Bipolar Disabled Man Seeks Grant Money For Home And Business

by Keith
(Memphis, TN, USA)

I am a 45-year-old man with two daughters and two stepdaughters with the youngest being 6 years old. I also have four grandchildren.

I am married although we are currently separated due to my issues and bipolar episodes in the past.

In August 2006 I was coming out of the Methodist Hospital in downtown Memphis TN along with my wife and granddaughter when the police shot and killed a motorist that lost control of his vehicle.

The vehicle hit me on the bottom step right before it became airborne and then hit a glass bus stop that two elderly people were sitting in.

It was found that I had wrist injury, back injury, and brain damage and I can no longer drive.

I always had a speech impairment; however, I stutter uncontrollably now, and I was diagnosed with manic depressive/bipolar disorder at this same time.

I never sued anyone, as I did not realize that there should have been a responsible party until after the one-year statute of limitations ran out.

I did however file a personal claim with the state of Tennessee but was denied as they told me that I had no proof of the act being one of malice nor was the motorist under the influence.

I did explain that the police told me that the motorist was highly intoxicated although I could not get a copy of his toxicology report.

This was all confirmed by online news reports that you could find in news archives.

As I have not worked since the accident, my wife provided the sole income in our home until she became laid off from her job in January 2008.

She supported us on unemployment compensation as well as temporary work from time to time.

In January 2010 I was finally approved for S.S. Disability however I did not receive any back pay and only a minimal amount of income as the worker told me that my wife's unemployment income kept me from drawing my full benefits.

This continually created problems in my marriage.

I have been taking the drug Seroquel since 2006 for bipolar disorder but have recently referred to Wikipedia's information on the drug and have found out that I suffer from every side effect listed and also have found out that it will cause brain damage and possibly death.

I already have brain damage and cannot afford to have any further damage. I also take Gabapentin, Citalopram, and Xanax on a daily bases.

Although I have started receiving more SSDI benefits since my wife and I have separated, I now have additional overhead, and though I would love to work doing something productive during the day, I have this terrible stutter and cannot answer phones or work in customer service fields.

My back doesn't allow me to stand for long periods of time nor sit for long periods of time. I have a herniated disc and if I were able to run my own tax business it would be seasonal and I would be able to sit and stand at my own will.

If I were to be approved for a personal grant, I could pay my bills off and meet some needs for my children and myself. This is something I've not been able to do since 2006.

I am currently living with someone but if I were to get a grant for a house I would have security in a home that I no longer have for my children and myself.

If I were awarded a business grant, I could promote a tax service that I am quite capable and familiar with. I have looked into the tax program, and enough equipment to start the business.

If I work out of my home to reduce overhead, I could start the business with a cost of around $7500 annually with the first year projected sales being at $10000.

After promoting with flyers, TV and radio advertisements, I am hoping that my second year will double in clientele and I will have an estimated sales of $20000.

Eventually my goal is to hire disabled people to help me run the business as it grows as well as have mobile units to work in the field preparing taxed for the elderly and disabled.

If I had to rent a building then of course my overhead would be more.