Make the Right Call

For every first-time leadership donor to United Way that you encourage to pledge, your name will be entered into a drawing for two tickets to the Monday, November 7th Eagles vs. Bears game at Lincoln Financial Field in the First Niagara suite. VIP parking passes, food and beverages are also included with the tickets.

Completed pledge forms must be received by Monday, October 31st. One winner will be drawn by the end of the business day on 10/31/11. There is no limit on how many times you may enter. Please simply inform us if you have invited a friend to become a Leadership Donor and if they have accepted, who they are. We’ll handle the rest!

Young, motivated and ready to make a difference…

Many thanks to Chuck Porter of Canon Capital and Chair for our Emerging Leaders Society for taking some time to write this blog post about being a young professional in the North Penn and Indian Valley communities. For more information on how to join our Emerging Leaders Society, contact Chuck at cporter@canoncapital.com or check us out on Facebook

It’s very easy to get wrapped up in the day to day grind at work. Rather than managing our lives, we often choose to manage our time – focusing on deadlines and five o’clocks. The problem is that, when we choose to take that route, we tend to focus on what we have to do rather than what we can do. For a young worker, it can be especially difficult to avoid this trap and, at the same time, it is critically imperative to go beyond deadlines and working for the weekend.

Young workers, like me, often feel like our voices aren’t heard. We feel like we’re working for someone else and the inherent motivation when that happens is the day when that position is yours and the things that you’ll change when you’re in charge. You lose some of the edge that probably got you the job you’re in and the people around you no longer look at you as a source of energy but rather, just another cog in the machine.

So how do you combat this? What are the safeguards that you can put in place to prevent this from happening?

First and most important – you have to understand that you have the ability to lead no matter which position you are in. After all, leadership is not about power, it’s about influence and anyone can be influential, regardless of title. Your day to day actions have the ability to inspire those around you.

Second, you have to be deliberate about expanding your growth as a leader. Some people are born with the ability to lead but without proper care, those abilities can go stale. Seeking out mentors and finding ways to sharpen those leadership abilities are critical to expanding capabilities.

Third, you have to model yourself after the person that you aspire to be. If you want to be a good leader, you have to do the things that good leaders do. You have to be ask great things of yourself before you ask great things of others.

The Emerging Leaders Society of the North Penn United Way is committed to providing the framework to help emerging leaders in our area expand their leadership capabilities. Our efforts to grow our group have focused on three key areas: leadership development, community service and networking.

Our leadership development efforts have consisted of quarterly “Lunch and Learns.” Over the past year, our members have had the privilege of hearing from Ron Geib, President and CEO of Harleysville Savings and Rich Aichele, Executive Director at Keystone Opportunity Center, among others, speak about their journeys and the characteristics of a good leader. In October, we will be holding our next “Lunch and Learn” with Ken Byler, Partner and Senior Consultant at Higher Ground Consulting Group. He will be speaking on the Paradox of Leading and Following.

September will be a community service month for our group – we will be seeking out volunteers for the United Way Days of Caring on September 28th and the Run For Your Neighbor 5K on September 24th.

Finally, in November we will be celebrating our efforts and networking at our Cocktails and Comedy event at McCoole’s in Quakertown – a comedy show featuring David James (http://davidjamescomedy.com). Our social events provide a great way for emerging leaders to meet other like-minded individuals.

Urgent Action Needed!

Funding for the Corporation for National and Community Service, including AmeriCorps, will be dramatically cut or eliminated in the appropriations proposal to be considered by the U.S. House of Representatives this week. United Way opposes the funding cuts and we are working with our Partners at Service Nation to preserve the funding. United Way of PA is working closely with both federal and state partners regarding the federal budget situation. We are extremely concerned about a number of proposals, especially those with negative impacts on such initiatives as AmeriCorps, heating assistance and charitable giving.

As you know, the past three years the North Penn United Way has used the incredible talents of AmeriCorps Vista members to advance our work in the community, work that no agency in the community has had the capacity to undertake: This is very time sensitive and NEITHER EMAIL MESSAGES NOR LETTERS will make it in time. Please read about action we need to take today!!!

