(updated May 12, 2008)

I have been away from Aidpage, but not completely out of the picture. What I have I been up to?

I had been making many attempts to still get the word out about what I am doing, but I had not been received well at a couple places:

• Myspace kicked me off four times. The fourth time, I managed to keep the page running for a few months, and I logged in only to discover that I was removed once again. I am not sure what their reasoning was. It was a description of how I was helping others. I had helped many families through that page so it was very disappointing, and I lost track of people in line to receive help.
  
• I posted a page on Squidoo.com. and that page, too was removed after receiving a lot of criticism from members there. I wasnt asking for money; only describing how I was helping others. Apparently I seemed a little too good to be true or people just didnt believe me.

I HAVE been accepted with open arms at WishUponAHero.com. I am very active there under the name 'The Empty Hanger' Here is how I have helped and currently help others. To date, I have granted over 20 wishes, and more that is not tallied on the site.

• Sending cards for birthdays, encouragement, friendship, sympathy. That just costs a stamp!
• Offering advice on situations
• Sending books (via media mail)
• Sending spiritual literature (I returned to church in January accepting Jesus into my life)
  
• Sending small packages of clothes
• Sending coupons
• Sending school supplies
  
• Sending my old eyeglass frames to woman who cannot afford new ones. (current)
• Workiing on a HUGE giveaway starting May 1st for WUAH. (shipping covered by anonymous donor)
  

OTHER CHANGES

• 'The Empty Hanger' has been scaled back to a local operation. It was a difficult decision. Aside from what I do above, I still manage to provide packages of good usable clothing to persons in need. I find them at the local food pantry mostly, and word of mouth. Someone will email me at projectemptyhanger@mail2me.com, and we arrange a mutual public meeting place for the person's safety and mine. Its worked out pretty well, and I bypass shipping costs altogether. I do ask a lot of questions beforhand, because my genorisity has been taken advantage of on several occasions, and it is how I screen people. I find that those that are evasive are not being honest with me.
• I am considering turning over 'The Empty Hanger' as an outreach project at my church.

ADVOCACY

• Alzheimer's Awareness My dad passed away from the disease January 21st, 2008. He was diagnosed in 2003, and we watched this independant and strong man fight for a long time until we had to place him in a nursing home in 2006. It wiped us out financially and emotionally. I've currently been put into a position to help my mom who lost his pension (because she was not married to him when he retired). I use his likeness in many ways to help educate others about Alzheimer's. I am beginning an initiative for leglislation so that no other families should be forced into poverty for making the decision to place a totall dependant loved one into long-term care. You can view a video I made by visiting the following link: Alzheimer's Video
• NEW! I also have changed my dad's tribute page to one of an Alzheimer's Awareness subject matter. It is called: Alzheimer's: Know More. I have also created tshirts and other merchandice to raise funds to donate to my local Alzheimer's association.
  
• Go to the tribute page.
  

If your family is affected by this disease and need some advice or just to talk, please email me at projectemptyhanger@mail2me.com, and put 'Alzheimers' in the subject line.

Elaine, for all your help and support to 'The Empty Hanger'

Staff and Admin of Aidpage for your support

Everyone here who reads and takes interest in my little endeavor!

I'm having a rummage sale! (Updated May 12th)

Locally, my mobile home community is having a rummage sale at the beginning of June. I am hoping to raise enough money on my own so that I can use some of the proceeds to send out a few more packages. My family has been busily cleaning out the house and garage, and wow the treasures that we accumulate in a year.

If you live in the Northwest Indiana area, and are interested in learning more about my community's rummage sale, please don't hesistate to ask. I will be offering discounts to my local friends at Wish Upon A Hero, and I am offering the same here on Aidpages. For details, please ask.

I would like to go to school for computers. I am a single father with 1 boy and need an education to give my son a wonderful life.

I am in my early twenties and desperately trying to start my life.  I live paycheck to paycheck like many people, but am trying to go to nursing school.  It is almost impossible, as I don't have any leftover money once my rent and electricity is paid.  I also do not have a car, so I have to rely on other people to take me to and from work.  I don't have anybody who can take me to and from school.  For every $100 I receive, I will pledge $10.  In addition, once I have completed school, I will pledge back DOUBLE every penny I received.  Please help me, and I will help others.

