THE VOICE -- October 2008
The Newspaper of Neighborhood House
By Ian Porter
The Voice
To raise awareness about issues of hunger and food inaccessibility in the Seattle area, a group of Seattle Housing Authority residents spoke at a community listening session about their own experiences with hunger.
The listening session was sparked by a recent study by Congressional Hunger Center Fellow Brad Johnson that found, among seven subsidized housing sites for seniors and people living with disabilities, 55 percent of 188 households surveyed met the federal guidelines for food insecurity. The
Congressional Hunger Center is a nonprofit anti-hunger organization affiliated with the U.S. Congress and located in Washington, D.C.
In response to the dismal findings, the Seattle Housing Authority, United Way of King County, Seattle Food Committee, Lifelong AIDS Alliance’s Chicken Soup Brigade and Solid Ground sponsored the “The Hunger and Food Access Community Listening Session,” which took place Sept. 18 at SHA’s Center Park.
The venue allowed “decision-makers from across the city, the county and from nonprofits,” to hear directly from residents who experience hunger and food inaccessibility on a daily basis, said Tom Tierney, executive director of Seattle Housing Authority.
“What we hope, today, is to come to a better understanding” of the situation, he said.
The residents spoke for more than an hour about the struggle of finding food when public assistance such as food stamps run out, sometimes halfway through the month; chronic disability prohibits some residents from going to food banks regularly.
They painted a picture of multiple and compounding obstacles that prevent them from acquiring sufficient amounts of food on a regular basis.
Janet Meyer, an SHA resident, described a common situation that might result in her inability to get food for a period of time.
“I use a walker a lot of the time when I am out of the building,” she said. “If it’s icy out, I can’t necessarily go (to the store). My caregiver has to drive me to the store, but she only works two days a week.”
She said the obstacles to obtaining food are so difficult to overcome for some individuals, especially when the person suffers from a chronic illness, that he or she often doesn’t feel up to going out.
Another SHA resident, Arron McLauchlan, agreed with Meyer.
“When I was able to walk, I could go to about two or three or four food banks,” he said. “But when my doctor said I could not walk that distance and was put in a motorized chair, it makes it even harder to go to these food banks,” he said.
The location of some food banks required him to take two or three buses, he added.
To make matters worse, said Vickie Foster, another SHA resident, if other residents try to assist those with disabilities by purchasing food for them at the store, they are unable, because food stamps can only be used by the individual to whom they are issued.
When food stamps run out — which many of the residents in attendance said was a common occurrence — they turn to food banks to provide sustenance. But, they said, food banks bring with them a host of new obstacles.
The major concerns voiced by residents about food banks included the lack of nutritional quality of the food they received from a food bank. Although fruits and vegetables are highly nutritious foods, they are also perishable, which keeps them out of stock at food banks, one resident said.
Maintaining a strict nutritional diet becomes even more important, as well as more difficult, for individuals who suffer from diabetes.
In addition to nutritional concerns, at least two residents said they had been given expired or partially rotten food by a food bank.
One broad theme that remained throughout the entire discussion was the issue of communication, or lack thereof, among SHA residents, and between residents and the agencies that serve them.
McLauchlan said inefficient communication often results in underserved residents and services that go unused.
“With all the knowledge these agencies have, sometimes they should be able to share with other (agencies),” he said. “They should say, ‘We can’t help you, but we know where we can send you.’
“A lot of agencies don’t do this, and that’s a shame, because there are a lot of us out there that truly need help. We need to help ourselves, if we know something we should share with others … We should spread the word,” he said.
Among the decision makers in attendance were city, state and federal legislators as well as representatives from all of the agencies that sponsored the event.
Nathan Buck, Family and Social Services Manager for Neighborhood House, said he wanted to thank the residents “for their honesty and their comments that help us design and refine our programs to make sure that we are serving all of you.”
With news of the subprime mortgage crisis filling the airwaves and major financial institutions being bought out by the government or folding completely, many consumers in America are wondering if the money in their bank accounts might be in jeopardy.
However, thanks to a federal program that dates back to President Roosevelt’s Depression-era New Deal, most investors can rest assured that the money in their savings or checking account is safe.
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) was established in 1933, in the wake of a widespread bank failure in the United States that left many Americans penniless.
The FDIC insures all deposits at insured banks, including checking, NOW and savings accounts, money market deposit accounts, and certificates of deposit (CDs), up to the insurance limit.
The FDIC does not protect money that you invest in stocks, bonds, mutual funds, life insurance policies, annuities or municipal securities — including any of those investments that are made through an FDIC insured bank.
The basic insurance amount for FDIC is $100,000 for each depositor at an insured bank. If you have less than $100,000 invested in all of your accounts at any FDIC-insured bank, your money is protected.
