Our mission at SAVE is to create courses in economic education as first steps in building a vibrant economy. In the Spring of 2020, we offered SAVE courses at the Lighthouse Mission to help homeless women rebuild their lives by learning how to start their own business. Sadly, our program was canceled due to the Covid lockdown at the end of March 2020.

The Covid lockdown not only suspended our economic education program at the Mission, it also abruptly ended our afterschool education classes being taught at Alderwood and Cordata Elementary Schools. The entirety of the State’s covid closures placed thousands of small businesses in financial jeopardy and a sizable percentage of them closed their doors for good in Washington State – which in turn led to increased employment issues, inflation, and homelessness here.

In 2022, SAVE attempted to restart our program at the Lighthouse Mission. However, the Lighthouse Mission was swamped due to the huge increase in need to feed and shelter the homeless. Covid protocols made hosting the classes difficult, if not impossible, to accommodate in-person classes for the women and men in the Mission’s programs.

In 2023 SAVE has been developing a new economic curriculum called, “Building a Bridge to the Future - How Money Works.” The new curriculum is slated to be introduced in 2024.

We know there is a significant need for economic education in organizations like the Lighthouse Mission and for our schools. We need your help to make this happen in 2024. Please consider SAVE for your year-end, tax-deductible donation of any amount to our address below or by visiting our website at savenw.org, and hitting the “Donate” button, to contribute.

In addition, we are hoping you can make a year-end, tax-deductible donation to the Lighthouse Mission, by visiting their website:  https://www.thelighthousemission.org/

 

 

 

 

Dave Courtney, President

SAVE, Social Alliance for a Vibrant Economy

To learn more about SAVE’s business education courses for organizations like the Lighthouse Mission, below are some short videos about the need for this program:

SAVE Interview with Hans Erchinger-Davis

This is our interview with Hans Erchinger-Davis, the Director of the Lighthouse Mission regarding the importance of SAVE’s Economic Education program.

 

 SAVE Interview with Bridget Reeves

This is our interview with Bridget Reeves, the Program Director of the Lighthouse Mission, regarding the importance of SAVE’s Economic Education program.

 

 SAVE Interview with Jennifer Sefzik

This is our interview with Jennifer Sefzik, a Whatcom County community leader, regarding the importance of SAVE’s Economic Education program.

 

 

 

Many people say that they donate to charitable causes to “give back” for being successful in business or their life.  We assume that their success was due to luck or rich parents.  Yet if you look at their circumstances more closely, it probably was because of hard work, ethical principles and choosing an education that prepared them for success.

There’s a lot of buzz being created by local, state , and national candidates about social and wage equality. They are proposing to establish a “wealth tax.” It is important for people to understand what a wealth tax is.

A wealth tax is a tax or bill which is payable every year on money and tangible or intangible assets of value earned and retained by a person or business. To determine that amount you must add up all of the assets you have; cash accounts, retirement accounts, land, building, stocks, bonds, furniture, jewelry, cars, trucks, antiques; anything that has an established value. Next you must list and add up the total amount of debt (liabilities) you have; loans, credit cards, mortgages, notes; all ongoing financial obligations and the total amount owing on each. Next step is to take the total amount of your assets and subtract the total amount of your liabilitues/debt to determine what your net worth is; this is your wealth factor.

This type of a tax would be due every year based on your wealth factor and would greatly effect everyone's ability to build up the funds needed to retire. Wealth is actually the "nest egg" we all need and desire to have as we live our daily lives and ease into retirement; it is your ability to live an independent lifestyle at the income level which you desire to have for your "golden years."