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”

Student Grants: Government is cracking down on fraudulent student grants!

The government has an excellent program in which it awards students who cannot afford college tuition with government grants in order to help them get by. They can use the money in any way they choose. For example, some students may actually pay their tuition but need help with books, and living expenses. It is an awesome program because it provides more individuals with an education which in turn provides more opportunity, more jobs, and a better thriving economy. What a great way for the government to spend money right?
Well, the answer is yes as long as the free government grant money is actually going to students. Recently, the government has discovered a shockingly high amount of fraudulent applications where individuals pose to be students in order to live off of free government grants. I wasn’t too surprised when I found this out. My husband works for a University and deals with applications for grants and financial aid all the time. He works specifically for the Aviation Department. For anyone who isn’t aware, Aviation is a very expensive major because of all the time you have to spend renting the plane, and paying for instruction. He once told me I would be shocked to know how many people apply semester after semester for Government funding and get thousands of dollars in free government grant and then DROP all of their classes. If this alone is not shocking enough, they actually do over and over again! Apparently, the school cannot make decisions when it comes to government funding.
Certainly we all work too hard to just give away our hard earned tax dollar to students who in fact aren’t actually students!! So what steps is the government taking to put a stop to this? Well, the Student Loans Company (SLC) is going to carry out random investigations to student applications. They will randomly select a predetermined amount of applications and look deeper into the application. This audit would include talking to University Counselors, reviewing transcripts, and monitoring the applicant’s activities for a 3 month span.
The audit will also include diving deeper into the applicant’s income. A lot of applicants fail to claim all their household earnings. For example, an applicant may claim his mother’s income when in fact he is living with his father. Or they have a job in construction, or teaching lessons etc. that is “under the table” and therefore their real income does not actually show up on their tax returns which is what the government uses to determine how much free government grant money to give out.
I don’t, however, want to portray a negative attitude about free government grants for education because I am in fact a huge supporter. In fact, my husband and I would never be able to make it through his schooling if it weren’t for government grants. I am just appalled that people would take advantage of this great program and take a chance of ruining it for all of the honest students who need the government funding to make it through schooling.

Low Income Grants Help People Make More Money

$12 million dollars in grant money was recently allocated for a low income housing and training program. This grant money is to be used for down payment assistance on home purchases and job training for people who are on public assistance or just have a low income. The plan is to create jobs by providing professional training to individuals who qualify. The training will help them be able to qualify for higher paying jobs or be able to bring in additional income. They also build up earned income credits that can be used toward the purchase of a house, or additional education. HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan said of the program: “These grants will help public housing residents find employment or assist others who want to increase their earning power.”
I heard about the program from an acquaintance of mine who ended up being a perfect candidate for the program. Cleo is a single mother of three who is working two jobs that even together don’t pay enough to cover all of her monthly expenses. She comes close, but still relies on government assistance to make ends meet. When someone told her about it she was pretty excited. The next day she contacted the rep she had worked with at the local Housing Authority regarding the program. She applied and was accepted. She couldn’t believe how fast! She said she is able to do some of the training from home on the computer, and is getting some great education she will be able to put on her resume. Already she has found several jobs she will be able to qualify for once her training is done. She said she feels like she is in control of her life again, and that she can’t wait to finish. She has already put together a great resume and has also gotten a letter of recommendation from a teacher. After seeing the effect it had on Cleo, I thought I should share what I had heard.
I think this is a great opportunity for people to gain the confidence they need to get out into the job market and make a higher income. Not only that, but also to enable people like Cleo to support themselves and not rely so heavily on welfare and other government assistance programs. It brings to mind the old saying “Give a man a fish and you have fed him for today. Teach a man HOW to fish and he can feed himself for the rest of his life.”
This program is available nationwide. If you are already receiving government assistance, contact the representative or office that you work with. You can also apply through your local housing authority. If you can’t find your local housing office, or are not currently receiving government assistance, you can look it up online at http://www.hud.gov and do a search for PH FSS (Public Housing Family Self Sufficiency Grants). I think the application cut-off date was is July 18, 2009. Participants set employment goals and are required to sign a contract if they are approved for the program.
If you or someone you know is in need of this or any other type of assistance, have them take a look at this website to search for other grant opportunities that are out there http://www.grantgenerator.com