Consumers have three options to check whether or not their bank or savings association is insured by the FDIC:
● Call toll free to 877-275-3342 and ask
if your bank is FDIC insured
● Go to www.fdic.gov/deposit/index. html and look up your bank in the database
● Ask someone at your bank
Since the FDIC was created, no depositor has lost money from an insured deposit.
Information for this report was compiled from the FDIC Web site, located at www.fdic.gov. For more information, visit their Web site.
By Tyler Roush
The Voice editor
Election Day is Nov. 4, and with a number of federal, state and local elections on the docket, voters have plenty to ponder.
Around the country, voters will take to the polls to vote for the next president of the United States. The Republican Party’s ticket includes Arizona Senator John Mc-Cain and Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. The Democratic Party’s ticket includes Illinois Senator Barack Obama and Delaware Senator Joe Biden.
At the state level, incumbent governor Chris Gregoire, a Democrat, faces a challenge from Republican Dino Rossi. Rossi will appear on the ballot as G.O.P., which is analternate name for the Republican Party.
Washington voters will not vote for a U.S. senator this election cycle — Senator Patty Murray’s seat will be up for election in 2010, while Senator Maria Cantwell’s seat will be up for election in 2012.
In Washington’s U.S. House races, incumbent Democrat Jay Inslee faces Republican Larry Ishmael in the First District; incumbent Democrat Rick Larsen faces Republican Rick Bart in the Second District; incumbent Democrat Jim McDermott faces Republican Steve Beren in the Seventh District; incumbent Republican Dave Reichert faces Democrat Darcy Burner in the Eighth District; and incumbent Democrat Adam Smith faces Republican James Postma in the Ninth District.
A variety of state officials, including state Representatives and Senators, are up for election. In addition, several state and local measures appear on the ballot.
Consult the voter’s pamphlet or visit www.kingcounty.gov/elections for more details.
Voter’s pamphlets will be mailed by Oct. 13, according to the King County elections Web site. The deadline to register to vote online is Oct. 4. New Washington residents may register in person at the King County Elections Office, 919 Grady Way, Renton, WA 98057.
You can check your registration status, find your polling place and review the candidates on your ballot by going to www.kingcounty.gov/elections or by calling 206-296-8683.
Find my polling place!
Need to know where to go to vote on Nov. 4? If you are registered to vote in King County, all you need to do is go to www.kingcounty.gov/elections and input your name and date of birth in the “Your Voter Guide” section on the right-hand corner of your screen.
You can also call 206-296-8683 for more information.
It’s not too late to register!
The last day to register to vote online at www.kingcounty.gov/elections is Oct. 4.
However, if you are a new resident of Washington, you can still register in person at the King County elections office until 6 p.m. Oct. 20.
The elections office is located at 919 SW Grady Way, Renton, WA 98057.
Small changes in diet can help prevent breast cancer
By Pam McGaffin
Special to The Voice
It almost sounds too good to be true, but a few simple changes to your diet can significantly reduce your risk of breast cancer -- a disease that affects one in eight American women and more than 1,500 men annually.
"You just have to do a little planning," says Heidi Lucas, a naturopathic physician at Seattle Cancer Treatment and Wellness Center and former community educator at Bastyr University. "It's not difficult."
Lucas is using the platform of Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October to point out the power of diet in cancer prevention and overall health.
In the United States, one woman in eight has or will develop breast cancer in her lifetime, according to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. This year, an estimated 211,000 women and 1,600 men will be diagnosed with the disease and 43,000 woman and 400 men will die.
At Seattle Cancer Treatment and Wellness Center -- which integrates standard oncology with naturopathy, Chinese medicine and other complementary treatments -- Lucas is one of three naturopathic doctors who help patients fight cancer through diet and nutrition.
Here are her major recommendations:
-Favor good fats: Cut back on animal fats, including red meat, and add fish oil (high in disease-fighting omega 3 fatty acids) to your diet. Your grandmother was right. A tablespoon of cod liver oil a day can keep the doctor away. And if you put it in a fruit smoothie or some yogurt, you won't even taste it.
-Balance blood sugar: Studies have linked breast cancer rates to elevated blood sugar levels. In fact, sugar is the preferred fuel of cancer cells. To balance your blood sugar, limit white-flour and processed foods and make sure each meal includes a quality protein (beans, fish, nuts) and a good source of fiber (fruits, vegetables and whole grains).
-Speaking of fiber: The recommended daily intake is 30 grams. (A cup of black beans, for example, has 19 grams and a half cup of broccoli has 4 grams). Along with drinking plenty of water, fiber helps rid the body of toxins. For a good source of fiber that also helps with hormone balance, add ground flax seed to your diet as well as cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and kale.
-Protein's a plus: Adequate protein is important to immunity. Choose high-quality, low-fat protein sources including organic, free-range chicken and turkey; deep, cold water fish such as halibut and salmon; organic, hormone-free dairy products; and beans, lentils and nuts.
