Tag Archives: money

Education, Local Events, Volunteering and Giving

Building Credit presentation at Cleveland HS, 10/30

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The Cleveland High School Eagles PTSA is sponsoring financial classes (open to anyone in South Seattle) and parent conversation groups (open to anyone with children). All classes are free.

The next class is Tuesday, October 30, from 6-8:30 p.m. at the Cleveland High School lunchroom, 5511 15th Ave. S. The presentation, “Building Credit,” is taught by staff from Boeing Employee Credit Union, and will help attendees understand credit reports and what can and can’t be done to correct errors on a credit report.

The PTSA is also looking for volunteers to lead groups of speakers of Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Tagalog, and Somali. Volunteers should also be reasonably fluent in English. The first classes will be in English only, but in the future, the plan is to train translaters in the course material so they can lead classes in these languages.

If you would like to volunteer, or just have questions, please contact Angela Mealing at eaglesmama@ymail.com.

Education, Local Events

Tax prep services and financial literacy classes coming to El Centro

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It's that time of year again! Photo by Alan Cleaver.
El Centro de la Raza has some useful finance-related services coming up over the next couple of months.

They are a United Way Free Tax Prep Campaign site, and will be providing free tax preparation services to low-income taxpayers, in English and Spanish. The free tax prep services will be on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:00 – 9:00 pm and Saturdays from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm, starting January 12 and running until April 15, at El Centro, 2524 16th Avenue South.

Volunteers are also welcome for the tax prep services. To volunteer, please call (206) 957-4602 or email volunteer@elcentrodelaraza.org.

El Centro is also offering a series of financial literacy classes in English and Spanish. In the Credit Smart courses, students will learn about how to make an individual financial plan, why we use banks and their services, how to choose and keep a checking account, what your rights are as a consumer, and other important skills and knowledge.

Wednesday classes are in English, from 4:00 – 7:00 pm.  The Saturday class is in Spanish from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm. The English classes are a series of four classes; the Spanish classes combine the entire series into a single all-day session.

The English-language class series runs weekly, beginning on January 13 and again on February 10 and March 10. The Spanish-language courses this month are on January 16 and 30, and will also be offered on February 6, 20, and 27, and on March 6, 13, and 20.

For additional information or to register for the series, contact Simona Alvarez, Financial Literacy Coordinator, at 206-957-4610 or email homeownership@elcentrodelaraza.org.

Education, Recreation

Learn to dance or to save money

Puddletown Squares will bring square dancing to the historic Garden House this fall. Photo by Joe Mabel, Wikimedia Commons.
Puddletown Squares will bring square dancing to the historic Garden House this fall. Photo by Joe Mabel, Wikimedia Commons.
Puddletown Squares, a gay and lesbian square dance club open to everyone, are coming to Beacon Hill with square dance lessons starting tonight at the Garden House (also known as the Turner-Koepf House), 2336 15th Avenue South. Lessons run for 20 weeks on Thursday nights from 7:00 – 9:30 pm. The first three lessons are free, after which you can decide whether to continue and pay for the rest of the series. The Puddletown folks do Modern Western Square Dancing, which they describe as “upbeat and energetic without a single hay-bale in sight… danced to all sorts of music, and especially at a gay club like Puddletown, you will be dancing to Disco, world music, house, Salsa, old show tunes, and top 40 hits.” Everyone is welcome.

Beacon Hill’s own Verity Credit Union is offering free credit and money management seminars. Both members and non-members of Verity are welcome to attend these seminars, at which a financial counselor will discuss credit reports, how credit scores work, and what you can do to raise your score.  He’ll also cover money management techniques designed to help you save more and spend less. The bad news? The seminars aren’t here on the Hill, but at the Northgate branch on September 17, or all the way out in Lynnwood on September 16. Both seminars run from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm. If you are interested, RSVP to Joe Lancaster at 206-315-6718 or JosephL@veritycu.com.

Local Business

BH business district misses out on $thousands

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At a community event in nearby Columbia City:

Today Mayor Greg Nickels presented funding awards totaling $128,384 to 22 Neighborhood Business District Associations throughout Seattle to continue the city’s investments in building healthy communities and supporting our local economy.

Some of the projects funded include the creation of new business organizations, business district promotion (branding, marketing campaigns, farmers market start-up), physical improvement and enhancement projects (leaf clean up, curb bulb landscaping and banners), etc.

The 2009 Neighborhood Business District Awards recipients were:

  • African Business Association – $5,000
  • Business Owners of Madrona – $3,500
  • Capitol Hill Housing – $5,000
  • Chinatown International District BIA – $7,000
  • Columbia City Business Association – $11,880
  • Georgetown Merchants Association – $5,000
  • Greater Queen Anne Chamber of Commerce – $6,000
  • Greater Seattle Business Association – $15,000
  • Greater University Chamber of Commerce – $2,000
  • Greenwood Phinney Chamber of Commerce – $5,000
  • Lake City Chamber of Commerce – $5,000
  • Madison Valley Merchants Association – $4,200
  • Magnolia Chamber of Commerce – $2,600
  • Metropolitan Improvement District – $4,144
  • Picture Perfect Queen Anne – $4,000
  • Pioneer Square Community Association – $7,500
  • Rainier Beach Merchants Association – $3,850
  • Rainier Chamber of Commerce – $3,710
  • SODO Business Association – $8,000
  • South Lake Union Chamber of Commerce – $10,000
  • West Seattle Chamber of Commerce – $5,000
  • White Center Community Development Association – $5,000

Total Amount of Awards: $128,384

And what about Beacon Hill? How much money did our business associations receive? Continue reading BH business district misses out on $thousands →