Faith Based Grants help those in need

When I was a child I remember a period when my family was struggling financially. We had never been “well off” but my parents made enough money to get by. Then one day my father came home from work looking pale and worried. He and my mother were talking privately in the kitchen. My sister and I were eavesdropping from around the corner. He told Mom that the company had lain off half of their employees and that he was given his notice and told he could pick up his last paycheck at the end of the week. He immediately began looking for other employment, but at that time it was difficult for him to find a fulltime job that would support us all. After a while, things began to get really stressful. We had eaten just about everything in the cupboard, and there was no money to buy more food. There were notices being put on our door that our power would soon be turned off if the bill wasn’t paid. Then came the foreclosure notices. We didn’t understand at the time, but we were about to lose our house. Then one day, a man from our church showed up with a bunch of boxes. He handed my mother an envelope and left. She began crying when she opened the envelope. She asked us to come help her with the boxes. Inside there was all sorts of food, and other health supplies. By the time we put everything away our cupboards were full again. After a while, my father found another job, and we were able to get caught up on our bills. Things were back to normal again. Had it not been for the man from the church, we may not have been able to get back on our feet. There are so many people out there that need help. This is just one of the many examples of how religious organizations have given aid.
As a whole, Religious Organizations have done a lot to help those in need. Whenever there is a natural disaster or problem that affects an entire community, it seems that the first people to step up and volunteer are religious or faith based organizations. Volunteers are always needed to help put things back together, help families in need of food, shelter and medical supplies. Religious groups also serve their communities in many other ways. That is why the government has allocated money to faith based grants. They know that by doing so, it will go back into the community in a variety of positive ways.
In many cases, member donations are not enough to provide all of the assistance necessary. Faith Based Grant Funds have been used to help low income families get food and clothing, as well as pay bills, help feed and clothe the homeless, etc. Funds have also been used to help pay for the education of those who are studying in clergy related fields, as well as pay for community education programs.
If you are looking for funding for your religious organization, or for religious studies, go to http://www.grantgenerator.com to search for programs that you may qualify for. They make it a lot easier to locate and apply for grants. Thank you for dedicating your time to help those in need.

Build awareness in your community

Ever wanted to be more involved in your community? I’m not talking about running for office or getting into politics but on a small neighborhood level. There are a ton of things you can do to unite your community and I want to share them with you. Not only do I have a bunch of ideas for you but I’m also going to share with you a little secret on how you can get funding for these neighborhood activities.
You can get involved in your community in many ways. There are many programs that can help build your community like crime prevention, disaster planning, and safety training. All of these programs can be implemented in your neighborhood to help bring people together and avoid serious problems. To get started the Federal Government issues grants to applicants so that these programs can get off the ground. So if you have ever been curious about starting any of these programs but didn’t know how to get started now you can.
Crime prevention like neighborhood watch programs can be implemented in your neighborhood to stop crime. With crime prevention grants from the government you can purchase items that educate and raise awareness of crime prevention and safety, with the goal of deterring crime. At community events or community meetings you can educate and organize people to deter crime. These grants usually range from $500 – $1000 per year.
Disaster planning grants can be used to prepare people for emergencies and to raise awareness. You can use the government funding to organize meetings and teach first aid safety or setup rally points during natural disasters. You might include training workshops to parents so that they can provide for and take care of their families during these disasters. Teaching people about personal food storage is also important and helps save lives during disasters. Training on these issues would be a great way to build your community.
Safety training workshops can also be very useful in your community. Anything from bike safety, fire safety, self-defense classes, swimming lessons, etc can help build a community and avoid accidents. These programs help protect citizens and increase their capability to handle situations that pose a threat to the health and safety of their neighbors. Often times a specialist will be needed to train community members. Government grant money can help fund these training programs so that community members don’t have to pay.
There are many places to look for these grants. The best place to start looking would the internet. One site that offers a free CD with a list of government grants can be found at http://www.grantgenerator.com. They will help you locate the grant you need and even help with the application process. These grants are usually on a first come first serve basis, so it is important to get going on these right away. The money is usually funded within a week or so which means you don’t have to wait long to get going. Don’t wait any longer! Get your community united together through any of these programs and let the government help you pay for them.