-Vitamin D: Make sure you're getting enough vitamin D, the so-called "sunshine vitamin" also found in fish, oils, fortified milk and other foods. Besides its role in bone health, vitamin D has been shown to regulate cell growth. A deficiency in vitamin D has been associated with the most common cancers, including breast cancer.
-Green tea and spices. Drink plenty of green tea, rich in anti-cancer flavonoids or plant pigments, and spice your dishes with tumeric and ginger, known for their anti-cancer properties.
Lucas is particularly big on legumes, which she says deliver a lot of bang for their buck in terms of protein, fiber and vitamins.
"If you have a food processor, you can get a can of organic beans for $1, add in roasted red pepper, chipotle, almonds, garlic and salt and have a good nutritious spread in 10 minutes," she says.
"One more thing," If you look down at your plate and it's beige, don't eat it!" she says with mock alarm. "Your plate should have at least three colors on it."
For more information and cancer-fighting tips, call 206-FOR-HOPE (367-4673) or visit www.seattlecancerwellness.com.
Promote disaster preparedness — practice speaking with your neighbors about preparing for emergencies.
English — October 7 and 9, noon to 4 p.m.
Cantonese — October 14, 15 and 16, 1-4 p.m.
Russian — October 21 and 23, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
All workshops will be at the American Red Cross at 1900 25th Ave. S. in Seattle, serviced by bus routes 4, 8, 7, 9, 32, 42 and 48.
Contact Cinda Lium to sign up, or for more information, at cindalu@winisp.net or 206-322-3291.
Space is limited.
By Courtney Powell
Seattle Housing Authority
On Friday, Sept. 12, five Seattle Housing Authority employees set out early to participate in the Homeless Resource Fair, a part of the Day of Caring sponsored by United Way of King County.
The Day of Caring inspired some 8,600
volunteers from 109 companies and organizations
to donate a work-day in service
to the community. The Homelessness Resource
Fair was just one of 417 community
service projects underway throughout the county on the Day of Caring.
By the time we arrived at the Qwest
Field Events Center, a long line of homeless
people had already begun to assemble.
Their eyes were sleepy and most were
carrying their belongings.
The mood was cheerful. Free coffee was
provided. We volunteers were given T-shirts
and directed to our assignments for
the day. All of us were designated greeters
whose jobs would be to identify a person’s
needs and direct him or her to appropriate
resources. We were told that some people
might just want someone to talk to.
The huge hall was full of booths of
organizations offering many resources.
People could have their feet washed,
their hair cut, their portraits taken. People
could sign up for benefits with DSHS and
housing with local low-income housing
providers.
They could get free health screenings
and free eyeglasses, and were invited to
make free long distance telephone calls.
When the doors opened at 9 a.m., we
were ready with our lists of resources and
maps. Most of us paired off with someone
in need of assistance right away. I struck
up an acquaintance with a man named
Calvin.
Calvin, a veteran, said he had many
carpentry skills but had fallen on hard
times. He was living under a freeway and
desperately looking for work.
First things first: Calvin and I made a
connection with WorkSource and then
checked in with the Veterans Administration.After that we made the rounds
of other service providers. Calvin got free eyeglasses, and then we had lunch
together.
He said he was grateful to have been
connected to community resources he
hadn’t even known about.
My four co-workers all had similar
experiences. One, Karmin, became acquainted
with a young man who was
receiving SSI. When they stopped by the
Bellevue Community College booth, a
representative of the college told the man
that if he were to apply for food stamps, he
could qualify for full financial aid at any
of several community colleges.
The fellow was much encouraged at
hearing this, and when Karmin asked
whether he wanted to go apply for food
stamps, he was delighted that he could
do so right then and there. Karmin told
us later than it was wonderful to see how
the man had changed his outlook for the
better in just one morning.
We spent the afternoon much as we’d
spent the morning: answering questions,
talking to people, directing them to resources.
At the end of the day, volunteers had a
chance to share our experiences. One thing
that stood out for me and the other volunteers
was realizing there wasn’t a whole
lot of difference between us and the people
we were serving. (“Just a few paychecks,”
one volunteer pointed out.)
We were grateful for the opportunity to
spend a day assisting such generous and
appreciative people.
United Way plans to continue the Day
of Caring every year, and its administrators
hope that there will be even more
volunteers and service projects in the
future. For more information on how you
can volunteer check out the United Way
of King County’s Day of Caring Web site
at www.uwkc.org/volunteer/dayofcaring/default.asp.
This article was written by Courtney
Powell, who with her fellow Day of Caring
SHA volunteers works in the Housing
Choice Voucher program at the Seattle
Housing Authority’s PorchLight Building,
in Ballard.
By Kristin O'Donnell
SHA Resident
Two projects from Seattle Housing Authority
resident groups received Seattle Neighborhood
Matching Fund grants in September.
