A business needs capital to grow, especially in these tough times.  Management needs experienced people it can call upon for ideas, expertise and strategic relationships.  Belmont Acquisitions will provide all of this and more.

Ask yourself the following:  Do you need… more customers?  more capital to fill orders?  to renegotiate some existing debt?  to deal with a difficult bank or IRS officer?  to expand your business with a new idea?  to expand your inventory to get more sales but don’t have the resources?

With increasingly complex social, regulatory, and business environments, smaller operations need a trusted place to turn to for advice and education on topics that are often so complex that only the largest firms can afford to retain experts in these fields.  Our mission is simple: to make the complex less so–and to bring access to knowledge and services to smaller firms that might not otherwise know where to turn.

The list of challenges a business owner and management face every day to survive, grow and be successful is always changing.  This is where Belmont will provide the most value.

Belmont Acquisitions is a national, independent Advisory firm and boutique Investment Bank founded in 2007, with offices in four states.  We provide a broad range of advisory services to small- and medium-sized businesses, both public and private, across the United States and internationally, specializing in mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, turnarounds, restructuring, business planning, growth capital planning, hostile takeover defense, investor relations and investment planning.  As an Advisory firm we have our own money and resources as well as a network of strategic relationships we perform ‘pre-underwriting’ services for.  Given these relationships, we provide all of the following from a single, simple application: factoring, purchase order financing, work in progress financing, equipment financing, advance credit card financing and merchant account services, unsecured lines of credit, secured lines of credit, inventory only financing, bridge loans, real estate loans, flooring lines, stock loans and equity.

Our senior staff have owned, built, operated, and sold their own businesses, in some cases, many, many times.  We have been CEOs of public and private companies, we have founded startups, we have bought distressed companies–chances are, if you’re facing it, we’ve seen it.  We’re different from many advisory firms because we have actual real world operational experience, and not just in big business, but in small business as well.  We understand the unique challenges and opportunities you see every day, and we are certain we can help you and your business get to the next level.

Our philosophy is different from most advisory firms, in that we look beyond the traditional corporate finance mindset.  We’re fascinated by finance.  We believe that a strong financial plan is the cornerstone of any successful venture.  We’re up on the trends and happenings in the world’s financial centers, but we’re also realistic.  We leverage our team’s extensive operational experience and pair that with our passion for finance to give you a unique perspective on how to accomplish your goals.

All of this means we can get transactions done normally no one else can.  Our highly seasoned professionals will help you renegotiate existing debt, obtain new strategic relationships, provide merger and acquisitions advice or take your company public.

Please refer to our website for more information about our firm, our services, our people, experience, completed transactions and relationships–and see how Belmont Acquisitions will assist you to grow your business!

Timothy A. Craft

Senior Vice President, Strategy and Development, Phoenix Office

Mobile: 480-560-6424

tcraft@belmontacquisitions.com

Belmont Acquisitions, LLC

2415 East Camelback Road, 7th Floor, Phoenix, Arizona 85016     Phone: 602-508-3548     Fax: 602-801-2755

Irvine, California     Phoenix, Arizona     Dallas, Texas     Indianapolis, Indiana

www.belmontacquisitions.com

Life Matters Today Radio airs every Sunday from 6-7pm on KXXT 1010 AM.  Life Matters Today provides a platform for individuals to discuss issues in life so they can receive encouragement to live life abundantly and free themselves from mental and emotional bondage. LIFE MATTERS TODAY will help to equip individuals to manage matters in life ranging from RELATIONSHIP, HEALTH, FITNESS, FINANCE, COMMUNITY, CAREER and FAITH!!

DURING THE MONTH OF MAY

Please Make Sure You Tune In during the Month of May…Life Matters Today will dedicate the month of May to 4 of the Most Powerful Creatures that Walk the Earth…WOMEN.:

Life Matters Today – Radio

2800 North 44th Street, suite 100

Phoenix, AZ  85008 USA

Executive Producer

Radio Host – Roslyn Williams

Phone:  602-770-0999 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            602-770-0999     end_of_the_skype_highlighting

Website:  www.lifemattersministries.org

Email:  rwilliams@lifemattersministries.org

Lonnie Ratliff – Radio Co – Host

Phone:  480-677-1836 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting                  480-677-1836     end_of_the_skype_highlighting

Email:   Lratliff6@gmail.com

I’m Mechelle Tucker, Founder of 1st Class Consultant and everyone knows me as the Networkers Networker. I know this month’s issue is all about Financial Literacy and your probably wondering, so how does being a Networker apply to financial literacy and stewardship. Well, during most of my successful career I built strong relationships, created win win opportunities for my clients and I provided debt solutions services to at-risk individuals. I constantly preach to my clients on the importance of being financially educated so they can best understand how money works for them and know the true value of why it’s so important to be a good steward whether your a individual or a company. 

