Monroe on a Budget » FYI

Programming note for Oct. 25

Paula Wethington — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 01:53:23 +0000

Long-time readers know that I pick out quite a bit of sales and news articles from the Sunday papers.

I’m off my usual schedule this week – I was out of town all day.

Therefore some of my usual Sunday features won’t be posted until Monday.

Christmas assistance for Downriver families

Paula Wethington — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 12:20:53 +0000

This information is for my readers in the Downriver (suburban Detroit) region:

Julie’s List is reporting in her newsletter that the Downriver Salvation Army Christmas Assistance Program is accepting registrations starting Nov. 9.

For application information, go to www.sadownriver.org and click on “Christmas Assistance” or call (734) 282-0930 for office hours and appointments in Wyandotte, Mich.

The zip code regions served by this program include Flat Rock, Woodhaven and Brownstown Township, and are the following zip codes: 48101, 48122, 48134, 48138, 48146, 48173, 48180, 48183 , 48192, 48193, 48195, 48217, 48218, 48229.

New God Works! dinner in Temperance

Paula Wethington — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 20:48:35 +0000

This post is for my readers in Bedford Township, Mich.:

The God Works! community dinner series has expanded its Bedford Township service to three dinners a week. Bridgepoint Church, 9875 Lewis Ave., Temperance, now serves dinner at 6 p.m. Tuesdays.

God Works! Family Soup Kitchen and its volunteers and sponsors provide free meals in Monroe County at several participating locations. In conjunction with two community dinners that were already established in the city of Monroe before this non-profit got started, area residents can now seek out a free dinner every night in Monroe, three days a week in Bedford Township, and one night a week in both Flat Rock and Dundee.

You don’t have to worry about applications, income requirements or employment questions to stretch your food budget with dinners via God Works! Just show up, and eat. Families are welcome, and high chairs are provided.

SAFE Health and Wealth Expo Oct. 24 in Detroit

Paula Wethington — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 15:45:17 +0000

This post is for my southeast Michigan readers:

The Sisters Acquiring Financial Empowerment Health and Wealth Expo will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday October 24 at the Northwest Activities Center, 18100 Meyers St., Detroit, Michigan 48235.

Admission is free and open to the public. Lunch also will be provided at no charge.

There will be speakers and information tables on topics such as ‘How to find great jobs in a tough economy,’ ‘Learn to Budget and Enjoy it,’ and ‘How Domestic Violence Affects Our Community.’

A primary goal of The SAFE Health and Wealth Expo is to raise the metro Detroit community’s awareness of how domestic violence affects women on an economic level. Domestic abusers are known to restrict access to financial resources, which can limit the options for victims to leave their situations.

The expo is also intended to help area women stabilize their finances at a time when job losses and foreclosures are affecting the region.

For information about the expo, call (888) 757-6880 or go to www.safehealthwealth.org.

Signups for Mobile Food Pantry in Monroe

Paula Wethington — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 16:36:55 +0000

This post is for my readers in Monroe County, Mich., and was in Tuesday’s edition of The Monroe Evening News:

The Mobile Food Pantry will be available from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 19 at First Wesleyan Church, 423 Jerome St., Monroe, Mich.

Those who are interested must register by Sept. 8. It is limited to the first 450 people who register. Only residents of Monroe County, Mich., can participate.

To register, call (734) 242-9453 and leave a message with your name, address and phone number.

Foreclosure forum Sept. 1 in Ann Arbor

Paula Wethington — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 22:33:19 +0000

This post is for my readers in southeast Michigan:

U.S. Rep. John D. Dingell, D-Dearborn, will host an assistance forum from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday Sept. 1 for residents of southeast Michigan who are facing foreclosure.

The forum will take place at Washtenaw Community College Morris Lawrence Building, 4800 E. Huron River Dr., Ann Arbor, Mich. The program will give people an opportunity to meet with experts — including lenders, counselors and Realtors — to discuss ways to avert foreclosure.

“I believe that all Americans should be able to achieve home ownership,” said Rep. Dingell. “Foreclosures hurt families that are working to achieve the American dream and usually lead to significant losses for banks. Alternatives to foreclosure that keep families in their homes and making their mortgage payments benefit both families and financial institutions.

“I hope that this forum helps families find ways to stay in their homes and helps banks avoid foreclosure-related losses.”

The event is open to the public.

Financial Peace University classes starting in Monroe

Paula Wethington — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 13:40:58 +0000

This post is for my readers in Monroe, Mich.

Financial Peace University, which is a DVD seminar led by Dave Ramsey, will be taught at Monroe Church of the Nazarene, 3401 S. Custer Rd., Monroe, Mich., starting Thursday Sept. 17.

