Grant Program To Help Family Caregivers

This grant program is intended to give primary caregivers the break they so often need. The grant money must be used to pay for temporary substitute care.

One woman, who is taking care of her elderly mother, applied for and received the grant, which meant her mother could continue to go to the adult day care center while she had time to find another job (which she has). It had been three years since her 86-year-old mother moved in with her and her husband in their home . The mother has Alzheimer’s disease and has trouble moving around, so the woman helps her mother with her shower each day, makes sure she’s fed and takes her on small excursions to the mall in a portable wheelchair. The routine includes occasionally reminding her mother of what day it is and where she’s living. She does all this while also raising her 8-year-old daughter and juggling a full-time job. But money was an issue. For a time, she was out of work, having lost her job last year. Although her husband was still employed, without her salary she found it increasingly difficult to pay $180 a week for the adult day care center that her mother attended regularly. Then through an organization in her town the woman heard about a grant sponsored by one of the larger foundations.

The woman is one of the growing numbers of Americans facing the financial squeeze that can come from caring for elderly parents. About 30 percent of adult children in the United States contribute financially to their parents’ care and pay on average of $2,400 a year on everything from uncovered medical expenses to making sure the refrigerator is stocked each week. The money often goes to parents who diligently saved all their lives, but in the face of longer life spans and chronic illness, the savings just isn’t enough. With all of the overwhelming emotional and medical aspects of caring for elderly parents, it’s natural to ignore the consequences of spending large amounts of money on them. But so often adult children end up ignoring their own savings and retirement accounts or, worse, go into debt, because they’re taking care of their parents says a lawyer who specializes in issues of elderly care.

One way out of this bind? Take full advantage of the hundreds of government and nonprofit programs and services geared to the elderly throughout the country. “There’s lots of help out there, but also lots of reasons why families don’t use it,” said the lawyer. Some people may think their parents have too much money to qualify even though many of the programs are available to elderly people with incomes of more than $100,000. Or the parents may be too proud to accept help. What’s more, these services can be difficult and time-consuming to find. And it can be a challenge to deal with the paperwork and red tape, especially when you’re already overwhelmed by the daily demands of taking care of an older parent.

More information can be found by clicking here.

State Grant Program For Community Groups! One city is offering grants from $500 to $3,000 to grassroots community groups in economically under-resourced neighborhoods to foster community improvements. The grants are available for local volunteer community groups and public school-based student groups working to improve the quality of life in neighborhoods and schools across the city. The deadline for 2009 fall grants is has now passed. However for the spring 2010 grants, the deadline is March 14, 2010. To contact the committee, you can contact them by phone or visit their website.

Another

Grant Program

For

Individual Artists!

Another arts foundation is pleased to announce their next grant cycle. Applications are now available!

The foundation will hold a grants information workshop for interested applicants at the foundation's offices. Reservations are required. Please reserve your space by either calling or email. First time applicants are strongly urged to attend this informational workshop.

This grant program provides cash awards to local artists and cultural organizations that are engaged in projects that help create a strong, stable, and diverse arts and culture industry and contribute positively to the quality of life and economic vitality of the region. Preference is given to specific program initiatives, particularly those enhancing the arts education of learners of all ages, and to collaborative efforts within the arts community.

So far, the foundation has distributed $71,450 in grants to 48 individual artists and cultural organizations in the past 12 months.

Guidelines and application materials are available at the foundation's website or by calling.

The mission of this foundation is to:

• Support, promote, and celebrate the arts and culture of the local community
  
  
• Create a strong, stable and diverse arts and culture industry
  
  
• Contribute to the quality of life and economic vitality of the region