If I had unlimited funds

[fairfarmhand]

I would buy a house and let Taps daughter live there with very low rent around the corner from her mom. So she could have a good choice.

 

I would send a respite teacher, repair man and new washer to mama bear teacher.

 

I'd buy bras for all the hard to fit people around here.

 

What would you do?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Carol in Cal.]

All that and a couple of really big ships to Puerto Rico.

With supplies, generators, solar equipment, and those contraptions that condense drinking water out of the air.

[Guest]

All that and a couple of really big ships to Puerto Rico.

With supplies, generators, solar equipment, and those contraptions that condense drinking water out of the air.

They have those. Believe it or not, the supplies are all backed up at the docks or even in San Juan, but the trip is long and the fuel supply and refueling once there is a big issue right now. And on the island, getting supplies to people is tough for the same reason.

 

https://www.wsj.com/articles/food-fuel-and-medical-supplies-slowly-distributed-across-puerto-rico-1506622283?cx_testId=16&cx_testVariant=cx&cx_artPos=0&cx_tag=collabctx&cx_navSource=newsReel#cxrecs_s

 

Your impulse is a good one. Private and government relief is definitely flowing, but it's bottlenecking a bit.

 

(Edited to not stir political drama)

 

As for me, I'd love to fix all the troubled marriages around here. It's impossible for me, but with a big enough magic want I'd do it.

Edited September 28, 2017 by Arctic Mama

[Carol in Cal.]

I'd have a Big Family Party house and make it available for all the WTMers to use for made up holidays on a rotating basis.

 

My grandmother used to pull 15-25 people together for holiday meals, and had the room and the bandwidth for it.  They were longwinded affairs, with breaks in between the courses, and they were wonderful.  I would like everyone to have a place/opportunity like that.  People don't tend to have enough room for this anymore, and the ones I know who do have the room don't have the time.

[Kalmia]

I would buy a lot of the biologically rich land and protect it in perpetuity so I wouldn't have to see it logged and the soil compacted and the mature trees that host so many animals felled and the canopy broken so invasive plants can get a foothold and the herb layer and amphibians in the leaf litter flattened under the skidder treads. There are forests with a lot less diversity in our state from which we can get wood resources. These forests are unbelievably rich in species and should be left alone.

[Donna]

I would set up a foundation to provide adaptive equipment to any person who is having a hard time with insurance coverage for it. I would also include home remodels so their homes can be made accessible. I'd also set up a "library" of equipment and developmentally stimulating toys for delayed children who outgrow things quickly.

Edited September 28, 2017 by Donna

[historically accurate]

I want to set up a shelter for families. One that has private apartments set up kind of like an assisted living facility with offices for social services and classes on parenting, cooking, GED, and homework help & guidance counseling for the kids, etc built right into the facility. Make it easier to get back on your feet.

 

I think I would periodically go through GoFundMe and randomly fund stranger's wishes and needs. I probably wouldn't fund a satellite for proof the earth is flat though haha.

[Rosie_0801]

I'd pay everyone's legal bills so they don't lose for the crime of being poorer than their opponent.

[peachskittles]

I'd set up a fund where if people find out their kids have lead poisoning, they could either move or fix their home.

 

It'd be a lot easier than what we are going through right now.  Being poor/less than average credit shouldn't mean that you have to deal with the problem.

[3 ladybugs]

I would set up a bio tech that my husband could research pharmaceuticals the way he sees fit. I would also make sure that any promising leads on drugs for unintended purposes get explored fully so ALL people could benefit. 

 

Then I would likely do what my father does but on a bigger scale and hand out $5 bills to homeless in my travels. Dad hands out $1 bills. He says that he goes through about $20 a day with his travels. 

 

With the proceeds from the biotech (yes I said that with a straight face, Stop laughing! ;)  ) I would help families in need of adoption assistance, and with NICU and pediatric parents with something like a Ronald Mcdonald house but near every hospital where children could be for an extended period of time. 

 

I might also try to open non-profit drop in day care centers (open 24-7) in as many hospitals as possible for parents that need to visit loved ones or get treatment so they wouldn't have to worry about their child. 

 

That is all I can think of right now. 

[Janeway]

Oh!! I have so many things I want to do!! I always wanted to work at an orphanage. I would pay for lots of children to have music and art and dance lessons. I would buy babies/children headstones. I always wanted to start a charity to do that. I would do it anonymously and refuse to have my picture taken.

[Janeway]

And I would get a nice nanny for that two year old who got kicked out of daycare.

[Guest]

I would make it so my special needs son could be completely financially independent throughout his entire life and not be dependent upon paltry and uncertain government programs for his existence.

