Commonwealth - Cooperative Federal
Transcripción
Commonwealth - Cooperative Federal
Commonwealth News from Cooperative Federal, Syracuse’s community development credit union. Fall 2013|#102 In this issue... (Click to jump to a story) Homeownership A True Member Story New Food Coop Open Hand’s Festival SINCE OUR FOUNDING DAYS, COOPERATIVE FEDERAL Be A Hero! HAS RELIED ON THE SKILLS AND STEWARDSHIP OF VOLUNTEERS OUR MEMBERS HAVE SERVED AS 5 Things You Can Do to Get Ready for Homeownership Life in Syracuse brings a lot of perks. We live in a place that looks like a city, but feels a lot like a small town. We’re surrounded by breathtaking lakes, gorges and mountains, with some of the cleanest drinking water on the planet. Local agriculture yields a bounty of tasty and wholesome ingredients, both to our own kitchens and a growing list of fantastic, independent restaurants. We have a rich legacy of social activism, and our urban center is home to prestigious cultural, educational, and medical facilities. This list goes on and on, but there’s one more perk that cannot be overlooked: Syracuse is one of THE most affordable places to own a home in the United States. Homeownership is a powerful tool for strengthening neighborhoods, and Continued on Page 2 Building a Family A True Member Story Loans from our credit union have helped many people establish a home or a business, but this may be the first time we’re helping someone start a family! Kishi and Bradford Ducre took a personal loan to pay for some of the placement fees associated with the adoption of their first child. Kishi holds her doctorate in environmental justice and moved to Syracuse eight years ago to accept a faculty position at the University. She and her husband found a new home on a quiet street in the University neighborhood, and it wasn’t long before she became a member of Cooperative Federal. TELLERS, LOAN REVIEWERS, PAINTERS, GARDENERS , ROOFERS, AND WRITERS Prepárese para ser propietario AND STUFFED THOUSANDS THEY HAVE FIXED LEAKS, VOTED ON POLICY, UPON THOUSANDS OF ENVELOPES ¿Sabía usted que Syracuse es uno de BUT BEHIND THE SCENES, WE ARE STILL A los sitios más económicos de los EEUU GRASSROOTS CO-OP: en términos de comprar una casa? No obstante, aunque OWNED , CONTROLLED , AND STEERED OUR MEMBER-OWNERS los precios sean bajos, el camino a BY comprar una casa puede ser largo. Y tan pronto como obtenga su casa, va a requerir una vigilancia constante para asegurarse que no la pierda — destruyendo su crédito y perdiendo el valor de la propiedad en este proceso. Si usted está considerando hacerse propietario, le ofrecemos 5 cosas que puede hacer ahora para prepararse. WE HAVE COME A LONG WAY OVER THE PAST 3 DECADES, 1. Ahorrar, ahorrar, ahorrar. Nunca es demasiado pronto para comenzara ahorrar para su casa. Necesita ahorrar no sólo para el depósito, sino también para emergencias y reparaciones de la casa. ¿Qué hará si alguien en su familia se enferma de repente, o pierde su trabajo? ¿O si se rompe el horno durante la primera tormenta de nieve del año? Necesita tener suficientes ahorros para seguir haciendo sus pagos de hipoteca e impuestos cuando las cosas están mal temporariamente — y estar al tanto de los costos inevitables de reparación y mantenimiento de casa. 2. Conocimiento de su reporte de crédito. Si usted tiene cobranzas sin pagar, pagos atrasados, juicios abiertos, o ha agotado la línea de su tarjeta de crédito, puede ser muy difícil calificar para una hipoteca con una tasa baja de interés. Es esencial saber que los acreedores, del pasado y del presente, han reportado al buró de crédito, para que Usted pueda enmendar los errores, y formar un plan de acción para reparar su crédito. 3. Aumentar su capacidad crediticia. Tan pronto como Continued on Page 7 Continua en la Pagina 3 Cooperative Federal • Finance for the People since 1982 Tel: (315) 471-1116 • www.cooperativefederal.org • [email protected] Eastside Office • Mailing Address Fall 7232013 Westcott Street, Syracuse, NY 13210 Northside Office • Assisi Center Southwest Office • Southwest Community Center Page 1 #102 800 North Salina Street,Commonwealth Syracuse, NY 13208 401 South Avenue, Syracuse, NY 13204 Homeownership, Continued building wealth that can be passed down to future generations – helping to break the cycle of poverty and ensure that our children have a real shot at success. plan. Call (315) 473-0211 to register for a free Homebuyer Matched Savings Orientation Workshop. 