The Seattle Housing Authority Residents
Preparing (SHARP) grant for $12,000 will
expand a program that teaches people who
live in SHA communities to be ready for
emergencies and teaches residents to present
trainings to others.
“Preparedness is something everyone can
do,” said project volunteer Dorene Cornwell.
“We will be bringing preparedness to more
buildings.”
The Yesler Terrace Civic Engagement
grant for $9,055 supports resident participation
in community planning.
As is written in the grant application “...as
our neighborhood plans for profound changes,
Yesler Terrace residents who are not fluent and literate in English are excluded from
much of the process. Meetings and hearings
that any involved and active city resident
would attend and participate in at such a
crucial time do not include them.”
The grant will pay for interpreters and
organizing support that will make it possible
for residents to have real participation in planning
the future of the neighborhood.
The Neighborhood Matching Fund provides
money to Seattle neighborhood groups
and organizations for a broad array of neighborhood-
initiated improvement, organizing
or planning projects. A neighborhood
group may be established just to undertake
a project — the group does not need to be
“incorporated.”
Once a project is approved, the community’s
contribution of volunteer labor, materials,
professional services, or cash will be
“matched” by cash from the Neighborhood
Matching Fund.
By Sarah Luthens
King County Department of Transportation
King County Metro and Sound Transit
invite residents in the southeast Seattle
area and southwest King County to offer
their thoughts and suggestions early in the
planning process regarding changes to bus
service in light of the onset of Link light
rail service next year.
One way to give advice to the transit
agencies is to attend a community discussion
in October. The dates, times, and
locations of the community discussions in
southwest King County are listed below on
this page. For information on meetings in
southeast Seattle, SHA residents can turn
to Page 6 of the SHA News section.
To request an interpreter for ASL or
another language for events in Federal
Way, SeaTac, and Tukwila, contact Ellen
Hansen, King County community relations,
at least five business days in advance of
the event (ellen.hansen@kingcounty.gov,
206-296-4511).
Completing a survey is another way to
offer important feedback to King County Metro and Sound Transit. Tabloid newsletters
and surveys that explain the various
options for bus-service changes will be
sent to almost all households in southeast
Seattle and southwest King County. These
materials for the southeast Seattle area
materials will be available, upon request,
in Chinese, Somali, Spanish, Tagalog, and/
or Vietnamese by calling 206-205-9185 or
emailing sarah.luthens@kingcounty.gov.
The materials for southwest King County
will be made available, upon request, in
Korean, Russian, Somali, Spanish, and
Vietnamese by calling 206-296-4135 or
emailing ellen.hansen@kingcounty.gov.
The deadline to return completed surveys
is Nov. 6.
Your voice is important. Let it be
heard!
By Anza MuenChow
Special to The Voice
Alas, here is autumn and the end of the
summer harvests. Some meteorologists
are predicting a cooler than normal fall
weather pattern.
Get in all those remaining tomatoes,
peppers and summer squashes. Chop and
freeze the peppers and squash for future
soups and sauces. The tomatoes could continue
to ripen in a warm dry area. Or make
green tomato chutney and preserve it for a
spicy treat during the winter months.
Now is a good time to work on your
garden journals. Update that map of your
summer garden. You’ll need all this information
for planning your 2009 garden.
Record where the different crops were
planted, as well as information about soil
improvement (especially adding lime), and
your crop successes and crop failures.
This may be the best place to record
the varieties of seeds you used and where
you got the seed.
As you walk around the garden, notice
which perennial weeds you need to
remove. Many annual weeds will just die
off after a frost, but some will manage to
grow enough to set seeds.
Weed around the kale, parsley, Brussels
sprouts, beets, chard, choys and arugula
plants that will survive during the winter.
Weeds will crowd out your future harvests
by taking needed light, nutrients and root
space.
As the rains have returned and the temperatures
are still mild, those fall weeds
can get aggressive.
Another way to battle weeds is to plant
cover crops during the off season. I choose
the ones that are easy to remove in the
spring. Our current favorites are vetch
and Austrian field peas. Their vines will
crowd out weeds.
They manage to improve the soil by
fixing nitrogen yet they pull up easily in
the spring. The peas won’t give fruits but
you can snip off the tips of the vines for
a spring salad or stir fry. Fava beans are
another favorite cover crop because they
are edible and also fix nitrogen in the soil
(through the bacteria that live on their
roots). I have found they don’t crowd out
weeds, but do tolerate them. Winter rye is
a good cover crop if you plan to mechanically
till it into the soil in the spring. Rye
can really stop a weed problem and add
lots of biomass to a depleted soil.
For many of our beds, we pile on
leaves and cover them with burlap bags.
The leaves rot and worms love it! The
burlap keeps the winds from blowing
off the leaves. Sometimes the bags blow
off, but are easily replaced after a storm.
