CVN Aug. 2008, page 10
Click for Top of Page
National Credit Union Foundation To Visit HarborOne MultiCultural Banking Center
BROCKTON, Mass. (July 28, 2008) – The National Credit Union Foundation will make a special trip to the Boston area this week to visit HarborOne’s MultiCultural Banking Center, showcasing the innovative program as a model for credit unions around the country.
The Foundation, which helps credit unions provide financial education, transaction services, credit, savings and homeownership for low-wealth families, will hold its REAL Solutions® Field Coach & League Liaison Seminar in Boston, July 30 and 31 st. More than 40 individuals from around the country will attend.
“The seminars are designed so representatives from state trade associations can come together, share ideas and look at ways credit unions can better serve their members,” said Lois Kitsch, REAL Solutions® National Program Manager. “We scheduled the seminar for Boston specifically so we can visit the MultiCultural Banking Center.”
Believed to be the only one of its kind in the country, HarborOne opened the Center last September in its former headquarters in downtown Brockton. The Center was created to help low and moderate-income residents, minorities and immigrants avoid predatory financial practices through education. Its creation was spurred by the growing foreclosure crisis, which has severely impacted the Brockton area.
“We are very proud that the National Credit Union Foundation is looking at our MultiCultural Banking Center as a model,” said James Blake, HarborOne’s President & CEO. “The Center works to create educated consumers who recognize the traps and gimmicks used by predatory lenders. That is the first step in ensuring people never have to face the prospect of losing their homes.”
The Center offers courses in the basics of personal finance, credit counseling, first-time home ownership, foreclosure prevention, and other subjects. Because many of the victims of predatory financial practices have a limited understanding of English, these courses are taught in Spanish, Portuguese and French in addition to English. English as a second language courses also are offered.
HarborOne has also reached out to area nonprofit agencies, giving them an opportunity to take advantage of the multi-lingual setting at the Center to bring services to Brockton residents.
In February, Neighborhood Housing Services of the South Shore opened a HomeOwnership Center within the MultiCultural Banking Center. Other groups offering services through the center are Self Help, The Brockton Area Workforce Investment Board and Training Resources of America.
“We see a lot of credit unions doing a very good job serving a single minority population,” Kitsch explained. “What’s unique about the MultiCultural Center is its ability to serve multiple ethnic groups in multiple languages. HarborOne has also developed partnerships with multiple community groups.”
The Credit Union Foundation will visit the MultiCultural Banking Center, 68 Legion Way, Brockton, on Thursday, July 31, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
With $1.6 billion in assets, HarborOne Credit Union is the largest state-chartered community credit union in New England and one of the top 100 in the country. HarborOne serves the financial needs of consumer and business banking customers through a network of 12 full-service branches, with offices in Brockton, Abington, Middleboro, Randolph, Easton, Canton, Raynham, Plymouth and Bridgewater, and a mortgage office in Centerville.
Political turmoil in Guinea Bissau after parliament is dissolved
11 hours ago
BISSAU (AFP) — The tiny west African state of Guinea Bissau was again plunged into political turmoil Tuesday after the president dissolved the parliament months before planned elections and appointed a caretaker premier.
In past decades Guinea Bissau has been plagued by bloody coups and uprisings. Recently the country, ranked as one of the world's poorest nations, has become a hub transit point for cocaine coming from Latin America en route to the lucrative European markets.
On Tuesday President Joao Bernardo Vieira announced by decree that he had dissolved the parliament. He gave no reasons for his decision but the decree said it was taken "after having reached a large consensus".
The move comes after one of the three leading parties in Guinea Bissau left the coalition government late last month.
Under Guinea Bissau's constitution the dissolution of parliament leads to the automatic fall of the government.
Vieira appointed a new prime minister, veteran Carlos Correia, to form a new government leading up to elections in November. Correia, 72, had already held the premiership from 1991 to 1997.
The political climate in the former Portuguese colony has been tense since the African Party for the Independence of Guinea Bissau and Cape Verde (PAIGC) left the national unity government formed in March 2007, following a row over the sacking of several high-ranking government officials.
The so-called stability pact between the three leading parties was forged to try to bring a period of calm to Guinea Bissau.
Guinea Bissau, which gained independence in 1974, has been the scene of political turmoil in recent history.