2. Know what’s on your credit report. You know that saying, “what you don’t know can’t hurt you?” Well, when it comes to your credit history, that is most definitely not true! If you have unpaid collections, late payments, open judgements, or maxed-out credit cards, it can be very difficult for you to qualify for a mortgage and get a nice, low interest rate. It’s essential that you know what your current and past debtors have reported to the 1. Save, save, save. Syracuse is one of THE credit bureaus so that you can address blemishes, It’s never too early to start saving for your home. most affordable places to dispute errors, and make an action plan for You need savings not only for a downpayment, own a home in the United getting your credit into good shape. but for emergencies and home repairs. What will States. ... Yet, even with you do if someone in your household suddenly ] Start Here: By federal law, you’re entitled to a low real estate prices, the becomes ill, or gets laid off from work? Or if road to buying a home can free copy of your credit report each year, from your furnace breaks during the first snowstorm each of the 3 major credit bureaus – TransUnion, be long and steep. of the year? What happens if both of those Equifax, and Experian. You can access these things happen at the same time? free reports at annualcreditreport.com. Or, if you’d like hands-on help retrieving and deciphering your The first rule for successful homeownership is to expect the credit report, you can make an appointment with a Financial unexpected. You need to have enough savings to keep on Counselor at Cooperative Federal. A $15 fee gets you a paying your mortgage and taxes when things temporarily go 30 minute consultation, and a copy of your credit report – awry – and to keep up with the inevitable home maintenance including your credit score (which is not included in the free and repair costs. reports from annualcreditreport.com). Call (315) 476-1451 for info or to make an appointment. ] Start Here: With Cooperative Federal’s Homebuyer Matched Savings Program, you can earn up to $9,500 in down payment 3. Boost your credit score. matching grants when you save $2,000! Along the way, our Once you understand what’s on your credit report, you can take counselors will work with you to create a budget and savings steps to improve your credit score! First, clear up delinquent debts or collections – either by paying them off, requesting a payment plan, or disputing them (if you don’t recognize the debt, or think you already paid it) – and be sure to pay all of your bills on time, every month. Next, compare your credit balances to your credit limits. If you have three credit cards with a combined credit limit of $5,000, but you have a combined balance of $4,950, your credit score will take a real beating. Try to pay down your balances, request a higher credit limit, or even apply for a new card that you can keep at a $0 balance. (Make sure you can resist the temptation to use up any new credit you receive!) Yet, even with low real estate prices, the road to buying a home can be long and sometimes steep. And once you own a home, it takes constant vigilance to make sure you don’t lose it – tanking your credit and loosing your equity in the process. If you’re considering homeownership, here are five things you can do NOW to start preparing. Homebuyer Matched Savings Workshops First-time homebuyers can quadruple their savings toward home purchase through our Matched Savings Program. The combined fundscan be used for downpayment, closing, or pre-closingcosts! ] Start Here: The math behind your credit score is extremely complex, so make sure you understand how things work before you make major changes. Consult resources like http://www. myfico.com/CreditEducation – or, come to Cooperative Federal for expert advise that is tailored to your situation. We have several fantastic products that can help you deal with debt, such as free balance transfers to our low-rate credit card, debt consolidation loans, and a unique Credit Builder Club. Our Counselors can also help you make an action plan and track your progress over several months, or more! Call (315) 4761451 to speak with a counselor, or (315) 473-0242 to speak with a loan officer. Attend an Enrollment Workshop to learn more. Call Kira Crawford at (315) 473-0211 for more information or to register. 4. Hit the books. Buying a home is a complicated process, and homeowners have many responsibilities. You need to arm yourself with Continued on Page 3 Commonwealth #102 Page 2 Fall 2013 knowledge to ensure that you get a good deal on a quality home you can truly afford, and to make sure you’re prepared for the full scope of responsibilities that come with being a homeowner. Have a list of questions to ask sellers, realtors, insurance agents, and mortgage officers, and be sure that you know the pros and cons of different mortgage products. ] Start Here: There are many books and articles that you can use to educate yourself. You can also speak to a counselor at Cooperative Federal, or take a class with agencies such as Home HeadQuarters. Learn more about Home HeadQuarters’ homebuyer education classes at www.homehq.org, or call (315) 474-1939 x283. 