E-Newsletter: June 2023

Montgomery County
Community Action Agency

Community Action Board, Staff Joins Community Summit on Safety-Net Services

Crystal Townsend, President and CEO of HIF, and Dr. Christopher Rogers, Acting Chief of Public Health Services, Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, kicked off the Summit by providing welcoming and opening remarks. Both shared moving stories of how effective service navigation makes a difference. Sharon Strauss, Community Action Agency’s executive director, led the Plenary, “Understanding the Self-Sufficiency Standard: Making Ends Meet in Montgomery County, MD.”  She highlighted the critical role of assuring people receive all the services they need to attain wellness and become more socially and economically secure.

Lisa Manzer, Director of the Center for Women’s Welfare at the University of Washington, emphasized in a video presentation why the Standard is a more accurate measure of the cost of living than the Official Poverty Measure. Ms. Manzer provided an online demonstration of how to use Maryland Community Action Partnership’s 2023 Self-Sufficiency Standard Calculator. Ms. Manzer's presentation is available via the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TMqhBXB8s0. Ms. Strauss gave a “sneak preview” from the findings of the Montgomery County Self-Sufficiency Standard report, to be released later this summer. Ms. Strauss noted how locally funded programs including Working Parents Assistance, Montgomery Cares, Care for Kids, and the Working Families Income Supplement, which matches a portion of the Maryland EITC, help to support families who are earning below the Standard, by maintaining benefits as family income starts to rise. Zelda Wafer-Jones, Community Action Board Vice Chair shared her challenges meeting basic living expenses in Montgomery County as a parent of a young child. She also noted how the board uses the Standard in its advocacy work and what policies can help people reach the Standard. Pictured above from the summit are, at top, left to right: Crystal Townsend, HIF Executive Director, Dr. Christopher Rogers, Acting Chief of Montgomery County Public Health Services, Ms. Strauss and Ms. Wafer-Jones. Ms. Manzer is also pictured.

The Summit drew public and nonprofit community partners from many human service sectors and roles. Pictured at right is James LeBlanc, Community Impact Manager at WorkSource Montgomery, at the Community Summit with Monica Rivera-Goldberg, Community Action Program Manager for the service navigation team.  To assure that they and colleagues not in attendance could access the Summit’s resources, materials will be posted at the Gilchrist Immigrant Resource Center. Aligned with the summit's mission of strengthening collaboration in service Montgomery County, this month the Community Action Navigation team has begun a closer partnership with the County's Gilchrist Immigrant Resource Center. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, Navigator Trica Young will be working from the Gilchrist Center's Wheaton site (11002 Veirs Mill Rd, Suite 506, Westfield South Building). On Wednesdays, Ms. Young will be working from the Gilchrist Center's Gaithersburg site (18330 Montgomery Village Ave., 2nd Floor). From these sites, Ms. Young is working to bring DHHS Navigation services to Gilchrist customers and program participants. Ms. Young provides onsite assistance with Federal, State and County benefits program applications and referrals. Community Action is very excited to continue growing our Navigation team's reach across Montgomery County.

Head Start Celebrates Father's Day in the Park

On Saturday, June 10, over 500 parents and children enjoyed the sunny, beautiful weather at the “Party in the Park: Family and Father’s Day Celebration” at Wheaton Regional Park. The Housing Opportunities Commission’s Fatherhood Initiative, Head Start, and Priority Partners co-sponsored the event. 

Over twenty community agencies offered health screenings, wellness activities, and cooking demonstrations; resource information included employment and education opportunities for adults and children, as well as on-site registration for Prekindergarten/Head Start!

Families enjoyed lunch, face painting, balloon animals, snacks, train and carousel rides, and music. We had a fun-filled day! Hope you can join us next year! Pictured in the top photo are parent volunteers with Head Start/Pre-kindergarten Bertila Fuentes, Linda Flores, Trancito Cuellar,  and Sara Manzano. In the middle photo are Jonathan Cartagena, HOC Fatherhood Initiative, Lisa Conlon, Montgomery County Public Schools Pre-K/Head Start, Charlene Muhammad, Community Action Head Start Program Manager, and Nichelle Owens, Director of the MCPS Division of Early Childhood, Title I Programs, and Recovery Funds. Pictured at right are Sharon Strauss, Community Action's Executive Director, and Beverly Coleman, Director of the TRiO Educational Opportunity Center.

Pre-kindergarten and Head Start eligibility is based on family income. The registration process for both Head Start and Pre-kindergarten is the same, and both have half-day and full-day classes.

Head Start/Pre-K registration fliers are available in: English, Spanish, Amharic, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, French, and Portuguese.

