Cerebral Palsy Disabled Man Seeks Grant For Cheese Steak Business

by Donald J. Jarmon
(Knoxville, TN, USA)

Hello. My name is Donald. I am a 29-year-old happily married African American male living in the United States.

I was born with cerebral palsy and have struggled with complications caused by this unfortunate defect my entire life.

Though it has been a challenging journey for me I love my life and wouldn't give it up for anything.

I feel that even though I've missed out on a lot of opportunities because of my limited ability to perform certain tasks most people take for granted, like snapping my fingers with my right hand due to lack of fine motor skills caused by damage in the left hemisphere of my brain, I am always optimistic about the things I can do and try not to focus on things that I can't do.

Hey, to be honest I wanted to be in the NFL, NBA. I wanted to be President of this beautiful country. I wanted to be an astronaut, doctor, firefighter and even a US Marine when I was a kid but so did a million others who will probably never even get a chance to live out their childhood dreams.

I feel as though we all have a gift and tapping into those talents is what we are born to do, regardless of race, age, religion or physical ability.

Raised by a supportive family I have learned the value of selflessness and team play. My search for success is not just to be wealthy or famous but to also support my family and community.

Besides, I do not believe that my life is my own. Who am I if I have nothing to leave behind for future generations? This is why I strive to be better in all aspects of my life. No one is perfect but it doesn't hurt to try to be. Practice makes perfect!

Cerebral palsy is an umbrella term encompassing a group of non-progressive, non-contagious motor conditions that cause physical disability in human development, chiefly in the various areas of body movement.

It has affected me since birth and has made life difficult for me as I have gotten older and more independent. As I age doctors have stated that certain muscle groups have began to deteriorate due to lack of function and oxygen.

I have been a little more depressed than in earlier years of my life and find myself frustrated with myself when trying to challenge myself to be as normal as everyone else. I currently draw SSDI, which isn't enough to pay the monthly rent for my apartment.

I can't afford to pay my rent due to lack of funds and unemployment. My wife has been my best friend and invaluable to me, but has literally gone bankrupt trying to hold our household together without the proper financial support of her husband (me).

I have been trying to save up for a car and start up money for my business but my efforts have been pointless due to lack of funding.

I have tried to keep full-time and part-time jobs in the past but due to my disability I have lost jobs, been denied by employers, and even hospitalized.

I am currently awaiting approval by NTI to start work at home. I only receive SSDI and just recently had to apply for food stamps to keep from going hungry.

I am interested in applying for a government grant that can help me raise funds to start my own small business in the near future.

My plan is to run a specialty cheese steak sandwich shop/food truck in my community. Authentic foods and deserts are my main focus.

From Steak sandwiches, to sweet potato cheese fries, hot chocolate, Italian water Ice and Tasty Kake deserts I want to supply quality food and beverages to the public.

I am currently still crunching the numbers for predicted sales and costs but I believe it will take at least twenty to thirty thousand dollars to start vending in my town.