AmeriCorps Vista members in the North Penn Community have produced the following results:
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance helps working families secure free tax assistance, claim the Earned Income Tax Credit, and receive banking services and budget counseling, and avoid predatory lending. The program increased volunteerism in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program last year by 62%. 63 community members provided free income tax assistance to 375 working families in our community. The work of these 63 volunteers represents nearly 2000 hours of volunteer services equaling $40,500 worth of service to the community. Vista Members increased the number of sites from 4 to 10 creating greater access to hard working families in the North Penn and Indian Valley community. This represents 150% increase. Increased families served by 191%---from 129 families to 375 last year. Dollars returned to the community were $535,710 a 315% increase over the prior tax season. This saved these families an estimated $84,375 in tax preparation fees. Work was also advanced in the Korean community: 54 families served. Members secured a $41,000 grant for our community through IRS to better serve the community in the 2010-11 filing season.

AmeriCorps also advance the organization of the North Penn School Readiness Initiative. This program involves the North Penn and Souderton School Districts and 19 lead early care organizations such as Boys and Girls Club, YMCA, Montgomery County Childcare consortium, Headstart, etc. The group is looking to better systems, cross system communication with an emphasis on LOW-COST, NO-COST solutions that encourage civic engagement and volunteerism. Volunteers tutor kids and educate families and caregivers about the value of early literacy skills. Members are looking at ways to identify at risk children and better prepare them for entering school ready to succeed. Investment in bettering early childcare returns at least $7 to $17 DOLLARS FOR EVERY $1 INVESTED. Early care and education are a critical component on Pennsylvania’s economic recovery. It helps local businesses prosper, creates jobs, reduces employee absenteeism and turnover, increases the ability of PA businesses to attract skilled employees, establish a much needed foundation for sustained economic growth because early learning is the key to ensure that future employees have the early 21st Century skills PA businesses need.

Please take the following action today to preserve funding for the Corporation for National and Community Service—Particularly the preservation of AmeriCorps: The return on investment in their work in advancing our Community Impact work is returning $40 for every $1 invested in the programs our AmeriCorps members run and support. This is not “busy” work…this is real and needed work in our community that will be lost without this program!

Talking Points for the House of Representatives:
I am calling to urge you to vote NO on any proposal to eliminate funding for AmeriCorps or the Corporation for National and Community Service.
The CR will decimate vital services in our communities when millions of Americans need food, shelter, healthcare, job training and educational support. Communities are counting on AmeriCorps members, national service participants and community volunteers to meet the increased demand for services. Provide an example of your local impact and what will be lost if your program is eliminated. Example: The North Penn United Way has 3 AmeriCorps members serving in our community.

Nearly 400 families will go without free tax assistance services that have been injecting over $600,000 dollars into our local economy. The efforts of the North Penn School Readiness Initiative will be hampered and hundreds of at risk children and families in our community will not benefit from the volunteer tutoring offered by this group. The CR will only push unemployment rates up. Unemployment numbers -- particularly for young people, veterans and military spouses, older Americans and people of color-remain alarmingly high. For Americans who are struggling to find work, national service programs offer participants the opportunity to earn a subsistence-level stipend, develop skills, and create pathways to future employment. Eliminating programs like AmeriCorps will result in jobs lost for the corps members and the staff who supervise them. Example: If Congress eliminates AmeriCorps, our 3 AmeriCorps members and the staff that supervise them may be out of work. The federal investment made in faith based and community organizations through the Corporation for National and Community Service leverages $799 million in matching funds from companies, foundations and other sources. If you defund the national service programs, whole organizations will shut down and most will not be able to reopen again even if funding is restored.

HOW TO CONTACT YOUR MEMBER OF CONGRESS:

We need to focus on the following members of congress:

Allyson Schwartz (D): Washington- 202-225-6111 office phone; 202-226-0611 Fax-- Montgomery County Office 215-517-6572 office phone; 215-517-6575 office fax

Charlie Dent (R): Washington-202-225-6411 office phone; 202-226-0778 fax; Montgomery County 215-541-4106 office phone; 215-541-4109 fax

Jim Gerlach (R): Washington 202-225-4315 office phone; 202-225-8440 fax; Montgomery County 610-409-2780 office phone; 610-409-7988 fax

You can call your Representatives directly or be connected through the House Operator (202-225-3121). Once connected, identify yourself as a constituent and ask to speak to the Legislative Assistant in change of national service and education issues

Given the severity of the cuts proposed by the House, you may experience some difficulty calling the Capitol. It is important that you keep trying. If you can't reach your representative by phone, please send a fax communication to their office. This is time sensitive ask. Email messages or mailed letters will not reach the decision makers in time. It is critical that our lawmakers hear from the constituents directly impacted by their decisions.

