Grants And Donations Help Abused Animals

After the news of Michael Vick’s dog fighting ring died down, many people began to forget about the awful torture that the dogs went through. Once the story was off the front pages, it was out of site out of mind until Vick’s name came up again. That is until recently. A show put on by National Geographics “Dogtown” has brought all that and more back into the spotlight, and it is all about dogs that have been rescued and rehabilitated- including the four that they rescued from Michael Vick’s property.
I have always been a dog lover, so this show really interested me. It’s as heart breaking as it is inspiring. I love seeing the way that each dog’s personality comes out, and how bad habits can change with love and training-even in dogs who have been forced to fight.
The best part of it is the attention that it is giving the “Best Friends Animal Sanctuary” that is located in Kanab, Utah. This is where they are filming the show. They show how they work with the dogs, and how they find homes for them after rehabilitation. After watching the show you really feel like you want to do something to help. I was checking out their website and saw a lot of comments from people like me who were interested in starting an “Animal Sanctuary” in their own state.
Here is what I found out: A great way to get started is to apply for a government grant. There are many grant programs available for non-profit organizations such as this to get the funding they need to get the operation off the ground. There are different places that you can search for grants, but one of the easier ones is http://www.grantgenerator.com they have an easier way to search for the different grants that are available.
Most of these types of operations wouldn’t survive without government grant money and donations from people and businesses who want to help. This type of endeavor takes not only time, energy, and resources, but also training with animals. If you are not able to start your own shelter-one of the best ways that you can help is by donating. You can donate either money, supplies, or time. Donating to these types of organizations is also a tax deduction, so it can be a win/win situation. Another way to help keep animals from being abused is to spay or neuter your pet.
Also, if you or someone you know are looking at getting a pet, consider adoption of a “rehabbed” pet from a shelter like “Best Friends” where the animals have gone through training (handlers can tell you about the animal’s personality beforehand to make sure it’s a good match). There are so many great animals that need good homes. Check out http://www.bestfriends.org for more info on adoption, donations, or for info on how to care for the pets you already have. There are many other shelters out there that need donations. You can find a list of other organizations that accept donations at their website as well.

Help for troubled teens and their families

Being a teenager is hard. We all know because we have all been through it ourselves. It is a time when you are figuring out who you are (or at least who you think you are) and gaining your own independence. Some kids aren’t affected as much and either make decent decisions (or at least learn from their mistakes) and are somewhat happy with their lives. For others, it is a very difficult road not only for the teenager, but for the parents as well. Whether it is a stage of rebelliousness, choosing to take drugs, having sex, or being unhappy with their body, teenagers have a lot of challenges to overcome.

A lot of teenagers don’t get along with their parents, and think that they would be happier somewhere else. The National Network for Youth estimates about 1.3 million teenagers run away from home each year. Studies show that over half of them returned home. But what about those that did not?

When I was a teenager, I did the same thing. After a huge blowout with my parents, I ran away from home and stayed with a friend for a week. After searching high and low for me, my parents were worried sick. When I finally came home they were upset but they were so glad to see me that I felt happy to be back home. I was very lucky. I had a place to stay with people who cared about me. The situation could have been very different. It wasn’t until I got older that I realized what I had truly put them through.

For many of the teenagers who run away and don’t return home, it is the start of the downhill spiral. Most get involved with drugs, gangs, prostitution, etc. Some are abducted and some are killed. As a parent myself, the thought of my teenager running away and living on the streets is heart wrenching. I can’t imagine the pain for those parents who don’t ever see their children again. Thankfully there are resources out there to help them and keep them safe until they can become reunited with their families.

Our government recognizes that this is a problem here in the U.S. and sets aside grant money each year to fund programs to help these troubled youth. There are a variety of programs that receive this grant funding, not only runaways but also other at risk teenagers and their families. Some of the programs include: Runaway and homeless youth housing facilities and job training programs, abstinence educational programs, teenage pregnancy and adoption programs, street outreach and drug programs and much more.

For the families of troubled or runaway teens at least there is some comfort knowing that there are some resources out there to help them. The only difficulty is getting the information out there, so the families know they have help to deal with the issues that teenagers face, and the kids know that there are adults out there that they don’t have to be afraid of that will help them.

For more information on grants go to http://www.grantgenerator.com to search for all of the different grant money that is available. For more information on the programs that help troubled teens and their families go to http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs and do a search for “teen”

Thinking about adoption? Get a government grant to help pay adoption fees

Adoption Grants
Lately, I have been thinking in general about adoption and more specifically how people afford adoption. Through my research I have learned that there are Adoption Grants that can act as a huge aid in helping mother’s dreams come true to be able to have a child! I think it is such an amazing program both for the parents and for the children. It is almost like a miracle aligning children to parents that need them and parents to children that need them! It would be so hard as a parent to find out that you cannot have children on your own. Imagine how much harder it would be if when a couple discovered they couldn’t physically have a baby that they would not be able to have a baby at all! What if there was no such thing as adoption?
Here is a more relevant question that might even be harder. Imagine if a couple was not able to get pregnant on their own, and then they were not able to adopt just because of their financial status! How unfair is that!!! There is so much more to being great parents then having money. In fact, as long as you can provide for your child, why should money be an issue? There are so many kids out there that need good parents, so many parents that want to feel the joy of having a child, and so many young girls out there that are pregnant that just are not ready to be mothers!!! So, we know there is a definite need for adoption. Why should something like finances hold you back?
Well, the good news is that the government agrees!!! Go to http://www.GrantGenerator.com to search for the grant you need. Millions of people apply for free government grants. I mean, people apply for all kinds of grants: government grants for businesses, government grants for college, government grants for homes, government grants for single mothers, government grants for small business, government grants for women. . . . of course they HAVE to have adoption grants.
Luckily, they do!!! So, I wanted to write this in hopes that every mother out there that is hoping for a baby that can’t seem to afford adoption will be able to know that there is a solution. The government gives out several adoption grants every year and helps enrich the lives of both the child and the parents! If you know of anyone who is discouraged or heartbroken about not being able to get pregnant, but not being able to afford adoption, tell them they have their answer: Adoption Grants!!!
So, the next question would be, How do I go about applying for a government grant, or more specifically applying for an adoption grant to get free government money. While I was doing my research, I came across a website that will be a great tool if you are considering applying for a government grant, specifically an Adoption Grant to get free government money. You can find out a lot more information on how, by going to this website, http://www.grantgenerator.com. Best of luck to all the mothers out there waiting to be mothers!