Elected Officials Share Best Practices with Advocacy Program Participants

Advocacy 101, the first workshop of the 2019-2020 Community Advocacy Institute was held on November 2, featuring a panel discussion about working with elected officials and a special presentation about the County’s legislative process. Guest speakers included State Delegate Jheanelle Wilkins, Gaithersburg City Councilmember Laurie-Anne Sayles, former County Councilmember Mike Subin, and County Council Senior Legislative Analyst Linda McMillan. The next CAI workshop on December 7 will feature issue experts discussing important advocacy topics selected by the participants.

VITA Program Prepares for Tax Season

Community Action Agency's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program is busy getting ready for the tax season. The VITA program will offer free tax preparation for 2019 taxes to Montgomery County residents with household incomes of $56,000 or less.  Appointments will be available in Gaithersburg, Rockville, East County, Germantown, and Wheaton mid-January - April 15. Starting December 16, residents can call 240-777-1123 to schedule an appointment or through the CASHBACK website.

TESS Hosts New Program to Assist Families with Safety Planning

The TESS Community Action Center is partnering with the Standby Guardianship Project for a new program to assist families in developing safety plans. Trained volunteers help parents in danger of being detained, deported, or who have sudden health issues complete a safety plan form, allowing a person designated by the parents to care for their children in an emergency. Parents maintain all of their rights as parents and can revoke the guardianship at any time. Volunteers are available Mondays 9 - 11 am and 1 - 4 pm. To learn more, please click HERE.

Participate in Giving Tuesday by Volunteering with Community Action

Community Action is participating in Giving Tuesday on December 3 by encouraging residents to give their time as volunteers. The TESS Community Action Center is seeking volunteers to serve as financial educators, imagination ambassadors (supporting Judy Center programs), Community Service Aide Assistants, parenting pals, and more. Please call 240-773-8260 to learn more.  The agency’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program is seeking volunteers to serve as greeters, tax preparers, interpreters, appointment schedulers, and site coordinators.  To volunteer with VITA, please email vita@montgomerycountymd.gov or call 240-777-1123. #GivingTuesday

Final Senior Social for the Year Held at TESS

On October 25, the TESS Community Action Center held its final senior social for 2019.  Participants received special giftbags donated by Clifton Park Baptist Church.  This popular program at TESS brings together seniors in the Long Branch community to learn about community issues and services.  The program will resume in April 2020.

Board Advocates for Statewide Issues Impacting Low-Income Residents

On November 20, Community Action Board Chair Laura E. Irwin testified before the County's Joint Delegation about critical statewide issues for the upcoming legislative session. The Board's testimony requested state-level support for Maryland's Community Action Agencies, early care and education, the state's Earned Income Tax Credit, food and nutrition programs, work supports, 2-Gen initiatives to reduce poverty, and affordable housing.

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 International Rescue Committee

VITA's Monthly Tax Tip: New Tax Form for Seniors - 1040 SR

A new federal income-tax form may make filing a bit easier for some seniors this year, particularly those who don’t file electronically. The new two-page form, known as 1040-SR, uses a bigger font than the standard form 1040, and eliminates shading in boxes to improve readability.

In addition, it includes a chart to help taxpayers calculate their standard deduction, which may help ensure that fewer seniors neglect to take the additional standard deduction to which they are entitled. For 2019, the additional deduction for those 65 or older or the blind is $1,300.

Taxpayers who turn 65 on or before Jan. 1, 2020, can use the new form for the 2019 filing year. For married couples filing jointly, just one needs to meet that age specification.

Taxpayers using the 1040-SR may claim the standard deduction or itemize their deductions and report income not only from wages and tips but also from other streams of income common to seniors, such as Social Security benefits and distributions from qualified retirement plans, pensions and annuities. They may also report capital gains and losses and interest and dividends on the new form. Any of the tax schedules available to those using the standard form 1040 may also be used with the new form.

Head Start/Pre-K Coat Drive

The Montgomery County Public Schools Prekindergarten/Head Start Programs are collecting new winter coats for prekindergarten students in low-income families. Please send boys' and girls' coats in sizes 5, 6, 6X, 7 and 8 to Rocking Horse Road Center, 4910 Macon Road, Room 141, Rockville. Hats and gloves are also appreciated! Contact Lisa Conlon at 240-740-4530 for more information.

Staff Members Participate in 2-Gen Training

In October, Community Action staff members participated in the Maryland Community Action Partnership’s retreat, focusing on 2-Gen, whole family approaches to reducing poverty. With the support of the Maryland General Assembly and Governor, Community Action Agencies across Maryland have received one-year funding to advance 2-Gen strategies and strengthen service integration and programs serving children and their parents or guardians. At the TESS Community Action Center, Frank Sainfort, the Volunteer Maryland AmeriCorps member and staff are engaging with partners and new volunteers to enhance family well-being through the Standby Guardianship Project, Groceries to Go, parent education, financial education, and other initiatives.

Announcements:

Nov. 26, 7 pm, Community Action Board meeting, 1401 Rockville Pike 

Nov. 27, 11 am - 3 pm, Crossroads Network Farmers Market, Anne St. at University Blvd. East in Takoma Park *Annual "Feast Before the Fest" for the last market day of the year

Dec. 16, First day to schedule an appointment for free tax preparation with the CAA VITA Program. Call 240-777-1123 or click HERE

Thursdays, Through Dec. 19, 6:30 - 8:30 pm, IMPACT Silver Spring's English/Spanish Language Exchange at TESS, 8513 Piney Branch Road

Mondays, 9 - 11 am and 1 - 4 pm, Standby Guardianship Program at TESS, 8513 Piney Branch Road