Blog Post
Alison Bechdel, author of Fun Home, is coming to Ann Arbor
by eapearce
Hugely popular graphic novelist Alison Bechdel, author of Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic, Are You My Mother? A Comic Drama, and many other graphic novels, will be coming to the Michigan Theater on January 22, 2015. Bechdel's work intertwines political and personal spheres. She uses stories of her father's life before gay rights and her mother's life prior to the women's rights movement to portray intimate images of oppression. In Fun Home, her most popular work, Bechdel shares her personal tales of coming-of-age and coming out in the 1950s and 1960s, under the shadow of her parents' unhappy marriage and nation-wide homophobia.
Bechdel's talk at the Michigan Theater will begin at 5:10pm. The event is free and open to the public. You can read more about Bechdel and the event itself here.
Blog Post
Volunteer Opportunity to help Washtenaw County
by Sunny29
Every two years, communities across the country take part in the Point-In-Time (PIT) count, which helps create a national snapshot of the number of people that are homeless in a given area. This year, the Office of Community and Economic Development and the Washtenaw Housing Alliance are teaming up to conduct the count, which will take place on Wednesday, January 28th, from 7:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.
If you are interested in getting involved, approximately 50 survey volunteers are needed, and an additional 10 individuals to help at the Volunteer Headquarters. Teams of three will take to the streets, and survey formal and informal congregate areas. Volunteer shifts can be as short as 2 hours, or last all day! If you or your organization is interested in helping in other ways, please contact Amanda Carlisle with the Washtenaw Housing Alliance at (734) 222-3575 or carlislea@ewashtenaw.org.
Additional volunteer opportunities in throughout Michigan can also be found here.
Blog Post
Need Help with Health Coverage? Contact Coverage Counts!
by Beth Manuel
The Washtenaw County Public Health Department is here to help families access health coverage t21621033546027
hrough a grant from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, called "Coverage Counts". The Healthy Michigan Plan, which is Michigan's Medicaid Expansion program, is open year round and many adults are now eligible for coverage that had not been in the past. Staff members can help at any time during the process: from the initial application, helping provide supporting documents and will troubleshoot & advocate for folks having difficulty receiving the correct coverage. Call the Washtenaw Health Plan at 544-3030 for assistance. You can follow Coverage Counts on Facebook and Twitter! http://www.facebook.com/coveragecounts or http://www.twitter.com/coveragecounts
Blog Post
Resources for High School Students
by aadl staff
Are you a high school student who is starting to think about life after graduation? AADL cardholders can access all of the resources LearningExpress Library has available by logging onto aadl.org. Just click the "Research" tab, then select "Test Prep." You will then be prompted to register through learningexpresshub.com
Learning Express Hub is full of resources for preparing for just about anything! If you are college bound, there are resources on how to write college admissions essays, including tips on grammar, editing, and how to tackle your personal essay. There are also practice tests to help you prepare for taking the ACT and SAT.
Not sure if you want to go on to college? You can prepare for several "Occupational Exams" too. A few available are: homeland security, cosmetology, emergency medical services, air traffic controller and culinary arts.
Crafts
Tiny Expo: Indie Arts & Craft Fair
Saturday December 13, 2014: 11:00am to
5:30pm
Downtown Library Lobby
Blog Post
Affordable Housing Options for Seniors and People with Disabilities
by monkk
Washtenaw Association for Community Advocacy and Partners in Personal Assistance are offering free workshops each month related to the needs of senior citizens and people with disabilities. On Tuesday, January 20, the workshop “Affordable Housing Options for Seniors and People with Disabilities” will be offered at 6:30pm at Washtenaw Community College’s Gunder Myran building, Room 316. Representatives from the following organizations will discuss their programs and services, and outline options for people who seek service-enriched housing: Housing Access Washtenaw County (HAWC); Housing Bureau for Seniors; Ann Arbor Housing Commission; Avalon Housing; and Fair Housing Center. Since seating is limited to approximately 40 persons per workshop, reservations are recommended by calling PPA, (734) 214-3890 or Washtenaw ACA, (734) 662-1256.
Blog Post
The ABC's of Washtenaw Literacy
by Beth Manuel
A great way to boost your resume AND help to increase the self-esteem of community members is to volunteer for Washtenaw Literacy.
When adults improve their literacy skills they become more productive employees, more engaged parents, and more responsible health care consumers. It is a tool that leads to lowered dependence on supportive social services. The opportunity to teach adults who are ready to learn is one we can't afford to miss!
Here's one last date for the year to learn more about volunteering for Washtenaw Literacy. You must register by emailing info@washtenawliteracy.org or by clicking here.
Thursday, December 11th 7:00-8:00 PM
Ann Arbor District Library - Traverwood Branch
3333 Traverwood Drive
Ann Arbor, MI 48105
Blog Post
#GivingTuesday
by Sunny29
As the holiday season continues on, we mustn’t forget about our neighbors that can’t indulge in the temptation of gluttonous eating and frivolous spending. Did you know that one in five children and one in six adults in Washtenaw County do not know where their next meal will come from? In these situations, the thought of trying to provide a little extra for your family is just not a possibility.
But there is good news! After the onslaught of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, there is #GivingTuesday. This global campaign started in 2012 as a response to the commercialization of the holiday season, and as a way to tap into the generosity of the holiday spirit. Take a moment tomorrow to donate your time by volunteering, or make a donation to your favorite non-profit. Many organizations have set up matching campaigns so that your financial contribution will have double the impact! Even as part of your regular shopping, some businesses will donate a portion of sales to the charity of your choice. If you still need ideas of how you’d like to be involved, log on to your computer and follow #GivingTuesday on Twitter and Facebook to see what’s happening in your neck of the woods.
Public Event
Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Reads Book Discussion: A Tale For The Time Being
Thursday January 22, 2015: 7:00pm to
8:30pm
Downtown Library: 4th Floor Meeting Room
Adults And Teens Grade 9 And Up.
Blog Post
Hot Holiday Meals for the Hungry
by Beth Manuel
The Salvation Army will co-host a dinner TODAY, Wednesday November 26th, with the Ypsilanti Free Methodist Church from 4:30-6:30 PM. Be sure to RSVP by calling either the Salvation Army or the church to enjoy a meal and fellowship at 734-482-2055. St. Andrews Episcopal Church in Ann Arbor will serve its daily hot breakfast on Thanksgiving from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. as it does every day of the year. The Original Cottage Inn will offer its annual Thanksgiving meal for the needy and homeless, a tradition that dates back more than 30 years. The dinner is served on Thanksgiving between 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Vineyard Church of Ann Arbor will have hourly shuttles from the Delonis Shelter to its Thanksgiving Meal, the first one leaves at 11:00 am, the last will leave at 5:00 PM.
There are also churches in Ypsi providing meals: St. Matthew's United Methodist Church, 1344 Borgstrom Ave. from 2:00-5:00 PM; Brown Chapel AME Church, 1043 W. Michigan on Thanksgiving, right after a worship service beginning at 10:00 AM. People are welcome to attend the service but it's not required.