Thurston Asset Building Coalition

ake advantage of this opportunity open for all ages and income levels: get your taxes prepared for free! AARP Foundation provides free tax aide sites annually. There are 7 locations open in Thurston County January 29 - April 15. Visit taxaidewa20.org/online or call 360-474-3869 to schedule your appointment.

Get YOUR money back this year!

Hi there! Let us reintroduce ourselves. We're the Thurston Asset Building Coalition. We have been supporting the South Sound region since 2012 through our four interconnected hubs focused on health equity, housing, food security, and economic advancement. We connect partners and community resources that promote opportunities for people with limited incomes to become more resilient and prosperous.

We recently moved under the fiscal sponsorship of Enterprise for Equity. As we expand and deepen our work, we invite you to stay connected with us to hear about community resources and to connect with other social services providers in the South Sound region.

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide will offer free tax preparation in Thurston County this year with appointments beginning in February and ending in mid-April. They are preparing tax returns at libraries and senior centers this year, and welcome clients of all ages and income levels unless your return is outside the scope of their training. All their volunteers are IRS certified.

In most cases, your return will be prepared in one visit from start to finish unless you are missing important tax documents or identification.

They start taking appointments in mid-January for appointments starting February 1, 2023. There are three ways to make an appointment:

1. Call their appointment line at 360-474-3869 and leave a message.

2. Make an appointment on their website at https://taxaidewa20.org/online/

3. Walk in to one of their sites during open hours. They will accept Walk-ins if space is available, or they will schedule an appointment for a later date.

If you leave a message on their appointment line, one of their volunteers will get back to you within 3 business days. Your caller ID will show (617) 675-4444 when they call back. Please add this number to your phone contacts under Tax-Aide.

*Yelm Timberland Library patrons can make an appointment by calling the library reference desk at 360-539-3330 or can make an appointment while visiting the library.

The Thurston Strong BIPOC Business Task Force would like to better understand the challenges BIPOC business owners face in starting and growing their business, why they decided to become entrepreneurs, how they achieved success, and opportunities to support BIPOC-owned businesses throughout Thurston County.

Your responses will be totally anonymous. We appreciate and honor your voice.

BIPOC Entrepreneur Questionnaire: http://ow.ly/knGT50MsVE1

Thurston County Law and Justice partners are hosting a Legal Financial Obligation (LFO) Reconsideration Day. Individuals with LFOs can register for an appointment and appear in-person at the courthouse or virtually via Zoom by clicking the link below.

Once registered, attorneys will review each individual case to determine eligibility. Those who are eligible will be provided an appointment time on the day of the event and will have their LFOs reconsidered by the court.

There is no cost to register for the event or participate. You must register. They will not accept walk-ins: https://www.thurstoncountywa.gov/pd

Date: August 15, 2022
Time: 8am - 5pm
Location: Thurston County Courthouse and Zoom
Contact: [email protected]

Thank you to the Veterans in our community, and to all who have served.

The Salvation Army Angel Tree Application for Christmas Assistance is now open. Sign up here from Oct 25th through Nov 15th: https://saangeltree.org/

The BankOn WA forum is just one week away! We are so excited for you to join us in exploring how we can leverage Financial Technology (FinTech) to increase financial inclusion and wellness for individuals and communities who have been historically marginalized and excluded. http://thurstonabc.org/bankon-washington-virtual-forum-2021-registration-is-live/

Do you like helping others? Do you want to develop new skills, build your resume, or gain work experience? Join our team and Volunteer with Tax-Aide today! http://thurstonabc.org/join-our-team-and-volunteer-with-tax-aide-toady/

Morgan Housel, author of The Psychology of Money, will be our opening plenary speaker at the BankOn WA forum next month. Morgan is a partner at The Collaborative Fund and a former columnist at The Motley Fool and The Wall Street Journal. Join us to hear his thoughts about the ways FinTech can be leveraged to the benefit of un- and under-banked and low income individuals and communities!

Read more about his fascinating book: https://thecollegeinvestor.com/34999/the-psychology-of-money-review/

Utility moratorium expires Sept. 30. If you're behind on water, electricity, natural gas, phone or internet bills, call your utility or provider, make a plan, keep your service. More info in 36 languages: https://direc.to/hhtP

https://mailchi.mp/1df3ab0631c0/uh-oh-do-you-have-enough-saved-for-retirement-8679993

Human Trafficking in our Region and What We Can Do About It

A Message from FHA on Safeguarding Renters A Message from FHA on Safeguarding Renters Office of Housing sent this bulletin at 09/08/2021 11:05 AM EDT Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page. A Message from FHA on Safeguarding Renters In the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision that invalidated the Centers for Disease ...

Nearly one-quarter of teenage students and 1 in 10 college students in the US experience Period Poverty – which is the inability to access menstrual hygiene products. Between COVID shortages and financial instabilities – students (and even adults) choose to not go to school or work due to shame of not having. Those who have purchased before understand the necessity but also the cost of maintaining supplies – so now is the time to help out!

Olympia Soroptimist members are now gathering hygiene items for the Period Day project – contact us directly to donate before October 1st, or you can bring your items to the locations and dates listed below. Thank You!

Money Doesn’t Grow on Trees: How to Teach Kids About Finance - Worth Apps like Acorns and Till are helping nurture smarter spenders.

ENERGY ASSISTANCE:
We will be scheduling Energy Assistance appointments for Thurston County residents on Friday, September 24th, for Lewis County residents on Monday, September 27th, and for Mason County residents on Tuesday, September 28th.

Phone lines will open at 7:00am and the online scheduler will open at 9:00am on each county's respective opening day. To schedule an appointment by phone in Thurston County, please call (360) 438-1100. To schedule an appointment by phone in Lewis County, please call (360) 736-1800. To schedule an appointment in Mason County, please call (360) 426-9726.

When calling to make your appointment, please have a pen and paper, your electric and/or natural gas account number, the household's mailing address, and the gross household income for three previous months.

Please be patient when calling to make an appointment. Our team will answer the phones as fast as possible, but there are thousands of folks who are in need of assistance and they will all be calling at the same time.

Please see updated income guidelines below.

The SafePlace 40th Birthday Bash is going virtual!

Get the details here... https://www.safeplaceolympia.org/birthdaybash.html

Please visit strengtheningfamiliesconference.org to register today!

https://app.brazenconnect.com/events/j375p?fbclid=IwAR2V1s5Y0GGSaGfwuz2ItXq0POJPDyImn39q__lZFxwzeZVfDH5To1rf-no

Find Work Friday A Regional Hiring Event Save your spot to chat directly with a variety of employers. Each chat lasts around 10 minutes. You can join from your desktop or smartphone at anytime during the event. Sign up today!

Financial Aid Resources: Washington is an excellent state for adult learners. You can get financial help from a variety of sources—the federal government, the state of Washington, the campus you attend, your employer, and private scholarships. There are financial resources if you are recently unemployed or need to retrain for a new career. Washington College Grant has recently expanded state funding for more students.

Learn More: https://compass.wsac.wa.gov/article/financial-aid-resources

Employment – Community Action Council Come and join our incredible team at Community Action Council; where your passion to serve others and your profession come together.

Washington’s voluntary Retirement Marketplace connects underserved workers with low-cost, state-verified retirement savings plans. Find a plan in just four easy steps.
Start early! https://retirement-marketplace.com/?fbclid=IwAR0tOkymF4kdA71XuI9lFAnfvgA7ji670BQy_MHQRSplObZq8Y9KbOm9vJI

The manufacturing industry remains vital to our economy and employs millions every year. Apply today and join these makers: https://bit.ly/3BTrP45