Hi:

I have a special needs son who is attending a school for severe learning disabled children.  My son is profoundly dyslexic, verbally dyspraxic,  OCD,  Asperger's Syndrome and profoundly gifted.   The school he attends is paid for by the school district through the Individuals with Disablities Educational Act.  I have been advocating for my son for 10  years.  I have fought for services,  including speech and occupational therapy, reading help, extended school year services and you name it.  Finally this past school year he was accepted into a school for kids with profound dyslexia and other disablities.   I grabbed the golden ring for my son!   If i leave this school district i risk loosing the education that my son needs.  This would be absolutely devasting to him and to me.  Here is the link for my son's school:   www.rsec.org

This past spring we went thru a horrible and financially devasting divorce.   My ex -husband is loosing his job and i will loose some or most of my child support.  I am also self employed, and working a second job.

My problem is, is that can not afford the property taxes on this house.   I may have to sell and loose his education and my self-employment.  It kills me to know that my son is at risk to loose  the long awaited education he so sorely needs  over property taxes.   There is no guarantee that  if  forced to move he will be able to receive this education or that i would live close enough to this  school for the profoundly learning disabled.   I can't refinance this house due to my credit scores due to the divorce and how the first mortgage is written.

I have had many  expensive repairs on this house the past  2 years, my 7 yr old  ford explorer died,  i had to use the $6000 in my retirement account to buy a new car, a 95 tahoe.. a real gas guzzler but all i could afford. I get a little bit of fuel assistance, have no health insurance,  and do not qualify for food stamps.   I have no money to get my high blood pressure meds and meds for anxiety and depression.  I have taken on a roommate but which helps but doesn't solve our problem.  I have asked for a tax abatement from the town and was denied.   I am in the process of filing bankruptcy because i don't know where else to turn.  It kills me to do it because i want to be responsible for my debts, but there is nothing left at the end of the month to cover it.   During the course of my  25 year marriage I was fortunate to be the giver of such gifts.... at the holidays to needy organizations , to animal shelters,  the salvation army, i took in exchange students to teach them about our country, voluneteered at my son's school and more.  Now, i need to be at the receiving end of such generosity.  Please help us.

This is entire  life changing event is over $9000.00.  Please open your heart and your financial abilities to ensure that my son gets to fulfill profound gifted abilities by learning to read.  I am scared and very frightened that my son, my gift from God, will loose his one big chance to become literate.  He is in 6th grade, 11 yrs old,   has an IQ of 140+ and reads at a kindergarten level.  

What ever you could donate is deeply and  gratefully appreciated.   I won't even ask you to provide he money directly to me.  If you are able and willing to help us, make a check out to our town .  You will be blessed for your kindness.  My son will be blessed by you.

I live in Brookline NH and a donation or payment in my name can be made to the Town of Brookline,  Brookline, NH   03033

Sincerely and Gratefully,

Mary Harding-Smith

603 315 3328

www.rsec.org

I'm a single mom of two boys who are 5 and 2.  I work full time as a marketing assistant but recieve no child support from their father.  I recently had to move out of my two bedroom apartment into my sister's one bedroom apartment.  Even though I no longer have to pay rent, I've gotten so far behind on bills that it's looking near impossible to get on my feet again any time soon.  I'm not looking for a hand out just a lift up.  I work very hard to take care of my boys.  Things have become so difficult lately that I'm having a hard time putting gas in my car and buying groceries.

I graduated with my Associates Degree in Political Science and want to continue schooling as soon as I have my financial situation back under control.  I hope that someone out there will appreciate my efforts and hard work.

Thank you so much for your consideration and time. 

I am a single mother of one and would like to go back to school to get my LPN license at my local vocational center.  The program is one year long.  The problem is that the classes are monday-friday, 8-4 and I would be unable to work due to no babysitter in the evenings and on the weekends.  I really want to go back and financial aid will not be enought to live off of and pay my bills.  I want off welfare and I want to live in a nice neighborhood and raise my child, this is not possible right now and they only way to change it is to go back to school.  Can you help in any way or redirect me to who may be able to?

