E-Newsletter: November 2023

Montgomery County
Community Action Agency

Spotlight on Annual Partners' Meeting 

On November 8, the Community Action Agency hosted its annual meeting of nonprofit partner organizations. The annual meeting's target audience is direct service providers and administrators of the human services programs supported by County contracts and grants monitored by Community Action staff. The meeting drew thirty representatives of twenty-three organizations as well as four Community Action Board (CAB) members. Acting Executive Director Charlene Muhammad (above left) welcomed service providers who have worked with Community Action for many years as well as those who are new to their programs, including two new Executive Directors.

Program Manager Aizat Oladapo led a meeting icebreaker activity and Claudia Simmons, Vice Chair of the Board, highlighted CAB achievements and Community Advocacy Institute accomplishments over the past year. Ms. Simmons is pictured below, center, with fellow CAB members Lisa Conlon, left, and Timothy Robinson, right. Program Specialist Melissa E. Ferguson (above right) shared an overview of the Montgomery County Self-Sufficiency Standard, including how to use the SSS in assisting clients.

Volunteer with Community Action’s VITA Program

Community Action’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program is now recruiting volunteers for the upcoming tax season (mid-January through mid-April). Volunteers serve in numerous roles, including IRS-certified tax preparers, schedulers, greeters, interpreters, quality reviewers and site coordinators. VITA volunteers receive free training and volunteer opportunities are available in Rockville, Silver Spring, Gaithersburg, and Wheaton. Potential volunteers may register online.

New dual phones at the Rockville location will facilitate more convenient interpretation services for clients. Additionally, hours for VITA services in Rockville will be expanded on Tuesdays (11 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and Wednesdays (11 a.m. to 8 p.m.) to meet the increasing demand for area VITA services.

Tax Year 2023 VITA operations will begin in the week of January 22, 2024. Appointment scheduling will begin in early January. Watch for updates here in the e-newsletter and find out more about VITA services and volunteer opportunities on the CASHBACK website.

Head Start: It’s not too late!

If your child was four (4) years old on or before September 1, 2023, it’s not too late to apply for this school year for free pre-kindergarten and Head Start programs in the public schools for low-income families who qualify. Call 240-740-4530 or go to www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org and search Head Start for more details. 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. – 4:00 p.m. Do you have questions about Head Start? Check out the Common Questions online.

Winter Coat Drive: Cold Weather is Here!

For students in Head Start and pre-kindergarten, the annual coat drive is underway.

Coats, gift cards, and donations by check may be dropped off at Rocking Horse Road Center, 4910 Macon Road, Room 141, Rockville, MD 20852. Coats can also be ordered online and delivered to the Rocking Horse Road Center. For more information, please see the below flier.

Thank you very much! 

Diaper Distribution Program

We are excited to spotlight the success of the new Community Action Agency Diaper Distribution Program coordinated by Opportunity Coach Gabriela Salazar. As a member of the Maryland Community Action Partnership and recipient of Community Services Block Grant funding, the Community Action Agency was awarded a grant from the Office of Community Services, U.S. Administration for Children and Families, to provide 6,400 diapers and 204 packages of wipes to 35 children for two years. Participating families will receive wrap-around services and assistance in goal planning with the Navigation team. Ms. Salazar (above left) and her daughters are shown bringing boxes of supplies to the TESS Center.

For more information on services available at the TESS Community Action Center, check out the TESS website.

New Staff Joins Navigation Team and TESS

The newest staff member to join the Navigation team is Nohemi A. Macias, pictured at left. Ms. Macias was born in Mexico, where she earned a law degree and worked in public institutions focused on social welfare in Mexico City. After coming to the United States over a decade ago, Ms. Macias personally learned the challenges immigrants encounter when assimilating into a new culture. To address this issue, she initiated volunteer efforts in Spanish classes and translation services at elementary schools, subsequently transitioning to work as a substitute teacher. She has since obtained a bachelor's degree in social work from the University of Maryland Baltimore County. Drawing on her diverse background, Ms. Macias integrates her unique perspective into her professional practice, emphasizing intersectionality. Her overarching goal is to contribute positively to society by advocating for vulnerable individuals, particularly those facing cultural barriers.  At the Takoma-East Silver Spring (TESS) Community Action Center, we are pleased to welcome Diana Preston as the new Office Services Coordinator. Ms. Preston holds a degree in sociology specializing in stratification, bringing a deep understanding of social dynamics to her role. Fueled by years of community service, Ms. Preston is committed to enhancing the well-being of the Long Branch community. She is eager to contribute her skills and passion to positively impact Long Branch.  Please join us in welcoming our newest staff members!

CAI and Advocacy Updates from the Community Action Board

November included important programs and advocacy efforts by the Community Action Board. On November 4, Board member Erika Conner hosted this year’s first workshop for the Community Advocacy Institute. This session, called Advocacy 101, included an informative panel discussion with several elected officials: State Delegate Jheanelle Wilkins, State Delegate Gabriel Acevero, County Councilmember Laurie-Anne Sayles, County Councilmember Natali Fani-González, and Gaithersburg City Council Vice President Lisa Henderson (screenshot pictured above). County Council Legislative Attorney Ludeen McCartney-Green provided an overview of the County’s legislative process and budget process. The workshop wrapped up with a panel discussion with CAI graduates Tracy Craig, Mandy Dalton, Ramata Diop, and Evelyn Hoey, who spoke about what the CAI meant to them and how they are using the advocacy skills they learned in the program, and shared advice for the current participants.

