ACORN Working Families Prosperity Center partners meet with ACORN members for the Working Families Prosperity Center open house on Thursday evening, Jan. 29. Partners pictured include: US Bank, Highline Community College, and Seattle Central Community College.
Community partners gathered at the ACORN Working Families Prosperity Center on Thursday to celebrate ACORNs latest initiative – the 2009 Free Tax Preparation program, which will return over $1-million in tax credits to Washington residents over the next three months.
ACORN's Working Family Prosperity Centers, located in King, Pierce and Snohomish counties, began operating in 2008, and have helped hundreds of Washington residents.
"There are all these ways of encouraging people to spend, and overspend their money," said Burien Deputy Mayor Rose Clark, in a statement. "But the direct outreach of ACORN, combined with the Prosperity Centers, turns that around, teaching people to save, to budget, and to prioritize debt payment most effectively."
Services at the Working Family Prosperity Centers include
• Help and enrollment in accessing food, utilities and other public benefits
• Mortgage assistance and foreclosure prevention
• Financial counseling and banking
• Employment and apprenticeship programs
• First-time homebuyer program
• Programs to help small business-owners or prospective small business-owners.
• Free tax preparation and more.
Washington ACORN is operating three year round centers:
ACORN of King County Working Families Prosperity Center, 134 SW 153rd St., Burien, 206-723-5845.
Free tax preparation, walk-ins welcome, Tuesdays 2 to 9 p.m., Thursdays 2 to 9 p.m. and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Free benefits screening and enrollment, Wednesdays and Thursdays 4 to 9 p.m.
Mortgage HELP and foreclosure prevention intake, Tuesdays at 7 p.m.
Everett ACORN Working Families Prosperity Center, 2812 Lombard Ave #310, Everett, 425-259-5148, walk-ins welcome, hours 2 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, Saturdays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Tacoma ACORN Working Families Prosperity Center, 220 South 27th St., Tacoma, 253-572-4959; hours: 4 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays.