If you’re facing a financial emergency or an expense you can’t afford, Modest Needs may be able to help.
What is Modest Needs?
Modest Needs has been helping people with short-term financial assistance since 2002. This organization focuses on people who are experiencing a temporary financial crisis.
This organization operates somewhat like GoFundMe. They match people in need with donors who want to help.
However, ModestNeeds is different. They support people who generally don’t qualify for assistance from other agencies and they never distribute the cash directly to the person asking for help. The payments will always be made directly to an organization or vendor, such as a landlord or utility company.
Who can get help from Modest Needs?
Modest Needs serves people who are working and live just above the poverty line, so they don’t qualify for assistance elsewhere.
In order to qualify for assistance, you MUST meet both of these crtieria:
- At least one adult member of the household must be employed at the time of the application. Documentation of employment is required.
- The primary source of income for each applicant’s household must be either earned from employment, child support payments, Veteran’s Benefits or retirement income (including Social Security retirement).
According to their website, they give special consideration to:
- Single persons with no dependent children
- Veterans who are transitioning from the military to civilian life
- Teachers
- First Responders
Please be aware that documentation is required for these grants. You will need to provide documents that prove your identity, income, employment, and the expenses you need help with.
What can these grants help with?
There are many reasons that you may need help from Modest Needs. They can assist you with rent payments, unexpected medical/dental bills, car repairs and other financial emergencies.
However, they cannot help you with any of the following expenses:
- They cannot pay your taxes, including property tax payments.
- They cannot pay past-due child support payments.
- They cannot pay fines or legal fees.
- They cannot assist with bankruptcies.
- They cannot assist with credit card payments.
- They cannot assist with luxury goods or services (such as a vacation or video game console).
They also cannot assist you with any needs that would require them to send money or gift cards directly to you. For example, they cannot assist with the cost of groceries, gas, overdraft fees, or payday loans. They cannot assist with utility deposits (because those funds are returned to you at the end of your tenancy) and they cannot pay your rent if you are renting from a family member.
If you need help with groceries, it would be better to ask for help with rent or another large bill. They can alleviate that cost, which will enable you to use your own funds for groceries.
How does it work?
Donors provide funds to Modest Needs, which uses the money to award these grants. Many donors prefer to give to Modest Needs instead of an unrestricted site like GoFundMe, because they know that those needs have been documented and proven.
What documentation does Modest Needs require?
You will have to answer a lot of questions and submit some documentation as part of your application process. The organization suggests that the application takes around 30-45 minutes to complete. You will need either your most recent tax return or the most recent bank statement for all the adults in your household.
I am of need of getting my car registered I took out a loan because I have problems walking and have to use a walker until I can walk on my own I am currently seeing a chiropractor and a physical therapist and we just found out that my daughters father has stage four lung cancer he just had brain surgery because they found several tumors on his brain and I am trying to help him but it cost to much paying someone every time him or I had to go to the doctors and to his radiation and chemo treatments.
That’s so stressful. His insurance company may be able to help coordinate rides. It’s also possible that there may be grants or benefits available for his condition, depending on his diagnosis. I’d also look into filing for disability and seeing if there are resources there that could help.
Thank you SO much for your well presented, timely and carefully researched info each month. It provides me with hope, with ideas, with the will to “try again “… It’s also less overwhelming and/or embarrassing to know I’m not alone in these problems and challenges zi struggle with. I often forward articles to my sister, who appreciates the timely, useful info as well. Again, a GREAT BIG THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO! 🤗
Kim
I am a single father of a special education 11-year-old I am 60 soon to be 61. I have been unemployed and living in a hotel in NJ I am about to use the last of my resources and on the verge of becoming homeless. I see there are not that many programs to help single male dads. In fact, I can not really find anything or any help.
Even the family shelters here are full because of Latin migration. Funny though if I were to live in my car the state would take my son from me, but why, I may not be able to even do that since I am unable to pay for the car loan.
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Hang in there. Things can feel really overwhelming sometimes.
Here are some ideas for getting help with your car loan: https://lowincomerelief.com/charities-that-help-with-car-payments/
Hi. Here are some programs that may be worth looking into: https://lowincomerelief.com/free-cars/
Hi Betty. Here’s what we’ve found for rent assistance: https://lowincomerelief.com/rent-relief/
Hi Yoanis. Here is the info on their site to get you started: https://www.modestneeds.org/for-applicants/apply-for-help.asp
Thank You! For all that you do.
I have been reading most of your website me & my significant other have been living off his SSI of 780 bucks he is legally blind and I’m waiting for disability due to a lot of ailments I have and it’s been really hard by the second week after paying our bills we have nothing not a dollar so to Say I’m so happy I found you and this website as an understatement thank you very much
Thanks for all your time and attention u put in to helping the less fortunate