I learned over the years as a financial consultant that in order to reach financial success you must make good money decisions at every stage of your life.

Mechelle “The Networkers Networker” Tucker 

It’s not as far away as you think. A few blinks-of-the-eye ago, I was a fresh-faced second lieutenant, and now I have more than 20 years of service behind me. Back in my day, the military didn’t offer the Thrift Savings Plan , but now it’s a wonderful tax-advantaged way to save for retirement. You get a tax deduction for your contribution, the money grows tax-deferred (no taxes due each year on earnings) and, finally, you pay ordinary income taxes on withdrawals once age 59-½ or older. The plan currently does not offer a matching contribution, but I still highly encourage service members to contribute to it-and the sooner the better.

As you might expect, there are some rules and regulations. The annual TSP contribution limit for 2011 is $16,500. But any amount, even one percent of your pay, adds up over time. The plan offers low-cost stock and bond index funds as investment choices, as well as the life cycle funds, which blend the various funds, building a diversified portfolio based on your retirement year.

Tax-free — two of my favorite words. Future federal income tax rates are one of the most highly debated political footballs in America. A Roth IRA (Individual Retirement Account) may help to hedge your bet against rising tax rates by allowing you to contribute after-tax dollars that grow tax-deferred and can be withdrawn tax-free during retirement after age 59-1/2. The maximum contribution to a Roth IRA in 2011 is $5,000 and will remain the same in 2012.

In the second quarter of 2012, a Roth version of the TSP will be introduced allowing you to contribute $17,000-far surpassing the 5K IRA limit. This can create a potentially significant tax-free income stream during retirement.

Time can be your ally. The younger you start saving, the better. Let me provide an example of that theory. Let’s say, you start saving in a Roth IRA…

• At age 31, max it with $416 per month and earn an average annual eight percent return. At age 60 you’ll have over $550,000. That’s a nice nest egg.
• Or, start at age 21, contribute $416 per month and earn an average eight percent return. At age 60-wait for it-you’ll have a whopping $1,336,000! That’s an additional $786,000 even though you saved only an extra $50,000!

Finally, there’s more great news. Thanks to the HERO Act of 2006, you can contribute tax-free combat pay into a Roth IRA. It’s a sweet deal unique to the military-the money goes in tax-free and comes out tax-free after (hopefully) decades of growth.

Start saving now for your financial future. Remember, no matter how things play out with military retirement in the coming months, you’re responsible for creating your own retirement paycheck. ¤

Spring time is here and it has brought with it a blanket of yellow pollen and a plague of seasonal allergy symptoms.

Seasonal allergies are one of the most common medical problems that typically occur during the warmer months of the year.

With the blooms of spring come symptoms like congestion, sneezing, runny nose and watery eyes. Knowing how to combat the symptoms of allergies can help every person to enjoy the warm temperatures, sunny skies and the beauty of spring.

If you know that you usually suffer from seasonal allergies, begin taking allergy medications before the pollen count increases and your symptoms worsen. Some examples of these medications are oral antihistamines such as Claritin and Zyrtec, decongestants such as Sudafed, nasal sprays such as Afrin, and combination medications such as Claritin-D. Each of these medications can be bought over-the-counter at your local pharmacy or store.

Although you’ll be tempted to throw open the windows and let the fresh air in, keep doors and windows closed to prevent pollen from entering and settling in your home.

Rain helps to clear pollen from the air, so it’s best to plan outdoor activities for after a rainstorm. Stay indoors on dry and windy days.

Wearing a mask while doing yard work like cutting the grass or pulling weeds will help keep pollen and allergens from irritating your sinuses.

Changing clothing immediately after spending time outdoors will help eliminate any unnecessary irritation. Using high-efficiency filters to keep the air inside your home and car clean will further help reduce the symptoms of seasonal allergies.