Thank you, Ashley Douglas

hi, my name is trish. i am a single mom soon to be going back to school full time to be an esthetition. which mainly has to do with skin care. this is something that i have been wanting to persue for many years now. its a 5 month program, mon - thurs full days. now being a single mom and having a young child it seemed impossible, well at least hard to do, having to get daycare, and transpertation for her to and from school, i couldnt afford all that plus school. it was just easier putting it off...til now, she is 15 ..i need no sitter, and most of her friends drive, so that makes it much easier for me to go ahead with schooling. the only thing im worried about now is paying for expenses while im in school, i can work part time, but not to many hrs considering my daughter is at home, the loans i got accepted for are just barely paying for tuition, and the books and kit i need for the class. what im asking is if anyone has any advise for me, or knows of any other options i have out there to get some more money to live on while im in school.

If you look up mistress in the dictionary, it is actually "a man's wife".  So I guess my title is "Mark's Mistress" slightly for shock value, but mostly because I am super proud of my hubby and our little family.

If anyone reading this is able to help me, I would greatly appreciate it.  Here is our situation:

I am a 30 (argh!!!) year old step-mother of 2, who is looking to return to school to get my nursing license.  We have contemplated my return to school for years, and have finally decided to do it.  As my husband said, if we wait until we are able to afford it, I'll never go back.  Basically, there are not an awful lot of scholarships and grants out there for returning or "non-traditional" students.  I make "ok" money at my job, but won't be working while I am in school (as anyone who has gone through nursing school knows).  The biggest problem is that FAFSA and various other grant programs do not take this into consideration when you are filing (before school, ergo before I quit my job).

Does anyone have any suggestions of where to find grants?  Scholarships?  Or any generalized ideas on how to live on a tight budget, save money, etc.?

We have just opened a small ($100) savings account, but I just don't think that'll cover it...lol... Hopefully we can add to it over time.  Any government programs that can help us through tight spots when we get down to one income would be greatly appreciated, too.

Thank you all so much!

I am seeking a grant to purchase a stable home for my children and I. I also am seeking a grant to purchase a car. I am unable to borrow a loan because of my existing one. I borrowed that loan to pay for their day-care expenses. I work a full time job ($7 an hour) and have no extra money to pay for rent, utilities, ect. Never-the-less clothing and school supplies. I am also interested in going back to school to get me bachelor's degree. But if I don't make my hours I will not have money to pay for the day-care. I applied for the block-grant to assist me but I must pay 50%. That alone I can barely afford.

Please assist me.

I need a grant so that I can work at home and be with my kids, I have looked everywhere and found nothing I do know there is info out here but where, I have no job and I need to work. If I have to, when I make the money, I'll pay it back

My name is Erin and I am in a difficult place right now.  I was diagnosed with Schizophrenia five years ago, and I slowly let my life be destroyed by it. I was twenty five when the struggle in my head finally became too much to bear.  I was suicidal and scared, so I did what I thought best and checked myself into Riverside ETS (a mental hospital). 

A coworker I thought I could trust knew of my struggle and visited me in the hospital (I was there three days).  All three days I called in sick to work, for fear of losing my job (I was an outside sales rep).  The day I returned to work, my boss pulled me aside and fired me for supposedly not returning a clients page (I had received a raise not a month prior, as part of my annual review).  I was so ashamed and humiliated because we both knew I was being fired because of my new "illness". 

With no health insurance I had to rely on the county for mental health care.  I can't tell you the indignities and humiliations I experienced (I was released from the hospital with a prescription, only to be denied the medication from another county doctor who didn't "believe" in that particular medication; a nurse in ETS sent me to the violent ward because she feared that the woman in my room was a sexual threat to me!!??). 

My parents were appalled at the care at the county so they were kind enough to pay for a private psychiatrist. (The county was requiring me to attend therapy every friday from 8-11am and only then could I receive my medication for the week; a five hour process.  I had a job, or at least was trying to keep my new job, and couldn't really explain away the five hours every week!)  I found a doctor in the yellow pages, and he ended up prescribing me 1200mg of Seroquel (an antipsychotic).  The doctor was sympathetic to the fact that I was low on money, so he gave me sample packs. 