[PinkyandtheBrains.]

 

I would set up funding at the various places that helped my kids while my husband was out of work. They were able to continue various lessons and activities because if the generosity of others. I'd pay it forward.

[amo_mea_filiis.]

Mostly in my area...

 

I would throw money at CYS for specific services; live in teaching/help for the tough cases when parent(s) and child(ren) are well attached, to teach basic housekeeping (you don't just shut the door to the room with flies, clean it!), routines, basic meals, real life budgeting, parenting/child development, social skills for the adults, etc. That would also be available for non live in. Someone comes in and teaches, takes you grocery shopping, etc.

 

I'd fund some kind of public transportation that runs realistically. Our taxi stops at 8pm. And there's 1.

 

I'd start a subscription food box that accepts food stamps, is affordable on a food stamp budget, and somehow teaches. Something like a weekly service that sends everything, but includes a shopping list so you can repeat it, and it would teach how to plan meals for little/no food waste.

 

Food stamps recalculated. If your kids are in public school with free breakfast and lunch, your calculations should be different than the homeschooling family, cyber schooling family, or the family with food allergies that has to pack lunch.

 

I'd buy off whoever determines school food standards to cut the sugar (seriously, a juice, muffin/cookies, and fruit is not a great breakfast), cut all fast food, add veggie buffets, not force 2 starches per meal, whole milk/coconut milk/soy milk/almond milk/whatever, water instead of juice, and add cooking in school, not just reheating crap.

 

Massively increase PE and recess (I can buy off the school administrators) in school.

 

Rebuild our YMCA to include a pool, better gym, and a LOT more kid programs. YMCA memberships to all kids. If family can contribute, cool. Some kind of teen hangout in the Y. Skatepark in the basement.

 

Put the WIC office back in town with the welfare office so the local non drivers can access services.

 

In home methadone dosing once you're at a year and the counselor agrees, if you're working. Weekly to the clinic for group and individual therapy. For that first year, CYS (because they're probably involved) provides a reliable babysitter for your clinic runs, and/or transportation offers later clinic trips. Or, methadone clinic at the local hospital. You'd still get babysitting for little ones.

 

For those receiving inconsistent child support, I'd pay your court ordered support, collect from non custodial, and stay on top of the non custodial about paying. Consistency for a year and I drop out of the equation.

[MercyA]

I would like to buy:

 

Public toilets for homeless people who don't have easy access to them. Something like these, maybe, only somehow miraculously self-cleaning. Also, free laundromats. (I think there is a Catholic ministry near me that provides washer and dryer use for the homeless population, along with a coffee shop. I love it!)

 

There have been several people here whose computers failed them recently (in the last six months or so). New computers for them! 

 

Big fenced yards for all the dogs who are chained up 24/7 in this country. There are more than you think.  :(

 

Clothes for any child who is teased or uncomfortable because they don't have enough.

 

Whatever treatment or help the WTM kiddos struggling with mental illness and disabilities need, and someone to help their parents, too.

 

Those are my randomish thoughts at two 'til midnight. 

Edited September 29, 2017 by MercyA

[maize]

Increase funding for mental health research 1000x.

[maize]

And buy all the mines in the developing world so I could remedy the conditions there and pay the workers a fare wage (another thread brought some old memories to the forefront of my mind).

Edited September 29, 2017 by maize

[Arctic Bunny]

I'm with you, OP. I'm sending mama bear 3 respite workers, or whatever it takes for her and her DH to take however much of a holiday they feel comfortable with. And the same for all the parents out there that are dealing with so much more than I can even pretend to know. And then whatever they need to carry on after that.

[DawnM]

I always thought I would love to start a company where I could employ people who don't have jobs but want to work, own an apartment or condo complex next door, where I could offer low rent housing for those who worked there, and allow people to start getting out of major poverty in a large city.  I might even start a private school where the kids could go either tuition free of very low cost, and not be overly selective in who I take in, allowing everyone a chance at a great/quality education, even if it meant having an "alternative school" on the campus for those who struggled.....and with mental help on campus.  And I would offer free 4 year tuition college costs help to all who graduated from the school.

 

I would also give to the hospital in Africa where I grew up.  I would give a lot, and support their nursing school for African nurses, and the residency program for African doctors.  

 

And, since Disney is my favorite place, I would buy a full week at Disney World for just WTM folks to come and spend a week for free with their families (ok, yeah, that could never happen, even if I had money, I know, but it would be fun.)

Edited September 29, 2017 by DawnM

[Elizabeth86]

And I would get a nice nanny for that two year old who got kicked out of daycare.

