For those who have received seats from KDM

How long was it from the time you applied until the time you found out if you were going to receive a seat? (heh, did that make sense?)
I applied for my older kids because I am negative money (hubby hasn't worked since November) and feel so unsafe with my kids in boosters in the Phx area (horrible accident/fatality rate) especially because my kids are smaller than average...my girls are 5 and 7 and are 40lbs and 42lbs respectively...ds is 8 and is 49lbs..on a good day. I hope they can help because I don't even have enough money to pay my overhead let alone buy harnessed seats for my kids. When you have to chose to put gas in the car to get to work over buying groceries, I think there is an issue! LOL Hopefully dh will find a job soon but its been a long time coming..

I think the wait list is supposed to be well over 6 mo for "full scholarship", the "for donation" (which sounds like you can't pull off, but just for conversation sake) should only be a few weeks. I was told as soon as my proof of neediness was received I could buy the seat and then it sounded like it would be a fairly quick process to get them to send out to a tech and make a date for install so I could have an "approved" install.

The person I know who got a seat from them got it very quickly. However she also lied through her teeth about her situation, finances, etc. They could have had Grandparents buy the seat but instead they had Grandparents give them a trip to Disneyworld. :thumbsdown:

Anyway, sorry that is just a pet peeve of mine. I don't have a real answer. I did just have a thought though. I am also looking at higher harness weight seats for my girls. They have Regents but we will need a set for spares. (I can not move the Regents around due to my MS.)

I wonder if KDM is going to start giving out Graco Nautilus as well?? (I wouldn't ask them to give me one, I'm just wondering if this might be a good option cost wise.)

Does our member from KDM know? I think that would be good too. For the smaller kids that would give them plenty of harness time, plus give them a booster afterwards.

About six months is what I have been told.

SingleMomTo2Girls said:

The person I know who got a seat from them got it very quickly. However she also lied through her teeth about her situation, finances, etc. They could have had Grandparents buy the seat but instead they had Grandparents give them a trip to Disneyworld. :thumbsdown:

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How sad that someone would take advantage of something like that I would easily qualify for a seat, but I would much rather plan ahead and save money for ours so that their seats can go to single mothers who are struggling to make ends meet and simply want to, but can't afford to get HWH seats even with planning ahead. And people like that couple someone was asking about here recently...the husband went to a job interview while the wife was in labor with twins. Sorry to go off on a tangent.

I know seats were fulfilled pretty quickly, but after some appearances on TV (Good Morning America or the like) they were inundated with applications, but not funds, so there was/is a long waiting list last I heard. I see they have reopened the application process to those receiving any type of state aid (ie Medicaid, Work First, etc) and are giving priority to those right at or above 40lbs.

I agree with you. This family has had a church paying their house and car payments for over a year. Then the church finally said they wouldn't do it anymore. The husband had to go back to work. How AWFUL. Neither of them had worked in over a year.

We had close friends who forcefully did some Christmas presents for my kids last year. I didn't want them to because it was not things we needed. My girls had everything they NEEDED. These friends wanted them to also have toys to play with that were not educational. They also helped out with a few clothes, shoes, etc. I felt slightly okay with it because their dance teachers were involved. They ADORE my kids and really enjoy doing it. But I still wasn't comfortable with it at all.

This particular family got OUTRAGEOUS things for their children for Christmas. Playstation, Guitar Hero, $100 dolls, etc. They ALSO had 3 different organizations provide them with Christmas last year.

They are also on Medicaid, food stamps, everything else you can imagine.

AND to add insult to injury. They aren't even USING the Regent they got from KDM. They put the child in a booster anyway. I don't know what they did with the Regent. My guess would be that they sold it. Their younger child (not even 2 years old and 35lbs) just got a cheap Costco seat with a harness limit of 40lbs. When they could have passed the Regent down to him and put the older child in a booster....except the Regent is already gone.

Yeah... sorry, people who take advantage of those that help them REALLY upset me. I have always done a sub for santa. Even last year, we took some of the toys that were donated to us down to Toys For Tots. It was Christmas Eve and there was still like 100 kids without a toy. We talked to the kids about it and picked out the things that we felt would be okay to part with. It was neat. We ended up taking in two shopping carts full. Including things that my Mom had collected as gifts when they were on sale. The people there were so excited and it made the kids feel so good to do that. We will do that every year. We always sponsored a family when I was growing up, even though we can't afford to do that now...we will do what we can.

Helping people is what it's all about. I simply can't imagine taking advantage of someone willing to help.

Anyway...end of rant, I swear.

laurenrachey said:

How sad that someone would take advantage of something like that I would easily qualify for a seat, but I would much rather plan ahead and save money for ours so that their seats can go to single mothers who are struggling to make ends meet and simply want to, but can't afford to get HWH seats even with planning ahead. And people like that couple someone was asking about here recently...the husband went to a job interview while the wife was in labor with twins. Sorry to go off on a tangent.

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4boysmom said:

I think the wait list is supposed to be well over 6 mo for "full scholarship", the "for donation" (which sounds like you can't pull off, but just for conversation sake) should only be a few weeks. I was told as soon as my proof of neediness was received I could buy the seat and then it sounded like it would be a fairly quick process to get them to send out to a tech and make a date for install so I could have an "approved" install.

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Hmm, well..at least I know its not like 2 years or something outrageous!
6 months is a long time though.

agurlsride said:

Hmm, well..at least I know its not like 2 years or something outrageous!
6 months is a long time though.

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I would make sure they know that your children are over 40lbs and in boosters. I would also see if you can find some family members to help with the cost. There are higher weight options for $100-$150. Or, if you could find family to help with donating, the wait list for KDM is much shorter.

