E-Newsletter: Mid-August - September 2024

Montgomery County
Community Action Agency

Board Members Visit to Community Action's Partners

In August, several members of the Community Action Board joined staff to participate in site visits at three Community Action Agency partner organizations. At Women Who Care Ministries, based in Montgomery Village, board members received an overview of the organization led by Executive Director Judith Clark, and a tour of the office, where volunteers were “in action” packing groceries to distribute to Montgomery County residents facing food insecurity.

Pictured above at Women Who Care Ministries (left to right) are Aizat Oladapo, Community Action Program Manager; Leah Goldfine, Community Action Program Manager and Liaison to the Board; Timothy Robinson, Community Action Board; Judith Clark, Executive Director, Women Who Care Ministries; Claudia Simmons and Helen Winder, Community Action Board; and Community Action Executive Director Shantá Johnson.

The Community Action Board's third visit was to CASA and  included an overview of the organization’s legal services program by Legal Director Ama Frimpong-Houser and a glimpse at CASA’s Know Your Rights workshop. Board members and staff were joined by CASA Supervising Attorney Huzma Kazmi (second from right) for a tour of the Rockville Welcome Center.

Community Action Board Welcomes New Member

Beverly Coleman was recently appointed to serve in the private sector of the Community Action Board. Beverly, who was nominated by CareerCatchers to serve on the board, has been working in education for over thirty years, including the last ten years as the Director of the Educational Opportunity Center (EOC) at Montgomery College. The EOC serves lower-income and first-generation students, connecting them with resources that can support their academic success. Beverly has partnered with Community Action and Head Start on numerous occasions over the years, most notably for the Single Parent Conference, now called the Family Empowerment Resource Fair.

Updates from TESS

In early September, a business adjacent the Takoma-East Silver Spring (TESS) Community Action Center suffered from a fire. Smoke, soot, and other damage at the TESS Center has temporarily halted in-person services. Signage has been posted on the front door in English, Spanish, and Amharic. Staff members are working remotely and can assist residents via email, phone, or virtual platforms.  Please call 240-773-8260 for assistance and visit montgomerycountymd.gov/TESS for the latest information. The voter information and registration event with the Board of Elections has been postponed. Voter Information, including how to register, is on the Board of Elections website. The Montgomery County Maryland Bar Foundation's pro bono legal advice clinics at TESS have been canceled through October. Those interested in legal services are encouraged to contact the Bar Foundation's pro bono program directly at 301-424-7651.

Head Start: Registration for 2024 – 2025!

For children who turned four (4) years old on or before September 1, 2024, in low-income families who qualify, registration continues 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.

Volunteer with Community Action’s VITA Program

Community Action’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program is 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 from November to January. The commitment for volunteers is four hours a week through the 12-week tax season; opportunities are available in Rockville, Silver Spring, Gaithersburg, and Wheaton.  

Volunteering with VITA is a great way to ensure that taxpayers in low- to moderate-income households receive the tax credits they have earned. The new VITA volunteer form is posted on the CASHBACK volunteer page. Orientation sessions for volunteers will be online on November 13 at 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.

Free Tax Help for Income-Eligible County Residents

The Community Action Agency's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program--the County’s only year-round VITA program--is offering free tax help for prior year, amended, and current year returns. Virtual and in-person appointments through October 24th for Montgomery County residents with combined household incomes of $64,000 or less.  Virtual appointments are available on Mondays, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. In-person appointments are available Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., at the Community Action Agency office located at 1401 Rockville Pike, Suite 320. To schedule an in-person appointment, please call 240-777-1123 or schedule online through the CASHBACK website. Virtual appointments may only be scheduled by phone. Residents are reminded that all VITA sites serve taxpayers filing their taxes with an ITIN. Community Action’s VITA program can also assist those who need help with ITIN applications and renewals. Appointments for ITIN applications and renewals are available on Wednesdays. In addition to free tax help, VITA tax preparers link residents with valuable tax credits that can provide critical support to households. These include federal and state Earned Income Tax Credits (EITC), Child Tax Credits, and the County’s Working Families Income Supplement (WFIS). Information about post-season appointments is available on the CASHBACK website. Outreach flyers are available for download in English, Spanish, Amharic, Chinese, French, Korean, and Vietnamese. REMINDER: THE DEADLINE DATE FOR TAX FILING EXTENSIONS IS OCTOBER 15TH.