After serving for a couple years (as weed
cover and in paths), these bags can be
composted.
Just a quick word on getting the dying,
diseased plants out of your garden: Do
not compost the blighted tomato vines
or squash vines with powdery mildew.
Put them in yard waste containers for the
Seattle/King Co. Solid Waste programs
to compost.
A typical garden compost doesn’t get
hot enough to kill the pathogens, and those
build up in a garden patch, making next
year's garden more susceptible to these
diseases.
Congratulate yourself for the bounty
your garden gave you and your family.
Keep eating your winter greens and planning
for the next, even better growing
season.
Anza Muenchow is a farmer and a volunteer
with P-Patch. You can reach her by
e-mail at mahafarm@whidbey.com or on
the Internet at www.mahafarm.com.
The Seattle and King County housing
authorities will be receiving nearly $30.5
million in funding from the HOPE VI
housing program to revitalize two public
housing developments.
It was announced last month that $20
million will be allocated to the Park Lake
Homes II redevelopment project in White
Center and nearly $10.5 million will go
to the Lake City Village and House redevelopment
in Seattle.
The HOPE VI program, which is funded
by the U.S. Department of Housing
and Urban Development (HUD), replaces
some of the nation’s most dilapidated
public housing with modern, mixed-income
units.
Park Lake II
This funding will go to KCHA to revitalize
the Park Lake Homes II public
housing development. The revitalization
project is comprised of 165 units, all of
which will be demolished and replaced
with a total of 318 units.
Of this total, there will be 165 public
housing/Low-Income Housing Tax Credit
(LIHTC) rental units, 12 LIHTC rental
units, 12 Project Based Housing Choice
Voucher units, 17 Habitat for Humanity
affordable homeownership units, and 112
market rate homeownership units.
Of these units, 306 will be on site and 12
will be off site. Community and Supportive
Services (CSS) will also be provided to all impacted families. There will be
6,500 square feet of community center space on the ground floor of a residential
building in the center of the site. The space
will include a large community room, the
Neighborhood Networks Center, office
and classroom space for CSS providers, a
multi-purpose room, and a satellite office
for the King County police.
Lake City Village and House
This funding will go to SHA to revitalize
the Lake City public housing development.
Lake City Village was comprised
of 16 townhouse public housing rental
units which were demolished in 2002. Its
revitalization plan will create a total of
103 units, including 51 public housing
rental units, 35 Low-Income Housing
Tax Credit rental units, five affordable
homeownership units, and 12 market-rate
homeownership units.
Of these units, 71 will be on site and
32 will be off site. Additionally, there
will be 113 public housing rental units at
Lake City House, a high-rise building for
seniors and persons with disabilities who
are currently undergoing substantial rehabilitation.
Community and Supportive
Services (CSS) will also be provided to all
impacted families.
To aid in the delivery of CSS programs,
a 600-square foot Neighborhood Network
Center and a 100-square foot CSS office
will be constructed on site.
The fine art of living on a low-income budget takes time to acquire. I used to find myself running out of money midway through the month and then waiting on edge for the first of the month to roll around.
I would see things on sale when I was out of money and cringe at the money I could have saved. It occurred to me, I must be doing something wrong!
I said to myself, “If you could buy things on sale instead of paying top dollar, you just might end up with money at the end of the month — maybe even be able to save a little to boot!”
So I embarked on a journey to learn how to live best, on the money I had.
One of the first things I learned was that stores run the same sales periodically. So one of my first challenges was to make sure I did not run out of an item before it went on sale again. This meant I had to stock up, which initially took more money.
I’ll use toilet paper as an example. I buy Scott’s toilet paper in the 12-roll packages. Instead of buying one package, I initially bought two. This way I did not run out before the next sale. The next time I only had to buy one package.
When it’s on sale you can get Scott’s 12-roll packages of toilet paper for between $5.99 and $6.99. Regular price at QFC is $12.39. That’s a saving of $5.40 to $6.40 per package.
You might ask yourself, why Scott’s toilet paper? The reason is simple: You get more product for your buck!
The other brands may be cheaper, but they do not last as long, and in the end you pay more for them. And yes, I also calculated how long a product lasts!
I have extras of everything, from mayonnaise, to pepper, to toilet paper. It does take time and money to stock up like this when you are on a limited income, but it can be done.
Another thing I do is save all my receipts. I use a large binder clip to do this. This way I can go back and check the prices of things so I know when it is best to buy and at what price.
Speaking of receipts — always check your receipts before you leave the store. You would be amazed at how often you get overcharged, especially on sale items.
Quite often you will get charged the regular price instead of the sale price. Every penny counts!
Another investment that ends up saving me money is to subscribe to the Sunday-only newspaper. You do not have to get all seven days of the newspaper.
