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Wednesday, December 13, 2006

Meeting Modest Needs Part 1

Although it's been in my bookmarks folder for months, I only recently had the opportunity to study the Modest Needs website. Created in 2002, Modest Needs provides small grants to people struck with sudden financial hardship. These small grants, averaging $350, often keep families from dropping off the deep end into financial ruin. Many families in America, for better or worse, live paycheck to paycheck with no real savings. The layoff or extended illness of the primary breadwinner spells disaster for most. Money is stretched so thin that the breakdown of the family car or failure of the furnace means deciding between groceries or mechanics. It comes down to finding charity or turning to the state. Most people don't want the government's assistance, they just need help this one time to keep their heads above water. I've been there. The Lord answered our prayers and kept the creditors at bay. Today, we carry no debt and are saving for a house. We were lucky to find help among family, however others are not as fortunate. You can donate to Modest Needs and then help decide where the money should go by ranking applicants. The magic word is 'grant.' There is no interest or loan to be repaid here. People backed into a corner so often turn to usury, saying later on they'll have money to pay it all back. But soon, they're robbing Peter to pay Paul. This is a worthy charity I'll hope you'll examine. I believe there are Nobel Prize laureates who could learn a thing or two here.

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