5. Plan ahead. There is a wealth of information and assistance available to homebuyers in Syracuse, from non-profits like Cooperative Federal, Home HeadQuarters, the Northeast Hawley Development Association (NEHDA), UNPA, Syracuse Model Continued on Page 8 Ojo, Continua Usted entienda lo que está en su reporte de crédito, puede tomar pasos para aumentar su puntaje de crédito. Lo más importante es establecer una buen historia de pago en todas sus deudas. Resolver los pagos atrasados—puede pagarlos en su totalidad, o pidiendo un plan de repago, o tambíen puede cuestionarlos (si no reconoce la deuda, o si usted piensa que ya lo ha pagado) —y asegurarse de pagar todos sus cuentas a tiempo cada mes. Luego, revise sus balances pendientes y compárelos con sus límites de crédito. Si tiene tres tarjetas de crédito con un límite de crédito total de $5,000, pero entre las tres debe un total de $4,950, eso va a dañar su puntaje de crédito. Intente pagar sus balances, solicite incremento de límite de crédito, o solicite una nueva tarjeta que puede mantener a un balance de $0. (Cuidado: ¡Asegurarse de poder resistir la tentación de usar el nuevo crédito que recibe!) 4. Ser un buen estudiante. Comprar una casa es un proceso complejo, y los propietarios de casa tienen muchas responsabilidades. Usted necesita llenarse de conocimiento para asegurarse que obtenga un buen precio para una casa de calidad que usted pueda mantener, y que esté preparado para todas las responsabilidades de convertirse en propietario. Debe tener una lista de preguntas para hacer a los vendedores, agentes inmobilarios, agentes de seguro, y corredor hipotecario, y estar seguro de saber lo bueno y lo malo de los distintos productos hipotecarios. 5.Planificar. Hay una abundancia de información y ayuda que está disponible a los compradores de casa en Syracuse, pero independientemente de donde usted solicite ayuda, ¡HAY QUE planificar! Si espera hasta que la casa de sus sueños aparezca a la venta en el mercado, puedes perder la oportunidad de asistencia financiera. Comprar una casa sin la educacíon y preparación adecuada puede resultar en Fall 2013 más deuda de la que puede manejar, o puede pagar más de lo necesario. De todos modos, las consecuencias pueden ser serias: problemas con el flujo de caja, mayor deuda, e incluso la ejecución de la hipoteca. Listo para empezar? Cooperative Federal tiene muchos productos y servicios diseñado a ayudar a la gente a lograr su meta de comprar una casa. ] Homebuyer Matched Savings. ¡Obtenga hasta $9,500 en subvenciones cuando ahorras $2,000 durante 10-24 meses! Sobre la marcha, nuestros consejeros trabajaran con usted para crear un presupuesto y plan de ahorro, para que esté preparado a enfrentar los contratiempos antes y después de comprar su casa. (Aplican limites de ingreso.) Llama ae 4730261. ] Construir el crédito. Nuestros consejeros pueden ayudarle a obtener y entender su reporte de crédito. Recibirá una copia de su reporte, incluyendo su puntaje de crédito. Podemos trabajar con Usted para crear un plan de acción y mejorar su puntaje. Además, tenemos productos fantásticos para ayudarle así a lidiar con su deuda, como transferencia de balance gratis a nuestra tarjeta de crédito con una tasa de interés baja, préstamos de consolidación de deuda, y nuestro exclusivo Club de Construir el Crédito. Llama a 473-0212. ] Asesoramiento para compradores de vivienda. Si tiene preguntas o necesita ayuda navegando en el proceso de comprar una vivienda, ¡le podemos ayudar! Prepárese a comprar una casa con ayuda experta, a través de Home Base, nuestro programa de asesoramiento de comprar una vivienda (aprobado por HUD, el Departamento de Vivienda y Desarrollo Urbano de los EEUU). Llama a 473-0231. Page 3 Continua en la Pagina 4 Commonwealth #102 Cooperative Thinking | A Column by Carl Mellor Fostering a Cooperative Economy In the last issue, I talked about how the proposed National Cooperative Development Act would pave the way for a fairer, stronger economy. This time let’s look at the resources that do exist for cooperative development and how the cooperative economy is growing in our region. The primary resource in existence today is a network of centers that provide technical assistance, training and education for groups starting or already operating cooperative enterprises. In the Pacific Northwest, the Northwest Cooperative Development Center plays that role. In the Midwest, Cooperative Development Services serves communities in Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota. cleaning