Archive for February, 2012
Dance with PCRI at our 20th Anniversary Gala
PCRI is preparing an exciting 20th Anniversary gala to celebrate two decades of service to the Portland community. Our gala event, Dancing with the Stars Portland will be a dazzling ballroom dancing competition pairing Portland stars with professional dancers from Fred Astaire Dance Studio.
This gala event, to be held March 31, 2012, promises to be a fun and festive evening, connecting and engaging community members and benefiting PCRI. In addition to the graceful and dramatic moves of the dancers, the evening will feature a lively reception, auction, cocktails and a gourmet plated dinner at the Portland Doubletree at Lloyd Center. All of the funds raised from the event will be directly utilized to preserve PCRI’s existing affordable rental homes, develop new homes for affordable rental and homeownership opportunities and expand PCRI’s award-winning, culturally-specific resident services programs.
Register today or visit our Get Involved page to learn more ways you can participate!
Save one dollar, get three dollars. Sounds great, right? We thought so too, so we’re hosting an open house on Tuesday, February 21, to provide information and sign up residents who can benefit from these matched-savings Individual Development Accounts (IDAs). In fact, we have IDAs available for youth, too!
The open house will be at PCRI’s main office (map HERE) on Tuesday, February 21, 2012 from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Refreshments will be provided.
Want to sign up? Can’t make it during these times? Need help with childcare in order to attend? Call PCRI and ask for Julie (or send her an e-mail).
IDA savings can be used for home purchase, home repair, college education and more. In fact, we can help set up an account especially for college savings for adults and youth ages 15+. For more information about IDA guidelines, check out our web page dedicated to Individual Development Accounts or make an appointment to see us on the 21st!
Interested residents should bring with them current and complete proof of income for the last two months as well as information about assets (car, house, savings) and liabilities (loans, mortgage, debt or bills). Not sure exactly how much information or unsure about what paperwork is appropriate? Just give us a call.
PCRI and Cascadia Green Building Council’s Emerging Professionals are teaming up with Green Hammer Construction for a hands-on volunteer project on March 3, 2012.
Volunteers of all kinds are encouraged to participate – no green building knowledge is necessary! For the project, Emerging Professionals and other volunteers (you need not be an Emerging Professionals member to join) will utilize information gained from pre-improvement testing performed in mid-February to implement upgrades and other refurbishments targeted to improve the efficiency, health and durability of the home.
Does the thought of all that volunteering make you hungry? We’ve got you covered! Parr Lumber is generously grilling up a BBQ lunch for volunteers on the day of the event.
Please note: registration is required for the volunteer event. Important information (including the volunteer site) will be distributed to the list of registered participants. Please contact Travis at PCRI if you have any issues with registration.
PCRI is pleased to announce our alliance as a Community Partner with Cascadia Green Building Council and the International Living Future Institute for their upcoming Living Future 2012unConference. This volunteer project leads up to the May conference. More information about the unConference can be found at the Cascadia GBC’s website.
For low-income Oregonians, identifying tax deductions and completing tax forms is as important as it can be confusing. Many families and individuals unknowingly overlook valuable tax credits they are eligible for. To help, PCRI is hosting CASH Oregon’s free tax preparation services at our Margaret Carter Neighborhood Network Center. PCRI residents and other community members can register for an appointment by calling Lisa at (503) 281-1778. Additional information is available at CASH Oregon’s website or in the flyer pictured below.
The assistance, provided by AARP Tax Aides in conjunction with CASH Oregon, will help identify eligibility for a variety of tax credits, including Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, Oregon Earned Income Credits and Oregon Working Family Child Care Credit. In addition, Oregon IDA participants may be able to deduct 2011 interest and contributions on their state taxes. Once the participant and the tax aide have identified eligible credits and deductions, the tax aide will be able to e-file the participant’s 2011 tax return.
Interested participants should bring to their appointment a picture ID, their social security number and/or ITN as well as documentation of income (W-2s, 1099s, etc.), records of tax-deductible expenses such as child or dependent care, property taxes and mortgage interest. For direct deposit of any refunds, participants should also bring banking information, including their account number.
CASH Oregon, like PCRI, is committed to improving the financial health of low income working families, individuals, and seniors. Their Earned Income Tax Credit outreach and free tax preparation programs—coupled with financial fitness programs like those provided by PCRI and other organizations—provide families and individuals with the tools and resources to begin building solid financial futures.
This tax preparation assistance is free to the community and is a valuable way PCRI residents and other community members can stretch a limited income. Appointments are required. Please call Lisa at (503) 281-1778 to schedule yours.
Portland Community Reinvestment Initiatives Inc.