"Civil Rights 101: A Workshop for Social Service Providers"
April 4, 2012
1 - 4:30 p.m.
810 Third Avenue, First Floor Conference Room
Seattle
Register at 206-684-0548, maria.rodriguez@seattle.gov
Sponsored by Seattle Office for Civil Rights and SKC ABC
This workshop is designed for social service providers to assist their clients by learning how to identify illegal discrimination and file a civil rights charge, and educate providers about laws protecting people with disabilities and criminal records.

Strengthening the Family Summit
May 17-18, 2012
New Holly Gathering Hall
7054 32nd Avenue
Seattle, WA
For more info, contact terrence.lewis@comcast.net

Financial Fitness Day
March 31, 2012
Rainier Community Center
4600 38th Ave. S
Seattle, WA
10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

SKC ABC Quarterly Meeting
February 16, 2012
2 - 4 p.m.
Location: 2100 24th Ave., S., Seattle 98144
Presentation by UW Ass't Professor Crystal Hall on behavioral economics and the practical implications for our work in financial empowerment.

Washington Asset Building Coalition Meeting
February 13, 2012 (NEW DATE)
9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
First Christian Church
701 Franklin Street, SE
Olympia, WA
$12 registration fee (includes lunch)
RSVP to sbowman@washingtonabc.org

2012 Assets & Opportunity Scorecard by CFED, January 2012. Learn how Washington state ranks compared to other states on issues related to asset-building.

Why Policymakers Shoud Care About Children's Savings, by New America Foundation and Center for Social Development, January 2012.

State of the Uninsured: Health Coverage in Washington State, published by the Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner, December 2011.

With a Stroke of a Pen: Two Dozen Low-cost, Politically Viable State Policy Ideas to Increase Financial Security and Opportunity in Tough Fiscal Times was published by CFED in November 2011.

Banking on Opportunity: A Scan of the Evolving Field of Bank on Initiatives was recently released by the U.S. Department of Treasury and includes a case study of Bank on Seattle-King County.

Rising Economic Insecurity Among Senior Single Women is a new report from the Institute on Assets and Socail Policy. The report finds that rising housing expenses, fixed and inadquate household budgets, and very low levels of retirement assets are contirbuting to rapidly rising economic insecuirty among senior single women.

A recent Center for Social Development study found that children's savings programs may promote college progress by reinforcing the belief of the child that he or she will attend college.

Here’s a great article from the Shriver Center on Poverty Law about credit reports: what’s free (including a score, sometimes), how credit reports and scores are used, and what legislation is being considered to regulate their use: Credit Reports and Scores: What’s Free?

You can watch the Seattle City Council Forum: Building Economic Security through Financial Empowerment--National Perspectives and Local Strategies, that took place on June 23 by clicking here. SKC ABC and partners were prominently featured.

StartZone's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Center is available to anyone whose household earnings in 2011 were less than $50,000, including those who report business income on a Schedule C.  The Center is located at Highline Community College Outreach Center, Bldg 99, Room 251. The site is open from 4-8 p.m on Thursdays and 9 a.m. - 1p.m. on Saturdays through April 14.  For more info, 206-592-3388, or email startzone@highline.edu.

Opportunity Center for Employment & Education at North Seattle Community College has a new website, https://northseattle.edu/ocee. Check out the list of free workshops, classes, and resources.

Partner Washington C.A.S.H. offers Individual Development Accounts (IDAs)—or matched savings accounts--for business and plans to have 33 new accounts available in Spring of 2012.  To be eligible to join the IDA program waitlist, participants must first successfully complete a Washington C.A.S.H. Business
Development Training and become a group member of a Washington C.A.S.H. Advanced Training Track.  To sign up for an orientation to apply for the Business Development Training, please visit http://washingtoncash.org/grow-your-business.

Washington Access Fund is accepting a new round of applications for its Assistive Technology IDA  (matched savings) program. Low-income households may apply for an account to match their savings for assistive technology or business equipment.  More info at http://www.washingtonaccessfund.org/ida_program/ida_program.php. .

State Treasurer McIntire is spearheading a statewide effort to raise awareness of the importance of financial education in schools.  Financial Football is a free educational video game and classroom curriculum developed by Visa Inc as a tool to help improve the money management skills of school-age students.  Available online, at www.watreasurer.financialfootball.com, and if you want a copy, contact Gina Start, Regina.Stark@tre.wa.gov.