supplies, offers an alternative to convenience stores with high prices and limited selections. Beyond that, it’s situated in a new eco-efficient building, a rarity in a South Side neighborhood where that kind of construction hasn’t happened for almost 40 years. There are other positive implications as well. In an area where unemployment is rampant, Eat to Live provides jobs. It validates the notion of community control by operating as a member-owned organization. Most importantly, it challenges the notion that economic empowerment for an urban neighborhood is improbable and unrealistic. And in the Northeast region, the Cooperative Development To be sure, the new cooperative Institute (CDI), based in didn’t arise overnight. There were Sherburne Falls, MA, covers Source: https://www.facebook.com/EatToLiveFoodCoop conversations with neighborhood New England and New York residents, organizations working together under the leadership State. CDI, like its counterparts across the United States, of the Southside Community Coalition, and an extensive doesn’t certify cooperatives or approve their plans. It exists campaign to generate funding for Eat to Live. Indeed, the coto support organizations embracing collaboration, democratic op received funds from 3 foundations, New York State, and governance, and other cooperative principles. The groups entities such as Syracuse University and National Grid. All in they serve come in many flavors—food co-ops, housing and all, the organizing process has taken more than 5 years. healthcare providers, retail operations and others. That mix mirrors the overall composition of the cooperative movement in the USA. CDI participants include dairy farmers in New England, the folks who founded the Liberty Ship Café in Richmond, California, and the roughly 200 taxi drivers who belong to Union Cab in Madison, Wisconsin. Union Cab is the largest taxi operation in Madison. When new cooperatives spring up, they reflect local needs and local energy. This summer, for example, a worker-owned venture in Boston began an innovative recycling project based on reusing left-overs from restaurants. The group composts food scraps for farmers and collects discarded vegetable oil for biofuels. In our own city, the Eat to Live Food Cooperative is just about to open its doors to the public at 2323 S. Salina St. The brand-new store, which will sell fruits and vegetables, meats, dairy, and Don’t miss the 2013 New York Cooperative Summit! Saturday, September 28 , 9:00 AM-5:30 PM South Side Innovation Center 2610 South Salina Street, Syracuse, NY 1320 For more details, please visit www.newyorkcooperative.net Commonwealth #102 Once it opens, Eat to Live is moving forward with an ambitious agenda including purchases from local farmers whenever possible, holding nutrition classes, and evaluating access issues. How can the store best serve people who have difficulty traveling to the South Salina St. site? This and other issues will be resolved by the co-op’s staff and members who own the store. As in any cooperative, member participation is a critical resource. Find Eat to Live on Facebook to stay in the loop, and learn how you can become a memberowner. -Carl Mellor, Volunteer Columnist Ojo, Continua ¡Un Nuevo Cooperativa de Comida Viene Pronto! Los negocios cooperativos son una herramienta importante para fortalecer las economías locales y crear un mundo que sea más justo para todos. En algunas cooperativas, como Cooperative Federal y cooperativas de comida, los socios son los propietarios; en otros, llamados cooperativas de empleos, los empleados son los propietarios. En cualquier caso, este modelo de negocio contradice el “status quo,” operando democráticamente y poniendo al pueblo primero. Continua en la Pagina 5 Page 4 Fall 2013 Member Orginization Spotlight: Open Hand’s Festival Welcomes You to the North Side When you think of puppets it’s often on a small scale—a mitten over one’s hand with a jolly face and moving arms in the style of Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood or Punch and Judy. But our friends at Open Hand Theater have completely exploded this idea from our childhood, using larger-than-life puppets to tell stories that celebrate the human experience. On September 14 from 11:00 AM-4:00 PM, the puppets from Open Hand’s Castle at the corner of Prospect Avenue and North Salina Street will take to the streets for the International Arts & Puppet Festival, a free, family-friendly event filled with surprises. “We’re celebrating a sense of family,” emphasizes Geoff Navias, Artistic Director at Open Hand. Truly, family is at the forefront of any Open Hand event, but the Festival will be on a much larger scale than we’ve ever