Invites you to meet Congressman*Mike*Thompson
& Special Guest
Congressman Jim Clyburn
Assistant Democratic Leader

Please join us for a Pasta Dinner
Saturday, February 18, 2012
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
USA*World*Classic*Car*Museum
1525*Sonoma*Blvd.,*Vallejo,*CA
$20*per*person

For more information call Mary Jane Bowker at 707-226-8989 or email mjbowker@sbcglobal.net
or Laurence Lea at 707-322-7880 or email Laurence@mikethompsonforcongress.com

Hilton Garden Inn
1309 Rancho Vista Blvd – Palmdale
$15.00 Member
$17.00 Non-Members

Please RSVP 661-674-7557

Featuring: YOU! Our Members get 5 Minutes Each
Topic: Your Business or Organization

Come out and join us for our 1st Luncheon of the New Year!!! This Luncheon is about YOU! To show our appreciation, we would like for each of our members to tell us about your business or organization. We want to hear from you… Let’s NETWORK!!!

Sincerely,

Celaundra Raspberry,
AVBCC

Date: February 23, 2012
Time: 9am — 3pm
Location:
Courtyard Marriott
4422 Y Street
Sacramento, CA 95817

Member Tickets:
$75.00– Full Day
$60.00– Lunch Only

Non-Member Tickets:
$85.00– Full Day
$70.00– Lunch Only

*For more information and to register for this event contact the Sacramento Black Chamber of Commerce Foundation at (916) 231 -0416

Presentations by:
Darcel Lee, CA Black Health Network
Debbie Muramoto, California Capital
Tina Reynolds, Uptown Studios
Shanita Williams, University of Phoenix

Topics Include:
 Running a successful small business
 Accessing capital
 Marketing and communications plans for your small business
 Your business and your health
 Challenges of business ownership

January 26, 2012
Arden Hills Resort Club and Spa
8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
continental breakfast and lunch included

REGISTER: www.sactoid.com

Why you should attend
• Understand the changing demographics in the Sacramento Region and the impact they will have on your business
• Gain knowledge of who is involved in inclusion in the region
• Identify a ready-made group of like-minded professionals
• Share ideas on how inclusion is being used across multiple industries
• Be at the forefront of developing a regional inclusion network
• Gain insight from nationally renowned speaker Dr. Steve Robbins. His client list includes: Microsoft, Toyota, PepsiCo, Nordstrom, NASA,
General Mills, Pizer, and the National Cancer Institute Sacramento Regional Inclusion and Diversity Conference

CLICK HERE to reserve your webinar seat now.

Overview
Would you like to be more comfortable asking for money from borrowers? If you answer yes to this question, Martin Sher can be a service to you. Due to the state of the economy, accounts receivable (AR) management is one of the most pivotal and valuable traits for companies and organizations nationwide. Every 30 days receivables go down 12% in value. As lenders, effective AR Management can be the difference in your growth as an organization. In this webinar you will learn specific ways to improve your revenue cycle while at the same time gain experience in good collection techniques. Join us in taking a deep dive into the heart of valuable AR management and collection skills.

Objectives
The purpose of this webinar is to provide participants with an understanding of the following:
Collection Techniques: 8 steps of a collection call. You will learn valuable skills that will improve your collection efforts while making you feel more comfortable doing so
Good A/R Management: Participants will learn the right timeline in good A/R Management and how these traits will create a more successful organization
Options for Lenders: We will discuss options outside of your own collection efforts to use when trying to collect your receivable

About the presenter
Martin Sher is ACA International’s Immediate Past President for 2011-2012. With more than 5,000 members, ACA is the credit and collection industries international trade organization. Martin has more than 30 years experience in the credit and collection industry. He is co-owner with his brother, David, of AmSher Receivables Management in Birmingham, Ala. Martin has co-authored 3 books about collections: How to Collect Debts and Still Keep Your Customer, Championship Collections, and The Masters of Impact Negotiating.

Both Martin and his company have received many awards recognizing their leadership. AmSher has appeared on the Inc500 list of the nation’s fastest growing companies. In 2006, Martin was selected Entrepreneur of the Year by the Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce.