The Sunday newspaper has the week’s sales in it, and the coupons. From the mail, I get Bartell’s ads along with the grocery store ads.
Buying in bulk can also save you money. The best place I have found to get bulk items is Madison Market.
It is closest to where I live, but there are many places that offer bulk items throughout the Seattle area.
One of the best money-saving items I get in bulk are spices. The per-pound price is enough to scare you away, but remember, a pound of thyme, for example, could fill a paper bag. I am sure you don’t need that much! Another item I get at Madison Market are my eggs. I do pay more for them because they are stamped “Certified Humane.” This means the chickens who lay the eggs I eat are treated humanely.
They are happy chickens, and I’ve been told the eggs are healthier to eat. I am a vegetarian and animal-rights activist, so happy chickens are important to me. And with the money I save elsewhere, I figure I can pay a little more for my eggs.
Pam’s Spinach and Parsley Frittata
1 medium onion (about a cup, chopped) 1 clove garlic 1 large potato
1 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. salt 8-9 eggs
4 tbsp. Parmesan cheese 1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley (packed)
Fresh-ground pepper
2 1/2 cups chopped spinach (chopped)
1 tsp. cider vinegar
Chop the onion, mince the garlic and scrub the potato and cut it into 1/4-inch cubes. Heat olive oil in a 12-inch skillet, preferably a good non-stick type. Saute the onion and garlic for a few minutes, then add the diced potato and about 1/2 tsp. of salt, and continue cooking over medium heat, stirring often, for about 10 minutes. The vegetables will start to brown.
Meanwhile, beat the eggs with the Parmesan cheese, parsley, remaining salt, and pepper, then set aside. Add the chopped spinach to the pan, sprinkle it with cider vinegar, and toss it with the other vegetables until it is thoroughly wilted.
Pour the egg mixture into the vegetable mixture and give it a quick stir to make sure everything is more or less evenly distributed. Adjust the heat until it is very low, cover the pan, and let the frittata cook slowly for about 10-15 minutes, or until the eggs are completely set.
Loosen the frittata gently with a spatula until it slides freely in the pan, then invert it onto a flat lid or platter and slide it back into the pan to brown on the other side, just for a minute or two. Serve it on a platter, warm or cool, and cut into wedges. Serves 6-8.
By Pam McGaffin
Moore Ink
After a late start in American schools, Liliya Tysyachuk is on an education fast track.
At 19, she’s in the home stretch of getting her Associate of Arts degree after finishing a challenging summer quarter of math and biology classes at Green River Community College.
Between her studies, working part-time and planning for the future, this year’s recipient of the Neighborhood House Heart of Oak scholarship hasn’t had the time to rest on her laurels, although she’s probably earned the right.
Eleven years ago, Liliya and her family had just arrived from Ukraine. Plunked into an American second-grade classroom where she understood nothing, she struggled to learn and catch up. Her parents were so busy trying to earn a living and improve their own English skills that they were unable to offer much help to her and her five older siblings.
But Liliya made friends. And after school, they would head over to the Neighborhood House Youth Tutoring and Resource Center in the Burndale public housing community where they live.
In a converted four-bedroom apartment, they would be guided by volunteer tutors on their school work, play learning games, do arts and crafts, and socialize.
“I make them do work,” says Youth Tutoring Coordinator Terrah Goeden. “But we also make it fun.”
While Liliya was getting help, she also volunteered her time at the center, serving as a role model for the younger kids, most of them from Ukrainian immigrant families. The center serves students from preschool to college, but the core group are elementary- to middle-school age.
“This is their home away from home,” Terrah says. “That’s how they see it.”
That was certainly true for Liliya. “It was warm and cozy,” she says. “If you had nothing to do at home and were tired of watching TV, you could go to the tutoring center. There was always something to do here.”
The tutoring she received helped Liliya so much she started earning A’s in school and reading the classics. Pride and Prejudice is a favorite.
In her junior year of high school, she began attending classes at Green River through Running Start, a program that gives qualifying high school juniors and seniors the option of starting college early. That explains why Liliya is getting her AA degree on the heels of graduating with a 3.5 grade-point-average from Auburn Mountainview High School. She had planned to transfer to the University of Washington this fall.
“(Liliya) is a kind, responsible, intelligent and driven young woman who deserves the opportunity to further her education,” wrote Terrah in a letter recommending the teen for the Heart of Oak scholarship, given annually to a student who might not otherwise have the opportunity for a higher education. Liliya will receive $2,500 each year for the next two years.
In a personal statement for the scholarship, Liliya describes the barriers she and her family have overcome. While she was in school, her parents also attended classes, learned English and secured stable jobs. Her siblings have left home to start lives of their own.
“Life goes by so fast,” she wrote. “It feels like I was in elementary school mixing up my B’s and D’s and I blinked, and now I’m a senior about to graduate... I am very excited about my future wherever it may take me.”