seen from the Theater before. Rooted in a variety of different cultures, attendees will enjoy an assortment of performances, music, art, and dance that will appeal to all generations. The idea of family will further extend to include camaraderie among businesses and organizations on the North Side. Geoff hopes that festivalgoers will treat the event like a North Side “open house,” taking the opportunity to venture out and explore the neighborhood. Several members of the Northside Business Partnership will offer specials to customers during the big day. Cooperative Federal may be relatively new to the North Side business family, but our ties run deep. Open Hand has been a member of our credit union for 25 years.“It’s been great to have the credit union join us over on the North Side by opening the local branch on North Salina Street,” Geoff says. “It’s been a good partnership, investing locally and being able to gather and use our resources for building the community.” The International Arts & Puppet Festival is another way Open Hand can bring people together and show families all of the great things happening on the North Side, including “giant puppets walking about,” he laughs. Unique performances are scheduled throughout the day of the Festival, and will include African drumming, South Indian dance, and a classical string quartet. There will be arts and crafts activities for kids and live painting performances. The International Arts & Puppet Festival is made possible, in part, by an Economic Development grant from the County of Onondaga, administered by CNY Arts. Stay tuned to Open Hand Theater’s website (www.openhandtheater.org) for more details. We’ll see you there! -Mary Beth Schwartzwalder Marketing Specialist Ojo, Continua Syracuse ya tiene varias cooperativas, pero hay una nueva que abrirá este otoño. Después de varios años de planificar, organizar, y recaudar fondos, un grupo de activistas del South Side están preparándose para abrir Eat to Live (Comer para Vivir). Su nuevo edificio en 2323 S Salina St. acaba de ser terminado, y pronto vendrán productos agrícolas frescos, comestibles, y otras cosas para la casa. La tienda será abierta al público, pero ¡también puede convertirse en socio propietario! Encuéntrelos en Facebook (/EatToLiveFoodCoop) para estar informado. Divertirse con la familia en la feria internacional de las artes y las marionetas Una de las organizaciones únicas en el membresía de Cooperative Federal es Open Hand Theater (Teatro de la Mano Abierta), un grupo de artistas que usa marionetas enormes para contar cuentos que celebran la experiencia humana. El 14 de Septiembre, desde las 11:00 AM hasta las 4:00 PM, las marionetas del Castillo de Open Hand (en la esquina de Prospect Avenue y North Salina Street) saldrán a la calle durante La Feria Internacional de las Artes y Las Marionetas, un evento gratis para la familia lleno de sorpresas. Actuaciones serán programadas a través del día, no sólo marionetas sino la danza del sur de India, una banda de Open Hand performers at a past event Continua en la Pagina 6 Coming this October, don’t miss Open Hand Theater’s A World of Puppets performance season! Beginning October 5, children are invited to the Castle on N. Salina Street for two magical performances each month. Visit www.openhandtheater.org for more details. Fall 2013 Page 5 Commonwealth #102 AND WE STILL NEED OUR MEMBERS TO BE INVOLVED AND ENGAGED IN ORDER FOR OUR CREDIT UNION TO GROW AND THRIVE PAID INTERNSHIP Help staff our Youth Credit Union Program at Henninger, Fowler, and Nottingham Schools. TALK ABOUT US Tell your employer or local community center about the educational programs and services we offer. SINCE OUR FOUNDING DAYS, LEND A HAND HAS RELIED ON THE SKILLS AND STEWARDSHIP Join our Building & Grounds Committee, volunteer in our financial education and outreach department, or help us move forward with adoption of Green Business Standards. OUR MEMBERS HAVE SERVED AS BE A LEADER COOPERATIVE FEDERAL OF VOLUNTEERS TELLERS , LOAN REVIEWERS, PAINTERS, GARDENERS , ROOFERS, AND WRITERS THEY HAVE FIXED LEAKS, VOTED ON POLICY, AND STUFFED THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS OF ENVELOPES WE HAVE COME A LONG WAY OVER THE PAST 3 DECADES, BUT BEHIND THE SCENES, WE ARE STILL A Nominate yourself for the Board of Directors or Credit Committee, and learn what it takes to run Coop Fed. Elections are every March. SPEAK UP! Let us know what you love, what you hate, what you’d like to see us do differently. We appreciate hearing from our members! GRASSROOTS CO-OP: INTERESTED BY OUR MEMBER-OWNERS HERO? OWNED, CONTROLLED , AND STEERED IN BEING A Contact Rachel Greene: call 473-0214 or email [email protected] Ojo, Continua tambores africanos, y