Catalyst Monthly Webinar Series
Title: Accounts Receivable Strategies and Tactics
Date: Thursday, February 16, 2011
Time: 1:00 – 2:00 PM EST

To join: https://aeoworks.webex.com/aeoworks/onstage/g.php?t=a&d=661237438

After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.Accounts Receivable Strategies and Tactics
Webinar: February 16th from 1:00-2:00pm EST

CLICK HERE to reserve your webinar seat now.

Overview
Would you like to be more comfortable asking for money from borrowers? If you answer yes to this question, Martin Sher can be a service to you. Due to the state of the economy, accounts receivable (AR) management is one of the most pivotal and valuable traits for companies and organizations nationwide. Every 30 days receivables go down 12% in value. As lenders, effective AR Management can be the difference in your growth as an organization. In this webinar you will learn specific ways to improve your revenue cycle while at the same time gain experience in good collection techniques. Join us in taking a deep dive into the heart of valuable AR management and collection skills.

Objectives
The purpose of this webinar is to provide participants with an understanding of the following:
Collection Techniques: 8 steps of a collection call. You will learn valuable skills that will improve your collection efforts while making you feel more comfortable doing so
Good A/R Management: Participants will learn the right timeline in good A/R Management and how these traits will create a more successful organization
Options for Lenders: We will discuss options outside of your own collection efforts to use when trying to collect your receivable

About the presenter
Martin Sher is ACA International’s Immediate Past President for 2011-2012. With more than 5,000 members, ACA is the credit and collection industries international trade organization. Martin has more than 30 years experience in the credit and collection industry. He is co-owner with his brother, David, of AmSher Receivables Management in Birmingham, Ala. Martin has co-authored 3 books about collections: How to Collect Debts and Still Keep Your Customer, Championship Collections, and The Masters of Impact Negotiating.

Both Martin and his company have received many awards recognizing their leadership. AmSher has appeared on the Inc500 list of the nation’s fastest growing companies. In 2006, Martin was selected Entrepreneur of the Year by the Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce.

Catalyst Monthly Webinar Series
Title: Accounts Receivable Strategies and Tactics
Date: Thursday, February 16, 2011
Time: 1:00 – 2:00 PM EST

To join: https://aeoworks.webex.com/aeoworks/onstage/g.php?t=a&d=661237438

After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

Saturday, January 28 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
City of Fairfield – Unity Council Presents- 1000 Kentucky St. Fairfield
$25 Refundable Deposit to Register; $20 Work book Fee
510-535-7189 or email homeownership@unitycouncil.org

Saturday, March 10 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Vacaville Housing Counseling Center
Town Square Library- One Town Square, Downtown Vacaville
Call for registration and class fee information: 707-449-5610

Saturday, April 14 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
City of Fairfield – Unity Council Presents- 1000 Kentucky St. Fairfield
$25 Refundable Deposit to Register; $20 Work book Fee
510-535-7189 or email homeownership@unitycouncil.org

Saturday, April 14 (SPANISH) 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
City of Fairfield – Unity Council Presents- 1000 Kentucky St. Fairfield
$25 Refundable Deposit to Register; $20 Work book Fee
510-535-7189 or email homeownership@unitycouncil.org

Saturday, May 5 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Vacaville Housing Counseling Center
Town Square Library- One Town Square, Downtown Vacaville
Call for registration and class fee information: 707-449-5610

Saturday, June 9 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
City of Fairfield – Unity Council Presents- 1000 Kentucky St. Fairfield
$25 Refundable Deposit to Register; $20 Work book Fee
510-535-7189 or email homeownership@unitycouncil.org

Saturday, July 14 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Vacaville Housing Counseling Center
Town Square Library- One Town Square, Downtown Vacaville
Call for registration and class fee information: 707-449-5610

Saturday, September 8 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
City of Fairfield – Unity Council Presents- 1000 Kentucky St. Fairfield
$25 Refundable Deposit to Register; $20 Work book Fee
510-535-7189 or email homeownership@unitycouncil.org

Saturday, September 15 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Vacaville Housing Counseling Center
Town Square Library- One Town Square, Downtown Vacaville
Call for registration and class fee information: 707-449-5610

Saturday, October 13 (Spanish) 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Vacaville Housing Counseling Center
Town Square Library- One Town Square, Downtown Vacaville
Call for registration and class fee information: 707-449-5610

