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Community Action E-Newsletter: March 2019

Montgomery County Maryland sent this bulletin at 03/29/2019 05:14 PM EDT

E-Newsletter: March 2019

Montgomery County Community Action Agency

Community Action Says Goodbye to VITA Program Specialist Abiola Abodunrin

Community Action bid a fond farewell to Abiola Abodunrin, who has worked with the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program for over six years, first as a contractor and later as a Program Specialist. Staff and volunteers honored Abiola at Super VITA Day on March 2, thanking him for his dedication to the program and to the residents of Montgomery County.

Board Advocates for Pay Equity and Tenant Rights

Community Action Board member Lisette Engel testified at two public hearings on March 26 in support of the County’s proposed pay equity bill and a landlord-tenant bill. Bill 4–19 will prevent the County from asking applicants for merit positions about pay history, helping to address pay disparities based on gender and race (CAB testimony). Bill 6–19 will allow tenants to break a lease without penalty for a property owner’s failure to address a health issue in their unit (CAB testimony). Both of these important bills will address key issues impacting the lower-income community and aim to help residents move towards self-sufficiency.

VITA Heads Into Final Weeks of the Tax Season

There is still time to have your taxes prepared FOR FREE before the April 15 deadline. Community Action's VITA Program provides free tax preparation to Montgomery County residents with household incomes of $55,000 or less. Appointments are available in Rockville, Silver Spring, Gaithersburg, East County, and Wheaton. Please call 240-777-1123 or visit the CASHBACK website to schedule an appointment. Please note that appointments at many locations are full. Residents may also visit the CASHBACK website or call "311" to be referred to other free tax VITA Partnership programs, including walk-in- sites. Information about IRS-affiliated County VITA programs is available in English, Spanish, French, Amharic, Chinese, and Korean.

Head Start Parents Advocate for Young Children in Annapolis

Community Action and Head Start staff joined members of the Head Start Parents Policy Council in Annapolis on March 13 to advocate for high quality early care and education. Parents from across the state, including Zelda Wafer-Alonge, Chair of the Montgomery County Policy Council, met with legislators to discuss the importance of Head Start and the needs of lower-income families. Several parents shared personal testimony about the impact of Head Start on their own children and their families. Legislators were invited to a special presentation about Head Start, which included some specific language that parents propose including in the Kirwan Commission recommendations and other state legislation.

CAI Participants Practice Advocacy Skills

On March 2, Community Advocacy Institute participants shared their original testimony before a panel of Board members, staff, and guests. Several participants have decided to fulfill the advocacy project requirement by testifying before County Council during the annual budget hearings in April. This session, and a second practice session on March 30, will help participants prepare for this experience. The Board thanks very special guests for their participation: Chuck Short, Special Assistant to County Executive Elrich, and Laurie-Anne Sayles, former Community Action Board member and current Gaithersburg City Councilmember.

Montgomery County
Community Action Agency
1401 Rockville Pike, 3rd Fl

Rockville, MD 20852
240-777-1697 (main)

240-777-3295 (fax)

Community Action Partner Spotlight: Catholic Charities

Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington has two sites in Montgomery County that connect to Community Action's network of contract partners. The Neighborhood Services Center operates out of the Montgomery County Family Center in Silver Spring with Catholic Charities and DHHS staff, as part of the Neighborhood Opportunities Network program. Three contracts monitored by Community Action support the following positions in the Neighborhood Services Center: the Office Supervisor, who fields walk-ins, calls, and supervises volunteers; two case managers, a social worker, and the Program Manager; and a case manager who focuses on employment and education opportunities for low-income residents. In FY2018, over 17,500 calls and walk-ins requested assistance, resulting in 605 cases for assistance with utilities, rent, housing, food, education/employment, and other items, including hygiene products. Referrals are also made for other on-site programs, including healthcare, dentistry, and legal services.

At the Gaithersburg site formerly known as Spanish Catholic Center, Community Action monitors contracts for employment assistance and family support services to prevent homelessness. The employment program includes workshops on workers' rights and responsibilities, job lists, and one-on-one resume, application, and interview assistance. In FY18, over 400 low-income residents attended workshops, and over 200 residents received one-on-one services. The family support program connects low-income families to food and nutrition programs, including assistance with applications for government programs, and referrals to healthcare, rent and utility assistance programs. In FY18, over 1,080 referrals for resources were provided, as well as one-on-one services for 60 residents.

VITA's Monthly Tax Tip: The IRS Reminds Eligible Tax Filers to Claim the EITC

All individual taxpayers and families should claim tax credits for which they are eligible. Tax credits can not only reduce the amount of taxes owed, but some can result in a tax refund. The earned income tax credit is such a credit. It benefits millions of taxpayers by putting more money in their pockets.

The IRS encourages taxpayers who have claimed the credit to help their friends, family members and neighbors find out about EITC. They can go to IRS.gov/eitc or use the EITC Assistant tool on IRS.gov, available in English and Spanish. Word of mouth is a great way to help people who may be eligible for this credit in 2019 for the first time. People often become eligible for the credit when their family or financial situation changed in the last year.

Based on income, family size and filing status, the maximum amount of EITC for Tax Year 2018 is:

$6,431 with three or more qualifying children
$5,716 with two qualifying children
$3,461 with one qualifying child
$519 with no qualifying children

Head Start/Pre-K Registration Now Open

If your child will be 4 years old by September 1 and you meet certain income requirements, you may be eligicible for the MCPS Head Start or Pre-K programs. Registration for the 2019-2020 school year is available Monday - Friday at 4910 Macon Road, 9 am - 4 pm, and at numerous sites throughout the County. Please call 240-740-4530 to learn more or to schedule an appointment. Registration information is available in English, Spanish, French, Amharic, Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese.

Upcoming Events:

April 1, 1- 3 pm, Ulder J. Tillman Lecture in Public Health at the Silver Spring Civic Building
April 1 - 7, Public Health Week Events at Multiple Locations
April 13, 8:30 am - 3 pm, Bank On Gaithersburg's 10th Anniversary Financial Empowerment Event at Gaithersburg HS
April 23, 7 pm, CAB meeting at 1401 Rockville Pike
May 1, 6 pm, IMPACT Now! at the Silver Spring Civic Building
May 7 - 9, MCAP Human Services Conference in Hunt Valley
May 13, Interfaith Works Caregivers Conference, 8:30 - 3:30 at Bohrer Park
May 21, Community Action Awards and Celebration at the Silver Spring Civic Building

Ongoing Programs at TESS:

Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10 - 11:30 am, Literacy Play and Learn Group at TESS.
April 26, 11 am - 1 pm, Senior Social

The Community Action Agency is part of the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Community Affairs.

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