Alliance Meeting Minutes:
Minutes
NH Statewide EITC Alliance
September 22, 2005
Centennial Senior Center, Concord, NH
Present: Val Long, Suzann Knight, Cathy Flynn, Joanne Yasika, Regina Lamprey, Gregg Woodes, Bill Smits, Judy Woodward, Peggy Teravainen, Sam Chase, Debra Schachter, Frank Rawa, Jeff Goodrich, Cary Gladstone, Patti Ardizzoni, Wayne Croteau, Kip Child, Torey Kortz, Fred Pilch, Tobey Davies
1. Reports from Coalitions
Greater Manchester Asset Building Coalition
Torey provided an update from the Greater Manchester Asset Building Coalition. Their biggest issue is lack of volunteers. They have added a new site at Elmwood Gardens, and possibly may have a site at St. Mary's Bank. There is only one site coordinator for several sites including the new site(s). And, dollars are needed to support this position. An added bonus to having Elmwood Gardens, is that on one evening each week during tax season transportation will be provided to Elmwood for tax preparation from other housing developments. The St. Mary's site, if approved, will be appointment-based. There will be a mobile site at Easter Seals, and the Manchester Community Resource Center, which is a walk-in site. Operation of these sites will require 30 committed volunteers, and they currently have 15 signed up.
Torey handed out their new volunteer flyer which was printed locally and is very eye-catching and hopefully attract more volunteers.
Kay Heffrinen, from Nashua AARP, will be helping with the training in Manchester. Torey also reported that they are expanding their hours at MCRC to accommodate the number of clients who need help. She also reported increasing the IDA program to Franklin, and asset building is progressing.
The Greater Manchester Asset Building Coalition has a new logo that they will use on PR materials. She also noted that the GMABC is a sub-committee of the Department of Justice Weed and Seed program which is a good collaborative in the city and will open the door to more resources.
Nashua Asset Building Coalition
Joy was unable to attend the Alliance meeting, but Gregg provided an update for Joy. The Nashua Asset Building Coalition (Nashua ABC is collaborating with the NH Community Technical College (NHCTC) in Nashua. Val and Joy met with a faculty member and administration member at NHCTC to discuss the possibility of their developing and offering a hybrid course on tax preparation. It would be a win-win situation for the NHCTC and Nashua ABC....NHCTC would be providing a course to students that would teach them tax law and tax preparation that they could use after they graduate. The students would apply what they learn in class by volunteering (for credit) at VITA sites and thus helping the Nashua ABC. They responded earlier in September that they would be willing to implement this course. Joy is also working with the Nashua High School Finance Academy Program to recruit student volunteers. She has a meeting scheduled to visit the class and present the tax prep program and volunteer opportunities to them. The Nashua ABC has also created a mailing piece that can be inserted with pay checks to inform people of the tax prep sites in the city. The City of Nashua has already committed to insert this flyer in pay checks for their entire staff, and they will be working closely with the Nashua Chamber of Commerce to get businesses to participate. The Millyard Tech Park where the Economic Opportunity Center (EOC) is located is hosting a Chamber Business After Hours meeting and the EOC will be present since SNHS is a member. This will be a great topic of discussion with the business community.
This tax season, the Nashua Library, Triangle Credit Union, and the EOC (will use Web-based) will be up and running. Triangle Credit Union will have two staff working the site. The High School Finance Academy Program will be involved in the EOC activities, and the computer lab will be used to teach people to do their own taxes. IRS would like to see broadband used and tech help at these sites.There are no "hot" keys, no security problems and the military is using this method for the next tax season. Gregg is going to Baltimore for training next week and Suzann is going to Boston for training as well.
Question - is there site coordinator training on the Web-based application? IRS will consider it. The IRS will work with their coordinators individually to assist with training.
Family Resource Center @ Gorham
Judy Woodward is the new coordinator for the VITA site at the Family Resource Center. Sam Chase from AARP will continue to provide assistance and they will work on what that will look like as Sam's covers a very large area. Last year, Sam got the Family Resource Center up and running and this is a fine example of how AARP and VITA can successfully work together. Gorham has several volunteers from last year. They will be advertising their free tax preparation at laundramats and other places were eligible folks gather. It is important for people to know that the tax preparers are trained and certified and that the information is confidential. The biggest problem last year was that people e-filed before they came in to the Center and didn't realize they had actually filed. A question was asked whether volunteers are insured. Yes, they are covered under the Volunteer Protection Act of 1977.
Judy is 12 hours per week in her position and is looking forward to this new challenge!
Rockingham County Asset Building Coalition
Their coalition started out as an IDA coalition, then progressed to a VITA coalition. Patti reported that there is a need for VITA sites in two distinct areas of Rockingham County: the Derry/Salem area, and the Portsmouth/Seacoast area, and that there is a wide gap between these two areas (it's almost like they are two distinct counties). Currently there are AARP tax prep sites throughout the county (Salem has the Salem Senior Center and Kelly Library), Portsmouth is going to be the first VITA site because it is where the Rockingham County CAP main office is located. Derry is the site for the next year. Currently, the Greater Seacoast United Way is on borad, NE Credit Union involved and the Bank of America called them and attended the last meeting. They have talked with Jane Torey @ Pease about a potential VITA site, which may be affiliated with Tobey Davies from the Center for Community Economic Development and Disability. Currently, Rockingham County does not have any VITA sites.
RCCAP is working on restructuring the IDA program at RCA and will sit down with the Bank of America to work on this.
Franklin Asset Building Coalition
Cary reported that the Franklin is working with AARP to coordinate efforts. Fred mention that there were both AARP and VITA serve EITC clients and there are more to be served. The Franklin AARP has the highest proportion of EITC returns. Cary reported that they are working hard to recruit volunteers and have returning volunteers. He is speaking to the Rotary next month and is also approaching the Merrimack County United Way. Franklin will continue with their effective marketing campaign this next year.
Cary also discussed the RuFES (Rural Family Economic Security) Learning Institute to be held in November. It is funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation and Casey Family Services and will be facilitated by staff at the Aspen Institute. There are two teams: a Franklin team and Statewide team.
IRS Update
Bill Smits and his NH team presented a Community Service Leadership Certificate of Appreciation to UNH Cooperative Extension. Gregg also handed out some updated information about VITA stats, and other tax updates. They also discussed the Link and Learn program and the companion document for this program. There was also a discussion about the potential unclaimed EITC and the fact that the highest percent is in Hillsborough and Rockingham County.
ESL EITC Program
Wayne and Jeff reported that they are doing the ESL piece of EITC and work with ESL programs throughout the state, churches and other places where foreign-born residents gather. Jeff speaks Spanish and translates materials when needed. Wayne is active in the coalitions throughout the state to promote ESL and keep updated. They are grant funded for their activities.
Media Needs
The television and radio ads developed last year will be updated. We need to make sure it's clear that low- and moderate-income people understand that they may qualify for EITC and know where to go. Val will send the script out to everyone and the actual TV and radio commercials so that coalitions can have them played on local stations which are not part of the statewide media campaign.
Next Meeting and Agenda Items
The next meeting is scheduled for 12/12 from 10-12 at the Centennial Senior Center. Agenda items will include: Intake forms/data collection, Logo, grant funding through the Alliance, Asset building education, and other items as determined by feedback.
Back to top.
|
