$5,000 to Create Comic Books…
… The Xeric Foundation offers financial assistance to fully committed, self-publishing comic book creators and qualified charitable and non-profit organizations. The purpose is to assist comic book creators with some of the costs in self-publishing their work. The geographical consideration for comic book artists is the United States and Canada. Organizations must be located in Western Massachusetts. Contact: Xeric Foundation, 351 Pleasant St., PMB 214, Northampton, MA 01060-3900; (413) 585-0671; http://www.xericfoundation.com; xericgrant@aol.com.

Actors Get $40 to Buy Shoes…
… The Conrad Cantzen Memorial Shoe Fund offers entertainment professionals up to $40, once in every twelve-month period, for shoes costing no more than $80. This program is administered by The Actors’ Fund of America. Contact: The Actors' Fund of America, 729 Seventh Avenue, 10th Floor, New York, NY 10019; (212) 221-7300, ext. 146; Fax: (212) 764-0238; http://www.actorsfund.org/human/social/cantzen.html; lnaudus@actorsfund.org.

“By Engaging Opposition, A Deeper Understanding Of One’s Own Standpoint…
… emerges. If you just think about your own viewpoint and you have no willingness to open yourself to opposing viewpoints, there will be no room for growth or improvement. Welcoming challenge will help tremendously to sharpen your mind; without it, the mind will go soft.”

From, The Art Of Happiness At Work by The Holiness the Dali Lama and Howard C Cutler, M.D.

Vouchers for FREE Mammograms…
… The Actors’ Fund’s Phyllis Newman Women’s Health Initiative (PNWHI) provides vouchers for FREE mammograms for members of the entertainment community. Other health-related services are available -- mostly support groups and referral services. Contact: The Actors' Fund of America, 729 Seventh Avenue, 10th Floor, New York, NY 10019; (212) 221-7300, ext. 143; Fax: (212) 764-0238; http://www.actorsfund.org/human/social/newman.html; cmannes@actorsfund.org.

FREE Pharmaceutical Products…
… The Janssen Ortho Patient Assistance Foundation offers needy persons FREE pharmaceutical products on a non-discriminatory basis. Giving is on a national level. Contact: Janssen Ortho Patient Assistance Foundation, Inc.,
1 Johnson & Johnson Plaza, New Brunswick, NJ 08933; (800) 652-6227.

Ask Lesko…
… This week’s winner, Carolyn, sent in the following question:

Answer: Many people assume that you can only qualify for government grants if you have a very low income. The truth is, there are thousands of money programs for all kinds of credit and income levels – you just need to know where to look. It’s important to look beyond the federal or state levels for help. Frequently, the best sources of money are found at the local or non-profit levels.

My book “Free Money to Pay Your Bills” (www.freemoneytopayyourbills.com/pbstarpaybills12/) has over 4,000 sources of government help for getting out of debt and all kinds of personal needs. If you’re looking to start a business, you may want to consider our “Free Money to Start a Business /Fedfind” ebooks (www.howtogetagrant.com/grfedfind1/). Each of our 50 ebooks contains several hundred programs for a particular state for starting or expanding a business as well as downloadable federal applications for applying for these grants.

Thank you for your question and good luck!

Each week, I answer a reader’s question about government grants. If yours is selected, you will receive a free copy of my book, “Gobs and Gobs of Free Stuff”. Send your questions to Dixiestjohn@earthlink.net. Please keep your questions short and as specific as possible.

$250,000 to Improve the World’s Food Supply…
… Grants of up to $250,000 are available to individuals for achievement in improving the world food supply. Giving is both national and international. Contact: World Food Prize Foundation, 666 Grand Ave., Ste. 1700, Des Moines, IA 50309; (515) 245-3783; Fax: (515) 245-3785; http://www.worldfoodprize.com; wfp@worldfoodprize.org, jpim@worldfoodprize.org. Application address: World Food Prize Foundation, 1700 Ruan Ctr., 666 Grand Ave., Des Moines, IA 50309.

$300,000 to Make a Documentary Film…
… The primary focus of funding is independent documentary film. Grant awards for production typically range from $50,000 to $300,000 and provide partial support for documentary series and individual independent films. The gift funds are awarded both nationally and internationally. Contact: John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, 140 S. Dearborn St., Ste. 1100, Chicago, IL 60603-5285; (312) 726-8000; Fax: (312) 920-6258; http://www.macfound.org; 4answers@macfound.org; media@macfound.org.

$500,000 to Be Creative!…
… The MacArthur Fellows Program is intended to encourage people of outstanding talent to pursue their own creative, intellectual, and professional inclinations. In keeping with this purpose, the Foundation awards fellowships directly to individuals rather than through institutions. Recipients may be writers, scientists, artists, social scientists, humanists, teachers, entrepreneurs, or those in other fields, with or without institutional affiliations. Each fellowship comes with a stipend of $500,000 to the recipient, paid out in equal quarterly installments over five years. This is a national and international award. Contact: John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, 140 S. Dearborn St., Ste. 1100, Chicago, IL 60603-5285; (312) 726-8000; Fax: (312) 920-6258; http://www.macfound.org; 4answers@macfound.org; macfellows@macfound.org.

New Custom Research Report For Housing in Your Neighborhood…
... Lesko researchers will produce a customized report showing you over 100 government and non-profit money programs for real estate in your city or town. Learn where the local money is for buying a home or investing in real estate! See www.howtogetagrant.com/25grremr62/.