NOW Initiative
Mission Statement
The N.O.W. INITIATIVE is a first of its kind, ambitious endeavor focusing on the special needs community that will serve two major purposes.
- To raise funds in the sum certain dollar amount of ten million dollars to be distributed among ten major special needs organizations.
- To raise financial literacy awareness in the special needs community, and address the crucial concern of planning for the special needs individual after they have outlived their primary parent or caregiver.
- Leave this world a little bit better than I found it!
NOW Initiatives Facts
Recent studies from The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has indicated that approximately fifty three (53) million adults in the United States lives with a disability.
Further, recent estimates in the United States show that 1 in 6 or almost 15% of children aged 3 through 17 years old, have one or more developmental disabilities. These conditions begin during the developmental period, and may impact day-to-day functioning, and usually will last throughout a person’s lifetime.
Approximately half of the special needs community will need care for their entire lifetime and millions of special needs children will outlive their parent or caregiver, due to advances in medicine and technology.
WHO WILL TAKE CARE OF THE NEXT GENERATION?
WHO WILL SPEAK FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES?
WHO WILL PLAN FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT PLAN FOR THEMSELVES?
• The cost of raising a special needs child, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, it will take roughly $240,000 to raise a child from birth to age 18. For a special needs child, those expenses can quadruple.
• Over 75 percent of special needs adults are without employment (Grassi, S.G. special planning is needed for families with a special needs child. Journal of Practical Estate Planning, 39-51)
• The U.S Census Bureau says about 20% of Americans between the ages of 16 and 64 suffer some form of physical, mental, or emotional impairment
• Many special needs individuals are outliving their parents or guardians thanks to improved care and advances in medical technology
• One in every 26 American families reported raising children with a disability
• One in every 3 families with a female householder with no husband present reported members with a disability
• Eighty-eight percent of parents who have children with special needs have not set up a trust to preserve eligibility for benefits such as Medicaid and Supplemental Social Income.
• Eighty-four percent of parents with a special needs child have not written a letter of intent outlining an agreement for the future care of the child
• Seventy-two percent have not named a trustee to handle the special needs child’s finances and 56% say they are unfamiliar with the steps needed to identify a trustee to watch over their dependent’s financial holdings in the future
• Due to theft and fraud, oftentimes financial resources do not reach those it is intended for in the special needs community
• Both normal abuse and sexual abuse is committed at a much higher rate with special needs children and adults
• More than 59% of caregivers say there is too little information available about financial assistance (benefits and support provided by government agencies); and 55% say that such information is very difficult to find
The Good Harvest Plan Fundraising Tool
The special needs community has been vastly underserved, when it comes to providing substantive information to help with the daunting financial planning issue this community faces. The Good Harvest Plan, is a 256 page information packed book that effectively addresses the financial planning issues that the special needs community faces.
This easy to read guide is destined to become the GO TO guide for the special needs community!
NOW, It’s time to start the conversation!
Fundraising
Every book purchased through the Servant Financial Group website will create a two dollar donation (a tithe) to the special needs organization chosen by the purchaser of the book.
All funds will be disbursed monthly on an ongoing basis and an accounting of all disbursed funds will be available quarterly for any organization involved.
Revenue Sharing and Partnerships
All non-profit organizations who become partners of the N.O.W., initiative will have an opportunity to revenue share at a rate of twenty-five percent (25%) of all funds raised through their websites or other sales efforts.
A revenue sharing partner will be defined as the following;
A non-profit group, association, ministry or individual that raises funds using their website, database, volunteers or sales force for the benefit of educating the special needs community and raising awareness for the need of special needs financial planning.
All revenue sharing partners will be provided with a compliant marketing template of an approved marketing letter, free of charge.
Revenue sharing partners will not be responsible for, or incur any cost for mailing any materials.
All sales will be completed through the Servant Financial Group.