A first-time voter looks forward to the election
By Scott Freutel
and Thanh V. Nguyen
As voters, each of us thinks about
candidates and issues in our own way.
For this reason, it’s impossible to say that
all voters who share Characteristic X will
vote a certain way but voters who share
Characteristic Y will not.
Still, first-time voters, people who
haven’t been motivated until now to exercise
their right to vote, and especially new
citizens who have recently gained that
right, can be said to have one important
thing in common: They’re excited about
this election, and they’re following it
pretty closely.
Here’s a brief profile of one first-time
voter selected nearly at random from one
of our communities.
Name: Truyen Thi Le
Age: 67
Residence: Gamelin House, Rainier
Vista
Birthplace: Vietnam
Family: Ky Van Le, husband; no children
Came to USA: 1993
Citizen since: 2001
Occupation: Retired; worked at Sears
until 2001
Polling place: Rainier Vista, but may
vote an absentee ballot
Issues: Most important issue: the economy.
Others: health care, especially health
care for the elderly, and security for the
United States.
Interest level: Follows political news on
TV; watched the conventions; encourages
friends and fellow residents of Rainier
Vista to be sure to exercise their hardwon
right to vote.
By Michael Kelly
Special to The Voice
With less than 50 days to go until one of the most important elections in United States history, it is vital for everyone to get involved.
It might seem like time is too short and that it is too difficult to be involved unless you are part of a political campaign, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. There is still plenty of time to get involved in the election this year!
There are thirty-five days (as of press time) to volunteer to get your friends, family, and neighbors talking, educated, and out to the polls on Nov. 4.
During October, Washington Low Income Housing Alliance and our partners, as well as other organizations such as Poverty Action and others, will be hosting debate-viewing parties, election discussions and candidate forums to inform voters about their choices and vital role to play in this election.
You can be a part of this historic election simply by helping to get your community engaged. The Alliance is seeking volunteers for Get Out the Vote efforts throughout Seattle. Contact Michael at Vote@wliha. org for more information.
One of our most important efforts at outreach this year will be to get people to vote “down ballot.”
“Down ballot” means not only choosing a presidential candidate but also voting on all of the contests on the ballot.
There are a lot of local and statewide races, and in many ways, the winners of these races will have a greater impact on us than our president. Governors, state senators, and initiatives impact us very directly.
Unfortunately, a lot of our neighbors don’t realize this. They become excited by the presidential race and are eager to choose, but often won’t vote for local and state races because they feel uninformed about them.
We need your help! It’s simple to get informed and involved. To educate yourself and your neighbors, study the online voter guide at PovertyAction.org.
Find out who represents you with the League of Women Voters (lwvwa.org). Host a pot luck on the night of a Presidential or Gubernatorial Debate, drive your neighbors to their polling locations, have a “ballot party” to discuss the ballots and remind people to vote.
Talk to your friends, talk to your family. Don’t let your community forget to vote.
Please visit www.wliha.org/vote and email vote@wliha.org for more information.
Keep an eye out at community bulletin boards and community centers for postings and fliers about Housing Alliance voter education in your neighborhood.
Election Day
Nov. 4, polls open 7 a.m.-8 p.m. (go to www.wliha.org/vote to find your polling place)
Presidential Debates
All debates begin at 9 p.m. Eastern Time, 6 p.m. on the West Coast.
Sept. 26: Presidential Debate – Foreign policy focus
Oct. 2: Vice Presidential Debate
Oct. 7: Presidential Debate – town hallformat
Oct. 15: Presidential Debate – Domestic policy focus
Washington Gubernatorial Debates
Sept. 20 – read about the debate – www.
seattlepi.com
Sept. 25 – read about the debate – www.
seattletimes.com
Oct. 1 – 7 p.m.
Oct. 9 – time TBD (check www.wliha.org/vote for more information)
Oct. 15 – time TBD (check www.wliha.org/vote for more information)
CLASSIFIEDS
THE MARKETPLACE OF THE VOICE
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SERVICES
Part-time caregiver domestic experience preferred. Background check. White Center Morning, evening, weekend. Must be organized, flexible clean. Attention to details and speak and read English. Tom, 852-0612
FOR SALE
For sale 29”x45” dining room table with 4 chairs. Amber/ Black. Good Condition. $150. 206-325-6455
WorkSource Provides
These services are FREE and open to the public.
Translation services are available upon request.
Visit our website: www.worksourceskc.org.
Market place coupon
Do you have a couch or other item you want to sell? Take advantage of the free person-to-person classified advertising in The Voice by filling out your 24-word ad below. Remember, write only one word per line and don’t forget to include your telephone number in your ad! Mail your ad before the 18th of the month and it will be included in the next month’s issue.
