I understand where you were coming from mate. I first picked up cricket at the age of 8, through seeing my friends playing it at school, and then my dad eventually got me a Kashmir willow bat from his Indian freind for my 10th birthday. Since my dad knew nothing about cricket then, he got me a bat that was for a 10 year old beginner, and it was a size 5, which was too big for me as I was shorter than most.
My mum also knew nothing about cricket (she thinks $100 is expensive for my current SH bat, even though it cost $200, half of which I paid and saved for myself and the other half got paid for by my dad).
Anyway, she enrolled me for a club, and I remember asking if I needed anything other than a bat. She said no, and I ended up borrowing everything apart from a bat, when I came to my first match. I remember getting out to a half volley on off stump, with my head pointing towards the sky. Next week, I went with my dad and bought all the required gear, even though they said it was expensive
So, my family isn't poor by any means, but since they didn't know much, they weren't as willing to spend money on something that they didn't know about. If it is obvious that a kid is struggling financially, or their parents don't have knowledge of the game and the reason of cost, other parents/coaches of children in that child's team should chip in, and that's why people like you and others should be commended for your hard work and generosity.