Disabled Man Seeks Grant Money For Home Based Business Computer

by Robert Richards
(Stanley, WI, USA)

My story is rather complicated, but I'll do my best to keep it short as possible. I am a 55-year-old man who lives alone in a one-bedroom apartment with two cats and a bird. They're about the only family I have.

My grandmother died in 1992, my dad in 1994 and my mom in 2003. I haven't seen my sister since her memorial service and I only see my brother about twice a year. I never see or hear from the rest of my relatives.

I have no car and can only get around town on my power chair, or I have to beg for a ride. All my income is from Social Security and SSI.

I had a traumatic birth and may have suffered some minor brain damage. Growing up I was always bullied throughout my school years. I was never able to go the prom and I have never had a date to this day. Girls then (and guys too) treated me like dirt.

While I was fairly good academically, being treated the way I was, especially in high school, I never was able to learn the social skills. So today I still have trouble sometimes understanding and getting along with people as I would like to.

I have tried real hard in many jobs, but they never lasted really long enough to get any skills. I tried getting work where I could use my artistic abilities, but these sorts of businesses like in movies and television, publishing, anywhere where I could use those talents, but no one ever even granted me an interview.

Consequently, I have never been able to find real work or any real friends. Now I have nothing. I have no money to go anywhere or do anything. Basically all I have is my cats and bird, and my TV, phone and computer.

Now my computer is over eight years old and is constantly affected by windows freezing and locking up. I have trouble closing or opening things. With so little money, I can't afford a new computer and I can't afford any more up keep on this one.

Since I have so little, I thought I'd try a way to get a home-based business going, but with such a computer system that is not really any good any more and is as slow as molasses in January.

I hear it is possible to get grants, but then I keep getting told no. I have heard that you can do anything you can put your mind too, but how can you when all you keep hearing is no?

I bet Bill Gates wouldn't be the richest man in the world, if people were always telling him no. Somebody had to say yes to him somewhere, somehow. I just want someone to say yes just once.

I want to escape having to rely entirely on my social security and SSI. I am tired just sitting around and doing nothing, and having people thinking I am lazy and good for nothing.

I just want to get a good computer that would let me get started on a home-based business and get by a little better and maybe get a vehicle so I can take myself places shopping, medical appointments and wherever else I need to go without always begging for a ride.

Since no one wants to give me a job and I have no transportation right now, I feel a home-based business is the way for me to go, and I want to be able to give something back too instead of always seeming to have beg. I hate it.