un cuarteto de cuerdas clásico. Habrán actividades de arte para los niños, representaciones de pintura en vivo, y ofertas especiales de los negocios locales. ¡Unase a Cooperative Federal, Open Hand, el resto de la comunidad del Northside para un día increíble! Continua en la Pagina 7 Commonwealth #102 Page 6 Fall 2013 Building A Family, Continued Ojo, Continua Sea un héroe del Credit Union Desde nuestros días de fundación, Cooperative Federal ha confiado en los talentos y la gestión de nuestros voluntarios. Nuestros socios han servido como cajeros, escritores, pintores, jardineros, techadores y evaluadores de préstamos. Ellos han arreglado goteras, votado en la elección de la política de nuestra organización, y empaquetado miles y miles de sobres. Hemos logrado mucho en las últimas tres décadas, pero todavía necesitamos que nuestros socios sigan involucrados para que nuestra organización sea exitosa. ¡Aquí hay algunas maneras en las que Usted puede ayudar! • Dile a tu empleador sobre los programas educativos y servicios que ofrecemos. • Hágase socio de nuestro “Building and Grounds Committee”, o en nuestra oficina de educación financiera. • Nomínese para nuestra Mesa de Directores o Comité de Crédito • Denos su opinión! Diganos lo que le encanta, lo que odia, y lo que le gustaría cambiar. Llama a Raquelita a 473-0214 para participar. Construyendo una Familia: Historia verdadera de una de nuestras socias Los préstamos de nuestra cooperativa han ayudado a muchas personas a establecerse como propietarios de su propia casa o negocio, pero ¡esta puede ser la primera vez que estamos ayudando a alguien a empezar una familia! Kishi y Bradford Ducre tomaron un préstamo personal para pagar algunos de los cargos de adopción de su primer niño. Kishi se mudó a Syracuse hace ocho años para aceptar un posición en la facultad de la Universidad de Syracuse. Ella y su esposo encontraron una casa en una calle tranquila en el vecindario de la Universidad, y poco tiempo despúes ella se hizo socia de Cooperative Federal. Su carrera progresó rápidamente, se ganó la permanencia; recientemente le ofrecieron la cátedra del departamento de Estudios AfroAmericano. Sobre la marcha, Kishi y Bradford vinieron a Cooperative Federal para ayudarles a mantener las finanzas en orden—incluyendo una transferencia de balance a nuestro programa de tarjeta de crédito la primavera pasada. Con esta transacción ellos obtuviernon una tasa de interés más baja y al mismo tiempo apayaron las finanzas de la comunidad, Kishi ganó un Kindle Fire a través de nuestro concurso “Gana, Gana, Continua en la Pagina 8 Fall 2013 Her career has progressed rapidly. She earned her tenure, and was recently named chair of the African-American Studies Department. Along the way, Kishi and Bradford turned to Cooperative Federal for help with keeping their finances in check – including making a balance transfer to our credit card this past spring. In addition to getting a lower interest rate and the satisfaction of supporting community finance, Kishi won a Kindle Fire through our “Win, Win, Win” balance transfer contest. Getting a family started has not gone as smoothly. A devastating stillbirth in 2008 was followed by a period of infertility. Finally, Kishi and Bradford started pursuing other options. They probably know more about the options available than most people. They have an adopted niece, as well as a close friend who is adopted. Bradford’s parents also The couple was told that, fostered 25 children over once they had completed their the years. Given all the home study, it would take options for adoption and about 10 months to match fostering, they felt the them with an available baby. best choice for them was Less than two weeks later, an open adoption of a over the Fourth of July long newborn through a private weekend, they got the call. agency. Kishi prefers this option because “the mother chooses you and you know who the mother is. I think that’s the best arrangement for our family.” As their child grows up, they will send pictures to the birth mother through the agency. Later on, if both parties decide they would like more contact, it can be arranged through the agency. As Kishi describes it, “You choose your level of openness.” The credit union became an important part of the process in July when an infant suddenly became available. The couple was told that, once they had completed their home study, it would take about 10 months to match them with an available baby. Less than two weeks later, over the Fourth of July long weekend, they got the call. Kishi describes her call to Coop Fed on July 5 as “desperate.” Our lobbies were packed with members preparing for a long holiday weekend, and some staff were on vacation. In