SNG E-NEWSLETTER – October 18th, 2011
. In this edition …Bedlam Theatre “Madness” at Playwrights Center…SNG Annual Meeting…Seward Arts Festival Kick-off…Seward Arts Festival/Franklin Frolic …Special rebates and Home Improvement Assistance…Seward Walkers…
I. SNG News and Events
II. SNG Committee Calendar
III. Seward Longfellow Restorative Justice Partnership News
IV. Community News and Events
I. SNG News and Events
Madness: ”It’s a _______________ of a day in the Neighborhood.” October 25, 7PM by Bedlam Theatre at the Playwrights Center: 2301 E. Franklin Ave.
Kicking off the 2011-2012 Season, The Unit Collective presents:
For the first time, the Unit Collective is partnering with Bedlam Theatre and the Seward Neighborhood Group to create an evening of short pieces inspired by real people.
What is the connection between art and community organizing? As always, the performance is FREE (though donations are greatly appreciated).
Food at 7:00, performance at 7:30 at the. .
Don’t miss this show. The following board members and Seward Neighbors have been interviewed. Each set of two people will be one 15 - 20 minute play. See their stories!
Tariku Hassan & Charlie Hoffman
Rochelle from Blue Moon & Abdur Omer
Youth from Matthews & Ken Webb
Seward Neighborhood Group Annual Meeting –
Wednesday November 2nd 6 – 8:30PM, at Matthews Park
Come see your neighbors, share a potluck dinner, run for the board or help elect vote for the 2012 board. This is a rare opportunity to have everyone you vote for actually win the election!! This is also a chance to learn what SNG is doing and bid on fantastic items at the SNG Silent Auction. If you are interested in running for the Board of Directors email kerry@sng.org
Seward Arts Festival Kick-off at the Playwrights Center, Dec. 2nd 6:30 – 9PM Local Readings and performance artists! Great food and wine from Seward Businesses. Save the Date!! Email Kerry@SNG.org if you have any questions.
Seward Arts Festival/Franklin Frolic—December 2nd and 3rd
Now is your chance to sign up to be part of the Seward Art Festival. All registrations must be in by October 28th. Register online @ http://goo.gl/nBNoA or print out the attached registration form. If you would like to sell your art in a business or nonprofit on Franklin let Kerry at SNG know and she will find a space for you.
This year the Seward Art Crawl will be held in conjunction with the Franklin Frolic—December 2nd and 3rd. Don’t miss the Lighting ceremony with the People’s Fire Coalition and the Women’s Drum Center at 5Pm on Saturday at Triangle Park. The perfect way to end the festival is to join your neighbors in Triangle Park and light up Avenue!
King’s Fair thankyou: I missed Erik Reise—thankyou Erik for helping us set up. Also thanks to Northern Sun for lending us their tents for the day
SNG Home Improvement Assistance
Are you thinking about making improvements to your home, but not sure how to proceed? The Seward Neighborhood Group’s Housing Coordinator can help with project planning, hiring contractors, obtaining financing and advice during construction.
In addition, Seward homeowners can take advantage of special loan programs available through a partnership between the Seward Neighborhood Group and the Center for Energy and Environment at interest rates from 0%-5.99%. The SNG Revolving Loan Program provides loans up to $12,000 to income eligible homeowners for exterior, energy, mechanical, electrical and code improvements at 3.99%. The Minnesota Fix-up Fund provides loans up to $35,000 for home improvements including additions at 5.99%. Income eligible Seward homeowners can have their fix-up fund interest rate reduced to 3.99% on up to $20,000 for up to 15 years. The Home Energy Loan Program provides loans up to $20,000 from 0%-4.99% for energy related improvements (0% for terms 36 months or less).
For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact Doug Wise, SNG’s Housing Coordinator, at (612) 338-6205, ext. 102 or doug@sng.org.