Saturday, November 3 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Vacaville Housing Counseling Center
Town Square Library- One Town Square, Downtown Vacaville
Call for registration and class fee information: 707-449-5610

Saturday, November 10 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
City of Fairfield – Unity Council Presents- 1000 Kentucky St. Fairfield
$25 Refundable Deposit to Register; $20 Work book Fee
510-535-7189 or email homeownership@unitycouncil.org

______________________________________________________________________________

USDA Announces Disaster Assistance Sign up for 2010 Crop Losses

(DAVIS, CA) – October 26, 2011 – California USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Executive Director Val Dolcini today announced that the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments (SURE) program enrollment for 2010 crop year losses begins November 14, 2011.

“The SURE program provides a safety net of assistance to producers when disaster strikes, so I encourage California farmers and ranchers with 2010 crop losses to contact their county FSA office to learn more about the program,” said Dolcini.

There are two basic qualification methods for a SURE payment.  In the first method, the producer’s operation must be located in a county that was declared a 2010 disaster county by the USDA Secretary or in a contiguous county and the natural disaster must have caused at least a 10 percent production loss on a crop of economic significance in the operation. In the second method, all producers in all counties are eligible for SURE benefits if they had a production loss equal to or greater than 50 percent of the normal production on the farm due to any qualifying natural disaster.

In California, the counties receiving a Secretarial disaster designation during 2010 included Lassen, San Joaquin and Tuolumne.  Contiguous counties were Alameda, Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, Contra Costa, Del Norte, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Modoc, Mono, Plumas, Sacramento, Shasta, Sierra and Stanislaus.

Washoe County in Nevada was a contiguous county and in Oregon, the following counties were either primary or contiguous: Benton, Coos, Curry, Deschutes, Douglas, Jefferson, Josephine, Lane, Linn, Marion and Polk.

Further eligibility requirements include the stipulation that producers must have obtained a policy or plan of insurance for all insurable crops through the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation. For crops without insurance programs, Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) coverage must have been obtained from FSA. Eligible farmers and ranchers who meet the definition of a socially disadvantaged, limited resource or beginning farmer or rancher do not have to meet this risk-management requirement. Forage crops intended for grazing are not eligible for SURE benefits.

For more information on SURE program eligibility requirements contact your nearest county FSA office or visit www.fsa.usda.gov/sure.

Over the last few months, you’ve heard a lot about The Power of 1 in 3 and the powerful message that if just one in three micro businesses hired just one additional employee, the US would be at full employment. An important component of assisting entrepreneurs in hiring that one additional employee is to encourage consumers to “shop small and shop local.” This is a powerful message: it shows that economic recovery starts at the local level, which means that the businesses who will lead the country back to financial health are Main Street businesses.

That’s why AEO has partnered with Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP) and more than 200 organizations to promote the American Express Initiative of Small Business Saturday on November 26, 2011.

Small Business Saturday, which falls between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, encourages consumers to shop at locally owned and independently operated small businesses during the largest shopping weekend of the year. According to research, when consumers shop locally, three times more money flows back into that local community than when shopping at chain stores. More money in the community means more demand for products and services. More demand equals more jobs. It’s a win-win.

AEO will be equipping its member organizations with a suite of marketing collateral and activity guides to share with the entrepreneurs they work with in their communities. American Express has secured national and local media coverage for Small Business Saturday and will be facilitating several events in key markets around the country which will be announced soon.

Small Business Saturday isn’t just about consumers. On October 6th, the Small Business Saturday Facebook Page launched, offering tools to help Main Street businesses. These tools include a map of participating businesses, free Facebook advertising for small businesses, social media, and other tools to help increase awareness and encourage consumers to shop locally on Small Business Saturday.

For more information, or to learn about how to get involved, please check out the following websites.
Small Business Saturday website can be accessed here: http://smallbusinesssaturday.com/

Small Business Saturday Statistics can be accessed here:

To get involved, please reach out to Kathryn Gray for additional information on how you can support and participate in the Small Business Saturday Initiative. She can be reached at (202) 650-5580 ext. 58 or at kgray@aeoworks.org.

To access the Small Business Saturday Facebook
page, click here: http://www.facebook.com/SmallBusinessSaturday