Vieira seized power in 1980 while head of the armed forces. He was toppled in 1999 after 19 years of iron-fisted rule and returned from exile to win the presidency as an independent in 2005.
In the last three years he has had trouble getting the majority in parliament to back him.
Elections were already scheduled to be held on November 16 and are expected to go ahead as planned.
International experts say Guinea Bissau, which lists peanut exports as its biggest source of income, has become a "Narco State" which has been taken over and controlled by drug cartels where law enforcement is nonexistent.
The country is plagued by a weak government, widespread corruption and the almost total lack of a judicial system.
Last week Justice Minister Carmelita Pires said she had received death threats after a plane was seized that was carrying more than 500 kilos (1,100 pounds) of cocaine, according to police sources. However, before the police could seize the drugs the cocaine had disappeared.
CAPE VERDEAN FOODS
- EXCERPTS FROM THE 1995 FESTIVAL OF AMERICAN FOLKLIFE COOKBOOK -
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION
CENTER FOR FOLKLIFE PROGRAMS & CULTURAL STUDIES
CENTER FOR FOLKLIFE PROGRAMS & CULTURAL STUDIES
Gretchen Gayle Ellsworth and Molly McGehee, Editors
Molly McGehee, Production Coordinator.
Rachel Young, Cover and Art Work
Special Thanks To:
Molly McGehee, Production Coordinator.
Rachel Young, Cover and Art Work
Special Thanks To:
Mary Faial, Festival Aide
Gina Sanchez, Fellow and Ray Almeida, Sr. Program Advisor, Cape Verdean Connection Program
Beverly Simons, Foodways Coordinator.
Gina Sanchez, Fellow and Ray Almeida, Sr. Program Advisor, Cape Verdean Connection Program
Beverly Simons, Foodways Coordinator.
Cape Verde's dry, tropical island environment and its role in Portugal's 15th-century colonizations have shaped its cooking traditions. Enslaved Africans brought knowledge of growing and cooking tropical crops. The Portuguese brought livestock. They used Cape Verde for feeding the crews of their sailing ships and as an experimental station for growing foods from the Americas, such as corn, hot peppers, pumpkins, and cassava. They also transplanted sugar,bananas, mangos, papayas, and other tropical crops from Asia. National food preferences, reflected in ritual foods, include an affection for dried corn, either whole kernels (hominy/samp) or ground to various degrees of fineness. The national dish, catchupa, is a stew of hominy and beans with fish or meat. It means home to Cape Verdeans everywhere. Xerem, dried corn pounded in mortar to the fineness of rice, is the staple of feasts. And kuskus, ground finer still and steamed in a distinctive ceramic pot called a binde, is a special treat served hot with butter and milk (kuskus ku leite) or molasses (kuskus ku mel). Cape Verdean Americans maintain most of these national tastes.
MEAT & POULTRY
CARNE GIZADO
(STEWED MEAT & VEGETABLES)
3-4 lbs. cubed meat, pork or beef
4-5 white potatoes
3 lbs. mandioca root
3 medium white yams
3 green bananas
Trim off excess fat, season and marinate meat overnight with salt, garlic, vinegar, bay leaf, and pepper. Peel and cut up potatoes, yams, mandioca, and green bananas. In a pot, cook meat with marinade and 3 onions with 1/2 cup cooking oil on low heat until medium done. Add all vegetables to meat and cover with water. Cook on low until vegetables cook. Season with salt, garlic, bay leaf, paprika, and pepper.
(STEWED MEAT & VEGETABLES)
3-
4-
3 lbs. mandioca root
3 medium white yams
3 green bananas
Trim off excess fat, season and marinate meat overnight with salt, garlic, vinegar, bay leaf, and pepper. Peel and cut up potatoes, yams, mandioca, and green bananas. In a pot, cook meat with marinade and 3 onions with 1/2 cup cooking oil on low heat until medium done. Add all vegetables to meat and cover with water. Cook on low until vegetables cook. Season with salt, garlic, bay leaf, paprika, and pepper.