Thanks. Great news btw, she has found a babysitter to come to her a house. Amazing since she initially had such a hard time finding any child care at all. I hope this girl works out!

[Baseball mom]

I love all y'all for the awesome big hearts y'all have!

 

I have lots of things I would like to do but coffee hasn't kicked in yet.

[Elizabeth86]

I love all y'all for the awesome big hearts y'all have!

 

I have lots of things I would like to do but coffee hasn't kicked in yet.

Same here. I am drinking my coffee and drawing a blank.

[Julie Smith]

Give everyone in the world a hygienic way to deal with human waste.

[Zinnia]

I used to volunteer at a place that had English classes for mama's and preschool classes for little ones, serving our large refugee population. I would love to expand that model, paying better wages so they didn't rely as much on inconsistent volunteer staff.

[Guest]

if I had unlimited funds.....

 

 

cancer treatment would be free

 

we'd have more medical schools

 

water would be desalinized and moved in to people who have none

 

electric would be free to households

 

schools for the hated kids - those that need more than Common Core - would be available to all

Edited September 29, 2017 by Heigh Ho

[Mommyof1]

After taking care of student loans, medical bills and personal things like that.

 

Make sure my elderly Mother and Aspie nephew are well taken care of.

 

Buy food for local food banks and help emergency shelters in the area. Branch out to other areas and states.

 

Help the churches (for the ones that already do) in the area to provide food, money, clothing and shelter to those in need. Branch out in these areas to cover other areas and states.

 

Donate to Shriner's and Children's Hospital's around the nation.

 

Donate art supplies and music/musical instruments to schools.

 

I'm sure there's more just can't think of any.

[nixpix5]

Let's see....

 

I would clear everyone's student loan debt

 

I would dump enormous amounts of money into all of the programs that have worked with my children and helped with their special needs.

 

I would provide college scholarships to kids who really want to go but cannot due to family income regardless of SES.

 

I would provide grants to families who want to homeschool their children but cannot due to finances.

 

I would send money to families in Ethiopia who cannot afford their children and feel the only way they can do what is best is by giving them up. I would make sure any family who wanted their children with them would have that right.

 

Oh my goodness...there is just so many things and I cannot possibly type them all. It would be so wonderful to be able to do that!

[AHASRADA]

You ladies have some great ideas. My first thought was to make sure everyone in the world who needs it has shelter, sufficient and high quality food, education and healthcare. Education would cover forgiving student loans, healthcare would cover mental health, prosthetics, elder care, respite care, etc. Obviously there are many more specific needs that many of you have mentioned, but this is a good start.

 

ETA: Currently, I think guaranteeing safety and security would be right up there with the life essentials I listed. Unfortunately, I don't think this is an issue that can be fixed with money.

Edited September 29, 2017 by AHASRADA

[bettyandbob]

I would make it so my special needs son could be completely financially independent throughout his entire life and not be dependent upon paltry and uncertain government programs for his existence.

 

 

me too. 

[Janeway]

Mostly in my area...

 

I would throw money at CYS for specific services; live in teaching/help for the tough cases when parent(s) and child(ren) are well attached, to teach basic housekeeping (you don't just shut the door to the room with flies, clean it!), routines, basic meals, real life budgeting, parenting/child development, social skills for the adults, etc. That would also be available for non live in. Someone comes in and teaches, takes you grocery shopping, etc.

 

I'd fund some kind of public transportation that runs realistically. Our taxi stops at 8pm. And there's 1.

 

I'd start a subscription food box that accepts food stamps, is affordable on a food stamp budget, and somehow teaches. Something like a weekly service that sends everything, but includes a shopping list so you can repeat it, and it would teach how to plan meals for little/no food waste.

 

Food stamps recalculated. If your kids are in public school with free breakfast and lunch, your calculations should be different than the homeschooling family, cyber schooling family, or the family with food allergies that has to pack lunch.

 

I'd buy off whoever determines school food standards to cut the sugar (seriously, a juice, muffin/cookies, and fruit is not a great breakfast), cut all fast food, add veggie buffets, not force 2 starches per meal, whole milk/coconut milk/soy milk/almond milk/whatever, water instead of juice, and add cooking in school, not just reheating crap.

 

Massively increase PE and recess (I can buy off the school administrators) in school.

 

Rebuild our YMCA to include a pool, better gym, and a LOT more kid programs. YMCA memberships to all kids. If family can contribute, cool. Some kind of teen hangout in the Y. Skatepark in the basement.

 

Put the WIC office back in town with the welfare office so the local non drivers can access services.

