TESS Concludes Successful Summer Meals Program

_{TESS Summer Meals Volunteers (L to R): Alex Larenas, Iria Hauffen, and Helio Macedo Dos Santos} 

For the fourth year in a row, the TESS Community Action Center partnered with Montgomery County Public Schools to serve as a walk-in summer meals site. This year's program was a big success, with TESS serving 1,316 free lunches to children throughout the summer. Several volunteers help support this program, serving lunches every weekday and leading activities for children. 

Community Action Participates in Single Parent Conference

_{Charlene Muhammad, Head Start Manager (L) and Beverly Coleman, Director of Montgomery College's Educational Opportunity Center (R)}

_{L to R: Sharon Strauss, Community Action Agency Executive Director; Eddie Mendes, VITA Contractor; and Taunya Johnson, VITA Program Specialist}

Community Action was excited to help plan and co-sponsor the 2019 Single Parent Conference on August 10 at Montgomery College. This annual event includes community resources and workshops covering a wide range of topics, such as parenting skills, budgeting, resume writing, youth empowerment, and family law. Ron Jennings, Community Action Board member; Sharon Strauss, Community Action's Executive Director; and Eddie Mendes, VITA contractor, all led workshops. Charlene Muhammad, Head Start Manager, joined CAB member Lisa Conlon and other MCPS colleagues on this year's planning committee. CAA VITA's Taunya Johnson joined numerous partners at a resource fair featuring organizations and agencies that provide critical services to County families. To learn more about the conference, please click HERE.

Community Action Remembers Victims of 2016 Flower Branch Apartments Fire

On August 9, Community Action joined residents, partners, and officials for a vigil marking the third anniversary of the 2016 explosion at the Flower Branch Apartments. The explosion, which took the lives of seven people, injured 30 people, and displaced others, has had a lasting impact on our Long Branch neighbors. The TESS Community Action Center and CAA colleagues joined the DHHS and community response, staffing the shelter, providing direct services at TESS and in the neighborhood, and organizing financial education. In the aftermath, TESS staff met urgent needs and worked with DHHS' staff and partners onsite to address housing. social service, and mental health needs, and continues to connect residents with critical services. 

Schedule Your Free Tax Appointment Today

Did you know that Community Action hosts the ONLY year-round VITA program in Montgomery County? County residents with household incomes of $55,000 or less can have their amended and prior year tax returns prepared for free right now at three locations now through the end of October. Appointments are available:

• Tuesdays, 10 am - 5 pm, TESS Community Action Center, 8513 Piney Branch Road, Silver Spring (3rd Tuesday of the month only: 3 - 8 pm)
• Wednesdays, 10 am - 5 pm, Community Action Agency, 1401 Rockville Pike, Rockville (3rd Wednesday of the month only: 3 - 8 pm)
• Fridays, 10 am - 5 pm, Gilchrist Immigrant Resource Center, 11002 Veirs Mill Road, Suite 506, Wheaton

Information about the VITA program is available in English, Spanish, Amharic, French, Chinese, and Korean.

Please call 240-777-1123 or click HERE to schedule an appointment.

Register to Vote at TESS on September 24

The TESS Community Action Center will once again participate in National Voter Registration Day on Tuesday, September 24. A representative from the Board of Elections will be available to answer your questions and provide on-site voter registration. Registration for this event is available in English, Spanish, and Amharic.

Community Action Board Begins Planning for the Year Ahead

_{L to R: Gwen Crider, Retreat Facilitator; Sharon Strauss, CAA Executive Director; Myriam Paul, CAB Member; Charlene Muhammad, Head Start Manager; and Lisa Conlon, CAB Member}

On August 13, Community Action Board members and staff participated in the annual Board retreat. This year’s retreat included a joint planning meeting with members of the Head Start Parents Policy Council, an interactive session focused on the agency’s Community Needs Assessment, and a strategic planning session for the year ahead. The Board will focus its attention this year on several priorities, including continued advocacy efforts to address critical issues impacting the low-income community, involvement in the County's Early Childhood Education initiative, continued training for lower-income residents through the Community Advocacy Institute, and ongoing efforts to address the agency's needs.

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

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

240-777-3295 (fax)

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Community Action Partner Spotlight: The Asylum Seeker Assistance Project

The Asylum Seeker Assistance Project (ASAP) was established to address a longstanding service gap affecting an estimated 50,000 asylum seekers living in the D.C. Metro region. In FY19, ASAP received funding from Montgomery County to provide social services programs to asylees in the County.

A sample of the clients ASAP works with in just one month include a couple from Venezuela, two families of three from Ethiopia, a single mother with two toddlers, two families of four from El Salvador, a single mother with three children (ages 1, 11 and 15), another single mother with three children (ages 11, 13 and 14), a single man from Ethiopia, and a single man from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Access to healthcare (both physical and mental health services), employment services, and legal (immigration) services remain the most critical needs for ASAP clients. At the end of the fiscal year, ASAP served 45 asylum seekers residing in the County, with 23 clients completing their Individualized Wellness plans created over a twelve-month period, 78% completing their goals, 25% reporting an increase in wellbeing after six months, and 100% reporting client satisfaction. ASAP received FY20 funding to continue to provide services to asylees in need..

VITA's Monthly Tax Tip: Renew Your Expiring ITIN Today

Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITINs) are used by taxpayers required to file or pay taxes, but who are not eligible for a Social Security number. There are nearly 2 million ITINs set to expire at the end of 2019. It is recommended that taxpayers with expiring ITINs renew their numbers right away. Taxpayers should renew before the end of the year to help avoid unnecessary delays related to tax refunds next year.

Important ITIN information:

• ITINs expiring on Dec. 31, 2019: Those not used on a federal tax return at least once in the last three consecutive years and numbers with middle digits 83, 84, 85, 86 or 87 (even if these numbers were used in the last three years)
• Taxpayers whose ITIN is expiring and who expect to have a filing requirement in 2020 must renew their number. Others do not need to take any action.
• The IRS is sending notices to affected taxpayers called a CP48 Notice, which explains the steps to renew the ITIN.
• Taxpayers who receive the notice after renewing their ITIN do not need to take further action unless a family member is affected.
• ITINs with middle digits of 70-82 previously expired. These taxpayers can still renew their ITINs. 
• Those who receive a renewal letter from the IRS can renew the family’s ITINs together, even if family members (tax filer, spouse, and dependents) have ITINs that are not expiring. 
• To renew an ITIN, a taxpayer must complete a Form W-7 and submit all required documentation. A tax return is not required, but the taxpayer must note why they need an ITIN on the W-7.
• There are two ways taxpayers submit the renewal application: Mailing the form to the IRS or working with a Certified Acceptance Agent 

*PLEASE NOTE: The Community Action Agency is a Certified Acceptance Agent for Montgomery County residents. Please call 240-777-1123 to schedule an appointment or for additional information on ITIN renewals.

Register Your Child for MCPS Pre-K

Announcements:

Aug. 30, 11 am - 1 pm, Senior Social at TESS

Wednesdays, 11 am - 3 pm, Now Through Nov. 27, Crossroads Network Farmers Market, Anne St. at University Blvd. East in Takoma Park

Sept. 10, 6:30 - 8:30 pm, Registration for Intermediate English Class at TESS

Sept. 19, 9 am - 4 pm, Fighting Hunger in Maryland Conference, Annapolis

Sept. 24, 9 am - 12 pm, Voter Registration Day event at TESS

Sept. 24, 7 pm, Community Action Board meeting, 1401 Rockville Pike 

Sept. 27, 11 am - 1 pm, Senior Social at TESS