Vacuuming often will keep any pollen that has settled inside the home from continuing to bother allergy-sufferers. Use the clothes dryer and don’t hang laundry outside to dry. Pollen will collect on it and cause your allergies to flare.

Another way to decrease your allergy symptoms is to rinse your sinuses daily.Your local pharmacy has over-the-counter simple saline solutions that you spray into your nostrils, or you can buy a neti pot, which is another form of sinus irrigation device. If using a neti pot, you should use distilled water to irrigate.

Talk to your primary care manager about any allergy medications, over-the-counter or prescribed, you are taking as they may interact with other medications.

18 Tips To Cope With Kids’ Allergies

Try these tips for allergy season to minimize your child’s symptoms:

• Dust more. During allergy season, you should clean more than you normally would during other times of the year. You should wear a face mask to protect yourself from the dust triggering your allergies. Use a microfiber cleaning cloth that absorbs and picks up dust and other allergens instead of just moving them around.

• Dust high to low. Another way to make sure you’re not just moving dust around from surface to surface is to clean rooms from up top to bottom – this ensures that dust does not float from room to room.

• Change your vacuum filter. Another way to prevent dust from getting the best of you this season is to get a new vacuum filter. Look for commercial vacuum bags and filters that keep 99 percent of small dust particles, pollen and other allergy-triggering particles from reentering the air. You should vacuum at least once a week during allergy season.

• Clean carpets weekly with a HEPA-filter vacuum and keep your child out of the room for at least half an hour afterward since it can kick up dust that will exacerbate symptoms.

• Do a thorough spring cleaning – windows, book shelves and air conditioning vents collect dust and mold throughout the winter that can provoke allergy symptoms.

• Limit outdoor school and extracurricular activities (e.g., recess, little league) in the morning when pollen counts are the highest.

• Avoid playing outdoors on recently mowed lawns and playing fields.

• Beware of high mold spore counts after a heavy rain or in the evening.

• Keep windows closed, and if possible, use air conditioning during the warm weather to keep airborne allergens out of your home.

• Always have the child bathe and shampoo at night to remove pollen.

• Pets may need a bath to avoid bringing pollen in the house.

• Keep the windows closed at night in your child’s bedroom.

• Pick up protective covers for your child’s mattress and pillow. And try to wash bedding once a week in hot water. Those two things alone can lower exposure to dust mites by as much as 80 percent. Dust mites also love stuffed animals, so if your kid sleeps with one – and it can’t be washed – pop it in a garbage bag and tie it tight for 24 hours to suffocate the dust mites.

• Keep the dog or cat out of your child’s bedroom.

• If mold is an issue, keep your bathroom as clean and well ventilated as possible, and zap any mildew with bleach.

• Wipe down counters after prepping food, stash pantry items in plastic containers, and try to de-crumb your kitchen floor as much as possible to keep allergy-inducing mice and bugs at bay.

• Don’t allow smoking in the house. Tobacco smoke can be hard on kids with nasal allergies.

• Talk to your physician about treatment medications that are safe for children.

Complied by Beverly VanTull with Kenner Army Health Clinic Family Medicine Department.

For more inform visit website:

http://www.webmd.com/allergies/guide/allergies-treatment-care

Tuition: This is your college’s basic charge, the price you pay to be a full-time student. Most schools start with the assumption that you will be taking at least 12 credits (or four classes) per semester, although 15 credits (five classes) is average. If you drop below 12 credits, you may qualify as a part-time student. With reduced class load, it will take longer for you to graduate; on the other hand, part-time students are sometimes allowed to live off campus, and often don’t have to pay for some of the general student fees, both of which can reduce the cost of your education.

Room and Board: As you might guess, this covers most of your living expenses, including your dorm room, your meal plan and, in some cases, your laundry. Depending on your school’s location, it may be less expensive to live off campus and cook your own meals. On the other hand, some colleges have campus residency requirements that force students to live in the dorms for a certain period of time. Some colleges also offer reduced room and board costs if you agree to live in an older or less well-appointed dorm. If you’re interested in cutting costs, this may be worth considering. Side note: You may have heard of the dreaded “freshman 15,” the 15 pounds many students gain during their freshman year. One cause (for me, at least!) was my expensive meal plan, which covered 20 meals a week in the dining hall. In an attempt to get my money’s worth, I ate far more than I normally would. The lesson? You’re going to college, not hiking into the Outback. If you need more food, you can go out and buy it, so consider erring on the side of financial and caloric thrift by picking a lower-cost meal plan.