spite of the frantic circumstances, the credit union approved the loan in just a few days. But it just wasn’t fast enough. Kishi recalls, “I missed out on my first placement because I didn’t have the money in place.” Members Kishiand Bradford at their Westcott neighborhood home. Page 7 Since then, the Ducres have been on a bit of a roller coaster. Far from waiting ten months, they have already had several calls for permission to show their profile to potential birth moms. Meanwhile, Kishi and Bradford are stocking up on diapers and formula and, with the help of Cooperative Federal, they are financially prepared for the call that will change their lives. -Barbara Kobritz, Outreach Volunteer Photos by Stasya Erickson, Board of Directors Commonwealth #102 Ojo, Continua Homeownership, Continued Gana” de transferencia de balance. Neighborhood Corporation, Jubilee Homes and Empire Housing. But no matter where you seek help, one fact remains the same: you MUST plan ahead!! If you wait until that dreamy little bungalow down the block hits the market, you can miss out on a great deal of financial assistance. Empezar una familia no ha sido fácil. El devastador nacimiento de un bebé muerto fue seguido por un periodo de infertilidad. Finalmente, Kishi y Bradford empezaron a perseguir otras opciones, y se decidieron por una adopción abierta con una agencia privada. Kishi prefiere esta opción porque “la madre te escoge a ti, y tu sabes quién es la madre. Pienso que es el mejor acuerdo para nuestra familia.” Mientras su niño crece, ellos pueden enviar fotos a la mamá biológica a través de la agencia. Como explica Kishi, “Tu puedes escoger su nivel de apertura.” El credit union se convirtio en una parte importante del proceso de adopción en Julio cuando un infante estuvo disponible inesperadamente. Les informaron a la pareja que tan pronto como completaron el estudio casero, sería cerca de 10 meses para emparejarlos con un niño disponible. Menos que dos semanas después, durante la festividad del 4 de Julio, ellos recibieron la llamada. Kishi describe su llamada a Cooperative Federal el 5 de julio como “desesperada.” Nuestros vestíbulos estaban llenos de gente preparándose para la fiesta del 4 de Julio, y algunos empleados estaban de vacaciones. A pesar de las circunstancias frenéticas, el credit unión aprobó el préstamo en solo pocos días. Pero eso no fue suficiente. Kishi recuerda “Yo perdí el primer puesto porque no tenía el dinero en ese momento.” Desde entonces, la vida para los Ducres ha sido un poco como subirse en una montaña rusa. En vez de esperar diez meses, ellos ya han recibido varios llamadas para pedirles autorización a compartir su perfil a madres biológicas potenciales. Mientras tanto, Kishi y Bradford están acumulando pañales y leche de fórmula y, con la ayuda de Coop Fed, están preparados financieramente para la llamada que cambiará sus vidas. For example, Empire Housing provides grants to renovate and rehabilitate aged homes, but you need to apply for those grants before you close on your mortgage in order to qualify. (Check out http://empirehousing.org/) Rushing into a mortgage without proper preparation and education can also lead you to take on more debt that you can handle, or to pay much more than you really need to. Either way, the consequences can be serious: tight cash flow, mounting debt, and even foreclosure. Owning your own home is a fantastic feeling, and we’re so lucky to live in a place where even people of modest means can achieve that goal. But like all of the best things in life, homeownership takes hard work and dedication – and you don’t need to figure it out all on your own! When you’re ready to get started, Cooperative Federal will be waiting. -Meagan Weatherby Program Sustainability & Outreach Coordinator -Traducido por Rachel Greene y Patricia Farfan-Cáceres SPECIAL HOURS Monday 10/14 — CLOSED for Indigenous People’s Day (Columbus Day) Monday 11/11 — CLOSED for Veteran’s Day Thursday 11/28 — CLOSED for Thanksgiving Got Feedback? We want to hear from you. Send questions & comments to: Board of Directors: [email protected] Staff - General: [email protected] Staff - Member Service: [email protected] Sign-up to receive the Commonwealth Newsletter in your email! Visit www.cooperativefederal.org/subscribe Signing up is safe! We never share our email list with third parties. Syracuse Cooperative Federal Credit Union - Established 1982 Our mission is to rebuild the local economy in ways that foster justice, serve people and communities that are underserved by for-profit financial institutions, and responsibly manage our members’ aggregate assets. Federally insured by NCUA Commonwealth #102 Page 8 Fall 2013
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