 The Thurston County Board of County Commissioners proclaimed September 15 through October 15 as National Hispanic and Latino/e Heritage Month. This month celebrates the Hispanic and Latino/e community and highlights its countless achievements. Representatives from Commission on Hispanic Affairs, CIELO, and Hispanic Roundtable of South Sound shared information about their organizations and the resources they provide locally.
Read Article.
OMWBE is celebrating our 40 years of service this September by waiving certification fees until June 2024. We are so excited to invite small businesses throughout the state of Washington to get certified for FREE!
Renewal fees have also been waived, for businesses that are already certified.
While we obtained funding to waive certification fees for the next 9 months, we are pursuing sustainable solutions to eliminate certification fees long-term.
Why Certify?
- Be visible to prime and general contractors
- Gain access to valuable government contracts
- Network with contractors and government agencies
Contact OMWBE at 360.664.9750 or technicalassistance@omwbe.wa.gov to start your certification process.
Summer and the dry season may be winding down, but that doesn’t mean it’s time to let your guard down about preparing for emergencies.
September is National Preparedness Month. The cooler months bring their own seasonal challenges and risks. Take stock of your emergency supplies, plans, and behaviors now to ensure you have a safe, healthy, and productive fall and winter.
Here are a few suggestions to help you prepare:
Fires and smoke: Washington state forests and wild areas spent the summer drying out. Until fall rains arrive, there is still the risk of wildfires. Keep up with the weather and smoke conditions, and prepare your home to minimize damage. In areas with high wildfire risk, keep an emergency go bag with clothes, medicines, and essential documents handy in case you need to evacuate your home.
Floods: Floods are the most common and widespread natural disasters. Washington’s fall months bring persistent rains and powerful windstorms that can quickly raise water levels and flood river valleys and plains. At home, clear leaves and debris from gutters and street drains. Do not try to walk or drive through flooded areas. Water can be deeper than it looks, and water levels rise quickly. Keep enough food, water, medicine, and key supplies to be self-sufficient for two weeks.
Power outages: Windstorms can knock out power to large areas of our state, sometimes for long periods of time. As with floods and other seasonal events, make sure you have the batteries, medicines, food, and supplies you need to be self-sufficient for two weeks. DO NOT use charcoal grills indoors for warmth – these produce deadly carbon monoxide gas that builds up in enclosed areas. If you have a medical condition that requires electrically powered equipment, register with your local utility so they can help you maintain or quickly restore your power. Visit this page for more tips for people with special medical needs.
Vaccinations: Respiratory viruses like influenza, RSV, and COVID-19 typically peak in fall and winter. Reduce the risk of spreading diseases by ensuring you and your loved ones are up to date with your vaccines, washing your hands often, and staying home if you’re sick.
For more tips and information about emergency preparedness, visit the Washington State Department of Health’s Get Ready for an Emergency web page.
Do you know the steps you need to take to apply for college?
Do you need money for college?
The 12th Year Campaign can help you with two important steps you need to take to go to college: applying for college and applying for financial aid. The first step is to file a FAFSA or WASFA financial aid application.
Join one of the events listed below to learn more and get help. Please note, most events are offered virtually.
October 11, 2023 5:30-6:30pm
Class of 2024 Financial Aid Night
Hosted on Zoom in English and Spanish
Class of 2024, it's almost time to apply for financial aid. Learn more about your options for paying for education after high school. Take your first step at this event by creating your FSA ID or WASFA account with help from Washington Student Achievement Council staff.
Families are encouraged to provide income information to their school districts to ensure that their students have access to much-needed school meals.
This information helps determine students’ eligibility for meals, and it is also used to identify other student benefits such as reduced fees and additional funding for schools. Information provided may also be used to qualify eligible children for Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (Summer EBT) programs.
Families will be asked to fill out one of two documents: a free and reduced-price meals application, or a family income survey. Both forms are simple to fill out and confidential. There are no citizenship requirements for participation in the federal child nutrition programs that Washington’s schools operate, and immigration status is not requested or disclosed.
All households with students in grades K–12 receive application or income survey packets from their child’s school at the beginning of the school year. These packets provide instructions and directions on where to send the materials. In addition, many schools make meal applications or family income surveys available electronically.