Books and Supplies: Depending on your major, your books and supply costs will vary wildly. You can often reduce costs by buying used textbooks, purchasing your textbooks through the internet, or sharing your books with someone else in the class. Then again, many universities are trying to fight these cost-cutting techniques by using proprietary textbooks that are updated regularly.

General Student Fees, Athletic Fees, Transportation Fees, Health Care Fees, and so on: Some schools itemize their fees, while others combine them into a single, general fee. Full-time students generally have to pay the full menu of fees, regardless of whether they use the bus services, athletic tickets or student health facilities that they help to fund. Part-time students sometimes get a break on this. If you’re looking to pinch pennies, it’s worth finding out what your school’s policies are.

Total Cost/Average Total Cost: This is what your college or university estimates your total tuition cost for one year will be. As we’ve already seen, there may be some ways to bring that price down, but chances are that it’s a fairly good reflection of what you’ll be paying.

Expected Family Contribution: This is the amount of money that your college or university estimates that your family will be able to kick in. If you’re wondering about EFC, but haven’t gotten a letter yet, here’s a calculator that may help you figure out how much a school is likely to expect. Unfortunately, most EFC calculations don’t take the debt your parents owe into account, which means that the estimated contribution for your family will probably be a lot higher than the actual amount that your parents can afford. If that’s the case — and if the school in question isn’t willing to cut them some slack on the real number — you should probably think about going to a less expensive institution. Another Side Note: Some schools allow parents to make monthly payments, rather than requiring a lump sum payment. Depending on your family’s financial situation, this could make paying for college a bit easier to deal with.

Scholarships and Grants (aka Gift Aid): This is money that you don’t have to pay back. Colleges and universities offer a host of scholarships and grants. For that matter, so do many companies, community organizations and student groups. The Department of Education offers a useful roundup of search tools for finding money that’s out there, but you might also consider stopping by the library, asking your local organizations, and talking to family members and friends. Keep in mind that many scholarships need to be reapplied for every year, and many will decline in value from year to year. In other words, just because you’ve managed to scrounge up the money to pay for freshman year doesn’t mean that you’ve got all four years covered. S

tafford Loans: These are federal loans, which means they generally have a lower interest rate than private loans. On the other hand, they still need to be paid back after you graduate, so you might want to think twice before taking them out.

Subsidized Stafford loans are awarded based on need, and have a lower interest rate than unsubsidized Stafford loans. The rates change from year to year; in fact, President Obama’s recent budget proposal would even change the way that the loan rates are calculated.

As a side note, the government covers the interest payments on your subsidized Stafford loans while you’re in college and during certain other periods. On unsubsidized Stafford loans, the interest starts accruing when you take out the loan, and you’re on the hook to pay all of it back.

Perkins Loans: The Perkins is a different need-based federal student loan, and has a fixed 5 percent interest rate. If your school participates in the Perkins program, you can borrow up to $5,500 a year, with a limit of $27,500 for your whole undergraduate career.

PLUS Loans: These are loans that the government makes directly to your parents to help pay for your education. Your parents will need to begin paying interest immediately.

Private Loans: Your school may suggest that you take out private loans to cover part of the cost of your education. Proceed with caution! The interest rate on a private loan will probably be higher than what you’ll pay on your federal loans, and you will be making payments on those private loans at the same time as you’re separately paying down your federal loans — a financial burden that few recent college grads will be earning enough to comfortably shoulder. Bruce Watson is DailyFinance’s Savings editor. You can reach him by e-mail at bruce.watson@teamaol.com, or follow him on Twitter at @bruce1971.

Professional Athletes Deserve Their Pay!  

By:  Jamal E.M. Cummins

In today’s society, the high salaries of professional athletes’ are on the front page of every mass media stream from USA TODAY to Facebook.  Year after year their salaries continue to rise to astronomical numbers with no end in sight.  The average American will never see in that kind of money in their lifetime and with the recent economic recession, they are not too excited about the salaries of athletes.  There is a perception towards athletes that they are greedy people whose only concern is for the fastest cars, designer clothing, and liberal spending but this is not true for all athletes.  There is a phrase in sports, “In college, they play for the name on the front but at the pro-level, they play for the name on the back.”  This means that the athlete has lost the true love of the game.  Most people argue that athletes do not deserve the excessive sum of money they are paid while others feel that they do deserve that their high salaries.  In this essay, I will illustrate that there are elements of truth in both views.

