Food for Fines-Tacoma Public Library

Restock local food banks. Reduce your library fines. All without raiding your wallet. The availability of food items at local food banks are traditionally at an all-time low after the December holidays, but the Tacoma Public Library is hoping to change that through a new program where library patrons can help feed the hungry while eliminating overdue fines. Beginning on February 19 Tacoma's libraries will hold a community food drive at all 8 locations. It's a food drive with a twist, however: for every three non-perishables items a patron donates, the library will reduce their overdue fines by $10, without a limit to the total amount waived.  The 'Food For Fines' food drive continues through March 2. All food items donated will be delivered to a neighborhood food bank.  More information is available by telephoning the library at 253.292.2001. "We hope that this program will encourage people to return overdue items and clear their library records, while having the opportunity to donate food to help people in their community rather than just pay fees." explained librarian Rhonda Kristoff, coordinator of the two-week program. Each library branch is working with a nearby food bank to ensure donations stay in the neighborhood.  There is no limit to the number of food items the library will accept, nor to the size of the overdue fines the library will forgive.  The library is unable to accept rusty or unlabeled cans, perishable items (fruits, vegetables and raw meat), alcoholic beverages or mixes, opened or used items, home-canned and home­made items, and items within 30 days of their expiration date. "Food for Fines" donations can only be applied to overdue fines. Donations cannot be used to pay for lost or damaged items. "There's no limit to how much food a patron can donate," says Kristoff, "and food donations are welcome even if a patron has no fines." According to Helen McGovern, Executive Director of the Emergency Food Network, "the number 1 item area food banks are especially in need of is peanut butter, followed by canned protein items (such as tuna fish, chili, canned beef and chicken, and stew), canned fruits and vegetables, baby food, baby formula and diapers." A complete list is included below. "Our libraries are the heart of the community," says Ms. McGovern, "a place where people come together.  Our neighbors are in need and this is a way to show the generosity of the residents in Tacoma.  This is a win-win-win.  The fine is paid, material can be checked out and families can have access to nutritious food at their local food bank!" According to the Emergency Food Network, there were 6,313,944 pounds of food distributed through food banks in Tacoma in 2012.  There were 530,278 client visits (a client can represent themselves or a family of any size). The Library's "Food For Fines" community food drive continues through Saturday, March 2. National and local Hunger Facts 19.5% of Americans live in hungry or food-insecure households. 1 in 5 households across Washington state reported they didn't have enough money to buy the food they needed in 2009. Households with children have almost double the rate of food insecurity compared to those without. Each month in Pierce County more than 110,000 children, seniors and adults seek help finding food. Of these individuals: 53% are children and seniors (39% children under 18, 14% individuals over 55) 99% fall below the national poverty line Almost half are families with at least one adult working Food Drive "Most Wanted" List Canned GoodsPeanut Butter Chili Beef Stew Ravioli Cannelloni Canned Tuna Canned Chicken Canned Beef Assorted Canned Fruits Assorted Canned Vegetables Packaged ItemsHot Cereal (Oatmeal, Malt-O-Meal, Cream of Wheat, Grits, etc.) Powdered Eggs DrinksJuices Ensure (or other Supplemental drinks) Infant ItemsInfant formula Diapers

How to Make $500/week Cleaning out Foreclosures

The trick to entrepreneurship isn’t always how to start a business; it’s what business to start.
And it’s also not always about creating something new. When Steve Jobs built Apple, computers had been around for decades. Jobs didn’t make the first computer, he figured out how to make them smaller so that more people could have access to one. Cars weren’t new when Henry Ford introduced the Model-T. Ford innovated ways to sell cars for cheaper so that more people could buy them.
Hindsight is 20/20. It’s easy to look back at Ford and Jobs and conclude there were more opportunities in their time. However, opportunities still abound today, if you have an eye to spot them. One entrepreneurial venture that is booming right now is cleaning out foreclosures.

What is the Foreclosure Cleaning Business?

The housing bust has created a glut of foreclosed properties. Nearly 4.4% of all mortgages have received a foreclosure notice. Once homeowners move out, banks look to get the property on the market and sold as soon as possible. However, there is one major obstacle banks face in moving the houses to sell: cleaning.
Former mortgagees have no incentive to get properties in saleable condition when they leave their homes. In fact, most foreclosures are riddled with trash and property that foreclosed homeowners don’t feel like transporting with them. Foreclosed homes need a lot of TLC before they are ready for an open house. With a large inventory of bank-owned properties, there’s a need to hire cleaners.
How large of a need? From 2007-2010, foreclosure home cleaning businesses expanded 1,000%.

