E-Newsletter: April 2024

Montgomery County
Community Action Agency

Opportunity to Serve on the Community Action Board!

County Executive Elrich is accepting applications to fill one vacancy in the private sector of the Community Action Board. Applicants must be nominated by a private organization, such as a local nonprofit organization, faith-based organization, or fraternity/sorority, and submit a nomination letter from the organization. Apply online by May 8th. The Community Action Board (CAB) serves as the governing body for the Community Action Agency and for the County’s Head Start program, along with the Head Start Parent Policy Council. The CAB advocates at all levels for important issues impacting lower-income County residents, including food security, affordable housing and renters’ rights, tax credit for lower-income filers, increasing wages, and access to services. Board members are volunteers who can serve on the board for up to five years total. Additional information is available in English and Spanish.

Program Participants and Board Engage in Budget Season Advocacy

On April 8^th and 9^th, seven Community Advocacy Institute (CAI) participants testified at County Council budget hearings, while seven participants submitted written testimony to Council. The CAI is a program led by the Community Action Board.

The testimonies were the final requirement for the CAI. Following participation in monthly workshops, all participants must complete an advocacy project to graduate from the program. In the top photo, CAI participant Kelli Hudson celebrates delivering her testimony. Above right, CAI participant  Waleska Flores Rovelo provided her testimony with an interpreter. The CAI is fully English-Spanish bilingual. Below left, Stephanie Joseph shares her testimony.

This year’s participants did a fantastic job finalizing their testimonies, a process that included testimony practice sessions and working with CAI mentors who provided helpful guidance. The Community Action Board looks forward to celebrating the CAI class of 2024 at a graduation ceremony next month. On April 8th, Dr. Jeffery Johnson, Chair of the Montgomery County Community Action Board,  testified at a public budget hearing, advocating for the board’s key board priorities for the County's Fiscal Year 2025 (July 1, 204 - June 30, 2025). The Board's priorities include staffing needs for the Community Action Agency and full funding for the Working Families Income Supplement (WFIS). The Board’s budget advocacy also included leading a sign-on letter in support of the WFIS. Twenty local, state, and national organizations joined this letter asking the County Council to add funding to the WFIS budget so that it will return to a 100% match of the state Earned Income Tax Credit.

Head Start: Registration is for 2024 – 2025 is Open!

For children who will be four (4) years old on or before September 1, 2024, in low-income families who qualify, registration has begun for free pre-kindergarten and Head Start programs in the public schools. Go to www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org and search “Head Start” for more details.  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. The office phone number is 240-740-4530.  List of the documents needed to complete a Head Start application Do you have questions about Head Start? Check out the Common Questions online.

Coming Soon…Head Start Party in the Park on June 1!

On Saturday, June 1, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Head Start  and Pre-kindergarten program will partner with the Housing Opportunities Commission (HOC) Fatherhood Initiative to host a party and resource fair in Wheaton Regional Park. Last year’s event was tremendously successful with 500 attendees!

Families can register their four-year-old children for Head Start and Pre-kindergarten, participate in a wide range of activities, and learn about resources in the community. Representatives from HOC, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Parks, the Department of Recreation, and many non-profits will be on site.

The event will be held at Wheaton Regional Park, 2000 Shorefield Road, Silver Spring 20902.

More information will soon be shared on Community Action's website.

Pictured above, left to right, are parent volunteers with Head Start/Pre-kindergarten at the 2023 Party in the Park: Bertila Fuentes, Linda Flores, Trancito Cuellar, and Sara Manzano.

VITA Updates: Wrapping Up the Season

The Community Action Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) team is compiling tax season reports and preparing for off-season services. From June – October, the VITA team will provide tax filing services for Tax Years 2023, 2022, and 2021. Updates will be posted on the CASHBACK website: https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/cashback/

Community Action served nearly 2,250 customers this year! Pictured above, left to right, are Community Action's VITA volunteers and team members who served taxpayers at the Gaithersburg Financial Empowerment Center: Yao (Bob) Sun, volunteer; David Lee, volunteer; Tsai Chiali, volunteer; Andrew Parker, volunteer; Steven Brinch, volunteer; Bob Glowinski, volunteer; Benoit Codjia, contractor; Joseph Fu, volunteer; and Sharron Holquin, contractor.

Thank you to the many wonderful volunteers who made this tax filing season a success!

Debunking Myths about Federal Tax Refunds

This month, the Community Action Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) team shares the following advice from the IRS Tax Tip 2024-35 for taxpayers waiting for federal refunds.

The best way to check the status of a refund is through the Where's My Refund? tool or the IRS2Go app. Taxpayers can also call the automated refund hotline at 800-829-1954 to get their refund status. 

Where’s My Refund is updated every day. The IRS issues most refunds within 21 days, however, it's possible a refund may take longer. People waiting for a refund in the mail should allow extra time.

What if the refund amount is less than expected? The IRS will mail the taxpayer a letter of explanation if it adjusts a refund. Some taxpayers may also receive a letter from the Department of Treasury's Bureau of the Fiscal Service if their refund was reduced to offset certain financial obligations. 

