PATHWorks Newsletter: JANUARY 2020
Success Story
- Employment - Asset Building - Finances - Community Events -
Overcoming Barriers - Housing Works Updates - Resources
HAPPY NEW YEAR from all of us at Housing Works!
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Click the image below to read Housing Works 2019 Annual Report.
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COIC/WorkSource
WorkSource Oregon is a network of public and private partners who work together to effectively respond to workforce challenges through high-quality services to individuals and businesses, resulting in job attainment, retention and advancement.
WorkSource assists both job seekers and employers. Employment counselors meet with individuals and work on a variety of needs that revolve around providing comprehensive employment services to anyone looking for work. The Business Services Team works with employers to assist in the recruitment efforts to connect job seekers to local companies.
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Jenny Porfily is one of the Employment Counselors who works out of the Redmond WorkSource office. She has a wealth of knowledge around preparing for employment and community resources. With her 10 years of experience working with individuals who are looking for work, Jenny provides individualized one-on-one career counseling and exploration. Whether that means resume and cover letter assistance, interview preparation, mock interviews or referrals to additional re-training programs, Jenny will point you in the right direction. If you are not sure where to begin your job search, Jenny and her fellow co-workers can help with targeted job searches and updating application materials.
As a first time visitor to a WorkSource office, you’ll need to create an iMatch profile before meeting with one of their staff members. This can be done online at
http://www.oregon.gov/EMPLOY or you may visit WorkSource for assistance. It is helpful to have your previous work history, education and/or specific licensing/certifications information available when completing your registration.
Additional services and programs available through the WorkSource are:
- Workshops: Computer & Job Search related
- On-the-Job Training (Must be 18 and older)
- Educational Re-Training and Scholarships (Must be 18 and older)
- Apprenticeships
- Veteran’s services
- Vocational Rehabilitation
- WorkSource Business Services
- STEP Program for SNAP recipients
- MSFW (Migrant Seasonal Farm Worker) Program
Visit a
WorkSource office today for your employment needs. If you would like to contact Jenny Porfily directly, you can call her at (541)548-8196 or by email
jporfily@coic.org.
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Avoid Lifestyle Inflation to Build a Stronger Financial Future
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Congratulations! You just received a raise at work or changed jobs and are now earning a higher salary. That is great news, so what are you going to do with all of that extra money you are bringing in each paycheck? If you are like the majority of Americans, you will increase your monthly expenses. Why not, you have earned it, why not buy a nicer car or rent a more expensive apartment. This is called
Lifestyle Inflation, spending more in response to earning more.
The downside to Lifestyle Inflation is that you could be sacrificing your long-term financial health and goals for the short lived affect of buying those fancy new things you feel like you have been denying yourself. If you want to work towards a secure financial future, it takes planning and making financial decisions with the intent to reach your goals. Ask yourself, am I investing in myself and my financial future or am I mindlessly spending my money hoping that in the long-run I will have enough money to support myself when I am older?
If you are operating on a lower income it is even more important to take the time to create a financial plan to build assets and educate yourself on how to build wealth. Let’s face it, most of us could find an hour a day to read about investing, saving and building wealth. It is your choice whether you make the time or not.
Here is an article to help you get started and understand LifeStyle Inflation in more detail.
You can do this. Educate yourself, make a plan and then execute your plan!
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Money Disorders are Crushing your Budget
In December 2018, overall consumer debt hit a record high of 4 trillion dollars. Experts say a significant amount of this debt can be explained by money disorders. Brad Klontz, author of “Mind Over Money” and co-founder of the Financial Psychology Institute, says that "money disorders is an umbrella term for recurring and self-defeating issues that people have with money and are often the result of underlying psychological issues like anxiety, depression or trauma". He says treatment requires that people think about their behaviors and feelings toward money.
Klontz "finds that most disorders fall into three broad categories":
- Money Avoidance Disorders: Involves some sort of anxiety, such as financial denial, not looking at statements, and not wanting to think about or talk about money.
- Relational Money Disorders: Involves relationships with other people. For example, financial infidelity which is the result of hiding where you spend money because you might feel bad about it.
- Money Worshiping Disorders: Associating money with an emotional need, such as a sense of happiness or connection which is generally related to compulsive buying disorder.
Each category can be broken into more specific conditions like overspending, workaholism and pathological gambling.
Not all money disorders have to do with spending. Being an obsessive saver may be a problem as well. A money hoarder might have anxiety about not having enough money because they may have grown up in poverty and never had enough leading them to not want to spend money to the extreme of not paying bills or taking care of other financial responsibilities.
Knowing if you have a money disorder can be the key to fixing your
budget. Watch the video below and read the full article
here to learn more about how to tell if you have a money disorder — and how to treat it by asking yourself these six questions before making a purchase:
- Why am I here?
- How do I feel?
- Do I need this?
- What if I wait?
- How will I pay for it?
- Where will I put it?
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Come Play at Bend Park and Recreation!
Bend Park and Recreation District (BPRD) believes that everyone should have the opportunity to benefit from recreation activities. BPRD provides financial assistance to qualifying individuals and households for many recreation programs and activities. The goal is to remove financial barriers for community members with limited financial resources. Come learn and sign up for a Bend Park and Recreation District activity at:
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Child Care
Finding quality, affordable, and available child care is challenging and has become a barrier for many parents and guardians trying to find employment. Child care and early education programs can allow parents to obtain and retain employment by opening up time in their day. These programs also further their child's education, while promoting child development and school readiness.