In my opinion, sports superstars are worth their high salaries. There are many factors that we must consider before making rash generalizations concerning these athletes.  One factor is the time they spend practicing.  Professional athletes spend time in various environments such as gyms, football fields, baseball fields and the like. With the duration of the average sports season lasting between four and seven months, athletes practice nearly every day to include the offseason.  To begin with, there is an old saying, “Time is money”. To people, life is priceless for it is something money does not bring.  Moreover, a person’s time is not very long, especially for famous athletes.   Not only is a lot of their time spent practicing, they also have to make time for interviews with the media, which by the way are not fun especially when they are asked tough questions.  Additionally, professional athletes consistently sacrifice their time away from family to travel spending many nights in hotels away from family.  Many athletes grow weary from doing the same routine over and over and have a hard time dealing with these issues I mentioned above.  Therefore, they are worth the high salaries they are paid.

Another factor to consider is the risk of injury. Professional athletes are paid to give audiences excitement, but sometimes this excitement comes at a price.  Whether it is getting the touchdown in football or diving for the ball in baseball, athletes often times put their bodies on the line for the game.  The problem with this is that they usually keep playing while they are hurt by taking pain medicines that are provided by the teams to numb the pain.  This helps them when they are playing the game but once they retire, many athletes cannot afford to buy high priced medicines to offset the pain anymore.  This leads to players either filing for bankruptcy or having to start a new career to cover the cost.  There are some things that money cannot buy and that includes the health of these athletes.  Although some athletes receive surgery to fix injuries, they could never replace the original body they had before.  Thus, a great deal more money is what they are deserved.

Last but not least, athletes shoulder more responsibility than common people and they have to sacrifice their privacy.  As a professional athlete, you are constantly being watched by the media and society. Thousands of teenagers idolize famous athletes and because of this, they are required be perfect models for these young people by using their excellent performances. They have to mind their behaviors in public places and in their private times. Everything that they do will be exposed in public.  For example, when an athlete parties too much, he will be condemned as irresponsible. Thus, they are living under the pressure from every walk of the society. They basically have to give up their privacy in exchange for fame and money. They cannot go to shopping without disguise, and they are deprived of the right of living a normal life like everybody else. They can’t even go shopping or just for a brisk walk with their family in the street.  Hence, they are worth high salaries.

In contrast to my paper, there are many individuals who do not share the same opinion that I do concerning professional athletes.  The naysayers are disgusted with the rising salaries of professional athletes and their boldness in holding for more money.  Another argument is why are these athletes paid so much money when military servicemen and women, police officers, firefighters, etc are not compensated in the same way.  These individuals usually view professional athletes in a negative aspect largely based on the amount of publicity they receive through the media.  They are tired of hearing about their excessive lifestyles while they are struggling to make ends meet.  I would argue that this is the fault of our mainstream media.  No one covers the story of a Soldier from Dothan, Alabama who had been deployed multiple times to Iraq and Afghanistan.  This Soldier sacrifices by missing birthdays, anniversaries and other special occasions to defend and serve his country.  This story does not get the same audience that Terrell Owens would get after another disagreement with quarterback. 

In conclusion, I have made my arguments as to why I believe that professional athletes deserve what they are paid.  From time away from their families and to the risk of injury, there are a plethora of reasons they receive the huge salaries they are paid.  People need to understand that just because these professional athletes have their huge salaries doesn’t automatically make them diligent with their money.  Anna Maria Lusardi, an economist at George Washington University, who advocates financial education, says that athletes are the ideal students for financial management courses.   Professional athletes will continue to get the paid their high salaries as long as the fans keep coming to the games or watching sports at home.  The sports industry is a billion dollar business in which players only receive a fraction the profits that  owners and network conglomerates earn.  Therefore, I believe that they do deserve the money they are being paid.  If someone thinks a certain professional athlete would add value to their organization, I am totally in agreement with them getting what they deserve.