Funding to help teachers do what they do best-teach

I come from a family that puts a high value on education. Many of my extended family members are educators from elementary, all the way up to college professors, principals and other education administration. They live in various states from the west coast to the east coast. No matter where they live and teach, the one thing they have in common is that teaching (in most cases) does not pay well. I truly admire the fact that they have all done what they are passionate about regardless of the pay, and I would consider them all successful in their own right because they have chosen to do something they love.
Teachers can have such a large impact in our lives. I have had several teachers who have been such a positive influence in my life. I had some not so great teachers as well, which helps to single out those who are really good. The best teachers are those that really are passionate about education and helping children and young adults move in the right direction.
I have a son in middle school right now. Recently he came home with a note from a couple of his teachers asking for donations for much needed classroom supplies. These supplies were things that you would think would be provided by the school, however as the notes stated, the schools did not have enough money to fund certain essential classroom projects. Then I began thinking about the amount of time that he spends with teachers every day-almost 7 hours. It got me thinking. If these are the people spending the most time with our children, teaching the future leaders of our country, shouldn’t they be paid accordingly? Shouldn’t they have enough funds allocated to these important classroom studies?
Sadly, it seems when law makers are cutting budgets and trying to make thing balance out, it always seems to be the education dollars that get cut first. When are they going to figure out that this funding is the LAST thing they should be cutting?
The point of this is not to rant and rave about budget cuts and lack of funding because that is a never ending subject. I wanted to let people know that there is some help out there for educators in the form of Grants from the government and private organizations. They are a great way for teachers to get the extra money they need to be able to do some of these important projects, as well as stay on top of the ever changing world of education by getting on-going training and education themselves.
There are many different grant programs available. It can be confusing and time consuming to find and apply for them. There is software available that can cut the time down and show you how to prepare the application on http://www.grantgenerator.com it makes it so much easier. There is also some great resources and info on http://www.grants4teachers.com/ this site also has a link to http://www.schoolgrants.org/ and http://www.teacherfreebies.com/
This information has been very helpful for many educators in my family, so I wanted to share it. I hope it can help you or someone you know get the assistance they need.

Small Business Grants for Women

Starting a business can be very intimidating. Coming up with an original business plan is extremely difficult because there is so much competition out there. So many factors go into making a new business venture successful that many people don’t even want to try because it seems overwhelming. Especially in today’s society women often times find it even more intimidating to enter into all the competition amongst so many male driven businesses. There aren’t a lot of women entrepreneurs out there and not a lot of people willing to invest in them either. So let’s say that you are a woman with a great business plan and have decided to take it to the next level, the first thing you’ll need is capital. You will need money to get started, so where do you find this financial kick start?
Most people do not know that there is millions of dollars available for woman entrepreneurs who want to start their own businesses. This money comes in the form of grants from the Federal Government and from other small organizations. A lot of this small business grants for women money often goes unclaimed every year. Women owned businesses are becoming more and more successful and are often more successful than their male counterparts. If you have been thinking about starting a business then now is the time to get started.
Now that you know about these small business government grants for women you might be wondering where you can find them. Well they aren’t too hard to find. The internet will be the first place you’ll want to start checking. You can find many of these grants offered directly through the government or through small private foundations. There are also many websites that offer free CD programs that list thousands of grants that are available. These CD’s help you find a grant that you qualify for and also help you with the application process. One of these grant programs that is extremely useful can be found at http://www.grantgenerator.com. They will walk you through the steps you need so that you can get the money you need to start your own business.
Another great thing about these government grants is that there isn’t a long waiting period. Most people have a check in their mailbox within a week. Oh I almost forgot, the best part about these grants is that most of the time you never have to pay them back! How can you go wrong? With the economy the way it is many people are in search of additional income opportunities so it is a great time to start your own business and even better that you may be able to get the money you need to start from the government.
The US government wants you to succeed. They have millions of dollars in grant money available because they want to help you. When they help you they are also helping to stimulate the economy which in turn will help get our country back on track. Don’t wait any longer to start your own business. Become your own boss, get extra income, and let the government help you!

Pell Grant To Pay For School

I don’t know if you’ve ever heard of a Pell Grant but they are amazing! I want to share with you my personal experience with this government grant and how it helped me pay for school. I had heard of these types of grants before and didn’t think much about them until my friend got one through the university he was attending. The money went to pay for his tuition and what was left over he got to keep! The best part was that he didn’t have to pay any of it back! It was like free money from the Federal Government! Thanks Uncle Sam! Well after hearing that I was definitely excited so I decided to look into it more.
After searching online a little bit I found some useful information on how this grant works. According to the U.S. Department of Education the Federal Pell Grant Program provides need-based grants to low-income undergraduate and certain post baccalaureate students to promote access to post secondary education. There are about 5,400 different post secondary schools that accept this government grant so it’s not hard to find a college where you can apply for this grant. The amount of money you will get from the Federal Government depends on how much money your family is contributing towards your education, the cost of attendance, student’s enrollment status, and whether you attend for a full academic year or less. Oh and you can’t receive Federal Pell Grant funds from more than one school at a time.
So I also found out how the money is actually dispersed or awarded. For the most part this government grant is for students who do not yet have their bachelor degree and is only for post-bachelor degrees if you are getting a teacher certification. So the participating school either credits the Federal Pell Grant money to the student’s school account, pays the student directly, or a combination of both of these options. Students must be paid at least once per term. How great does all that sound?
So now that I found out all the basic information that I needed I was ready to apply! I did some more searching on the internet and while looking for Pell Grants I also discovered that there were hundreds and hundreds of other grants that I might qualify for as well! Wow! It’s amazing what a little internet searching will do! I found one site that offers a free CD that lists tons of government grants such as grants for housing, grants for education, grants for starting your own business, grants for minorities and many more. They even help you with the application process. The site I found was http://www.grantgenerator.com, they are pretty cool if you ask me and they are definitely worth checking out.
So to make a long story short I applied for my Federal Pell Grant and easily qualified. I received the money I needed for tuition and even got a few hundred dollars back in cash! That money sure helped especially since I’m a starving student! All I have to say is thanks President Obama! Thanks for helping me get my education! It’s great to be a citizen in this great country, even if it is struggling there are still options out there to help people.