Finding Quality Child Care: A Guide for Oregon's Families, provides information, resources, and guidance to help you to make the best decision when choosing a child care program that meets the needs of your family. When you’re looking for child care, you want to find a program that’s convenient, open when you need it, and within your budget. All of those things are important, but most importantly, you and your child need a child care program that makes sure your child is safe, healthy and learning.
You are your child’s first and most important teacher. Your child care provider is a critical partner with you. To make sure your child care supports your child, your family and your ability to get to work, it’s important to choose a high quality child care program. It can be hard to identify high quality child care. For information on how to find quality child care and what a quality child care program looks like, start
here.
Check out the guides below to help you find quality child care and the best questions to ask when looking for child care.
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Midtown Place
New Development coming to Redmond!
Midtown Place, located at NW 5th and Greenwood Avenue, will provide 47 new affordable apartments to the Redmond housing market. The development will include a two-story, 47,167 square foot building that will bridge North and South Redmond and connect the adjacent commercial and residential areas. Midtown Place is designed to house members of the community who work in downtown Redmond, the industrial sector, and the hospital who are currently burdened by market rate rents. The goal of Midtown Place is to enhance midtown with an attractive property, improve the economic viability of the Urban Renewal District by bringing in 47 workforce families, and create a strong link between the residents and downtown Redmond, its businesses, and activities.
Residents of Midtown Place will have easy access to Redmond’s commercial core, with opportunities for dining out, employment, shopping, connecting with friends and participating in downtown Redmond activities. Retail, dining, employment, parks, and medical care are all within 2 miles of the property. Nearby parks include Stack Park, Centennial Park and Dry Canyon with its associated trails, sports facilities, and entertainment venues.
Construction is expected to begin in June 2020 and be completed by June 2021. Stay tuned for more information about Midtown Place!
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Housing Choice Voucher Program
Waiting List Opening
The Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program waiting list will open:
Monday, January 13th, 2020 (8 am)
through
Friday, January 17th, 2020 (5 pm)
This program is open to low-income qualified residents of Deschutes, Jefferson and Crook counties. Applicants must apply online at
www.oregonhousingworks.org.
The time you apply during the week does not impact your position on the waiting list. All applications taken during the open period will be randomized by a computer and placed on the waiting list to give all applicants an equal chance. All current applications are purged from the waiting list on December 31st. Anyone who is currently on the waiting list needs to reapply to the 2020 list.
If you need assistance filling out the application, Housing Works will have staff and computers available at our main office in Redmond and at our satellite office in Bend between 8 am and 5 pm during the application week:
Redmond: 405 SW 6th St.
Bend: 675 NE Bellevue Dr.
You may call Housing Works for more information at: (541) 923-1018.
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Welcome to the Team John!
Housing Works would like to introduce and welcome John Baldwin as our new Resident Services Coordinator. John, along with his wife Kate and their three young children recently relocated to Central Oregon from the Oregon Coast. They moved here to seek new opportunities for their family, expand their capacity to continue helping others, and enjoy all the people and places that make Central Oregon such a special place to live.
John has been actively involved in serving the communities of Coos County for over sixteen years through various roles and organizations. He has a degree in Fire Science (firefighting/EMS) and years of professional training and certification in nonprofit leadership. He has spent the majority of his career working with nonprofits and local ministries to help teach workers and volunteers how to more effectively serve their communities. His most recent position before joining Housing Works was as a Young Life Area Director for the Southern Oregon Coast and as a Homeless Youth Transition Case Manager for the Coos Bay School District's A.R.K Project.
Having the opportunity to continue to work for an organization that serves people in his new community, both personally and professionally, was a significant factor for him desiring to join us here at Housing Works and help contribute to our continued efforts of
fostering dignity through housing. John is looking forward to building more relationships with all our community partners as well as doing all he can to help facilitate the health and growth of not only our Housing Works residents but many other marginalized and disadvantaged residents of Central Oregon. Please help us in welcoming John to the Housing Works Team!
John Baldwin's contact information:
Phone: (541) 323-7419
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Rent a Home in Prineville for Only $900 per Month
Our “homeowner in training” program, the Tutor Home program, provides residents the opportunity to lease a home for up to two years while they take steps to prepare for the purchase of their own home.
How It Works:
- You receive one-on-one coaching about the home buying process.
- We review your credit report and suggest options to improve your credit score, if needed.
- We help you develop a spending plan and make deliberate decisions about where you want your money to go.
- You have access to a 3:1 matched savings account (VIDA).
- A portion of your rent is set aside and applied toward the purchase of your own home, upon successful program completion.
- We support you through the home loan and closing processes.
Are You Eligible?
- Preference given to current Housing Choice Voucher holder and FSS graduate applicants.
- Available to those earning 80% or less of the Area Median Income (AMI).
- Must reside or work in Deschutes, Crook or Jefferson County.
- Tenants must demonstrate by the end of the lease that, a) their income will be sufficient to support a mortgage, and b) they will be in a position to obtain mortgage financing.
- Participants must comply with a Tutor Home Lease Agreement, pass home inspections, and complete program requirements.
Applicants should be able to qualify for a mortgage loan within TWO years. If you are unsure of what that means, call for more information.
For more information, please contact Housing Works' Family Self-Sufficiency Program Manager, Andy Hall, at (541) 323-7413 or email him at
ahall@housing-works.org.
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