Montgomery County Community Action Agency 1401 Rockville Pike, 3rd Fl Rockville, MD 20852 240-777-1697 (main)
Community Action Partner Spotlight: Small Programs Making a Big Difference
The Community Action Agency monitors contracts large and small. This month's spotlight is on several programs that receive targeted County support to make big differences in residents' lives.
The Maryland Vietnamese Mutual Association (MVMA) received County funding to provide assistance to immigrants to prepare and apply for naturalization in order to become US Citizens. In November 2020, U.S. Customs and Immigration Services considered changing the immigration test for naturalization from a 100-question test to 128 questions, a decision that was rescinded in January 2021. In the interim, the MVMA kept students informed and prepared to teach the longer test if needed. Throughout the many changes in FY21, student cohorts have continued to meet on Zoom, including night classes for students who work days. Like other citizenship program Community Action works with, MVMA students often take classes for more than one session before they feel ready to apply for citizenship. The MVMA taught thirteen students in FY21, at least five of whom have since become US citizens.
FAIR Girls provides trafficking victims with trauma-informed case management. In FY21, eleven individuals from the County received services from FAIR Girls, including emergency crisis intervention, housing, case management, transportation and basic needs such as food and clothing referrals. A total of 188 participants took part in Prevention Education and Outreach trainings, most of which were virtual due to the pandemic.
Just Neighbors provides quality immigration legal services to low-income immigrants. During FY21, despite the challenges of the pandemic and the merger with DC-MD Justice for Our Neighbors, Just Neighbors was successful in helping forty-five clients from Montgomery County with their immigration legal status. In addition to continuing immigration cases for eighteen Montgomery County residents--such as for green cards, family petitions and naturalizations--Just Neighbors attorneys opened forty-four cases for twenty-seven new clients. Of these, fifteen individuals have or will obtain a work permit or green card, four became citizens, and three clients began the path to legal immigration status with initial case work and waivers. The remaining five clients were deemed ineligible for legal immigration status but were given in-depth legal advice about their options in the US as well as their rights and responsibilities.
The Conflict Resolution Center of Montgomery County receives support for services to non-English-speaking residents who speak Spanish and other languages. In FY21, over seventy-five cases entered into the conflict resolution process. The parties involved in the twenty-six cases that have come to a full agreement have upheld their agreements for over three months.
The Spanish-Speaking Community of Maryland, based in Long Branch, provides immigrants and families with low-incomes consultations with case workers to address essential needs. Case workers at SSCM help residents apply for work permits, specialized visas for survivors of crimes such as domestic violence or sex trafficking, and can assist residents in finding employment, child care, and food. Support from the County in FY21 paid for case work that served as many as thirty-two people in a month.
Thank you to these and all our contract partners for their contributions to our community.
TESS Center Resumes In-Person Services
The Takoma-East Silver Spring (TESS) Community Action Center restarted in-person services the week of July 12 at 8513 Piney Branch Road, Silver Spring, MD 20901. Walk-in hours are from 9 - 11 a.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Community members who walk in receive a brief triage to assess their needs. If services are needed, appointments are available from 1 - 3 p.m. On Fridays, the Center is open for walk-ins from 9 - 11 a.m. only.
TESS Center staff continue to serve community members remotely during other business hours, including on Mondays. Please call 240-773-8260 for more information.
County Non-Profit Organizations: Please Complete Survey to Inform the County’s Emergency Response System
Shared on behalf of County colleagues and partners.
Montgomery County’s non-profit organizations were an essential part of the COVID-19 pandemic response. Montgomery County’s Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (OEMHS), the Community Organization Active in Disaster (COAD), and Non-Profit Montgomery have partnered to put together an After Action Report (AAR) that captures the efforts of the non-profit sector during the pandemic and highlights the important role that non-profit organizations played in the COVID-19 response. Your responses will help inform the County and improve future emergency responses.
The survey consists of 21 questions and should take less than 15 minutes to complete. We appreciate receiving as much detail in your responses as possible. The more information you provide, the more helpful the final report will be. Your answers will not be attributed to you or your organization in the After Action Report unless your provide explicit consent for us to do so.
We ask that you complete this survey by Monday, August 16 2021.
We greatly appreciate all of your hard work in support of the COVID-19 response and recovery efforts.
More IRS News: How to use the IRS Child Tax Credit Update Portal (CTC UP)
From irs.gov
Use the Child Tax Credit Update Portal (CTC UP) to check eligibility for advance payments, get information about monthly payment amounts, or opt-out of advance payments.
How to help non-filers and others: Getting Started with Child Tax Credit Outreach – Get It Back (taxoutreach.org)
Need help with filing your taxes? Call VITA 240-777-1123
Resources:
Covid-19 Rent Relief, Phase 3
Covid-19 Economic Impact Payment and American Rescue Plan Act information
CFPB Your Money, Your Goals
CFPB Financial Education Tools in Multiple Languages
Montgomery County COVID-19 information website
Montgomery County COVID-19 Vaccine Site
Montgomery County COVID-19 hotline in English: 240-777-1755, and in Spanish: 301-270-8432
Asian American Health Initiative's COVID-19 Resource Guide
Latino Health Initiative Covid-19 Information
African American Health Program Covid-19 Resources
Food assistance information during the emergency
Montgomery County Public Schools Meals Distribution Sites
Information from Protecting Immigrant Families about immigrant eligibility for public programs.
Unemployment Insurance
Office of Home Energy Programs – Utilities assistance
WSSC water & sewer bill assistance in English and Spanish. Call Center Advisors: 301-206-4001.
Family violence prevention
Diaper distribution
|