SingleMomTo2Girls said:

I would make sure they know that your children are over 40lbs and in boosters. I would also see if you can find some family members to help with the cost. There are higher weight options for $100-$150. Or, if you could find family to help with donating, the wait list for KDM is much shorter.

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Yeah, I put down three of my kids but the oldest is 8 and 49lbs so he is probably OK in a booster (although I'd still like him harnessed).
I wish my family could afford to help me out. My mom has been helping with our bills but she is pretty much tapped out AND she just found out she is going to be forced into early retirement with only 1 years salary to compensate (she's been with the company for almost 40yrs!)
A couple of times I have bought the Alpha Elite and a Nautilus but had to return them because I needed the money...I hate being broke.
DH is getting discouraged with not finding a job, I feel bad and have been trying to pick up some overtime but I am exhausted, I work 3rd shift and its hard to sleep with the younger kids running around.

SingleMomTo2Girls said:

I would make sure they know that your children are over 40lbs and in boosters. I would also see if you can find some family members to help with the cost. There are higher weight options for $100-$150. Or, if you could find family to help with donating, the wait list for KDM is much shorter.

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Ok wait, I just got an email saying they need proof of receipt of financial assistance. What is that? I don't receive financial assistance except the help I've gotten from my mom?

As part of its screening process, the KDMF requires applicants to provide proof of eligibility for government benefits -- I guess it's more efficient to do it that way than to do all the verifications themselves.

I'm replying a little late, lol, but I got emailed days after I applied that we were approved for one, but that was like last March or April ('07) and I think that was before they got so unendated with applications after being on GMA. Even then I was told there was a waiting list with I think 50-100 people ahead of us, I think, though if I remember correctly she did say she moved him up a bit or something like that, b/c he was under 3 years old but almost 40lbs and therefore there was absolutely no other option remotely affordable and would have to go into a booster if he didn't get one.

I think they sent out a Radian in June, so that would only be a few months later, but it wasn't going to work in my car, and actually wouldn't have held my son very long either! And it went to another family. Then they sent a Regent in August or September. August, I think.
Amy

They are assuming that you would be getting Medicaid or Food stamps, etc. Explain that you are trying not to get assistance from the government but ask them if there is anything else you can provide. (Maybe check stubs, bank statements, etc...the same things you provide to get approved for Medicaid and stuff.)

agurlsride said:

Ok wait, I just got an email saying they need proof of receipt of financial assistance. What is that? I don't receive financial assistance except the help I've gotten from my mom?

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If you have applied for state help then they can give you a letter stating you have applied and the date. Besides that you could get a letter from mom stating she was helping you. I think they would in "good faith" accept a letter from mom.

I'm surprised. I would have thought with all the publicity and increased applications, they would have narrowed their focus even more, to children 5 and under who were over 40 lbs, the children who *need* HWH. :shrug-shoulders:

starlightCPST said:

I'm surprised. I would have thought with all the publicity and increased applications, they would have narrowed their focus even more, to children 5 and under who were over 40 lbs, the children who *need* HWH. :shrug-shoulders:

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I think those kids, like my son are moved to closer to the top of the list b/c they have dire need of a seat to be even minimally safe. A booster just isn't acceptable for a greater than 40lbs 2-3 year old. But I know they provide even regular car seats (I think I've heard that anyways) to families who just can't get a seat for their kids, period, even if they're smaller. I know I've heard Laura talking about personally buying Sceneras...

HEVY said:

If you have applied for state help then they can give you a letter stating you have applied and the date. Besides that you could get a letter from mom stating she was helping you. I think they would in "good faith" accept a letter from mom.

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I do not know how the application process works, but a letter from mom is very different than having demonstrated and verified need and passing the government benefits screening process.

chickabiddy said:

I do not know how the application process works, but a letter from mom is very different than having demonstrated and verified need and passing the government benefits screening process.

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I totally agree. I really don't see how a letter from mom is a verifying piece of information in regards to her finances. For all they know the letter could be written by the person applying and not from "mom".

Since the foundation can't tell who is telling the truth and who is not I believe they had to make the decision to rely on documentation from a federal program. They follow the WIC guidelines, if you can't make ends meet applying for a program like WIC is not taking a hand out it's a hand up and that is what the program is there for. If you meet the WIC income guidelines in your area, apply and if you are approved submit the documentation to the foundation.

Correct Jodi and thanks for the response. In order to qualify for our donation program, the family must be in receipt of financial assistance - examples of this are WIC, SSI, Medicaid & Foodstamps. Documentation proof must be submitted to me at the foundation so that I can verify that people are telling the truth. We have been taken advantage of on a few occasions (one I am just reading about in this thread - which leads me to asking people if they know someone is doing this to the foundation, I would appreciate the heads up if you would please) and we concluded that this was a fairly fool-proof way of weeding out those in true need, or as much as possible.

The child to whom the seat is going must be outgrowing or have outgrown a convertible car seat which harnesses to 40lbs.

Yes, I have personally bought Sceneras in the past for families who did not have local donation programs available to them, but I can no longer afford to do so and so we now refer people to their local Safe Kids Coalitions for smaller children and let them work out how to get a seat for smaller children through their own research.

The proof of receipt of financial assistance MUST be received within 30 days of application to the foundation otherwise the applicant is removed from our list. At the moment, we have 100 families on our waiting list and we are donating about 40 seats per quarter.

ETA - we will be donating Graco Nautiluses just as soon as we have them in stock - we were recently approved as a distributor of Graco products.