Seward Environment Committee Rebate
The Seward Environment Committee is offering a special $150 rebate to members of the Seward community who are participating in both the Minnesota Energy Challenge and Community Energy Services! This rebate is in addition to the rebate of up to $350 from Center Point Energy for participants in the program.
To receive this rebate, you must be a member of the Seward Energy Challenge team
<http://www.mnenergychallenge.org/Teams/Neighborhoods/Seward_Mpls.aspx>; have received a home energy visit through Community Energy Services and completed one of the recommended upgrades* from that visit between 9/1/2010 and the end of this year. To receive this $150 rebate, you need to submit the following:
· Copy of your “Home Energy Report - Reduction Plan” that you received at your home visit;
· A signed invoice from your contractor for the completed work;
· A print-out of your Energy Challenge dashboard (“My Challenge”).
Submit these forms to Kerry Cashman at kerry@sng.org or the SNG office at 2323 East Franklin Avenue.
*Qualifying upgrades are: attic insulation and air sealing, wall insulation and air sealing, new furnace or boiler and new water heater.
Seward Walkers
It’s been decided that due to decreased interest at this time of year for strolling through Seward (and the ever-advancing darkness falling earlier and earlier), that Seward Walkers will end their walking season effective
immediately. We thank all those who joined the Walkers this year, and who, with or without a group, strolled through Seward, getting to know their neighborhood and neighbors, keeping an eye out for security and safety issues, and for helping foster a good, healthy means of exercise. And to those Seward West Walkers who
so diligently worked to pick up litter on their walks … many, many thanks! We will discuss the year’s walks and gather suggestions for next year’s walks (hopefully to resume next April) at the SNG Crime & Safety meeting, November 14, 2011, at 7:00 p.m. at the Matthews Park Community Building. We are interested in your comments whether you were able to walk this year, or have hopes to next year. For those of you who, for your own reasons will walk Seward throughout the winter, stay safe. Here’s hoping everyone will enjoy clear walking paths throughout the winter! Again, many thanks to all, (and especially to Dick Westby, whose enthusiasm and good-natured persistence made this year’s walks possible! Seward Walkers are done for the year. Thank you everyone who was involved!!
-Crime and Safety Committee – November 14
7:00 PM, Matthews Center, 2318 29th Ave. S.
FFI, contact committee chair Kathy Sikora at ksikora@me.umn.edu
-Community Development Committee – November 8
7:00 PM, Matthews Center, 2318 29th Ave. S.
FFI, contact Doug Wise at doug@sng.org
-History Committee – November 9
6:30, SNG office, 2323 E. Franklin Ave.
FFI, contact Dick Westby at sandrich22@comcast.net.
-Seward Arts Festival-October 26
7PM Matthews Center 2318 29th Ave. S
FFI contact Kerry Cashman @ kerry@sng.org or 612-338-6205
-Environment Committee Meeting – October 24
6:55PM , SNG office, 2323 E. Franklin Ave.
FFI, contact committee chair Carol Greenwood at carolgwood2@gmail.com
-Board of Directors Meeting – October 26
7:00 PM, Seward Towers East, at the intersection of 30th and Franklin Avenues
Board meetings are open to the public—all residents and those who work or own property in Seward are invited to attend. FFI, contact board chair Sheldon Mains, smains@visi.com.
II. Seward Longfellow Restorative Justice Partnership News
Advisory Committee is open to anyone with a stake in Seward or Longfellow who wants to help set the direction for our program.
For more information about restorative justice, SLRJP and how you can get involved, contact Michele Braley at michele@sng.org or 612-338-6205 x108
III. Community News and Events
Matthews Park Annual Halloween parade and party October 31st 4PM 2318 29th Ave. S. Seward Neighborhood Parade starts at 4PM sharp. The party with games and treats will directly follow the parade in the park building.Community Sing at the Eagles Club Saturday November 5 7:30-9:30pm
Sing the Great Songs of Peace: a benefit for WAMM-Women Against Military Madness. Tickets at the door: $15 adults $5 kids $25 families at the Eagles Club in Seward at 2507 E. 25th St. in Minneapolis
6th Annual Green Gifts Fair—Saturday, November 19 10 AM – 5PM at the Midtown Global Market Lake St. & Chicago Ave. Free event.