Grants available for Nursing

Grants for Nursing
I have come to the recent realization that most of the closest people in my life that I respect the most all seem to have one thing in common: they are all nurses!!! My Grandma (who is my hero in life), my mother-in-law, and my best friend are all nurses. So, I have an inherit soft spot in my heart for nursing programs and especially grants for nursing.
The weird thing is that not everyone shares that same respect, in fact nursing is probably one of the most under appreciated professions out there. It is also one of the professions that has the greatest demand and lowest supply out there. The question is why? Nurses have the ability to help save lives!!! I can think of few jobs that would be more fulfilling? It seems to be one of the better paying jobs out there as well. I guess the question is, How do you get to the point where it is a good paying job without the money to get yourself through school?
What so many people don’t understand is that there are government grants out there to help put people through nursing school! The Government gives out over two hundred government grants to nursing students a year. The nursing grant not only covers tuition and books, but also gives students enough money to live on, enabling them to concentrate on getting through school instead of having to work at the same time. That is Free Grant Money!
Why don’t more nursing students take advantage of this? Probably because there are not a lot of people that know the government gives out Nursing grants. It’s easy to apply for a grant! You just need the right information on how to apply, what to put on your application etc. There are a lot of good programs out there that can help direct you on the best way to apply for nursing grants. The one that has gotten the best reviews and that is most helpful is http://www.grantgenerator.com.
I would like to close by sharing a personal experience of my own on how nursing has benefited my own life personally. Recently, I was brought to the emergency room complaining of abdominal pain. It was so painful that my face was starting to turn green and I thought I was going to pass out. The nurse was not only really compassionate but very sharp!! She immediately realized that it was an emergency situation and grabbed a surgeon immediately. If it weren’t for her knowledge and sense of urgency, I later found out that I would have lost my life. The Doctor brought me back for some x rays and realized I was bleeding out internally and if I would have let it go another 45 minutes, I would have bled to death.
I hope by sharing this personal experience, it will help people realize what an important job being a nurse is and how it can so tremendously benefit someone’s life! I hope people will take the time to look into the website and find out the many ways the government is willing to help.

Travel Abroad With A Government Grant

Grants For Traveling The World

Recently, my husband was telling me about how one of his really good friends moved to Fiji for three months to work on a science project on the coral reefs there. I was immediately jealous at first but then started to feel a little sick when I started thinking about how much that would cost! My jaw dropped when he told me that his friend actually got a government grant that paid for it all! I asked him if his friend lied to get the grant, or if he was doing something a little dishonest. But, apparently, the government supports and funds various college study abroad programs. He then went on to tell me how a bunch of his friends went and lived in Tonga for two months to help set up a school for Tongan kids. Believe it or not, a large majority of it was funded by free government grants!!
After I got over my jealousy, I became intrigued at why the government would pay for someone to go swim in the ocean in Fiji for three months. But, it didn’t take me long to realize all the benefits that can arise from college students studying abroad. Medical Students could study abroad and help save countless lives, or give medical attention that would drastically impact a lot of less fortunate people who might have never seen a Dr. in their lives. Not only would this be a terrific and fulfilling thing to do but it would also better the reputation of Americans in General. So, grants for college students seeking to study abroad can actually really help America.
I also thought of students who are studying abroad for science projects or to study a specific field. Yes, the government will give out free government grants for the student to actually do this, but they are getting free research that could be worth millions. I mean, think about all of the amazing things science has done for us thus far. I can’t even imagine how much there is out there waiting to be scientifically discovered. Making just one discovery would be worth the government giving out free government grants, but there is actually another reason the government should give out free government grants to support scientific research: The more research and information we are able to find, the greater competitive advantage America has over all other countries!!
So, after giving it some thought, I decided that I fully condone the government giving out free government grants in order to support Students Traveling the World for various reasons. Whether it be for service, for experimentation, for scientific research, for practice in any given field or whatever else the reason may be, I think it is great that the government invests their money in college students. When I started doing some research on how to apply, I found out that it is easy to apply, and many are approved. You just have to fill out an application and state your purpose of traveling. Good luck!