This is a 13-week class teaching participants how to get out of debt and manage their finances. For information, call (734- 242-4461.

This is one of many opportunities that exist for my local readers to take personal finance classes. Go here for my list of what’s available in the Monroe County area.

Michigan.gov’s Helping Hand site

Paula Wethington — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 16:34:30 +0000

This post is for my Michigan readers:

The newest section on Michigan.gov is called Helping Hand.

On that site, you will find a link to the 211 database that United Way of Monroe County shares with Washtenaw County, the Michigan state office of scholarships and grants, how low-income families can get help with child care expenses and other state resources.

If you want a more detailed resource list specifically for southeast Michigan residents, go to Julie’s List.

Income brackets for free and reduced-price school lunches

Paula Wethington — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 18:02:59 +0000

This article is in today’s print and e-editions of The Monroe Evening News. Although the quotes and references are for my newspaper’s local audience in Monroe, Mich., the income guidelines are set by the federal government.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has established new household income guidelines for this year’s free and reduced-price meals.

Districts throughout Monroe County participate in several federal program including the National School Lunch, School Breakfast and Special Milk programs.

Those who qualify can sign up their children through the school.

The applications for free and reduced-price meals may be submitted at any time during the year. A household may qualify due to a temporary loss of income, such as a period of unemployment. Only one application is required per household.

Children who are Michigan Family Independence Program recipients; food stamp or food distribution program or Indian reservations households, or enrolled in Head Start, Even Start, an at-risk afterschool center, or an emergency shelter automatically qualify for free meals.

“The economic and job climate in Michigan and in Monroe has not been good so it is important that anyone who thinks their family qualifies, to apply for the program,” said. Dr. Barry Martin, director of state and federal programs for Monroe Public Schools, said. “This is especially important if they may have recently lost a job.”

Last year, more than 2,865 students in Monroe Public Schools – nearly 45 percent of the student body – were eligible for free or reduced-price lunches. All recipients must reapply each year.

“Many times families might not apply because they don’t know about the program or are embarrassed,” Dr. Martin said. “Still, it is important that students receive the proper nutrition to learn, and these programs help to achieve that.”

Forms are available at the Monroe Public Schools Administration Building, 1275 N. Macomb St., Monroe. They also will be passed out when school starts.

For more information about the Monroe Public Schools’ program, call Dr. Martin at (734) 265-3140.

Scale for Free Meals or Milk:

1 person: $14,090 a year or $1,174 a month.
2 people: $18,941 a year or $1,579 a month.
3 people: $23,803 a year or $1,984 a month.
4 people: $28,664 a year or $2,389 a month.
5 people: $33,527 a year or $2,794 a month.
6 people: $38,389 a year or $3,200 a month.
7 people: $43,251 a year or $3,605 a month.
8 people: $48,113 a year or $4,010 a month.
For additional members add: $4,862 annually or $406 monthly.

Scale for low-price meals or milk:

1 person: $20,036 a year or $1,670 a month.
2 people: $26,955 a year or $2,247 a month.
3 people: $33,874 a year or $2,823 a month.
4 people: $40,793 a year or $3,400 a month.
5 people: $47,712 a year or $3,976 a month.
6 people: $54,631 a year or $4,553 a month.
7 people: $61,550 a year or $5,130 a month.
8 people: $68,469 a year or $5,706 a month.
For additional members add: $6,919 annually or $577 monthly.

A note from your blogger: If your family is eligible for free or reduced-price school lunches, sign up. The money you save by participating can help with other family expenses that you might not be able to get financial assistance for.

Forum: Make the stimulus bill work for you

Paula Wethington — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 20:14:12 +0000

This post is for my readers in southeast Michigan:

Congressman John D. Dingell, D-Dearborn, will host a question and answer forum, ‘Make the Stimulus Bill Work for You,’ from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Monday Aug. 10 at the Downriver Community Conference Center, 15100 Northline Rd., Southgate, Mich.

This forum is free and open to the public. The goal is to help explain to southeast Michigan residents how they can take advantage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds from the agencies that are involved with the efforts.

There will be representatives from the Internal Revenue Service, Michigan Economic Recovery Office, Michigan Department of Human Services and the Michigan Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth.

There will be information about food stamps, the first-time homebuyers credit, COBRA health insurance continuation, weatherization assistance, unemployment insurance, child tax credit, worker retraining funds, ‘green’ jobs training, unemployment benefits extension, Pell grants, tax rebates, heating and cooling assistance and other programs, projects and services.