Over the weekend United Way of PA started to develop PA specific material for the field to use for advocacy efforts. They will be finalized in the next day or so. In the meantime, here is what you can do today! Please take action. This program is critical to the success of our United Way’s impact in the community.

Big Shot Concert

Presenting:

This is the Time to Remember! The North Penn United Way is hosting "BIG SHOT" at its first ever fundraiser and silent auction at the PineCrest Country Club in Lansdale, PA on May 6, 2011 BIG SHOT, New York’s ultimate Billy Joel Tribute Band, are without a doubt the most musically satisfying BILLY JOEL tribute band on the scene today!

BIG SHOT, is fronted by Michael Delguidice, and comprised of pro national touring artists, who individually performed with such artists as Hall and Oates, Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, Michael Bolton and The "Piano Man" himself. . . BILLY JOEL!

BILLY JOEL remarked after listening to BIG SHOT’S accurate reproduction of his repertoire: "They had a hard time convincing me that it wasn’t me."

All proceeds of this event will go towards the North Penn United Way’s Community Action Fund. The event begins at 7:00 pm and includes appetizers, open bar, performance and lots of dancing!

To purchase tickets call North Penn United Way at 215-855-3002.
*Cash, credit/debit cards and checks are accepted.

The 2011 Tax Season Has Arrived

The Montgomery County Tax Coalition will have a kick-off event at the Western Montgomery Career & Technology Center to celebrate the 5th Annual Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Awareness Day and the start of the 2011 Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program. The event will be held this Friday Jan.28, 2011 from 5:30pm-7:30pm. Community members are invited to attend!

The Earned Income Tax Credit was created in 1975 to help offset Social Security taxes. It is for working people who earn less than $49,000 per year. The IRS works with more than 60 national partners and over 370 community-based coalitions to offer the VITA Program a chance to encourage eligible individuals to take advantage of the credit. More workers could be eligible for a special tax credit this year and not know it. As a result, they may overlook claiming the EITC, which can put between $2 and $5,600 into their pockets. Changes in people’s earnings, their parental status or their marital status may cause their EITC eligibility to change as well. Many people will quality for the first time this year due to changes in their income. Last year, during the 2010 tax season, more than 200 volunteers in Montgomery County helped to prepare hundreds of returns for families & individuals, returning nearly $3.5 million in tax refunds!

For more information about the IRS and Earned Income Tax Credit visit http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=96406,00.html

Sites that are holding these free tax services are:

Indian Valley Public Library
100 E. Church Avenue
Telford, PA 18969

Daesung (AP) Academy
1256 Welsh Road, #100
North Wales, PA

Encore Experiences
312 Alumni Avenue
Harleysville, PA (for clients 55+)

Montgomery County Community College Central Campus
340 DeKalb Pike
Blue Bell, PA 19422

Trinity Lutheran Church
100 W. Main Street
Lansdale, PA 19446

Northwestern Human Services
400 North Broad Street
Lansdale, PA 19446

To schedule an appointment at your nearest site call us, the North Penn United Way, at 215-855-3002.

Top 10 Reasons to Visit the IRS Website

Don’t wait in line, go online. Point and click your way through the tax season. All you need is a computer and Internet access because the IRS website has a wealth of free information and online tax support. Here are the top 10 reasons to visit http://www.irs.gov.

1. If you find yourself working on your tax return over the weekend, there’s no need to wait to get a form or an answer to a question – visit the IRS website anytime. The website is accessible all day, every day.

2. Use Free File: Let Free File do the hard work for you with brand-name tax software or online fillable forms. It's exclusively at http://www.irs.gov. Everyone can find an option to prepare their tax return and e-file it for free. If you made $58,000 or less, you qualify for free tax software that is offered through a private-public partnership with manufacturers. If you made more or are comfortable preparing your own tax return, there's Free File Fillable Forms, the electronic versions of IRS paper forms. Visit http://www.irs.gov/freefile to review your options.

