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PATHWorks Newsletter: April 2024
Success Stories - Employment - Finances - Asset Building - Community Events - Housing Works Updates - Resources
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How to be a Successful FSS/PATHWorks Participant and Graduate
Are you currently enrolled in the Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) or what Housing Works calls our PATHWorks program? Perhaps you're considering joining or already a participant and well on your way toward graduation. Wherever you are in the process, understanding what it takes to be a successful participant and graduate can significantly impact your journey toward financial independence. Let's explore what it means to thrive in the FSS program and meet your graduation requirements.
Common Characteristics of Successful Participants
Successful FSS participants exhibit many of these characteristics that contribute to their achievements:
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Discipline: Stay committed to your action plans, follow through on commitments, and stay focused on your goals, even in the face of obstacles.
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Meet Regularly: Meet consistently with your PATHWorks coach to track your progress, update your goals and have an accountability partner.
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Goal-Oriented: Set clear, achievable goals and develop actionable plans to accomplish them. Regularly review and adjust your goals based on progress and changing circumstances. Adapt, evolve, and celebrate every milestone.
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Good Communication: Effective communication with program coaches, caseworkers, mentors, peers, and resources is crucial. Ask questions, seek guidance when needed, and actively engage in the program's offerings leveraging every opportunity for growth.
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Resilience: Demonstrate resilience in overcoming setbacks and challenges. Rather than viewing obstacles as impossible, overwhelming, and unable to move on, approach them as opportunities for growth and learning.
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Resourcefulness: Resourceful in seeking out support services, community resources, and educational opportunities that can aid you on your journey toward self-sufficiency.
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Accountability: Provide third-party verification of your completed goals. Embrace transparency and accountability as essential cornerstones of your journey towards success.
Graduation Requirements: The Path to Achievement
To be eligible to graduate FSS and receive any accumulated FSS escrow savings, FSS participants:
- Must be suitably employed.
- No member of the household may be receiving welfare (TANF) assistance at the time of graduation.
- In addition, you must complete the goals you outlined in your Individual Training and Services Plan (ITSP). Your additional goals on your ITSP can be revised during your FSS participation. Make sure to review your goals and let your FSS Coach know if you want to make any revisions during your program participation to ensure a successful completion of the FSS program. These additional goals typically include completing financial education courses, reducing debt, increasing savings, increasing your income and fulfilling training or educational goals.
Your Goal, Your Journey
As you embark on your FSS journey or continue your progress toward graduation, remember this: success is within your reach, but it requires commitment, determination, and perseverance. What's your goal, and what are you willing to do to get there? Take a moment to reflect on your aspirations and the steps you're prepared to take to turn them into reality. Whether it's career advancement, debt reduction personal growth, or homeownership, know that you have the power to achieve it. Stay focused, stay motivated, and stay committed to your success. Here's to your journey toward self-sufficiency and the bright future that awaits you!
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Is the PATHWorks program for you?
See how this voluntary program available to Housing Choice Voucher holders can support you to achieve your goals!
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Soft Skills in the Workplace
What are soft skills?
They are personal attributes that can affect relationships, communication, and interaction with others.
Key Points
- Soft skills, often called people skills or emotional intelligence, are defined as the ability to interact amicably with others.
- Honing your abilities to resolve conflicts, solve problems, and provide excellent customer service can lead to stronger relationships with colleagues, clients, and other professional contacts.
- It’s not uncommon to either underestimate the importance of soft skills or to overestimate your own proficiency.
Why are soft skills important?
Soft skills are an essential part of improving one’s ability to work with others and can have a positive influence on furthering your career. Having strong soft skills allow you to contribute to a positive work culture and your overall satisfaction at work. Soft skills are your personality skills that make you a great person to work with, enable you to lead others and navigate the complexities of work, life and relationships.
Evaluating your own soft skills
Many people overestimate their soft skills, so it is important to identify your soft skill strengths and opportunities. He are three ways to start evaluating your soft skills.
- When you encounter a tough day at work take some time to reflect on how you reacted or handled the situation.
- Ask a trusted colleague or mentor to provide you feedback.
- Take a soft skills training.
WorkSource Oregon offers a free online Soft Skills Workshop most Wednesdays from 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm. Click on the link below to register.
https://www.worksourceoregon.org/workshops
This a great first step to learning more about, and improving your soft skills.
