Traverse City Record-Eagle

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January 30, 2012

Initiative offers tax prep to the needy

TRAVERSE CITY — The Traverse Bay Poverty Reduction Initiative will host its eighth annual Super Saturday Special to help needy area residents with tax preparation and promote financial self-sufficiency.

"We have all been in a bind at one time or another; the fact that people show up is the first step to getting themselves out of a bad situation," said Brent Boerema, TBA-ISD Career Tech Center assistant principal and event co-coordinator.

The free event will be held Saturday at the TBA-ISD Career Tech Center, 880 Parsons Road in Traverse City. Check-in begins at 9 a.m. and events are planned throughout the day until 3:30 p.m.

Free tax preparation help will be provided to attendees, as well as workshops on topics such as personal finance, special savings accounts, budgeting, credit, homelessness and home ownership.

Former attendee Hurbert Whittaker, of Kingsley, will relate his story of success and strategies that took him from homelessness to business owner. Whittaker will speak during the session that begins at 10:15 a.m.

"Our purpose with this program is to educate and train people, like Hurbert, to give them the tools to become self-sufficient and break the cycle of poverty," said Karen Emerson, event co-coordinator and financial management service manager for Northwest Michigan Community Action Agency.

Information also will be available from community service providers Northern Michigan Disability Network, Northern Lakes Community Mental Health, Northwest Michigan Works and the Traverse Health Clinic.

"We try to make this a one-stop information center so that if my question can't be answered at the first table, I can go to the next table and save days or weeks of frustration," Boerema said.

Lunch and daycare will be provided. Pre-registration is requested by calling (800) 442-1713 or 947-8920.

The Traverse Bay Poverty Reduction Initiative works in conjunction with community partners Traverse Bay Area Intermediate School District, Northwest Michigan Works, Fifth Third Bank, Northwest Michigan Community Action Agency, United Way, Northwest Michigan Tax Coalition, Northwestern Bank, Members Credit Union and the Father Fred Foundation to reduce the impact of poverty in Grand Traverse, Leelanau, Benzie, Kalkaska and Antrim counties.

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