3. Try IRS e-file: After 21 years, IRS e-file has become the safe, easy and most common way to file a tax return. Last year, 70 percent of taxpayers - 99 million people - used IRS e-file. Starting in 2011, many tax preparers will be required to use e-file and will explain your filing options to you. This is your chance to give it a try. IRS e-file is approaching 1 billion returns processed safely and securely. If you owe taxes, you have payment options to file immediately and pay by the tax deadline. Best of all, combine e-file with direct deposit and you get your refund in as few as 10 days. More information about e-file is available at http://www.irs.gov.

4. Check the status of your tax refund. Whether you chose direct deposit or asked the IRS to mail you a check, you can check the status of your refund through Where’s My Refund?

5. Find out how to make payments electronically. You can authorize an electronic funds withdrawal, use a credit or debit card, or enroll in the U.S. Treasury’s Electronic Federal Tax Payment System to pay your federal taxes. Electronic payment options are a convenient, safe and secure way to pay taxes.

6. Find out if you qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit. EITC is a tax credit for many people who earned less than $49,000. Find out if you are eligible by answering some questions and providing basic income information using the EITC Assistant.

7. Get tax forms and publications. You can view and download tax forms and publications any hour of the day or night.

8. Calculate the right amount of withholding on your W-4. The IRS Withholding Calculator will help you ensure that you don’t have too much or too little income tax withheld from your pay.

9. Request a payment agreement. Paying your taxes in full and on time avoids unnecessary penalties and interest. However, if you cannot pay your balance in full you may be eligible to use the Online Payment Agreement Application to request an installment agreement.

10. Get information about the latest tax law changes. Learn about tax law changes that may affect your tax return. Special sections of the website highlight changes that affect individual or business taxpayers.

Remember the address of the official IRS website is http://www.irs.gov. Don't be confused by Internet sites that end in .com, .net, .org or other designations instead of .gov.

Reposted from IRS Tax Tips, an IRS e-mail service.

Donated Holiday Trees Bring Cheer to Families in Need

For the 20th year in a row, Target stores across the country will celebrate the season of giving by donating decorated holiday trees to United Way as part of the Target Share-a-Tree Program.

This holiday season, United Way volunteers will distribute 2,678 decorated trees—worth an estimated $500,000—to families in need and local partners such as shelters, community centers and childcare programs.

“A single act of kindness is an important step in any effort to improve lives and strengthen and support your community. The Target Share-a-Tree program does just that,” said United Way President and CEO Brian Gallagher. “For 20 years now, United Way has been proud to partner with Target to give lift to this very special program and bring holiday cheer to families everywhere.”

“The holiday season is about sharing with others, especially those in need,” said President of Target Community Relations and Target Foundation Laysha Ward. “With our partners at United Way, Target is honored to continue the tradition of sharing our holiday trees with families across the country.”

Bonds Make It Easy: Tax Time Savings Video

An easy way to save money this tax season is to choose to save a portion of your tax refund in a U.S. Series I Savings Bond.

This bond can be bought in your name, a child's, a grandchild's--up to two co-owners and one beneficiary.

U.S. Series I Savings Bonds are safe, simple, secure, and easily accessible while filing a federal tax return.

These bonds:

• are protected against inflation
• require no credit check
• are available to ITIN holders (those without a SSN)
• free of charges and fees
• pay interest for 30 years
• are redeemable one year after purchase
• require only a $50 minimum purchase

Save for later or for someone else--you can use your refund to buy bonds for someone else this tax season.

Ask about buying Savings Bonds and about splitting your refund when having your taxes filed this year--beginning January 31st, Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites in the North Penn and Indian Valley area will be offering FREE tax preparation for families who earn less than $60,000 annually.

Visit http://www.mctaxcoalition.com/ for a full listing of Volunteer Income Tax Assistance sites across Montgomery County.

Video from the Dare to Dream (D2D) Fund's Bonds Make It Easy Campaign. Information from both the Bonds Make It Easy Campaign and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

Candy Canes, Mistletoe & Disaster Preparedness?