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Exploring Financial Freedom Through thebalance.com
Master aspects of your financial life with expert advice and how-to guides on topics ranging from investing and debt management to finding a new job at thebalance.com. Whether you're planning for retirement, saving for a dream vacation, or just trying to make ends meet, having access to reliable financial information is crucial. This is where thebalance.com comes in, serving as your ultimate guide to achieving financial freedom.
As one of the leading financial advice websites, thebalance.com offers a wealth of resources designed to help individuals make informed decisions about their money. From budgeting tips to investment strategies, the platform covers a wide range of topics that are relevant to people of all ages and financial backgrounds.
One of the key features of thebalance.com is its comprehensive library of articles and guides. If you're a beginner looking to learn the basics of personal finance or a seasoned investor seeking advanced strategies, you'll find informative articles tailored to your needs and interactive tools and calculators to help make those challenging financial decisions. Topics range from how to create a budget and manage debt to understanding more complex financial topics like stocks options and futures trading.
Thebalance.com is an invaluable resource for anyone looking to take control of their finances and build a secure future. With its comprehensive articles, interactive tools, and expert advice, this website provides information to learn all about achieving financial freedom. So why wait? Start exploring the website today and take the first step towards a brighter financial future.
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Leverage Your Savings: Have your Money Make you Money
Did you know you can make money just by having money in a savings account? Many banks, credit unions, and other financial institutions offer savings accounts that allow you to store your money while earning interest on your deposits. If you're interested in earning higher interest rates, consider alternatives to a traditional savings account. Explore different options that can leverage your savings, allowing your money to work for you and generate passive income. Whether it's through high-yield savings accounts, Certificate of Deposit (CD), or seeking alternatives to traditional savings accounts, there are strategies to maximize your earnings.
One effective method to amplify your savings is by exploring high-interest vehicles that provide opportunities for compound interest. Compound interest works by reinvesting the interest you earn, which then earns additional interest over time. This compounding effect can significantly boost your savings over the long term. By researching and investing in high-yield savings accounts or other investment vehicles offering compound interest opportunities, you can watch your savings grow steadily. Check out this link to see how compounding interest works and how much you can make just with interest!
Another avenue to consider is investing in Certificates of Deposit (CDs), which offer a fixed interest rate for a specified term. CDs typically offer higher interest rates compared to regular savings accounts, making them an attractive option for those looking to maximize returns. By locking in your money for a set period of time, you can enjoy a guaranteed rate of return on your investment.
Evaluate how you are managing your savings and explore opportunities to make your money work for you. You have many options to explore such as those described above, through high-yield savings accounts, CDs, or alternatives to traditional savings accounts, leveraging your savings effectively can pave the way towards financial growth and stability. So why settle for stagnant savings when you can unlock the power of compound interest and maximize your earning potential? Take action and start making money from your money!
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Deschutes Public Library Updates and Events
Graham Fox, a librarian with Deschutes Public Library, has served on the PATHWorks Program Coordinating Committee (PCC) for the past five years. He is eager to share about the fun and joy the Library brings to Deschutes County. Here are a few of the recent library highlights!
Construction Buzz throughout the County: If you’ve driven by Centennial Park in Redmond you know there is an incredible construction project going up where the old Redmond Library once lived! If you're curious about the latest developments, there is a live webcam feed on their website. It's a fantastic way to stay connected and witness the progress firsthand. While the new Redmond Library is under construction you can visit the Temporary Redmond Library location at 2127 S Hwy 97 by Wilson’s Furniture and find a scaled down version of what the library has to offer.
The groundbreaking, clearing, and construction is officially underway at the Central Library on the east side of Bend! You can visit www.deschuteslibrary.org to find updates, pictures, blueprints, and more.
Don’t forget to check out the renovated La Pine and Sisters Library. They both feature new spaces, new meeting rooms, children’s areas, and of course, all sorts of books and movies.
Weekly Resources and Services: Looking for computer help or social services? Try out their weekly Open Computer Lab assistance sessions in both Bend and Redmond for tech help. Bring in any computer or phone related problem and get 1:1 help from Library Staff.