What’s the Work Like and What Does it Pay?

Those looking to start a foreclosed home cleaning business need a flexible schedule. Banks often need cleaners at a moment’s notice and work needs to be completed on a strict turn-around. Often weekend work is involved and some properties require a lot of work before they are in selling condition. However, the jobs pay well, often averaging between $500 to $2,500 per house.
Another way that foreclosure cleaners make extra money is by selling things that have been left behind by the previous homeowner. You obviously want to check with the client, but often times they’ll ask you to clear out anything left behind in the house. It’s your choice whether to dump the stuff, keep it, or sell it.
One time I was asked by a client to dump a left-behind treadmill and washing machine. I ended up making an extra $300 (in addition to my cleaning fee) by selling them on Craigslist!

How to Start Your Own Foreclosure Cleaning Business

The good news is that you don’t need much to start this type of business. All you need is a telephone number where you can be contacted and some cleaning supplies. The crux of business success is getting jobs. To accomplish this, you’ll need to do a bit of networking.
The best place to network is with real estate agents who specialize in selling real estate owned properties. They aren’t too difficult to locate. Simply call up local realtor offices and ask for the agents in charge of selling foreclosures. It might take some selling to get listed their cleaning vendor list, but if you have a competitive price and flexible schedule, there is no reason you can’t make in-roads.
While realtors are your best bet, you can also advertise on websites that have cleaning service directories. Also, it can be useful to contact local banks directly and reach out to real estate law firms. All this doesn’t guarantee that you’ll get cleaning jobs, but banks won’t know how to reach you if you don’t advertise.
However, with payment of $500 per house, you won’t need many jobs to earn a little extra money.
Good luck Penny Hoarders!

Get some experience cleaning professionally. While cleaning is not difficult and most people comprehend how to vacuum and mop, it's important to get some detail cleaning experience. With this experience, you'll learn how to clean quickly and do a great job. This means more work and more money. It's also important to have experience dealing with people and possibly some sales experience so you can line up jobs.

 

Determine what services to offer. While cleaning sounds self-explanatory, it's important to know exactly what you will offer your clients. Will you simply vacuum or will you shampoo the carpet? Do you clean outside windows or will they have to hire someone else to do that? Sit down and create a list of the things you will do and the things you will not do. This way, you'll be prepared when you speak to a potential employer.

 

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• Purchase cleaning supplies. Purchase the supplies you will need to completely clean the homes: a vacuum cleaner and bags, a good mop and broom, bucket, sponges, dust rags, kitchen and tile cleaner, furniture polish, bathroom cleaner, cleaning solution, window cleaner and deodorizer. Don't forget cleaning wipes, paper towels, and disposable brushes. Being prepared is important in getting a job, and most clients will not provide supplies for you.

• 4
  Advertise your services. Get the word out that you're available for cleaning foreclosures. One great way to do this is to contact realty companies in your area, which you can find in the phone book. Tell them what you do, and leave your name and number. Ask if they're hiring anyone to clean foreclosures. By leaving your contact information with the company, you create a contact and plant the seed for a future job.
  Create business cards and business fliers to let individuals know what you do. Leave your card and fliers at realty businesses, local HUD offices and anywhere your target market may find them. This will help get your name out there.
  Creating a website is a great idea as well. This gives you a platform to sell yourself and advertise your business at the same time.
  By using the tips above, you can get a job cleaning foreclosures and make great money in a small amount of time.

