These days more people are working in lower-paying jobs without medical benefits or paid vacation and sick time. There are many who, despite being a two-income household, encounter the unexpected expense that they can’t easily cover; there are single-income households with children, and one financial mishap can be disastrous. The car breaks down and needs $600 of repairs. The sole income earner was laid off and the utility bill is due. Insurance won’t cover a prescription and you can’t afford the $200 medication this month. These can throw a budget into the red, making it difficult to recover.

What to do? Enter Modest Needs, a non-profit, tax-exempt philanthropic endeavor founded by Keith Taylor in 2002. This organization receives no public money (such as government grants). It is a community effort of people helping others just like themselves. The organization provides one-time assistance to assist people who have steady incomes and just need help over a financial hurdle. Monies are distributed based on need.

If you want to support Modest Needs, you can make a one-time donation or a monthly pledge. Modest Needs also makes available the resources of people who volunteer their time in a specific way; for example, childcare, mechanic, counseling, lawyer, even prayer. So if you with to donate service rather than funds, this is welcome. You can also support them by spreading the word about their mission to as many people as possible, and encourage folks to chip in. Every little bit helps.

Thanks to Austin Lasting Images for passing this information along to me. It’s a brilliant concept, and I’d love to see Modest Needs grow.