After families submit their Free and Reduced-Price Meal Applications, determinations are made within 10 operating days of receipt. Households denied eligibility can appeal the decision by contacting their school. More information.
 
The appointments for the Covenant Homeownership Account are open and posted on page 43 of the below list.
The Covenant Homeownership Account and Program (CHAP) was established by HB 1474, (Chapter 340, Laws of 2023). That legislation gave the Washington State Department of Financial Institutions responsibility for establishing and supporting an ongoing CHAP oversight committee. The oversight committee will evaluate and review program activities carried out by the Washington State Housing Finance Committee. Those activities will include an initial report to the legislature and the oversight committee arising from a study of racist covenants and their economic impact on communities. That report may lead to the creation and administration of one or more special purpose credit programs to provide mortgage down payment and closing cost assistance for persons adversely affected by racist housing covenants the program is investigating. The CHAP oversight committee also may from time to time make recommendations to the Legislature.
Washington is home to vibrant communities and diverse Washingtonians who all have unique talents, skills and experiences. Governor Inslee places a high priority on boards, commissions, and agencies that are reflective of the diverse make-up of Washington and that utilize the impressive talent of Washingtonians. We are always seeking skilled and experienced individuals from a wide variety of backgrounds to participate in boards and commissions ensuring an effective and representative government.
We are excited to share the highlighted Current and Upcoming Gubernatorial Appointment Opportunities.
As someone with deep roots in your respective communities and organizations, we hope that you will share these opportunities. Anyone interested in being appointed will need to fill out this Application. Please explore the Boards and Commissions Profiles if you are interested in learning more about the many opportunities to get involved!
Thank you for your assistance in helping Governor Inslee find well-rounded candidates with significant talent and diverse experiences. Please feel free to reach out to Boards and Commissions staff with any questions you might have. Thank you for your time.
People whose food benefits were stolen through card skimming or other similar fraudulent activity can now submit a claim to the Department of Social and Health Services to have some of those benefits replaced. The U.S. Congress passed a law earlier this year that enables state agencies administering Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, known as Basic Food in Washington state, to replace some food benefits stolen through skimming, cloning or similar fraudulent activity.
“Over the last year, we have seen a significant rise in the number of people losing their vital access to food benefits through card skimming and cloning schemes,” said Babs Roberts, director of DSHS’ Community Services Division, which administers SNAP benefits. “More than 2,000 customers have reported more than $1.2 million in stolen benefits since October 2022. Prior to this year, federal rules prohibited replacement of stolen food benefits, but we are pleased to have a USDA-approved plan in place now so people can get back some of what they lost.” Read more.
Contract location: Statewide
Contract description: The Washington State Department of Enterprise Services (Enterprise Services), in collaboration with the state of Oregon, is issuing this Competitive Solicitation pursuant to RCW 39.26. Pursuant to this Competitive Solicitation, Enterprise Services intends to conduct a competitive procurement to establish and award Cooperative Purchasing Agreements (“Cooperative Purchasing Agreements” or “Contract(s)”), by specified contract category, for Washington state agencies, Oregon Cooperative Purchasing Program (ORCPP) Members, and other eligible purchasers to purchase specified communication and marketing services (“Communications & Marketing Services”) performed by qualified professionals.
Commodity codes: 915-01 Advertising Agency Services, 915-06 Audio Production, 915-07 Audio Recording, 915-09 Audio/Video Production Services Complete, 915-10 Advertising, Digital, 915-14 Broadcasting Services - Radio, 915-15 Broadcasting Services – Television, 915-22 Communications Marketing Services, 915-48 Graphic Arts Services, 915-71 Newspaper and Publication Advertising, 915-72 Photography, 915-74 Radio Commercial Production, 915-78 Television Commercial Production, 915-82 Video Production, 915-84 Video Recording, 915-90 Video Media Duplicating and Production Services, 915-97 Wiring Services, data voice, 918-07 Advertising Consulting, 918-76 Marketing Consulting, 961-53 Marketing Services.
Preference/priority points:
Solicitation documents: Solicitation documents, contacts and bid instructions are available in WEBS: https://pr-webs-vendor.des.wa.gov/.
Question and answer period: August 30, 2023 – October 24, 2023. Submit questions or concerns about this solicitation in writing to the Procurement Coordinator: Andrea Goff, at descontractsstrategy@des.wa.gov
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