That evening I took the dose at about 6pm, and the next thing I knew it was morning and I was late for work.  I jumped in the shower, and dressed quickly.  I felt very strange, but I didn't realize how much trouble I was already in.  I got in my truck and didn't make it a mile from my house before rear ending a car at a stop light.  I had noticed that it was still dark outside, but somehow I explained that away to myself.  I was arrested for a DUI at 8pm. 

I lost my new job (although my boss did represent me in court), and was sentenced to 15 days in jail.  No one was hurt, and for that I am grateful.  I later found out that I had been ODing on Seroquel (the max dose is 800mg, and that is for people with a tolerance to it, or obesity).  My lawyer wanted to sue the doctor, but I was so overwhelmed with everything happening that I didn't want to pursue that particular avenue. 

That pretty much was the grease that allowed the wheels of insanity to start spinning in my life.  I would like to tell you that things have changed for the better, however my illness has progressed to the point that I can no longer leave my home.  I am now on disability which both upsets and shames me.  I just recently had the courage to initiate getting my drivers license back.  I also know that I am now at a point to get a job again.  I have been slowly making myself reenter society.  Scary, but fun.  I want to live again, and be as close to normal as I was before!  The reason I am writing this page is not so that I can hear a small violin play in my ear, but because I want to rebuild my life.  I have never been good at asking for help, but if there's one thing I want to do it is to become a nurse.  I want to finish school and work at the Riverside ETS, because people with mental illnesses deserve respect too.  I am smart, I am dedicated, and I will do it.  If you have faith in me, that is all I need!

  I am writting this to try and get some help for me and my wife. We are both disabled from a auto wreak. We both get SSI every month but have falling behind in our bills and things are not looking good at the time. We are like so many other people that live on SSI where we have to choose what we need for the month our meds or try and pay bills and not eat. I never really knew how hard life was going to be after the wreak in 96 was going to be. We are about $4,000.00 behind. I know times are hard for everyone but if we can get caught up then we can pay it forward to someone else that needs it. PLEASE FIND IT IN YOUR HEARTS TO HELP US

                                                      THANK YOU

                                                     Charles & Janet      

My name is Michele and I am a single mother of three children, I work full-time and attend college part time. I am a very hard working person and will do everything I can to support my children and myself, however, over the last year, a decrease in income and lose of child support I have managed to fall behind on my house payment, property taxes and keeping up with everyday bills and challenges...For everyone who has been behind on bills it is extremely hard to catch up..I have a roof that needs to be repaired desperately and a driveway that is all torn up...I am just unable to afford this right now.....I am really trying, but it seems I am coming up short all around, I would appreciate any help anyone could give me so life as a single parent can be more focused on raising my children, rather than figuring out how I am going to pay the house payment this month and stressing to point that I have to push myself to keep the pace. Does anyone out there know how I can get some sort of temporary help?

My name is Tiffany. I am eighteen years old and twenty six weeks pregnant. I'm in need of some sort of help, any help - to get through this. I don't have many things for baby or the money to buy things for baby. My family really isn't in a situation where they can help me out, either. The baby's father wants nothing to do with any of this. I'm trying to get my own apartment [8 people living in my Mom's 3 bedroom house isn't working out so well]. I don't have anything that I would need to set up home. I know I should have been more careful not to get pregnant but I don't regret it. I just had to believe that everything would turn out to be fine. As the pregnancy progresses I lose my mind thinking of all the things I need and don't have and all the bills I am going to have to pay. I've tried getting a job but in this small town of mine, jobs are limited. They don't want to hire a girl that's pregnant, either. I still have all these hopes and dreams of what my life could be like, though. Fall of 2008, I'd like to start college. Times will be really tough then paying for college plus the expenses of having a child but I know in the end it will pay off. Going to school has always been important to me - it's just going to be a little delayed.

I guess that's my story.

                Hi ,

                                         I"m Carla Santistevan, I'm from Redmond Wa.

                                         I'm a handicape, and trying to better my life.