Navigation Team Supports MC Groceries Kick-Off

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month

Latinos and Hispanics comprise over twenty percent of Montgomery County’s population—217,409 people! Through October 15, several events in Montgomery County celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month, including the Hispanic Heritage Month Festival and Health Fair Ama Tu Vida, Ama Tu Herencia, which will take place from noon-5 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 6, at the Marian Fryer Town Plaza in Wheaton.

The free event will showcase local vendors offering authentic Latin American cuisine, handcrafted artisanal jewelry, traditional crafts, folklore items celebrating Hispanic Heritage, live music and performances, and Barrios Mágicos kids space offering piñata-making, face painting and hands-on crafts using recyclable materials.

The health fair is in collaboration with the County’s Latino Health Initiative. There will be health screenings, including HIV/Syphilis and oral health screenings provided by the County’s Department of Health and Human Services Dental Clinic, information on health resources and a Zumba class. For additional information, visit https://youtu.be/X5WyuMNedNM.

Live music and performances at Hispanic Heritage Month Festival and Health Fair will include Latin pop, Afro-Latino beats, salsa and cultural dances culminating with la “Hora Loca” parade:

• Noon-1 p.m. Luis Garay
• 1-1:30 p.m. Traditional Dance
• 1:30-2:30 p.m. Ocho de Bastos
• 2:30-3 p.m. Albert Einstein High School Titanes Salseros
• 3-4 p.m. Pepe González
• 4-5 p.m. Hora Loca (Carnival Hour)

The County’s Department of Transportation will offer free Ride On shuttle service to Marian Fryer Town Plaza, 11:30 a.m.-6 p.m., from the following locations:

• Germantown Transit Center, 19843 Crystal Rock Dr., Germantown
• Long Branch Community Center, 8700 Piney Branch Rd., Silver Spring
• Wheaton High School, 12401 Dalewood Dr., Silver Spring
• Paint Branch High School, 14121 Old Columbia Pike, Burtonsville
• Richard Montgomery High School, 250 Richard Montgomery Dr., Rockville

The Hispanic Heritage Month Festival and Health Fair is a collaboration of Montgomery County Government, the Wheaton Urban District, the Latino Health Initiative,  Maryland Physicians Care and the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission.

To learn more about the County’s Hispanic Heritage Month celebration, including a complete schedule of events and how to participate, visit https://www.lhiinfo.org/hhm24/.

To view County Executive Elrich issuing the National Hispanic Heritage Month Proclamation video, visit https://youtu.be/SJ5CuVsk7oA.

WorkSource Montgomery is Coming to Rockville

Community Action is thrilled to announce that WorkSource Montgomery (WSM) is coming to our Rockville location. WSM's Community Impact Team and Mobile Van Center, which connects jobseekers to employers and employers to jobseekers, will be on hand to help residents search for and apply to jobs on-site, and receive guidance from staff.

WorkSource Montgomery (WSM) provides local job seekers with comprehensive employment and training services to promote economic self-sufficiency. For employers, WSM provides a robust set of business services and programs to help meet the talent needs of today and tomorrow. 

Event date: October 29, 2024

Event time: 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Location: 1401 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852 (front parking lot)

A flier is attached. Thanks for spreading the word!

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

• Website
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Residents' Survey Closes September 30

A Montgomery County survey of residents' quality of life has been mailed to 5,000 households and can be accessed online. The survey closes Monday, September 30, at 11:59 p.m.

Results from the prior survey, in 2021, are online.

VITA's Monthly Tax Tip: Education Tax Credits

The following is an excerpt from IRS Tax Tip 2024-67: 

There are two education tax credits designed to help offset education costs: the American Opportunity Tax Credit and the Lifetime Learning Credit.

For both tax credits, to be eligible:

• The taxpayer, their spouse or their dependents must take post-high school coursework in tax year 2024.
• The student must have a Form 1098-T, Tuition Statement, from an eligible educational institution. There are exceptions for some students.

