[tabi] Re: I have an idea for TCB, NFB, and the Lighthouse

  • From: "Allison and Chip Orange" <acorange@xxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Wed, 13 Jan 2010 21:50:45 -0500

Darla,
 
You have no reason for saying "donations won't do it".  
 
I think what won't do it is saying "we won't do it".  you never know about
something until you try; and this is something I believe is worth trying.
 
look at organizations like the Lions: they *give* away tons of money every
year, all funded by what??? donations.  
 
I was only proposing to offer some what amounts to an insignificantly small
gift of the interest; it's value is more in the psychological boost it will
give them to have the courage and the belief that they can meet their
obligations, and can obtain something they want and need.  the cost to them,
or to the fund, would be minimal, and I believe we could raise it from
donations; I'm certainly willing to try, and to put in my own money.
 
So tell me Darla, do we have your 100% support if we charge interest?
you'll get behind it, vote for it, help us fund raise, all because of the
interest?  
 
There are many many ways to help the blind; what I see most often lately are
efforts to help the blind as a group.  what I'm proposing is to help
individuals, especially the ones who need it the most; the blind who are
also the poorest of us.
 
I didn't say this in the original proposal, but I'd like to see a financial
test applied to the applicants, but not one proving they *can* pay, but one
proving they cannot!  those are the people who need an interest-free loan
the most.  so how about considering, along with everything else, a cap on
household income (or half the household income when it's two people, each
with income).  maybe $20?  I'm saying if you make more than that, you can't
get an interest-free loan, but the people implementing this can pick their
own number if they don't like it.  I'm just pointing out that perhaps people
who are employed, or who are drawing large SSDI and/or retirement checks
really shouldn't be using this kind of fund.
 
In summary, I'm not saying anyone could do this for free, I'm saying that
the costs are worth us bearing because this is important.
 
thanks for everyone reading through all this, and giving it your
consideration.
 
Chip
 


  _____  

From: tabi-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:tabi-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of djrogers0628
Sent: Wednesday, January 13, 2010 9:12 PM
To: tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [tabi] Re: I have an idea for TCB, NFB, and the Lighthouse


Well Denyce isn't gonna like this, and maybe some of the rest of you won't,
but I have been in discussion with folks who are responsible for the kind of
fund it appears we want to set up.
 
If you don't charge some interest, you have no way of increasing the
fund--donations alone won't do it all--and there is always a cost to
administer such a fund.
 
As it stands now, I won't support it organizationally or financially.
 
Darla
 
 
Darla J. Rogers, B.A. M.S.
 
djrogers0628@xxxxxxxxxxx
Home phone #:  850-329-7437
 
Do not allow someone else to be a priority in your life while allowing
yourself to be an option in theirs.--Ani Difranco
 

 

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Chip  <mailto:Corange@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> Orange 
To: tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
Sent: Friday, December 11, 2009 10:30 AM
Subject: [tabi] Re: I have an idea for TCB, NFB, and the Lighthouse

Darla,
 
I'm sorry, but I don't agree adding interest does anything extra for
someone's credit.  
 
if you think it adds dignity, then fine, you're free to add interest to your
payments and help build up the fund; otherwise, those who don't feel they
can afford interest should be allowed to have an interest free loan.  not
everyone is living off of relatively high SSDI payments; many are getting by
on nearly nothing SSI payments, and I'd like to do something to help.  We
could always ask each applicant if they preferred to pay interest or not, if
that would help such a loan fund get going.
 
Chip
 
 




------------------------------

Chip Orange
Database Administrator
Florida Public Service Commission

Chip.Orange@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
(850) 413-6314

 (Any opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not
necessarily reflect those of the Florida Public Service Commission.)


 


  _____  

From: tabi-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:tabi-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of Darla J. Rogers
Sent: Friday, December 11, 2009 10:14 AM
To: tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [tabi] Re: I have an idea for TCB, NFB, and the Lighthouse


Dear Chip,
 
There is nothing saying we have to do as FAAST does; I don't know their
interest rates, but paying on an installment, with a small simple interest,
lends dignity to the process and improves a person's credit, and believe me,
I understand about no credit and bad credit and having my good name and
credit worthiness restored.
 
Darla
 
 

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Chip Orange <mailto:Corange@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>  
To: tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
Sent: Thursday, December 10, 2009 3:14 PM
Subject: [tabi] Re: I have an idea for TCB, NFB, and the Lighthouse

Well, then if that's what a person wants, to pay interest, he/she could
apply to FAAST for the loan.
 
