian Gulf and their survivors. In Alabama, there is a bonus program for veterans who were held prisoner in Southeast Asia. Illinois Veterans Affairs offers bonuses to wars stretching back to World War II, plus compensation for POWs. New Hampshire and South Dakota offer small bonuses. For a rundown of state military benefits, see this link for all 50 states.

update: The Ohio applications must be notarized. If you want the notarization for free, see these Attorney General regional locations.

MORE POTENTIAL MONEY: The Stop Loss Compensation has extended its deadline.  If you have non-voluntarily had your duty extended between Sept., 2001  and Sept, 2009, you can file for this back pay compensation by March 18, 2011. 

New Money to Prevent Foreclosures

Fresh money is being pouring into the fight against foreclosure in 17 states. The Hardest Hit Fund is being strengthened in the ten states that originally got two rounds of cash—Arizona, California, Florida, Michigan, Nevada, North and South Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, and Rhode Island—and seven new states: Alabama, Illinois, Kentucky, Mississippi, New Jersey and the District of Columbia. These are all areas that have experienced unemployment rates higher than the national average. In total, $3 billion will go towards helping out homeowners whose ability to pay their mortgages was hit by an event such as the loss of a job. Homeowners may be eligible for up to $50,000 in interest-free loans to cover mortgage interest and principle, mortgage insurance, hazard insurance, and taxes until they are employed once again and can resume their home payments.
Other states with unemployment higher than the national average may apply for housing funds, too. Right now, each state is responsible through their state housing agency for their own particular guidelines. If you are a resident of one of these states, contact your housing authority (links above) to see when the rollout will be for your state. For instance, Ohio’s is September 27th. Remember that while the general purpose is the same, each state will have its own rollout date AND eligibility rules. Finally, other states may apply for money, too, so if you are in a high-employment state or locality, check your housing authority or foreclosure resources in your state.

***Update: for states not covered by this, a new program has emerged in 2011. 

Got a Countrywide Mortgage? You May be Eligible for Help.

Bank of America, the new parent company for Countryside, has settled the suits against it by the governments of: Illinois, California, Iowa, Ohio, Texas, Arizona, Washington and Connecticut. The states of North Carolina, West Virginia, Indiana and Michigan were also in settlement talks. They involve accusations of deceptive mortgage practices by Countryside in the last few years. Among the charges by various state's attorneys-general, Countryside offered "teaser" rates that were short-lived and then jumped significantly. It's alleged that they also offered loans to people who could not adequately document their incomes, knowing that they would be unable to pay in the future. The total amount of money under the state settlements could run up to $8 billion dollars, and affect 400,000 borrowers.

What does this mean for you? If you had a mortgage from Countryside, depending on the settlement struck by your state, you may be eligible for a renegotiation of your mortgage, or foreclosure relief. It's earmarked for customers who have been foreclosed on or are in serious risk of foreclosure. In Ohio, eligible mortgage holders should soon start getting letters, telling them about their options. For more information, call 1-800-669-6607.

If you are in one of the other states affected, and have gotten a loan from Countrywide in the past few years, contact the attorney general's office in your state to see if you may be eligible for assistance.