To ensure the correct withholding amount for 2024, taxpayers can check the Tax Withholding Estimator tool to help determine if their employer is withholding the right amount. Taxpayers can use the results from the Tax Withholding Estimator to complete a new Form W-4, Employee's Withholding Certificate and submit it to their employer as soon as possible. 

For more tips in the full IRS Tax Tip 2024-35, go to: https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/debunking-common-myths-about-federal-tax-refunds.

Community Action and Partners Work to Meet Essential Needs

To work on Montgomery County's Strategic Plan to End Childhood Hunger, Community Action joined the End Childhood Hunger Collaborative Kick-Off Event earlier this month. The event was hosted by the Office of Food Systems Resilience and the Montgomery County Food Council. In Montgomery County, 110,000 children live in households with food insecurity. Of those, 57,000 are not eligible for free school lunches because their families' incomes are just above the cut-off for free lunch. The Kick-Off Event brought diverse partners together to discuss challenges, opportunities, and solutions. A fact sheet shares more information, including seven initiative areas for ending childhood hunger in Montgomery County.

Pictured above at the End Childhood Hunger Collaborative Kick-Off Event are Community Action representatives: Lucila Castiglioni, Navigator for MCPS Community Schools; Aizat Oladapo, Program Manager for Contracts and Grants; Paola Lopez, Community Services Aide; and Aster Teffera, Navigator for MCPS Community Schools. 

On April 20, Ms. Oladapo attended the Community Appreciation Event hosted by the Interfaith Works Essential Needs Center. Community Action has partnered with the Essential Needs Center for many years. 

Pictured above are Supriya Mordecai, the new Director of the Essential Needs Center of Interfaith Works, and Ms. Oladapo.

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

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Saturday, April 27, is GreenFest 2024!

The following is an excerpt from: https://montgomerycountygreenfest.org/.

The Montgomery County GreenFest is the largest annual environmental festival in Montgomery County, MD. This year GreenFest will be held at BlackRock Center for the Arts at 12901 Town Commons Drive Germantown, MD 20874 on Saturday, April 27. GreenFest is organized by a coalition of public and non-profit partners.

Leap into action and join us at GreenFest 2024 where people of all ages come together to celebrate, learn, and start or continue their journey to improving our community and the environment!

For a detailed schedule, go to: https://montgomerycountygreenfest.org/. 

Resources:

Help Is Within Reach:

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.

African American Health Program

Asian American Health Initiative

Latino Health Initiative

Health:

The DHHS Mobile Health Clinic travels around Montgomery County providing integrated medical, dental, behavioral health, and human services to underserved and vulnerable populations and communities. Residents of Montgomery County, with and without health insurance, are eligible. Visit the DHHS Mobile Health Clinic webpage for more information, including Frequenting Asked Questions.

Access HEARS, Inc. distributes 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 Federal Poverty Level. Find out more about how to access free hearing aids.

COVID-19 vaccines are distributed through pharmacies and primary care providers.  Hotline in English: 240-777-1755, and in Spanish: 301-270-8432.

DHHS testing for sexually transmitted infections in Silver Spring and Germantown.

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 on visas. Contact the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. 

Resource Directories:

Get Help page, Gilchrist Immigrant Resource Center, Montgomery County, MD. 

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.

Rebuilding Together Montgomery County – repairs, aging in place modifications to homes. 

Landlord-Tenant Affairs, Department of Housing and Community Affairs.

Montgomery County Sheriff’s Evictions office: 240-777-7130 

Montgomery County Renters Alliance – advocacy, education on tenants’ rights.

Safety and Emergency Preparedness:

Sign up for Alert Montgomery 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. Use above link or below QR code.

Four steps for Emergency Preparedness: 1) Stay informed. 2) Make a plan. 3) Make a kit. 4) Get involved. Check out the OEMHS website for emergency preparation guides, including special considerations for people with access and functional needs.

Montgomery County flooding website:  Information on frequently flooded roads, steps residents can take to prepare for potential flooding, and the availability of Flood Insurance. 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.

Montgomery County Family Violence Awareness and Prevention 

The Montgomery County Crisis Center specializes in serving people with behavioral health (mental health) crises. 

Food and Household items:

Montgomery County Food Council: Food Assistance Resource Map.

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

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

Greater DC Diaper Bank: Diaper distribution

Financial empowerment:

CASHBACK– VITA Services, tax credit information, and financial education resources.

Affordable Connectivity Program – For information about a $30/month on Internet connections or click on the fliers in English and Spanish. You can also call 301-908-4510 or toll-free 1-866-206-8467.

Gaithersburg Financial Empowerment Center: http://www.gaithersburgmd.gov/fec. Phone: 240-454-5199. 

WorkSource Montgomery: https://worksourcemontgomery.com/. Service locations in Wheaton and Germantown.

What does it cost to live in Montgomery County, Maryland? The 2023 Self-Sufficiency Standard report is available and the Interactive Self-Sufficiency Standard. Another helpful tool is the Maryland Self-Sufficiency Standard Calculator for different family compositions throughout the state.

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/

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.

Transportation: The Montgomery County Department of Transportation Ride On Reimagined Study re-assesses the County's public transit network. The above link connects to the study’s scope of work.

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