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Read more: How to Get a Job Cleaning Foreclosed Houses | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_5030259_job-cleaning-foreclosed-houses.html#ixzz2CXafsZsD

Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency Program

It's all about choice and opportunity; that's why MAXIMUS partners with the Social Security Administration (SSA) to serve individuals with disabilities through the Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency Program. The program ensures that Social Security beneficiaries with disabilities have greater choices and opportunities for obtaining employment, vocational rehabilitation, and other support services. We help remove barriers that prevent individuals from seeking employment out of fear of losing their health care coverage

Contact:

To learn more about the Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency Program,
please visit the program's website or call 866.968.7842

Fish Food Bank



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Working Poor: More than 45% of the individuals using a food bank, meal program or shelter in Western Washington have some form of post-secondary education. Only 9% are actually homeless.*

• Seniors: Most Americans (51.4 percent) will live in poverty at some point before age 65.** The fastest growing group among FISH clients is people over 55.
• Children: More than one in five children in the United States is at risk of hunger. 40% of the people FISH serves are children under the age of 18.
• The average client visits the food bank twice a month.
• Do you know the facts about hunger? Take this quiz from Feeding America.




http://www.fishfoodbanks.org/pages/FISH-mobile.htm



Mobile food bank schedule & locations

Mondays, 4:30-6:30 pm Giaudrone Middle School 4902 S. Alaska St., Tacoma Online directions Serving Zip Code 98408

Tuesdays, 4:30-6:30 pm 166th and Pacific Spanaway Elementary (Spanaway/Parkland) Online directions Serving Zip Codes 98387, 98375, 98446, and 98445

Wednesdays, 4:30-6:30 pm Bethel High School 22215 38th Ave. E, Spanaway Online directions Serving Zip Codes 98338, 98344, 98387, and 98580

Thursdays, 4:30-6:30 pm Woodbrook 14721 Murray Road SW, LakewoodOnline directions Serving Zip Code 98439

Fridays, 4:30-6:00 pm Northeast Tacoma Elementary School 5412 29th St NE, TacomaOnline directions Serving Zip Code 98422

HOW TO REPLACE 'BAD HABITS' WIT 'GOOD HABITS!'

DAILY INSPIRATION

Habits are the thought and emotional patterns engraved on our minds. These internal habit patterns play just as forceful a role as external influences on our actions, in fact, perhaps more so...
As unbelievers, we formerly gave ourselves to developing habits of unholiness-what Paul called "ever-increasing wickedness" (Romans 6:19). Every time we sinned-every time we lusted, coveted, hated, cheated, or lied-we were developing habits of ever increasing wickedness. These repeated acts of unrighteousness became habits that made us, in fact, slaves to sin!!
Though we are to deal with these habits of unholiness, we must not try to do it in our own strength. Breaking sinful habits must be done in cooperation with the Holy Spirit and in dependence upon Him. The determination that "I'll not do that anymore," based upon sheer human resolve, has never once broken the shackles of sin. But there are practical principles which we can follow to train ourselves in godliness.
Though we are to deal with these habits of unholiness, we must not try to do it in our own strength. Breaking sinful habits must be done in cooperation with the Holy Spirit and in dependence on Him. The determination that "I'll not do that anymore," based upon sheer human resolve, has never once broken the shackles of sin. But there are practical principles which we can follow to train ourselves in godliness.
The first principle is that habits are developed and reinforced by frequent repetition....This is the principle underlying the fact that the more we sin the more we are inclined to sin. But the converse is also true. The more we say NO to sin, the more we are inclined to say NO!
Therefore, in dependence on the Holy Spirit, we must systematically work at acquiring the habit of saying no to the sins that so easily entangle us. We all know what these sins are; the sins to which we are particularly vulnerable. We begin by concentrating on saying NO to these. Then God will lead us to work on other sins which we may not even be aware of at this time. The more we succeed in saying NO to our sinful desires, the easier it becomes to say NO.
In the same manner we can develop positive habits of holiness. We can develop the habit of thinking thoughts that are pure, true and good. We can develop the habits of prayer and meditating on the Scriptures. But these habits will only be developed through frequent repetition.

8 For if you thoroughly amend your ways and your doings, if you thoroughly execute judgement between a man and his neighbor, if you do not opress the strnger, the fatherless, and the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place, or walk after other gods to your hurt , then I will cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers forever and ever. AMEN!
Behold, you trust in lying words that cannot profit. 9 Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear faulsely, burn incense to Baal, and walk after gods whom you do not know, 10 and then come and stand before Me in this house which is called by My name, and say 'we are delivered to do all these abominations'?  11 Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of thieves in your eyes? behold, I, even I, have seen it,: says the Lord. Jeremiah 7:8-11


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That is why I developed the habit of reading 'Our Daily Bread' every morn, and read the passage that goes along with it in my  Inspirational Study Bible, by:Max Lucado

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By: MAX LUCADO

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