Donate Books to the Women’s Prison Book Project The most requested books are about drug and alcohol recovery issues, English and Spanish language dictionaries, educational GED materials, fiction and non–fiction by people of color, journals, self-help, abuse issues, health, arts and crafts, spiritual, puzzle books, and mystery/horror novels. They cannot accept hard-cover books or spiral bound books. Their website is www.wpbp.org. We accept donations dropped off during Boneshaker Books hours of 11 am to 8 pm daily. Inquiries can be made at womensprisonbookproject@gmail.comWorried About Your Mortgage?
You’re not alone. Just since January of 2011, 3 of our neighbors in Seward have lost their homes to foreclosure, and we know many more are still struggling to keep up.
If you’re behind on your mortgage—or worried that you might not be able to make future payments—a nearby, HUD-approved non-profit (PRG, at 2017 E. 38th Street) can help.
PRG was started in 1976 by a group of neighbors in the Powderhorn Park area—the original name was Powderhorn Residents Group. Today, the organization serves many neighborhoods in and near Minneapolis, and their services are available to all Twin Cities residents, with no minimum or maximum income limit.
PRG’s counselors will take a look at your household finances, help you figure out what your options are, and then work with you toward a solution. This service is free.
You can work with a counselor whether you’re already in the foreclosure process or are still current on your payments and worried about the future. Of course, the sooner you take action, the more options you have, so it’s best to start working toward a solution right away.
Unfortunately, there are also companies out there who are looking to take advantage of homeowners who are facing the possibility of foreclosure. Beware of organizations that charge money for counseling. And be very wary of anybody offering a “quick fix” or a “buy back” deal. These “services” take advantage of homeowners’ desire to find a solution quickly, and they can often leave you worse off than you started.
To set up an appointment with a counselor at PRG, call (612) 721-7556, or visit prginc.org for more information.
Financing Now Available for Residential Energy Efficiency Upgrades
The Center for Energy and Environment now offers 0% financing to qualified homeowners of single family owner occupied residences statewide. Designed to address the needs of homeowners prior to the winter, this program offers 0% financing for many energy efficiency upgrades including air sealing, insulation, windows, high efficiency heating systems and more. Insufficient insulation is the main cause of ice dams which created huge damage to homes across Minnesota last year. Did you know that it only costs approximately $2-3,000 to have the average home’s attic air sealed and insulated? That’s about $85/month for 3 years at no interest for peace of mind this winter. The chart below identifies the monthly payments associated with the corresponding loan amount. CEE offers up to a $20,000 loan amount for this program.
| Loan Amount | Fixed Rate | Monthly Payment* | Loan Term |
| $1,000 | 0% | $30.00 | 3 years |
| $3,000 | 0% | $85.00 | 3 years |
| $5,000 | 0% | $140.00 | 3 years |
| $7,000 | 0% | $195.00 | 3 years |
For more information on this program and others offered in your community by the Center for Energy and Environment, visit www.ceeloans.org or contact 612-335-5884 or loaninfo@mncee.org.
*These monthly payments are meant to be estimates only. Monthly payment may vary slightly depending upon several factors.
This newsletter was compiled by SNG with the assistance of neighbors who contributed suggestions and news items. To subscribe, send an email to admin@sng.org with “subscribe” in the subject line. To unsubscribe, send an email to admin@sng.org with “unsubscribe” in the subject line. If you know of an upcoming event, meeting, or news item that should be included in a future newsletter, please email admin@sng.org. Thank you!
Kerry Cashman, Community Coordinator
Seward Neighborhood Group
2323 E. Franklin Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55406
612-338-6205, x119