CANJA
(THICK CHICKEN RICE SOUP)
1/2 whole chicken, cut up
2 medium onions, chopped
3-4 chicken boullion cubes
(THICK CHICKEN RICE SOUP)
1/2 whole chicken, cut up
2 medium onions, chopped
3-
1 c. short-grain white rice (may substitute long-grain)
Saute onions in oil. Next, add chicken pieces, boullion cubes and a sufficient amount of water. After bringing to a boil, add rice and stir occasionally. Simmer approximately 30-35 minutes, until desired consistency. This thick soup is offered special family events and on New Year's eve.
Saute onions in oil. Next, add chicken pieces, boullion cubes and a sufficient amount of water. After bringing to a boil, add rice and stir occasionally. Simmer approximately 30-
CALDO DE PEIXE
(FISH SOUP)
6 white potatoes
3 sweet potatoes
l bunch fresh parsley
l green pepper
l red pepper
3 medium onions
2 medium tomatoes
4 scallions
3 lbs. fresh, whole, cleaned saltwater fish (examples: tautog, cod, bluefish or sea bass).
In a large kettle, gently saute chopped onions, tomatoes, scallions and green and red peppers in oil. Next, add fish cut into small pieces and water. Cover and bring to a gentle boil. Add peeled potatoes and chopped parsley to kettle. Reduce heat and simmer. A little may be added to make a thicker broth.
(FISH SOUP)
6 white potatoes
3 sweet potatoes
l bunch fresh parsley
l green pepper
l red pepper
3 medium onions
2 medium tomatoes
4 scallions
3 lbs. fresh, whole, cleaned saltwater fish (examples: tautog, cod, bluefish or sea bass).
In a large kettle, gently saute chopped onions, tomatoes, scallions and green and red peppers in oil. Next, add fish cut into small pieces and water. Cover and bring to a gentle boil. Add peeled potatoes and chopped parsley to kettle. Reduce heat and simmer. A little may be added to make a thicker broth.
POLVO A MODO ZE DE LINO
(OCTOPUS STEW)
2 lbs. octopus (or squid)
2 bay leaves
3 tablespoons of oil
2 tomatoes or l tablespoon of tomato paste
2 cloves of garlic
l onion
2 grains of hot pepper (or as much as you want)
Wash and cut octopus into small pieces. Place octopus in a pot with two bay leaves and 3 tablespoons of oil. Heat on medium. Allow octopus to cook for approximately 20 minutes. Add tomatoes, cloves of garlic, diced onion and hot pepper. Heat on medium low until stew-like. Stir occasionally.
(OCTOPUS STEW)
2 lbs. octopus (or squid)
2 bay leaves
3 tablespoons of oil
2 tomatoes or l tablespoon of tomato paste
2 cloves of garlic
l onion
2 grains of hot pepper (or as much as you want)
Wash and cut octopus into small pieces. Place octopus in a pot with two bay leaves and 3 tablespoons of oil. Heat on medium. Allow octopus to cook for approximately 20 minutes. Add tomatoes, cloves of garlic, diced onion and hot pepper. Heat on medium low until stew-
CORN/SAMP & GRAIN DISHES
CACHUPINHA
5 ears fresh corn (or fresh off cob)
1/5 lb. (100 g.) linguica (Portuguese smoked sausage),
sliced 1/4 squash
1/2 lb. (1/4 kg.) fava beans, (or lima beans) fresh or dried
2 ripe tomatoes (or equivalent tomato paste)
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 peppercorns
1 bunch of flat leaf coriander
1 large onion, sliced
Scrape off the fresh corn kernels into a boiler pot. Gently saute onion, linguica, and pepper in olive oil. Add to the corn the rest of the ingredients and a sufficient amount of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer. Prior to serving, season with salt and garnish with chopped flat leaf coriander (cilantro).
5 ears fresh corn (or fresh off cob)
1/5 lb. (100 g.) linguica (Portuguese smoked sausage),
sliced 1/4 squash
1/2 lb. (1/4 kg.) fava beans, (or lima beans) fresh or dried
2 ripe tomatoes (or equivalent tomato paste)
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 peppercorns
1 bunch of flat leaf coriander
1 large onion, sliced
Scrape off the fresh corn kernels into a boiler pot. Gently saute onion, linguica, and pepper in olive oil. Add to the corn the rest of the ingredients and a sufficient amount of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer. Prior to serving, season with salt and garnish with chopped flat leaf coriander (cilantro).