From winter storms, floods and even pandemic contagion— all disasters have one thing in common: they remind us of the importance of pre-disaster preparedness. But good intentions need to turn into tangible deeds, and according to FEMA Regional Administrator Ken Murphy, there’s no time like the holidays to start, by resolving to be ready before disaster strikes.

"The holiday season is a great time to give important, inexpensive gifts that say: 'I want you to be safe!' and reduce risk exposure for friends and loved ones," said Murphy. "Gifts that can save lives are a wonderful way of welcoming in 2011. The dialogue and the mindset that goes along with it may mean even more than the gift itself."

The Resolve to be Ready in 2011 initiative is led by FEMA's Ready Campaign in partnership with Citizen Corps and The Advertising Council. For more information on the Ready Campaign and Citizen Corps, visit Ready.gov and CitizenCorps.gov.

Emergency and preparedness items that might make great gifts this Holiday Season include:

•Portable, battery powered radio with NOAA Weather Radio channels, and extra batteries.
•Enrollment in a CPR or first-aid class.
•GPS units for vehicles.
•Emergency generators.
•Emergency cell phones.
•Carbon Monoxide and Smoke detectors.
•Appropriate fire extinguishers (kitchen, garage, car).
•Disaster kits for homes, offices and autos (first aid kits, food, water and prescription medications for 72 hours, eyeglasses, extra clothing, blankets, flashlights, spare batteries, heavy-duty work gloves, and sturdy pair of shoes).
•Emergency escape ladders for second-story exit in a fire.
•Car kits (emergency flares, shovels, ice scrapers, flashlights and fluorescent distress flags).
•Pet Disaster kits (food, water, leashes, dishes and carrying case or crate).
•A camp stove with extra fuel.
•The gift of a gardener to cut back combustible vegetation from wildfire-vulnerable homes.
•National Flood Insurance.
Follow FEMA online at www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema. Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate's activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema. The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

FEMA's mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

PECO To Host LIHEAP Day - Cash available to help customers pay their electric and gas bills

PECO’s low-and fixed-income customers will have a special opportunity to sign up for Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) grants at the company’s Main Office Building on Monday, Dec. 6, 2010 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

LIHEAP Day at PECO will provide customers who are eligible for LIHEAP cash and crisis grants with application assistance and the opportunity to receive compact fluorescent light bulbs, refreshments and giveaways.

LIHEAP is a Federal program that provides assistance to individuals who are having trouble paying their electric, natural gas or other energy bills. Homeowners, renters, and subsidized housing tenants may be eligible. Last year, LIHEAP helped PECO customers by providing more than 140,000 grants to 36,000 customers for more than $21 million.

The LIHEAP program provides cash grants up to $1,000 per customer through a direct payment to a vendor, such as a utility like PECO. LIHEAP also has money allocated for emergencies including reinstating service that has been shut off for non-payment, fuel payments, and repairing leaking pipes and broken furnaces. The maximum crisis grant this year is $400.00 per customer.

Customers who are unable to attend are encouraged to visit www.peco.com/help for information on LIHEAP and PECO’s other assistance programs, or contact PECO’s LIHEAP hotline at 1-800-34-HELP-4 for more information and eligibility requirements.

A Day in the Life of Your United Way Contribution

One question that we're frequently asked is what programs and which people in our community benefit from United Way funding. I'd like to take you on a journey throughout day in the life of a typical United Way contribution.

At 6:30 a.m., when most of us are getting ready for the day, a child is eating breakfast at a residential shelter for abused or neglected children. United Way invests in programs that provide child welfare services - helping some of the most vulnerable members of our community every year.

Around 8 a.m., a single mom is dropping her toddler off at an early childhood center. Because it's a United Way agency, she knows her child is receiving quality care and education. And because of United Way funding, she receives a partial scholarship to help cover the cost of the center.

It's noon, and as you and I sit down to enjoy our lunch, homebound seniors are also receiving nutritious meals and a visit from a volunteer who cares. Senior citizens get help every year from United Way through recreational programs, respite care, transportation, at-home care, independent living centers and more.

At 1:30 p.m., a man with a disability starts his occupational therapy session. He's one of nearly 50,000 people that received help annually through the North Penn United Way.

At 3:30 p.m., a teenager has arrived at an afterschool program where she'll get tutoring, a healthy snack, fun activities and safe, responsible supervision. Did you know that United Way funds youth development programs here in our community?