I don't think paying interest has anything to do with your credit history
however, and I want to keep costs down to the minimum for the person needing
the loan.
 
once you get into interest however, I believe lenders soon get into your
credit worthiness (a recent person on here reported being denied a loan from
FAAST because of their credit), and that's just the type of situation I
would like to work around.  I know most blind people won't have good credit,
and unless we're prepared to do something to help them get their assistive
technology, they will likely never get it.
 
Chip
 
 




------------------------------

Chip Orange
Database Administrator
Florida Public Service Commission

Chip.Orange@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
(850) 413-6314

 (Any opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not
necessarily reflect those of the Florida Public Service Commission.)


 


  _____  

From: tabi-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:tabi-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of Darla J. Rogers
Sent: Thursday, December 10, 2009 2:04 PM
To: tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [tabi] Re: I have an idea for TCB, NFB, and the Lighthouse


Dear Chip,
 
I am **not** in favor of no-interest loans; I have taken a couple of loans
from a foundation in California when I lived there, and they did charge a
small interest fee--remember there is a bit of overhead--and if set up
properly, might bolster the credit of blind folks who don't get a lot of
opportunity to develop credit histories, especially if he/she is unemployed.
 
Darla
 
 

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Chip Orange <mailto:Corange@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>  
To: tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
Sent: Friday, November 20, 2009 2:24 PM
Subject: [tabi] Re: I have an idea for TCB, NFB, and the Lighthouse

Thanks Elizabeth; however, this program does charge interest on their loans,
and they do evaluate you on the ability to pay back the loan.
 
their evaluations may be generous, I don't know, but I was specifically
thinking of a no interest program.
 
anyway, anyone who'd like to pursue a loan for assistive technology from
FAAST can go to the web page below for some information:
 
http://www.faast.org/New-Horizon-Fund/
 
 
 




------------------------------

Chip Orange
Database Administrator
Florida Public Service Commission

Chip.Orange@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
(850) 413-6314

 (Any opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not
necessarily reflect those of the Florida Public Service Commission.)


 


  _____  

From: tabi-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:tabi-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of Elizabeth S. Bowden
Sent: Friday, November 20, 2009 10:41 AM
To: tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [tabi] Re: I have an idea for TCB, NFB, and the Lighthouse


The FAAST program also has a loan program in place.  
 

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Lynn Evans <mailto:evans-lynn@xxxxxxxxxxx>  
To: tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
Sent: Thursday, November 19, 2009 5:54 PM
Subject: [tabi] Re: I have an idea for TCB, NFB, and the Lighthouse

Chip do you think the folks over at FAAST would what to kick around the
idea. 
 
I was just talking with them at the senior center this past monday. They had
a table at the technology fair.    

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Chip Orange <mailto:Corange@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>  
To: tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
Sent: Thursday, November 19, 2009 2:57 PM
Subject: [tabi] I have an idea for TCB, NFB, and the Lighthouse

hi all,
 
I had an idea I hoped the leaders of our 3 big non-profits here in town
would take up; I think it's worth doing, and it would give us something else
to focus on besides the bus system, which is more than a little divisive.
 
What I've noticed is that when I'm speaking with many blind people, and I
mention a possible technical solution to a problem they're having, their
response is often something like "that would be great, but I can't afford
it."
 
understandable of course; we all know assistive technology is expensive, and
we need a lot of it.
 
so, what if for this area of Florida served by the Lighthouse, we began a
fund to which we all contributed, which was then used to provide no interest
loans for the purchase of assistive technology?
 
I was hoping one group would take on the administration of the fund, and all
3 groups would contribute to it, or fund raise for it, as a joint project.
I'll offer to start it off with $100 if someone will take it on.
 
I also hoped the fund could be run in such a way that a person's need for
the technology, or their ability to pay, would not be a factor in receiving
the loan.    I'd like this to be as free from value judgments as possible.
Perhaps just as the person what payment schedule they thought that they
could afford.
 
a lot of microbanks in very poor areas of the world are quite successful,
with nearly 100% payback rates, when being run like this, by simply
requiring a family member or friend to cosign the loan application,
guaranteeing payback if the primary applicant fails to do so.  this seems to
serve as a screening tool (if you can't produce one person who will vouch
that you will pay back a loan, then it's likely that you won't), and also as
a real incentive for the applicant to pay-back the loan (not wanting their
friend or family to have to do so).
 
I'd also suggest, to help those taking on the administration of the fund,
that they do nothing if payments are missed.  we'll make up losses through
fund raising.  when you're freed of the effort of collections, then the
administration should be a very minor task.
 
so, what do people think?  will the leaders of these groups be willing to
discuss it amongst themselves?
 
Chip
 
 




------------------------------

Chip Orange
Database Administrator
Florida Public Service Commission

Chip.Orange@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
(850) 413-6314

 (Any opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not
necessarily reflect those of the Florida Public Service Commission.)

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