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13 posts
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Can someone point me in the right direction?

JAdams started this conversation
May 6, 2006

I need someone to point me in the right direction! I am a social worker with a masters degree. I am currently the Executive Director of a county-wide homeless shelter and have been working with the disabled/poor/homeless for over 25 years. Here's my dilemna, I am still paying off student loans, about $30,000, from when I was in school and I'm now incurring parent loans for my two college-aged children. Many people have told me that there are grants to help pay off student loans for people who work with underserved and disadvantaged populations, but I'm not sure where to find this information. Unfortunately working with poor/homeless people is not very lucrative in this country and I am desperate to find some financial assistance for myself, (something I usually do for my clients), in order to keep my head above water. If anyone with any information about this issue could please respond, I would be deeply grateful. Thank you! JAdams 

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quanniepoo
Dec 21, 2011
 in response to Gail1313...   Hi im writing in reference to getting rid of my student loan due to my disability cause i had to stop my schooling due to this. Please help me cause i would like to try to futher my education.
reply to quanniepoo
Gail1313
Jul 22, 2011
 in response to freind...   As far as I know, a bankruptcy will not solve anybody's situations with student loans. Especially , with private loans. A bankruptcy would help with credit cards debts, but not with student loans. I asked few attorneys about it. Try to find student loan forgiveness programs online. There are a lot of them!
reply to Gail1313
Gail1313
Jul 22, 2011
 in response to Tinnytin...   If you are disabled person, you have a right to get rid from all student loans if they are not private. Everything about private loans are more complicated. But still you should try to get rid of them by getting some information (use Disability Law attorneys, use Social Security office paying you this disability benefit to get some information about your situation). Do not talk over the phone. Write letters and sent them (certified with a return receipt). Ask your questions in written form, always ask about a name and a job title of the person answering you. And prior to sending letters, always call this office to get a name of the manager. Otherwise, if you would use " To who it may concern" instead of the name, it will go to the garbage. I know for sure, that disabled people have rights to get rid of Federal student loans . How? Just request an application ! Find your State's department of education online and call them with this question. Call your bank and request an application to cancel your loan due to your disability. Do not talk to clerks! Always ask for managers. Good luck to you! Do not be stressed: millions people like you have the same problems. It's fixable. Care about your health condition! it's the most important!
reply to Gail1313
Gail1313
Jul 22, 2011
You ad is from a long time ago, however, if you still pay this student loan, please get the following information:

Please contact the U.S. Department of Education at 1-800-433-3243 for more information or to find out if you are eligible for Student Loan Forgiveness.

This new legislation presents a significant opportunity for social workers to improve their economic situations as we work to enhance the lives of children and families nationwide. NASW will continue to advocate for legislation to support the social work profession and the children and families you serve.
http://www.socialworkers.org/advocacy/updates/2007/092107.asp

Good luck!
reply to Gail1313
sabb
Jul 18, 2011
 in response to Tinnytin...   I wish I could help you I need the same help as well. If you find out any information please forward it to me so I can do what I can to get this behind me. sabb5418@aol.com thanks.
reply to sabb
Meiday
May 14, 2010

google 'WILLIAM D. FORD loan forgivess' it gives a couple of ways to rid loans... and try this web address:  www.staffordloan.com/repayment/forgiveness.php

reply to Meiday
freind
Jul 12, 2008

Hi the best advice i can give you is get bankruptsy for dummies it has chapter 7 for hardship and also imformation on permanate disability discharge throught the government

reply to freind
Tinnytin
Apr 27, 2008

I  need some help with my student loans. I went to school and got my degree but now I am disabled. I need some help finding a grant that will get rid of the loan. This is a big stresser in my life. If anyone knows anything please contact me.

reply to Tinnytin
social worker myself
Jan 30, 2008

Welcome to the world of social work. I too have huge loans and will never pay it off with a social work job. There was talk of a 'student loan forgiveness program' at least in NY and NJ but that too is not easy to get and most agencies don't even participate. With a social work salary, paying off your monthly expenses and loans is not an easy thing to do unless you have another job to supplement your income; even two extra jobs as some people I know have. It's a shame that people who are out there working to help the needy are so underpaid that they themselves, regardless of how hard they work, cannot meet their own needs.  

reply to social worker myself
Anonymous
Jul 2, 2006

You've probably already done this, but what about consolidation? I consolidated some of my loans, because now I have parent loans, and not only lowered the interest, but also the payments as well. Speak with your lenders, most that I have spoken with are more than happy to make alternate arrangements even IF you are delinquent - as I have been many times. you can also get a forebearance - which would at the very least buy you some time. I also found this: "Social Services. If you're a full-time provider of early intervention services for the disabled, employee of an agency that provides services to families of low-income communities, a full-time nurse or medical technician, or a full-time law enforcement or corrections officer, your loan can be completely absolved. Restrictions (that involve the date your loan was made) apply. You should contact the various agencies or organizations for more details." However, it doesn't go into anymore detail. I'm including the link. It sounds like something right up your alley. Check with site content provider and find out where they got their info from and whom you should contact regarding this posted info. The only info I could find about getting student loans discharge did have specific requirements - I have posted the link for that as well. Good luck!
So you wanna pay off your student loans
student loan discharge info

reply to Anonymous
The Wizard
May 22, 2006

J Adams, I personally never heard of exactly “grants to help pay off student loans”, but there are many government programs offering grants and low interest loans for almost every aspect of the economy. There could be a program for such a purpose as well. However, if there is not exactly this type of program, that is not the end of it. You could be a bit more creative in your search and in defining your goals. For example, you can find assistance for your children, or for something else. Even if not for the main purpose, it will still help you. Here on Aidpage, we tried to present comprehensively the programs offered by the federal government, many of the latest grant offerings and thousands of private foundations as well. Researching for a grant is neither easy nor quick job, but here is a good place to start. I’m including a few links to start from. Good luck!
US Federal Government Grants, Scholarships, Loans
List of US Federal Government Grant Opportunities
Foundations, Nonprofits

reply to The Wizard
Roseb441702
May 13, 2006

The people that you were talking to were right because there are financial programs out there to help people pay off all or at least part of their student loan(s). No matter how much you have said that you have tried to find the information the fact remains that these programs are out there and that you just haven't found them yet. That is the meaning of the word "research" - you search over and over again until you find these programs. I know they exist because I find these program - but only after I have done the work (meaning research) to find them! Another thing that sticks out about your post is that you do work relating to a homeless shelter. Do you know how many grant and funding programs are out there for providing such a service? Enough to bogle one's mind! One non-profit got over $24,000.00 simply because they provided a service of giving away clothing and shoes to the needy! Unfortunately the answer is simple and not yet so simple. Simply put you will have to keep looking for these funding programs. They are not hiding - they may be hard to find but they are not hiding - they are out there!

reply to Roseb441702