Opportunity/Business

INDUCTED TO THE BGC ALUMNI HALL OF FAME: The Lubbock Boys & Girls Club held its 16th Annual Alumni Hall of Fame Dinner inducting Alvin Chatman, Ted Phea Club; Mario Picon, Optimist Club; Perry Tipton, Downtown ABC Club. In addition, Chris Smith received the Vernon Jackson Award for serving as BGC staff! Congratulations from Latino Lubbock Magazine!

Get vaccinated! ¡Vacunarse!

December is a Good Month to Apply for a Job

Finding a job, or switching to a second career, can be a challenge. Most people on the job market know you have to look for every little opportunity to get your foot in the door — and sometimes timing is everything. December, for example, appears to be a good month to apply for new positions for a variety of rea- sons. Some potential applicants are too busy: Now is your chance to outsmart the competition by just applying! We all know how hectic the holiday season can get, and many people put their job hunt on the back burner. This decreases the applicant pool and can work in your favor. Employer Budgets: Typically Dec. 31 means the end of the fiscal year for employers, so they may be rushing to fill positions that they have in their budget. Managers don’t want to risk their boss eliminating a position because it’s been unfilled for so long. On the flip side, Jan. 1 means a new budget year for many employers, so they may be looking to hire for new positions that are funded at the start of the year. Yes, some may argue that managers aren’t hiring in December because they’re out of the office using up their vacation days — but not every manager! Recruiters have goals to meet: Just like everyday workers, recruiters have yearly performance reviews and goals. They may be taking a fresh look at applicants in an effort to get them in front of a manager before or after the first of the year. So, while family time is important during the holiday season, you might also just want to set aside time for you — to apply for jobs. After all, studies have found job satisfaction has an impact on your family life.

Gift Card Scams on the Rise

Everyone loves the convenience of gift cards, including con artists. Scammers have now turned to gift cards as a form of payment for their scams. According to the AARP website, 1 in 3 adults says they or someone they know had been asked to buy a gift card to pay a bill or some other fee to get a prize. AARP lists a few statistics about gift card scammers: • The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says anyone who asks for payment with a gift card is a scammer. • 45% of adults in an AARP survey did not know that gift card requests were scams. • The FTC tells US customers have lost at least $245 million to gift card scams since 2018. The AARP also gives signs to watch out for: 1. You’re directed to buy one or more gift cards — often referred to as “electronic vouchers” — as a quick means of making payment. 2. You’re told to share the numbers on the back of the gift cards by reading them off or sending a picture. 3. The request comes from someone you wouldn’t expect to ask for money this way: · A Social Security warning of a problem with your account · A utility company warning of an imminent shutoff · A lottery company promising a big prize — once you pay some fees upfront · A grandchild needs bail or facing another financial emergency. Stay vigilant and watch out for these signs to protect yourself. Visit the AARP website for more information or call the AARP fraud watch network helpline at (877) 908-3360 for help.

Professional Development

FREE GED TEST PREPARATION

CLASSES. Need to study to pass the GED? Literacy Lubbock offers free, flexible, and casual prep classes at various times to fit in with your busy schedule. Call us at 806-7753636 for more information or register for Free classes at www.literacylubbock.org.

FREE GED AND ESL CLASSES

for Lubbock and the surrounding area offered by Adult Education Center. We accept new students on a bimonthly basis. You must be at least 17 years old and not enrolled in public school to be eligible for the classes. For more info call 806-2815750. Open Mon. thru Fri. from 8 A.M. to 5 P.M. BASIC ENGLISH CLASS – Clase de Inglés – aprender Inglés básico, 3211 58th Street, (east of Indiana) Lubbock. Horas: Cada Miércoles a las 7:30-8:30 de la noche. 806-239-5352 GRATIS!!

CHILD CARE AVAILABLE FOR INCOME-ELIGIBLE FAMILIES

Families who are income eligible may receive fee assistance to attend one of the Early Learning Center’s five centers for child care. Parents or caretakers must be employed or in school. The program is open from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Call (806) 765-9981 for more information.

CLASES DE INGLÉS COMO SE-

GUNDA IDIOMA La Literacia de Lubbock (Literacy Lubbock) ofrecen clases gratis de inglés como segundo idioma (English as Second Language) para la comunidad. Todos los adultos están bienvenido en estas clases. Para más información, llame a (806) 775-3636.

FREE CRIMINAL DEFENSE

ATTORNEY: The Caprock Regional Public Defender Office offers free legal representation to 13 surrounding West Texas Counties. The office handles Felony, Misdemeanor and Juvenile cases for citizens that cannot afford to hire a criminal defense lawyer. Call (806) 742-4312 to see if your county qualifies for this service. IMMIGRATION SERVICES If you need help with immigration issues call 806-741-0409.

SERVICIOS DE INMIGRACIÓN

Si necesitan ayuda con asuntos de inmigración llame a este numero (806) 7410409.