 

In home methadone dosing once you're at a year and the counselor agrees, if you're working. Weekly to the clinic for group and individual therapy. For that first year, CYS (because they're probably involved) provides a reliable babysitter for your clinic runs, and/or transportation offers later clinic trips. Or, methadone clinic at the local hospital. You'd still get babysitting for little ones.

 

For those receiving inconsistent child support, I'd pay your court ordered support, collect from non custodial, and stay on top of the non custodial about paying. Consistency for a year and I drop out of the equation.

 

 

I had lunch with my daughter today. Her peas looked brown, about half of them brown. The pizza looked like frozen pizza, like Tonys, except lessor quality (as if you could get lessor), canned fruit, fruit juice, and milk. I asked her to take the banana that was offered and she said no. But then threw away the canned fruit. That frustrated me. I wish they would have just given all the kids a banana and not offered the canned fruit and also, not give them juice. And why bother with the peas when they are brown? 

[Murphy101]

No one would ever worry about a medical or pharmaceutical bill again.

 

Education would be free and available to anyone of any age willing to do the work of learning. ETA: I wouldn’t limited education to acemdics either. Swimming, music...

Edited September 29, 2017 by Murphy101

[heartlikealion]

There are so many good ideas. Not necessarily mine, but just in general.

 

I would want to have some centers closer to our town to help people with things like clothing. Also maybe a crisis pregnancy center.

 

Donate new hardbacks to the failing schools. Help the failing schools in general.

 

Open a grocery store nearby that has decent prices, enough selection, and decent operating hours. As I type this I get sad thinking that this place would probably be robbed right away. Sigh.

 

See how I can help the churches I attend. See how we can help the surrounding community.

 

Help people that don't have safe water. I think you can buy a system or donate so much a day to help.

 

Build a good park close by or remodel the existing one. There isn't much there and things are broken.

 

Pay adoption fees for animals in shelters.

[happypamama]

Sooooo many things! There’s the usual financial security/college/fixing up my house/tons of travel for my own family, and writing big checks to help with the aftermath of natural disasters, of course, and funding a big Hive meetup.

 

I would enjoy sending donations to Hive members or friends for respite care, help with bills, whatever was needed.

 

Then there would be very generous donations to my lovely little local library and our dojang so they could buy whatever they wanted or needed.

 

Then I’d build a homeschool community center. It would have things like a school, like kitchen, gym, social hall, classrooms, science lab, home ec space, outdoor play and meeting space, art room, etc. It would also have closets that local groups could use for their lending libraries (and I’d fund generous lending libraries). And it would have paid evaluators, a college guidance counselor, language tutors, and more.

 

And then I’d buy my NICU whatever they wanted or needed. I’d build more space and private family rooms for them. I’d buy lots of gas cards and other helps for parents of NICU babies. I’d ask them for the name of parents who needed help with the bills, and I’d pay them off. I’d pay for funeral expenses for parents who lost children and expenses for moms with high risk pregnancies. My son’s primary nurses would get huge bonuses (as would DH’s boss and coworkers for all the care they gave us last year). And I’d fund a scholarship or several in my son’s name for my teaching hospital’s nursing program for anyone who wanted to be a NICU or mother-baby nurse, and fellowships for their maternal-fetal, obstetric, and neonatal students. And for every hospital everywhere, I’d fund a soundproof room or two for moms of NICU babies or loss mamas, so they could recover without hearing happy families. And I’d design nicer hospital chair-beds.

Edited October 1, 2017 by happypamama

[amo_mea_filiis.]

I had lunch with my daughter today. Her peas looked brown, about half of them brown. The pizza looked like frozen pizza, like Tonys, except lessor quality (as if you could get lessor), canned fruit, fruit juice, and milk. I asked her to take the banana that was offered and she said no. But then threw away the canned fruit. That frustrated me. I wish they would have just given all the kids a banana and not offered the canned fruit and also, not give them juice. And why bother with the peas when they are brown?

I don't find it too terribly hard to heat canned peas! Brown peas are gross.

 

The canned fruit was probably in syrup with sugar or some other sweetener.

 

Kids who get free lunch can't have seconds or anything, and they're all friggen starving!

[KarenC]

I would set up or expand libraries in poor neighborhoods.  They would have plenty of books, but also educational toys, games, and puzzles.   There would be tutoring and enrichment classes year round.  Someone to help with college advice would be great too.

[Slache]

Set up wonderful homes for disabled children that are too overwhelming for their parents. Day care and full time. Somewhere with amazing workers where their parents would know that that they are safe, happy and loved, could drop by any time.

[kroe1]

I would just spend it on me. Lol.