The American Opportunity Tax Credit is:

• Worth a maximum benefit of up to $2,500 per eligible student.
• Available only for the first four years at an eligible college or vocational school.
• For students pursuing a degree or other recognized education credential.
• Partially refundable. People could get up to $1,000 back.

The Lifetime Learning Credit is:

• Worth a maximum benefit of up to $2,000 per tax return, per year, no matter how many students qualify.
• Available for all years of postsecondary education and for courses to acquire or improve job skills.
• Available for an unlimited number of tax years.

To claim either credit, taxpayers must complete Form 8863, Education Credits, and file it with their federal tax return.

VITA at the Family Empowerment Resource Fair

Community Action’s VITA program was excited to participate in the Family Empowerment Resource Fair at Montgomery College. VITA Program Specialist Taunya Johnson, pictured above, was on hand to share information with residents about year-round free tax assistance offered by our VITA program.

Visit the website montgomerycountymd.gov/cashback/ to learn more.

Green Tip: Focus on Transportation

A letter from Montgomery County's Climate Change Officer, Sarah Kogel-Smucker:

With the arrival of fall, many of us are busy setting up new routines—whether it's gearing up for the school year, adjusting work schedules, or simply changing the rhythm of our daily lives. This September, we ask you to try integrating public transit into these new routines. Opting for public transit can ease your daily commute, reduce stress, and contribute to a healthier environment for our community.  

With transportation causing 42% of the County’s carbon pollution, taking public transit is a great way to tackle climate change. In Montgomery County there are a variety of public transit options designed to make your commute smoother and more efficient. From Metro buses and the MARC train to Ride On services, you may find a convenient and eco-friendly option your route. Whether you're heading to work, school, or enjoying a day out, public transit can simplify your journey while benefiting our planet. 

To help you get started, check out: 

• Montgomery County Ride On: Ride On provides trip planning, routes, schedules, and fare information to make your travel planning easy.
• Metro System Information: WMATA offers details on Metrobus and Metrorail services, including real-time updates and maps. 
• MARC Train: MARC Train provides schedules and ticket information for those commuting to and from surrounding areas. 
• Google Maps: Google Maps has a public transit option in directions that can help plan your trip.  

If you’re a seasoned public transit commuter, congrats! If would be a new part of your routine, we ask that you try it out. As we establish our fall routines, let’s make a commitment to a greener future together. 

Warm regards,

Subscribe to Montgomery County Climate News.

Resources:

NEW: WSSC has several programs to assist customers. All linked fliers are in both English and Spanish: QR codes to all WSSC assistance programs; Customer Assistance Program for water bill assistance; and a loan program for help with water or sewer pipe repairs or replacement (English and Spanish).

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

Resource Directories:

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

WorkSource Montgomery’s Community Assets Map.

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 for services.

The Maryland Office of the Attorney General's Hate Crimes Hotline: 1-866-481-8361 and online reporting tool: https://nohomeforhate.md.gov/. Active incidents should be immediately reported to 911.Mental health support resources, from the National Council for Mental Health Well-Being.

Access HEARS, Inc. distributes free over-the-counter hearing aids for County residents who are ages 60 (+) and 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.

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. 

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.

Limit on rent increases signed into Montgomery County law July 2024: Please see the link below for information, including how far back the law applies to rent increases, and which properties are exempt: https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/dhca/Tenants/RentStabilization.html.

Safety and Emergency Preparedness:

Sign up for Alert Montgomery notifications about emergencies in Montgomery County. 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 Area Diaper Bank : The Nursery Project provides strollers, car seats, and a cloth diaper service.

Diaper distribution at Montgomery County hubs and other partners.

Financial empowerment:

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

Affordable Connectivity Program – Approx. $30/month on Internet connections. Click on the fliers in English and Spanish or call 301-908-4510 or toll-free 1-866-206-8467.

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

Office of Home Energy Programs: Utilities assistance.

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

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

Montgomery County Office of Consumer Protection – A – Z Consumer Advice.

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.

Protecting Immigrant Families: Immigrant eligibility for public programs.

Unemployment Insurance. 

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