Bend, Redmond, and La Pine Library also host weekly Thrive Central Oregon's walk-in social services. If you need assistance with anything from social security to housing to food they are there to help! Find the latest schedule at www.thrivecentraloregon.org.
Family-Friendly Events: Of course, the Library is still home to a wide array of children’s and family actives. Dive into a world of imagination and creativity with their lineup of story times, arts, crafts, and other children's events. Whether you prefer English or Spanish, there's something for everyone to enjoy. Check the library calendar at www.deschuteslibrary.org/calendar for details and join them for fun-filled activities that are good for minds of all ages.
Questions? You can reach out to Graham directly by emailing [email protected].
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Housing Works Office Locations and Hours* | |
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Redmond Main Office
405 SW 6th Street
Redmond, OR 97756
Phone) 541-923-1018
Fax) 541-923-6441
Text) 541-286-5562
Business Hours:
Monday to Thursday, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Closed Friday
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Bend Satellite Office
2017 NE Full Moon Dr. Suite #100
Bend, OR 97701
Phone) 458-281-0813
Fax) 458-281-0815
Text) 541-286-5562
Business Hours:
Tuesday to Thursday, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Closed Monday & Friday
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Exterior doors will be locked outside of these hours. A drop box is conveniently placed on the front of each building for easy access, should you need to turn in paperwork after hours.
*Appointments with Housing Specialist are by appointment only.
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Housing Works Expands With a Multi-Functional Site in Redmond
Housing Works has recently purchased a site in Redmond that will offer a unique combination of affordable rentals, homeownership, and commercial space. The concept for this 5-acre site is to subdivide it into four potential uses, each contributing to the well-being and sustainability of the community:
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Affordable Rental Units: A portion of the parcel will be set aside for approximately 60 affordable rental units. This commitment aligns with our mission “fostering dignity through housing” to address the pressing need for affordable housing in our area.
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Housing Works' New Office Building: Another segment of the parcel will be allocated for the construction of Housing Works' new office building.
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Affordable Homeownership Units with Rooted Homes: Housing Works is partnering with RootedHomes to dedicate a parcel to produce affordable homeownership units. This collaboration aims to provide a pathway to homeownership for individuals and families in our community.
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Commercial Building for Possible Use of Affordable Daycare: Recognizing the importance of accessible childcare services, a portion of the site will be dedicated to a commercial building that could house an affordable daycare.
While funding for these diverse initiatives has not been secured to date, we are optimistic about the potential and will be actively pursuing funding opportunities. Currently, our team is focused on the work involved with subdividing the parcel.
The site offers a remarkable blend of affordable rentals, homeownership, office space, and commercial services. This multi-functional approach ensures that the various components complement each other, creating a community that is not only diverse but also interconnected. Stay tuned for further updates and we hope to have more information this summer on progress and design.
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2024 Housing Choice Voucher Program Waiting List Results
Housing Works received a total of 2,506 online applications for the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program Waiting List from January 8–12, 2024. Out of those applications, 1,914 were received from local residents living in Crook, Deschutes and Jefferson Counties.
Current Applicants
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Click HERE to check your position on the waiting list.
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If your address, phone number, income and/or household composition changes, please update your information by clicking HERE.
- If you are selected off the waiting list for the HCV program, Housing Works will contact you directly.
Technical Assistance
- The email address used at registration is your login. You must have a valid email address in order to access your application.
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If you forgot your password, please select the “Forgot Password” option and follow the instructions.
- Keep your login and password somewhere safe and secure.
- If you need additional assistance, call Housing Works at 541-923-1018.
The 2024 HCV Waiting List will remain active until December 31, 2024. At that time, all remaining 2024 applications will be removed from the waiting list. If your application was not selected, you may reapply next year.
The 2025 HCV Waiting List will be open from:
January 13th-17th, 2025.
We would like to thank all our community partners for making the 2024 Waiting List opening week a success. Without all your hard work, we would not be able to serve our communities. Thank you!
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Security Deposit Assistance Available!
Rental security deposit assistance loans are available to Housing Choice Voucher holders and residents moving into Housing Works-owned properties managed by EPIC Property Management ONLY on a first-come, first-served basis when funding is available. These funds help individuals and families remove barriers to accessing safe affordable housing once they are selected for a rental home.
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