4 Overlooked Ways to Pay for College

Whether college is a few months away or years down the road, you have financial options.

By:  Katy Hopkins

Paying for college is rarely easy. Ideally, it’s a longterm process of building and using a collection of savings, institutional aid, free money, and—if necessary—loans.

But with so many avenues for financing your education, it’s often difficult to sort out what might work best for you, given your situation and time frame. Whether you’ll be moving into your dorm room in two months or you’re starting to save now for your toddler’s college education, here are four often-overlooked considerations that may lessen your financial burden:

Exhaust your federal options: Because federal loans (Stafford and Perkins) are cheaper and have more flexible repayment options, students with financial need should always exhaust their federal options before looking to private loans, says Kevin Walker, cofounder and CEO of SimpleTuition.com. It’s an often overlooked route, he adds, because some families mistakenly assume it’s a complicated process for a loan they may be too well off to qualify for anyway.

“Some families might believe, ‘We’re upper middle class; our income is upper level so we wouldn’t qualify,’” Walker notes. “Whether you’re Bill Gates’s kid or a child of a family with zero income, you can get a federal Stafford loan.”

And, if college is around the corner and you’ve yet to apply for federal aid, it’s also a mistake to assume you’re too late, Walker notes. You can still fill out the FAFSA and work with your college’s financial aid office to evaluate your payment options. Sites such as SimpleTuition, the Department of Education, and Sallie Mae offer more information on federal loans and help students navigate the private loan sector, if necessary.

Consider 529 plans: If you have some time before college, a 529 savings plan may be an attractive route for you. Named after Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code under which it was created, a 529 plan allows users to select from a variety of funds in which to invest, including real estate and money market accounts. In 34 states and the District of Columbia, parents with a 529 plan qualify for an income tax deduction or credit on contributions.

These savings plans with tax advantages were effectively created to lessen the number of investment choices families have to make, says Mark Kantrowitz, founder of FinAid.org. But it seems the message hasn’t been fully communicated; in a recent parent survey conducted by Sallie Mae, about half of all respondents who aren’t using a 529 plan didn’t know the option existed. That lack of information was the most commonly cited reason parents didn’t use the college savings plan, according to the 2010 study, How America Saves for College, which surveyed 2,092 parents around the country with children under the age of 18.

“This is not rocket science,” Kantrowitz says, adding that parents and students should be able to navigate the options. Ideally, a 529 savings account will be opened when a child is young, so savings can accrue over time according to an age-based investment allocation. Then, any risky investments have a decade or more to recover.

Though 529 plans—and the accompanying fees—vary by state, eligibility is not determined by residency. You can opt to enroll in Ohio’s plan if you live in Virginia, for example. Consider your state’s plan first, Kantrowitz recommends, then look elsewhere if its fees aren’t lower than 1 percent or if it doesn’t offer an attractive income tax deduction.

Regiment yourself: No matter how far away college is for you or your child, it’s crucial to start adhering to a savings plan now. Though it might feel painful at first, research shows that students and parents who stow away set levels of college cash at specific intervals are more inclined to feel confident about their ability to pay for college.

“It’s something called perceived self control: When people save regularly, they start to really feel that they have greater control over their lives and their future, and it leads them to build a much higher level with capability in dealing with financial matters and their financial future,” says Ben Mangan, president and CEO of EARN, a financial aid nonprofit organization, which founded MyDebtStory.com.

To make the process easier, get yourself on a manageable plan, focus on the savings goal each month rather than the large end figure, and have your savings stowed away automatically, FinAid’s Kantrowitz advises. “Once you get started,” he says, “you become accustomed to not spending that money.”

Explore last-minute options: If you are beginning college this fall, don’t assume it’s too late to find scholarships, SimpleTuition’s Walker says. Use these next few weeks to scour the Internet, community listings, and your high school’s counseling office for any last-minute sources of aid or scholarship money that went unused in the traditional school year award period. Other scholarships have deadlines throughout the calendar year. In an online scholarship search, specify what state you live in to help you find local results, Walker recommends.

Students can also use the Web to find summer contests, such as the one being held through July on Mangan’s site, MyDebtStory.com. In an effort to create a community of financial aid users, the newly launched Web site is offering $5,000 to the highest user-rated video of how to pay for college. If you have other tips not listed, the site welcomes video success stories of students who have mastered the financial aid process, too.