On November 13, Board Chair Dr. Jeffery Johnson testified at the Joint Delegation Priorities Hearing. The Board’s testimony requested the establishment of a Community Action Anti-Poverty Fund, continuation of 2-Gen/Whole Family funding, the expansion of the state Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) for single filers without dependents, and the expansion of opportunities for private daycare providers to become certified teachers. 

VITA's Tax Tips: Maryland CTC and Federal RRC  

The VITA team has one state tax tip and a federal tax tip to share this month: Individuals earning less than $15,000 are now eligible for the Maryland refundable Child Tax Credit (CTC). Information on the credit is provided by the CASH Campaign of Maryland (Creating Assets, Savings, and Hope) at cashmd.org. The following is an excerpt from IR-2023-217: The Internal Revenue Service is reminding those who may be entitled to the Recovery Rebate Credit to file a tax return and claim their money before it's too late.  The vast majority of those eligible for Economic Impact Payments related to Coronavirus tax relief have already received them or claimed them through the Recovery Rebate Credit. The deadlines to file a return and claim the 2020 and 2021 credits are May 17, 2024, and April 15, 2025, respectively. The Recovery Rebate Credit is a refundable credit for those who missed out on one or more Economic Impact Payments. Economic Impact Payments, also referred to as stimulus payments, were issued in 2020 and 2021. The IRS estimates that some individuals and families are still eligible for the payment(s). However, taxpayers must first file a tax return to make their claim even if they had little or no income from a job, business or other source.

Montgomery County 
Community Action Agency
1401 Rockville Pike, 3rd Floor
Rockville, MD 20852
Phone: 240-777-1697 

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Green Tip: The Electrify MC Pilot Program!

From the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection:

This year, the County has launched its first Residential Electrification Pilot called Electrify MC! The pilot project is intended to supplement the Home Performance with Energy Star program that’s part of the statewide EmPOWER Maryland energy efficiency program. The electrification pilot consists of a help desk for resident questions about electrification and instant rebates for qualifying electrification projects. Montgomery County is dedicated to helping residents make the switch from fossil fuels by providing MONEY to you! 

Here’s how it works:

1. Contact the Electrification Help Desk at 301-830-5767 or email electrifymc@elysianenergy.com. You can also sign up through Montgomery County by signing the Montgomery County Electrify Everything Pledge.
2. During the call with Elysian Energy, schedule an energy audit.
3. Audit and electrification assessment are completed.
4. Choose among options to improve the performance of your home, including insulation and air sealing, and electrification of HVAC, water heater, stove and dryer.
5. Have work completed through Elysian Energy.
6. Receive applicable electrification rebates from the County at the point of sale, and utility rebates for insulation work in 6-8 weeks.

Click here to see the rebates.  

Resources:

New Self-Sufficiency Standard Report: The new report is available for download on the Community Action Agency website. Another helpful tool is the Maryland Self-Sufficiency Standard Calculator, which was developed by the Maryland Community Action Partnership and the University of Washington. This interactive tool allows users to determine the Standard for different family compositions throughout the state.

Help Is Within Reach – The attached flier shows where to call for help. For a mental health crisis and listening support, call 988. The Montgomery County Crisis Center is available for call in, walk in, mobile outreach, community referrals, and substance use assessment and referrals (240-777-4000). 311 provides weekday assistance, 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m., for health and human services, housing, transportation, and food assistance (311 for local numbers, or 240-777-0311). For medical emergencies, fires, reporting crimes, disaster response, and life-saving situations, call 911.

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

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

African American Health Program

Asian American Health Initiative

Latino Health Initiative

Health:

New! Montgomery County is partnering with Access HEARS, Inc. to distribute free over-the-counter hearing aids for County residents who are ages 60 (+), have moderate to severe hearing loss, and incomes below 250% of the FPL. Find out more about how to access free hearing aids.

COVID-19 vaccines to address the current variants are distributed through pharmacies and primary care providers. https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/covid19/. Hotline in English: 240-777-1755, and in Spanish: 301-270-8432.

DHHS sexual health services: Testing for sexually transmitted infections in Silver Spring and Germantown. https://montgomerycountymd.gov/hiv/testing.html/.

Pregnant women who meet the other Medicaid enrollment requirements except for citizenship may be eligible for full Medicaid coverage, including 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 .

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:

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. 

OEMHS website: Tips on preparing for severe storms. 

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.

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)

Montgomery County Food Council – Food Assistance Resource Map - https://mocofoodcouncil.org/map/

Greater DC Diaper Bank: Diaper distribution

Financial empowerment:

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

Montgomery County 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, tax credit information, and financial education resources.

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.

Transportation: The Montgomery County Department of Transportation Ride On Reimagined Study is a full-scale re-assessment of how the Montgomery County public transit network including Ride On, Metro Bus and rail and the future Purple Line, will operate in Montgomery County, with the goal of creating a future-focused public transportation system. 

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