Fliers in English and Spanish direct parents and guardians to one link if they are new to MCPS, and another if they already have a child attending MCPS.

Applications are accepted online via https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org and in-person at Rocking Horse Road Center, 4910 Macon Road, Rockville, Maryland, 20852, Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00p.m.

Do you have questions about Head Start? Check out the Common Questions online.

VITA Appointments for 2020 - 2022 Tax Returns

The Community Action Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program is offering appointments to prepare new and amended 2020, 2021, and 2022 federal and state tax returns through late October. Appointments are available for Montgomery County residents with household incomes of $60,000 or less. Fliers are available in English, French, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese. A flier in Amharic is coming soon. Virtual appointments are available on Mondays, from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.  On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, in-person appointments are available at 1401 Rockville Pike, Suite 320, Rockville, MD 20852, from 11:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. To schedule an appointment, please visit: https://montgomerycountymd.gov/cashback/schedule.html or call 240-777-1123. Do you need information about your refund? For questions about your federal tax refund, please visit the IRS website or call 1-800-829-1040.  For questions about your Maryland refund, please visit the Online Services website or call 1-800-218-8160. If you already had an appointment with Community Action VITA and need more information, please call 240-777-1123 or send email to VITA@montgomerycountymd.gov.

CAB Advocacy on Rent Stabilization

In recent months, the Community Action Board considered two County Council Bills addressing rent stabilization. Council Bill 15-23 would cap annual rent increases in the County at 8% plus the Consumer Price Index. Council Bill 16-23 – The HOME Act would cap annual rent increases at 3% or the Voluntary Rent Guidelines (whichever is lower). Following careful review of the two bills by the board’s Affordable Housing Committee, the full board voted to support The HOME Act, with board members sharing their personal experiences of having their rent increase every year, without seeing any improvements in their apartment or the complex. The board’s testimony also noted the Self-Sufficiency Standard, which highlights just how hard it is to pay for basic necessities, including housing, here in Montgomery County. Even a small increase in rent can have significant negative consequences for a family struggling to meet the Self-Sufficiency Standard.  The board will continue to monitor the Council’s Planning, Housing, and Parks Committee work on these two bills, along with the full Council’s efforts to implement rent stabilization. Read the Community Action Board’s full testimony.

Board Celebrates Outgoing Leaders, Welcomes New Executive Committee

On June 27, the Community Action Board thanked the outgoing members of the FY23 Executive Committee and installed the board’s new leadership. Dr. Jeffery Johnson (pictured at right) was reelected to serve as the Chair of the board for a second year. Zelda Wafer-Jones, whose term on the CAB will soon come to an end after nearly six years, was honored for her service as the board’s Vice Chair. Ms. Wafer-Jones, a Head Start Parent Policy Council representative on the board, supported the board’s advocacy work, through testimony before the County Council and helping to develop the board’s written testimony on a wide range of bills.

Ms. Wafer-Jones (pictured at left) has also been actively engaged in the board’s Community Advocacy Institute, serving as a mentor, leading workshops, and speaking about the CAI at the National Community Action Partnership’s annual conference in New York last year. Board members and staff thanked Ms. Wafer-Jones for her dedication to Community Action and her advocacy on behalf of lower-income County residents. Board members also thanked and celebrated the entire FY23 Executive Committee, which included Secretary Myriam Paul, and at-large members Lisa Conlon, Erika Conner, Pamela Luckett, and Mike Subin.

Sharon Strauss installed the board’s new leadership for FY24. Claudia Simmons (pictured at right) was elected to serve as the board’s new Vice Chair. Ms. Simmons brings decades of experience from her work with the Head Start/pre-kindergarten program, along with her experience supporting local nonprofit organizations. Myriam Paul was reelected to serve as the board’s Secretary, and Erika Conner, Denise Fredericks, Evelyn Okutu, and Mike Subin were all elected to serve as at-large members of the Executive Committee. Congratulations to the CAB’s new leadership!

Community Action Partner Spotlight: Community Reach Celebrates Graduation & 30 Years of Language Outreach

On June 17, Community Reach of Montgomery County held a virtual tribute to the Language Outreach class of 2023. After staff, teachers, and volunteers were introduced, special thanks went to the program partners--Rockville City Council, Gaithersburg City Council, Montgomery County Council, and the Montgomery Adult English Literacy (MCAEL). Ms. Cecilia Rojas, Program Director, hosted the event and is pictured above. Ms. Rojas, pictured above in a screenshot, has managed the Language Outreach Program (LOP) for 30 years!

