Modest Needs and My New Scooter

I picked up my new scooter today. Wow. I can't believe that I got it. The camera broke or I'd show you the pix we took when I picked it up from Scooterville.

Here's the history of how I got it:

Last year (2008), my friend Kell told me about this website called Modest Needs that gave small grants to people who needed a helping hand to keep them from falling into poverty. At the time, our Sonata had broke down and need an engine rehaul. Unfortunately, the repair had to be done by a business (not a shadetree mechanic) and I couldn't find a quote for less than $2200. The most I could expect from Modest Needs was $1,000 and they would not let it be a down payment. So I wasn't able to get the grant.

But I remember Kell telling me that one of the ways they helped people was the acquisition of assistive devices like scooters and wheelchairs. So as I started having more and more mobility problems this year, I started thinking I would like a scooter and maybe Modest Needs could help.

The straw the broke the proverbial was when I got my RE license in August. I've tried showing places a couple of times to clients and just exhausted when I got finished. I knew that there was no way to work the two careers without some help.

I found a refurbished chair in early November from Scooterville and sent in the paperwork and waited.

The way Modest Needs works now (it changed a little from last year) is they review your documentation and once approved post your request for donors to review and give small amounts of money towards. If the total of donations reach what you need before 60 days are up, you get a check made out to the business or service that you need paid.

Many of the people on there are looking for more mundane things that a scooter, such as help with rent payments or utility payments.

I am grateful that my request funded in about 27 days.

I plan to pay it forward with my real estate commissions -- 2% of what I make in 2010 will be donated to Modest Needs.