Though these types of contests won’t garner money for the majority of students who enter, the process can at least be informative—and possibly therapeutic, Mangan notes.”We’ve found that people sometimes feel hopeless about this,” he says. “The simple act of sharing their story and knowing they’re not alone gives them a sense of relief from the burden they feel in carrying the education debt.”

Ms. Katrina Sager- Coleman, MSW, LCSW

Restored Wellness Consulting, LLC 

In the book of Habakkuk 2:2, the Lord commands: “Write down the vision and make it plain on tablets that he may run who reads it.” The Lord spoke this into my heart over 4 years ago and I found myself writing down the desires of my heart,  believing that they would come to past in due season. One of the visions that I wrote was that I would someday operate and own my private practice.

Although, I found myself undergoing so much, which seemed then like one season after another of hurt, disappointment, setbacks and shattered dreams; I still yet believed God.   So I started making preparations because the word of God says “faith without works is dead.” I began to network with others by attending workshops and events that would provide professional growth and development as well as the confidence needed to become a successful business owner.  The more networking that I engaged in, the more insightful I became. One day while driving, the Lord spoke to my heart and said “Restored Wellness Consulting is the name of your practice because I am going to use you to restore individuals, families, communities and corporations to emotional wellness and wholeness.”

Still working a full-time job at a community-based mental health agency; I began to save money and plan a budget to fund the start-up cost of my business such as costs of mal-practice insurance coverage, advertisement, marketing and extra time needed.  I looked within my circle of colleagues and family member, assessing for skills in which they could provide to help me to develop my business.  I was surprised to see how willing my colleagues and family members were to provide me with advice and a great wealth of knowledge that helped me to plan and proceed in my business.

From that point, I began writing for the local newspaper, speaking at community events, and conducting workshops within my community and region. At this point, doors began to open. The Word of God says “if you are faithful over little, I will make you ruler of much.” God is doing just what he promised. Although, I have had to make sacrifices, working after hours, staying up late, investing extra time and money; it has been worth every sacrifice. Not only am I able to see the fruits of my labor, but I am able to do exactly what the Lord spoke to my heart 4 years ago, “restore individuals, families, communities and corporations to emotional wellness and wholeness.”

Now, that Restored Wellness Consulting, LLC has been birthed, it is still in its infancy stages. Had I not wrote the vision and made it plan, had faith that it would happen and sought God for guidance; it would still be an idea instead of a dream.

The society we live in today HIV/AIDS is hitting each states like a wild fire, especially among our Black African Americans and we need to really grab a hold of our youth, they are our future and if we don’t come together in the communities, churches, schools ect then we may lose them to this world. We as Adults and may have children, communicate with them see whats on their mind ect. It is so important that Schools, health departments, public safety, jail houses get educated about this disease. HIV/AIDS is no longer a death sentence even though the stigma is still attach. I use to did not love myself, hated myself even wanted to throw in the towel because I was afraid of “people” until one day in 2009 I stood before my Fathers church congregation and came public about my diagnosis. I had to began to love myself first, and this is my favorite model because we must all learn to love ourselves then God can began to Bless us.

Healing began to take place of me spiritually and emotionally once I came public. I did not care what people thought or had said because now I realize that my voice needs to be heard for so many who are still living in silence because of stigma. You cannot get HIV/AIDS by touching, kissing, hugging, drinking, touching another person who is infected, so everyday I hug and kiss my boys. We must learn to cherish each moment because you never know what the next minute may take you. I came from a great home, was a military brat and was taught to treat others with love and respect, never thought I would have had to wake up the next day knowing my life would have forever changed.

I took what I thought was negative in my life and turned it around for a positive and use my life living that God may get the Glory! I’m happy to say God Blessed me last year to remarry to a wonderful man who is HIV negative and loves me and my boys to the fullest. Its so important we all know FACTS about this disease and treat everyone that is living with this disease like a human not a monster, we all still much continue to live.

I know this life was never my own from the start and that’s why I also know God will never put more on then I can bare! This has only made me stronger!

My contact info:

Web site: www. Moniqueshope4cure.org

Internet talk show: “The Monique Live Show” (show time varies) www.fbrn.us

Twitter: MONILUV10

FB: Moniques Hope for Cure Outreach Services

The Monique Live Show

Email: Luvmime@aol.com