Three of this year’s graduates shared their experiences about the program. Keynote speaker Melissa McKenna, an education consultant, spoke on the importance and the challenges of learning a new language and commended the graduates for their hard work.

Council Member Gabe Albornoz, pictured below, was a special guest speaker. Mr. Albornoz spoke about the importance of learning the English language for easier access to jobs, to further one’s advocacy, and for doctors’ visits and other every day needs that become so much easier when you can communicate in English. Mr. Albornoz also offered to host the next graduation event in-person at the EOB office.

Certificates were awarded to graduates with pictures of them on screen with their certificates. The ceremony ended with a video of the history of the program from its inception in 1993. In 30 years, approximately 14,000 residents have been served by the program!

Office of Community Affairs Celebrates at Brookside Gardens

After several years of hard work--and for the first time since 2019--the Office of Community Affairs, Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, gathered together for a staff celebration. Community Action, the Asian American Health Initiative, the African American Health Program, the Latino Health Initiative, and the Equity program belong to the Office of Community Affairs division of DHHS. 

OCA Chief Betty Lam welcomed staff, who learned exercises and relaxation activities that can be completed at a desk, caught up with colleagues and met newcomers, and enjoyed the beauty of Brookside Gardens in Wheaton Regional Park. Pictured below on a trail walk are several staff members from Community Action and the Latino Health Initiative.

As part of OCA's Climate Action efforts, Larissa Johnson, Residential Energy Savings Program Manager of the Department of Environmental Protection, closed out the event by presenting tips for lowering home energy bills. OCA staff were excited by the ways they can share this information with participants of their offices' programs. To learn about residential energy savings, visit www.montgomeryenergyconnection.org.

Montgomery County 
Community Action Agency
1401 Rockville Pike, Suite 320
Rockville, MD 20852
Phone: 240-777-1697 

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Advocacy Program Updates 

The Community Action Board hosted a well-attended Community Advocacy Institute alumni workshop on June 8. The session focused on services for young children and related advocacy issues. Facilitated by board Vice-Chair Zelda Wafer-Jones, the session included a panel discussion featuring Charlene Muhammad, Head Start Manager at Community Action; Jennifer Ferreira, Family Resource Specialist for DHHS Child Care Support Services; Jill Lyons, Family Support Network Manager with the Montgomery County Infants and Toddlers Program; and Elka Forbes and Jennifer Penrose from the Commission on Child Care. Participants learned about these important programs, along with current advocacy issues focused on the needs of young children.

Next month, the Community Action Board will begin accepting applications for the 2023-2024 CAI program. The CAI is a free bilingual program in English and Spanish, that provides advocacy training for lower-income County residents. Please check montgomerycountymd.gov/communityaction for the latest information.

Green Tip: Help Prevent Trash Fires by Properly Disposing of Hazardous Waste 

Excerpted from the a 6/20/2023  press release by the Montgomery County DEP: 

The Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) urges residents to be responsible when disposing of batteries to prevent fire hazards. Improper battery disposal has led to several recent incidents of fires.

Even seemingly harmless household batteries, such as AA, AAA or button cell batteries, can contribute to these risks if not disposed of correctly. Improperly disposed materials can cause fires in trash cans, on trash trucks, and at the County Transfer Station and Recycling Center in Derwood.

“Batteries are an important part of our daily lives, powering a wide range of devices and gadgets we rely on every day,” said Acting DEP Director Willie Wainer. “However, when not disposed of properly, batteries can pose serious threats to our environment and safety. Throwing batteries into regular trash bins is a hazardous practice that can lead to devastating fires.”

Do not place the following materials in the trash:

• Batteries (dry cell and alkaline batteries, lithium batteries, lithium-ion batteries, nickel-cadmium batteries, lead acid vehicle batteries, tool batteries).
• Flammable or combustible liquids (such as gasoline, oil-based paints or kerosene).
• Hazardous materials (including items such as ammonia, bleach, pool chemicals, pesticides, paint thinners).
• Canisters containing propellants (including butane or propane).
• Cylinders containing compressed gas (such as propane, helium, oxygen, acetylene or fire extinguishers).
• Ashes (from fireplaces, fire pits or barbecue grills).
• Charcoal and used charcoal bags (containing flammable agents).
• Unknown substances (will be managed as household hazardous waste).

These items can be properly disposed at the Shady Grove Processing Facility and Transfer Station. Many retail locations also accept batteries for disposal. 

It’s important to transport batteries safely. The safest methods of transporting batteries are to protect terminals by placing each battery individually into a plastic bag or taping the ends with masking or another non-metallic tape.