It's 5:30 p.m., and a woman diagnosed with cancer is attending her first support session. Her kids are next door, talking with other children whose parents have cancer. All around our hometowns, people dealing with health challenges are getting education and hope, thanks to United Way.

It's 7 p.m., and a counseling session is underway for a family with a child facing behavioral issues. United Way supports dozens of programs that provide counseling for mental illness, addiction, emotional difficulties and more.

It's 9 p.m., and a family is going to bed tonight with full stomachs - because their dad stopped by a food pantry on his way home from work. Every year, United Way invests in nonprofits and programs that help families to meet basic needs.

Even in the middle of the night, your contribution is helping in the community. United Way and its partners are there to help families get back on their feet after they've faced devastating loss in the form of a house fire.

Your generosity makes days like this possible! Instead of focusing on one cause, we support over 35 nonprofits to help the community as a whole. In fact, 1 in 4 of us are helped by United Way each year. Thank you for all that you do to LIVE UNITED!

The NFL and Kid Rock LIVE UNITED!

Click here to check out this United Way Worldwide article about the 2010 United Way Thanksgiving Halftime Show and what the NFL and Kid Rock do to give back to communities. Then tune in on Thanksgiving Day to hear Kid Rock's new song!

Additionally, North Penn United Way urges you to get involved in your community by volunteering to be a budget coach at a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance site. Learn how to build a budget and how to utilize other resources in the community! Volunteer four hours each week during tax season (January 31-April 15) to coach low to moderate income individuals and families in the area on these topics and link them to services that can really help them--but that they may not have been aware of. Training is provided two evenings in January. Call the North Penn United Way at 215-855-3002 or email c.detweiler@npuw.org to volunteer.

Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving!

Shout Outs

I must admit that I've been neglecting my social media duties recently, but certainly not because I have nothing to say. November has been a busy month for us at NPUW, we hosted a very well attended community summit at the beginning of the month and we've had a number of campaigns kicking off and completed campaign envelopes coming into our office which has been keeping both me and Cyndi hopping. Harleysville Savings Bank, The Reporter and Cobham all held kickoff events this month. I'd be lost without all the folks who have been so helpful with attending kickoff events. It's just not possible to be in more than once place at once, no matter how much I try. Thank you to Colleen Miller and Dave Crosson of Indian Creek Foundation, to Karen Kispert of Keystone Opportunity Center, Robin Burstein of Encore Experiences at Harleysville, Bob Kramer of Boys & Girls Club, Amy Cummings-Leight of The PEAK Center, Maria Macalusa of the Women's Center of Montgomery County, Shushma Patel of Family Services, and Theresa Schwartzer of Univest. NPUW staffers Sarah, CC, Christa and Cyndi, who keeps us organized and scheduled as these kickoffs occur. But last, and certainly not least, thank you to my AMAZING and INCREDIBLE Community Campaign Chairperson, Chari Richardson of TRC Staffing Services, Inc. Chari's spirit and energy is quite infectious the NPUW is so very blessed to have Chari as a champion of our cause!

NPUW Thanks All Who Made Last Week's Summit a Success!

Community members and leaders participated in the North Penn United Way’s “Creating Focus for Community Change” Summit on November 10, 2010 from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m at BranchCreek Community Church in Harleysville.

NPUW would like to send out a huge thank you to summit attendees for their participation, energy and ideas, to the volunteers whose efforts allowed the summit to run so smoothly, to media representatives who came to cover the event, and of course to the people at BranchCreek Community Church.

Please click here to read the wonderful article from The Reporter for some details and pictures.

(image from http://blogs.southtownstar.com/money/2008/12/the_value_of_gratitude.html)

Daylight Saving Time is a Good Opportunity to Make Sure You and Your Family Are Prepared for Emergencies

Daylight Saving Time comes to an end on Sunday – Goodbye Summer, Hello Winter! North Penn United Way would like to remind you to turn you clocks back on Sunday, November 7th. We encourage you to take advantage of the time change to make sure your family is prepared in case of emergency. There are a number of ways to prepare for an emergency including developing a family communication plan and practicing a fire escape route that includes an outdoor meeting place located a safe distance from your home. Putting together an emergency kit and checking batteries in your smoke detectors are also simple ways to ensure you are prepared. A working smoke alarm significantly increases your chances of surviving a deadly home fire so it's important to test alarms regularly and keep them properly maintained. This includes checking the manufacture/expiration date on the label, replacing the batteries, and cleaning dust away from the slots so that smoke can enter freely.