Name _______________________________ Address _____________________________ City _______________________________ State __________________ ZIP ___________ Telephone ______________________ E-mail ____________________________________
Write your ad here (one word per line)
Check the classification: ❑ Items for sale ❑ Autos for sale ❑ Items wanted ❑ Services
Mail to: PPC, 4000 Aurora Ave. N., Seattle, WA 98133 Fax: 206-461-1285 E-mail: classmgr@nwlink.com w/subject line “The Voice”
TRANSLATIONS
Translated Articles from The Voice
Great deals abound at the super market and food bank
Xaraash iyo xoolo jaban oo ka jira suuqa weyn iyo bunuugta cuntada
Sicir bararka shidaalka iyo guud ahaan dhaqaalo darrida na soo food saartay ayaa sababtay in ay cuntadii noqotay wax aan la goyn Karin, taasoo sababtay in ay adkaato la soo bixidda quutulyoonka.
Waxaan dukaamada cuntada (grocery stores) ka helaa maalinta talaadada waraaqaha xaraashka cuntada iyo alaabta kale, xaraashkuna wuxuu dhacaa maalinta Arbacada. Waligay masoo gadan waxyaabaha ay ka mid yihiin rootiga, basasha, bariiska, digirta, yaanyada gasacadaysan,; sababtoo ah labo jeer todobaadkiiba ayaan aadaa bangiga cunta (food Bank). Matalan, haddii aad soo qaadato basal aadna ku aragto in ay meelo bolol ka tahay, ka fiiq dubka kore, afafkana ka jar, si fiicanna u dhaq, qalaji oo kadib ku xafid faranjiyerka qaybtiisa daboolka yarka ah leh, muddo ayey oolikartaaye.
Biyo raaci dhamaan qudaartaada; tusaale ahaan tayda waxaan ku ridaa sinkiga jikada maraan dhaqayo. Markey qalallaanna wax ku duub oo bac geli.
Ka hor iyo kadibba, marakaan qudaar ama hilib ku jar-jarro miiska jikada waxaan ku dhaqaa warankiilo yar biyo badan. Isku dar warankiilo qiyaasteedu le’eg tahay afar meelood meel qaadada shaaha iyo labo koob oo biyo ah, kadibna ku shubo dhalooyinka caaga ah ee biifleeya.
Haddii aad hesho wargeyka axadlaha ah. Meel dhigo boonooyinka ee la socda, saasbaan anigu koleyba cuntada aan xaraashka ahayn. Midda kale, Bangiga cuntadu wuxuu ku fiican yahay dhinaca miraha la cunno iyo qudaarta marka xiligooda la joogo. Miraha sifiican u bislaada waxaa laga samayn karaa cuntooyinka ay ka mid yihiin canjeero (laxoox), waffles, rooti, iyo doolshe.
Doolshaha kaligiis ayaa casumaad gala.
Great deals abound at the super market and food bank
NHỮNG MÓN HỜI Ở CHỢ THỰC PHẨM VÀ Ở CÁC NƠI PHÁT THỰC PHẨM (FOOD BANKS)
Vì giá xăng dầu lên cao và do nền kinh tế của chúng ta (yếu kém), nên giá cả thực phẩm càng lúc càng mắc thêm. Khó mà sống nỗi. Tôi thường nhận các giấy (quảng cáo) hạ giá vào mỗi Thứ Ba từ các chợ thực phẩm, và cuộc hạ giá bắt đầu vào các ngày Thứ Tư. Tôi không bao giờ mua bánh mì, hành tây, gạo, đậu và cà chua đóng hộp, thay vào đó, tôi đi đến các food bank 2 lần mỗi tuần. Nếu lãnh được cũ hành tây mà thấy nó co đốm, hãy lột các lớp vỏ ra, cắt bỏ các rễ nó đi. Rồi rữa sạch nó, để nó ráo thật ráo rồi đựng vào rỗ. Nó sẽ không hư trong thời gian dài. Hãy rữa và để ráo các lòai rau xanh. Tôi để nó vào cái rỗ đựng chén dĩa. Khi chúng khô ráo rồi, thì gói chúng vào khăn giấy ẩm và để vô túi. Trước và sau khi cắt rau cải hay xắt thịt, hãy rữa các kệ (thớt) với dung dịch thuốc tẩy pha với nuớc lạnh. Hãy pha 1 phần tư muổng cà phê thuốc tẩy với 2 cup nước đựng vô chai xịt. Nếu qúi vị có đọc báo ngày Chủ Nhật, hãy giữ lại các coupon. Đó là cách mà tôi dùng để mua các lọai thực phẩm không hạ giá. Cũng thế, ở các foodbanks có cho nhiều rau cải trong mùa. Trái cây chin mùi thì để làm bánh, bánh xốp, bánh mì hay bánh bông lan muffin. Bánh muffin ăn chơi rất ngon.