Additional information on the proper handling of batteries and other items is available on the County’s “I want to recycle or dispose of …” page.

Resources:

NEW: Use the following QR code to sign up for Alert Montgomery! Sign up to receive accurate and immediate notifications about emergencies that may affect your home, workplace, child's school, or any other Montgomery County locations. Alerts can be sent via text, email, or voice message. 

NEW: Starting July 1, 2023 non-citizen pregnant Marylanders who would otherwise be eligible for Medicaid but for their immigration status may now be eligible for coverage. This means that pregnant women who meet the other Medicaid enrollment requirements except for citizenship will be eligible for full Medicaid coverage. This includes those who are undocumented or are on visas that would otherwise not allow them to apply for Medicaid. For more information, please visit health.maryland.gov/healthybabies .

Past editions of Community Action’s monthly e-newsletter are available on the Community Action website (montgomerycountymd.gov/communityaction).

Office of Community Affairs, Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services:

Community Action Agency’s combined FY20 and FY21 annual report

African American Health Program

Asian American Health Initiative

Latino Health Initiative

Health:

Montgomery County COVID-19 information: Vaccines for adults and children ages six months and up.

Montgomery County COVID-19 hotline in English: 240-777-1755, and in Spanish: 301-270-8432.

Resource Directories:

Get Help page, Gilchrist Immigrant Resource Center, Montgomery County, MD  https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/gilchrist/get-help/

WorkSource Montgomery’s Community Assets Map

Housing – Repairs, eviction prevention, evictions:

For low-income households, the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development has home repair loans that can assist with paying for radon abatement and other repairs: https://dhcd.maryland.gov/Residents/Pages/SpecialLoans.aspx.

Rebuilding Together Montgomery County – repairs, aging in place modifications to homes: https://rebuildingtogethermc.org/

Landlord-Tenant Affairs, Department of Housing and Community Affairs: https://montgomerycountymd.gov/DHCA/housing/landlordtenant/evictions.html

Sheriff’s Office, Evictions office: 240-777-7130 https://montgomerycountymd.gov/sheriff/sections/eviction-section.html

Montgomery County Renters Alliance – advocacy, education on tenants’ rights: https://www.rentersalliance.org/

Safety and Emergency Preparedness:

Montgomery County flooding website: https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/flooding/. Information on frequently flooded roads, steps residents can take to prepare for potential flooding, and the availability of Flood Insurance available to all properties in the County and a survey on flooding in your neighborhood.

The Maryland Insurance Administration also has a flood insurance information page.

OEMHS website: Tips on preparing for severe storms. 

The Montgomery County Family Justice Center helps people in domestic violence, child abuse, and elder abuse situations. https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/fjc/

Montgomery County Family Violence Awareness and Prevention 

The Montgomery County Crisis Center specializes in serving people with behavioral health (mental health) crises. Information about the Crisis Center and other crisis intervention services:

https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/hhs/programindex/crisisservicesindex.html

Food and Household items:

If you are a victim of SNAP fraud/EBT skimming, go to: https://mocofoodcouncil.org/snapoutreach/.

How to protect SNAP benefits from fraud: Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) Fraud - Maryland Department of Human Services

Information the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: https://dhs.maryland.gov/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program/

Food assistance resources and programs (information available in English, Spanish, Amharic, French, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Korean)

Food Assistance Resource Map - https://mocofoodcouncil.org/map/

Diaper distribution

Financial empowerment:

What does it cost to live in Maryland? 2023 Maryland Self-Sufficiency Standard

Office of Consumer Protection – A – Z Consumer Advice

My Green Montgomery: How to lower your energy costs and much more! https://mygreenmontgomery.org/projects/energy/

CASHBACK – VITA Services and tax credit information

Free Financial Counseling: Financial Empowerment Center at WorkSource Montgomery.

Maryland Homeowner Assistance Fund: Assistance with mortgage payments or other housing costs due to COVID-19 related financial hardships. MHAF application assistance: Latino Economic Development Corporation and Housing Initiatives Partnership.

Ban the Box, or the Fair Criminal Record Screening Standards Law, assists in the successful reintegration of people with criminal records into the workforce by removing barriers to employment and housing. Find out more from the Montgomery County Office of Human Rights.

CFPB Your Money, Your Goals

CFPB Financial Education Tools in Multiple Languages

Protecting Immigrant Families: 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.

Water bill assistance flier in English and Spanish

Transit:

Ride-On Reimagined is campaign to assess the bus network for significant changes. Go to the link to see opportunities for Public Forums and Community Engagement events. Ride On Reimagined - Montgomery County Division of Transit Services (montgomerycountymd.gov). 

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