Yesterday, the IRS released a statement indicating that there are more than $1.3 billion in unclaimed federal tax refunds for people who did not file for 2006. This includes approximately 37,000 filers in Washington state! If you are one of those people, you need to file your 2006 return by April 15, 2010, or you lose that refund…

Our sites can help!  Don’t miss out on your money!!

Many of you have heard me talk about “permanent supportive housing” in previous posts.  Washington state’s Housing Trust Fund is the essential tool for the creation and preservation of permanent supportive housing. In order to keep up with the community need, an additional $100 million in funding should be added to the Housing Trust Fund. More than 70 percent of people served by the Fund make less than $17,540 per year, making it a vital resource in the fight to end homelessness.

Funding the…

Governor Christine Gregoire is scheduled to release her budget December 9 at 9:00 a.m. You can view the press conference at http://www.tvw.org/index.cfm?bhcp=1. With the state facing a projected $2.6 billion shortfall in the coming fiscal year (beginning July 1, 2010), it will be a “cuts only” budget requiring elimination of entire programs and services unless new revenue sources are identified. Details of the Governor’s budget will be available after 9:00 am at http://www.ofm.wa.gov.

The programs most at risk are those that are…

There’s a part of me that has actually been enjoying the heavy rain that’s been pelting the Puget Sound region.

Obviously I don’t live in a flood plain.

Because of problems at Howard Hanson Dam, which controls water levels in the Green River, there’s a higher risk of flooding this winter in Auburn and the rest of the Green River Valley south of Seattle.

Most disaster-serving organizations like American Red Cross have an existing pool of trained volunteers and likely won’t need more. However, other…

If you are a new voter to the State of Washington, you can register in person at the King County Elections Office up to eight days before the election. October 26 is the absolute last day you can register to vote in the November 3 general election.

The Elections Office is open 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. and is located at 9010 E. Marginal Way S. in Tukwila. Click here for directions.

Write your legislators today and urge them to support home visiting programs!

Home visiting is a research-proven strategy for reaching young children who may not otherwise get connected to more formal, institutional systems of support. These programs, which target low-income, at-risk families, provide strong financial returns to the community in the form of increased graduation rates and decreased crime and welfare dependency rates.

Send an e-mail or a letter to your legislator today and let them know why they should restore funding for…

Over the coming months, our leaders in Olympia will have to make tough decisions about health and human services funding based on Governor Christine Gregoire’s proposed budget. Many programs and services related to early learning will be affected if the Legislature approves the budget as proposed.

United Way of King County supports the governor’s decision to maintain funding for two important programs for young children and their families:

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