                                         Well six years ago I just had two hip replace,

                                          trying to go to school , but now I have to pay

                                          my way to college. Between my income, and

                                          paying my rent, and bills I don't have much money

                                          to spare.I really need a grant or a loan.I get SSD.

My name is Danielle Dawson. I am a mother of three trying to go to school and do something with my life. I have resently started going to school to become a medical assisitant. I like to help other and be around people. I was denied the sally mae application. I have a pretty good bit of loans that I have and are unable to pay them right now and like it a lot if someone could help me. I am married my husband had surgery on his knee in august and is unable to work at the time. My bills are piling up and I have school loans that I have to pay on top of that. I am 19 years old and have some bad credit I have about 3,000 dollars on my credit. I would be very great if someone could help me or piont me in the right direction.

                                                                                                           Thanks, Danielle Dawson

Im a young widow who does not recieve survivor benefits. Their father worked on his fathers farm and they did not pay social security. He passed away and Im doing it all on my own. I recently lost my job and can not afford school supplies or clothes for the school year. Trying to get assistance and it is taking longer than anticipated. Thank you for your time and help.

Stephanie

I am a married mother of two who is going to school and trying to find financial assistance so I don't break the bank at home.

i just want to no how i can get federal or state funding or somthing like that for a heavy equipment school that last for 9 weeks but it will cost me about $15000.00 any ideas would be great  gcavazos0@hotmail.com

thanx

 I am 18 yers old live in Oxnard californi.  This the part of the state where everything is skyrocketing.  School has gone from thirteen dollars a unit to  twenty eight dollars a unit  housing is  from 500 to 600 for a single room.  Thats not all livning here is tough i am an athlete and its hard to get a job to fit my hectic schedule. Everything is to expensive to live unassisted.

I am looking for money for Grad School.  I have good marks and a great resume for the program i am interested in.  I have those in the field arround me telling me that i can be an asset to the field.  However i dont have the funds to go to grad school.  Where can i go to Find $$ for school (grants, schlorships, loans)

Hi, my name is Trey, I'm 24 old and I'm trying to find an organization or someone who can help me. I'm about to lose my apartment in 3 weeks if I can't pay my rent ($550 a month) I'm also in the process of trying to find funds to go to school in Arizona as well. I have one car that's been broke down for 2 years. I bought it and not even a month later it broke down causing me to lose my job at the time. I had to borrow my mothers car so that i could work third shift at a factory where i was only to be laid off 3 months later. I saved up just enough money to buy a car for about $500 which has just broken down. If my credit was good I would use it to my advantage but sorry to say, it's not. I would appreciate any help possible. Thank you

                                                                                                                   Sincerely,

                                                                                                                                  Trey

I work as a medical assistant for a wonderful doctor, who teaches me so much about clinical medicine.  I know that this opportunity is going to help me become the best doctor I can be. 

Currently, I am in my last semester of undergraduate school.  My application for medical school is under review now. 

I volunteer my time for the Three Rivers Rowing Association: Adaptive Program.  In this program I help disabled people lead active lives by assisting them to get in the boats and on the water.  We row in the summer and we strength train in the winter.  It is a great program because it gives these people exercise, enjoyment and a sense of independence.

The picture is my Australian Shepherd, Dakota.. My sunshine, pride and joy!  If I weren't allergic to cats, I would have become a vet!

There is a 25 acre parcel of land our school desires to have in order to facilitate our environmantal studies.  The purchase price is $60,000.  We need help. 

I am a single 26-year-old female who plans to attend Boston College in the fall of 2006 to get my Master's in Social Work.  I cannot afford to live in Boston and go to BC on loans alone.  It is a very expensive city and school, but I desperately want to study there.  Boston College School of Social Work has one of the best programs in the country, and I know I would get a quality education.  I need money for rent and utilities, subway fare, tuition and books.  I cannot work full-time as the demands of the program do not allow for it.  I want to get good grades, and be able to focus my attention on studying and on doing well in my field work.  This will help me to help others!  I want to work with poor and disadvantaged children, and commit myself to helping those in need.  In order to do that, I need help to pay for the best education that will help me be a great social worker.