REFERRAL FOR QUALITY

CHILD CARE in Lubbock by the South Plains Day Home Association helps parents with free referrals to licensed or registered day care facilities that are routinely monitored by the Texas Department and Protective Services. Call 796-0606 or 792-1847 for more information.

Business & Opportunity Updates

U.S. Jobless Claims Drop

TAX FORMS AT LIBRARIES they have forms 1040 and 1040-SR in English and Spanish available at all locations. Instruction books are available in English only at the moment. You can also access all available forms and instructions from home at www.irs.

gov. BUSINESS COUNSELING Small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs can discuss their business ventures and get expert advice from the SBDC staff. All information will be held in strict confidence. For a counseling sessions call (806) 7451637.

FREE PRACTICE

EXAMS Study guides for tests Learn-aTest, a database of practice examinations, is available at the Lubbock Public Library, 1306 9th St. Hundreds of practice examinations, including SAT, ACT and elementary, middle school and high school skills improvement tests, plus graduate entrance exams, available.

LOW INCOME TAXPAYER CLIN-

IC The TTU School of Law operates a “FREE” Low Income Taxpayer Clinic year around to provide assistance relating to issues involving controversies with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). For more info call (806) 834-7972 or toll free (800) 420-8037. IMMIGRATION SERVICES If you need help with immigration issues call 806741-0409.

SERVICIOS DE INMIGRACIÓN

Si necesitan ayuda con asuntos de inmigración llame a este numero (806) 7410409.

DO YOU HAVE NEWS? Submit your business news online at www.latinolubbock.net/ have-a-story or call (806)792-1212 The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell for the seventh straight week to a pandemic low of 268,000. U.S. jobless claims dipped by 1,000 last week from the week before, the Labor Department reported Thursday. The applications for unemployment aid are a proxy for layoffs, and their steady decline this year — after topping 900,000 one week in early January — reflects the labor market’s strong recovery from last year’s brief but intense coronavirus recession. The four-week average of claims, which smooths week-to-week volatility, also fell to a pandemic low just below 273,000. Jobless claims have been edging lower, toward their prepandemic level of around 220,000 a week. Overall, 2.1 million Americans were collecting traditional unemployment checks the week that ended Nov. 6, down by 129,000 from the week before. Until Sept. 6, the federal government had supplemented state unemployment insurance programs by paying an extra payment of $300 a week and extending benefits to gig workers and to those who were out of work for six months or more. Including the federal programs, the number of Americans receiving

some form of jobless aid peaked at more than 33 million in June last year. The coronavirus slammed the U.S. economy early last year, forcing many businesses to close or reduce hours of operation and keeping many Americans shut in at home as a health precaution. In March and April 2020, employers slashed more than 22 million jobs. But the economy began to recover last summer. Consumers, pocketing government relief checks and gaining confidence as COVID-19 cases fell, resumed spending. With the rollout of vaccines this year, they began to return to shops, restaurants and bars. Suddenly, many employers were struggling to keep up with an unexpected surge in demand. They are scrambling to fill job openings — a near-record 10.4 million in September. Workers, finding themselves with bargaining clout for the first time in decades, are becoming choosy about jobs; a record 4.4 million quit in September, a sign they have confidence in their ability to find something better. Since April 2020, employers have hired more than 18 million people, including 531,000 in October. But the U.S. economy is still more than 4 million jobs short of where it was in February last year. Call for Nominations for 2022 National Small Business Week

Los Nominations are now being accepted for the 2022 National Small Business Week (NSBW) Awards. The NSBW Awards recognize the achievements of SBA-assisted small businesses and the contributions they have made to their communities and our nation’s economy. All nominations should be submitted electronically by 3 p.m. EST on January 11, 2022. The awards will be presented during the NSBW Awards ceremony in the first week of May 2022. To nominate a small business owner in your area or download related forms, criteria, and guidelines, visit sba.gov/ nsbw.

Consider Los Hermanos Familia for Your End-of-Year Giving

Los Hermanos Familia (LHF) takes pride in its service to the community and holds a variety of events - including the "Vamos a Pescar, Let's Go Fishing" event; offers bilingual financial literacy, placed exercise equipment in a public park, advocates for Veterans, promotes cultural & arts events, and so much more! "Our objective of Strengthening Families, Building Community is realized with your support and each donation goes a long way," said Christy Martinez-Garcia, President & Founder. She said that donations can be made online at www.loshermanosfamilia.org/ givingtuesdaylhf on Dec. 3rd, or, those considering an end of year donation can make it at www.loshermanosfamilia.org/ end-of-year-donation . "We are truly grateful and look forward to next year's efforts." To learn more about the many projects and events donors can visit www. loshermanosfamilia.org .

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HOLIDAY DEADLINE

Latino Lubbock Magazine's December Deadline: News & Info: Nov. 15th Ads: Nov. 18th

Email news to: news@latinolubbock.net or call (806)792-1212.

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