For more information on preparing for emergencies visit: http://www.blogger.com/www.ready.gov. For more information about home smoke alarms and fire sprinklers, please visit: www.usfa.dhs.gov/smokealarms.

Why Volunteer with VITA?

The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, an IRS-sponsored program that the North Penn United Way is currently recruiting volunteers for, provides free tax preparation services to area individuals and families earning less than $55,000 this year.

Did you know that a huge part of the VITA program is also ensuring that low to moderate income working taxpayers receive the full tax credits they’re eligible for? Rather than losing part of the credit paying for preparation fees, loan fees (refund anticipation), and other fees, VITA clients can put the full credit toward whatever they’d like to: whether it be saving, paying off debt, or household bills.

Many VITA clients (individuals and families making less than $55,000/year in earned income and less than $3,100 in investment income/year) qualify for the federal Earned Income Tax Credit. The EITC is one of the largest anti-poverty programs—it reduces taxes and can result in a refund for eligible working individuals and families. For those who meet the guidelines, a tax refund can be increased for tax year 2010 from $1 to more than $5,666.

[To view details about determining EITC eligibility, please visit www.irs.gov and search “EITC,” or utilize the EITC Assistant option (this assistant is currently available for tax year 2009).]

EITC is making a difference. For tax year 2008, the IRS reports that over 24 million people nationwide received nearly $50 billion in EITC ($1.6 million returned to EITC recipients in Pennsylvania alone). Incredibly, the EITC has lifted five million people, half of them children, out of poverty each year (also according to an IRS report).

EITC’s positive effects are not limited to the financial status of individuals and families. According to a 2009 article by the Children’s Defense Fund, “by boosting a family’s ability to provide food, clothes, books, shelter and other items that contribute to a child’s development,” academic achievement among children whose families receive this credit increases (CDF 1). These children have higher future earnings to look forward to, a reduction in stress levels, and healthier “psychological well-being of the entire family” (CDF 2).

The IRS and its partner agencies are working to educate the public about the credit. But not all taxpayers claiming the credit have access to or take advantage of free tax preparation services. Therefore a portion of this potentially life-changing tax credit does not always remain in the hand of the taxpayer it is meant for. Instead, many taxpayers pay to have taxes filed, take out Refund Anticipation Loans and use Refund Anticipation Checks—a portion of these tax credits pays for these services. Refund Anticipation Loans are “extremely high cost loans secured by the taxpayer’s expected refund—loans that last 7-14 days until the actual IRS refund repays the loan” (National Consumer Law Center). Associated with these loans are loan fees, tax preparation fees, and potentially 3-digit APR rates for loans that are not repaid (for example, the IRS refund is not as large as was expected).

A New York City Habitat for Humanity article on these loans reports that “at the top of the target list [for these loans] are families and individuals who claim the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) (New York City Habitat for Humanity). And these lenders tend to succeed:

A report by the IRS SPEC Information Database for Tax Year 2006 shows that 66% of EITC recipients in Philadelphia paid preparers to file their tax returns and 26.6% of taxpayers claiming EITC took out a Refund Anticipation Loan.

The VITA program ensures that EITC is returned to eligible VITA clients— people that it is intended to benefit (and who need it). The tax credit cannot help in the way that it is intended, to fight poverty, if portions of the credits are paying for tax preparation, loan fees, and loan APRs.

VITA eliminates the need for paid tax preparation and for Refund Anticipation Loans. VITA clients can potentially receive their tax refunds within 4-10 days—returns are filed electronically. The VITA program in the North Penn and Indian Valleys, supported by the North Penn United Way and Greater North Penn Collaborative for Health and Human Services, assists clients in easily opening a bank account for direct deposit of a refund (which also speeds up the process of receiving the refund).

In 2009, the VITA program returned $535,000 in federal and state refunds to the North Penn and Indian Valley communities and over $3.4 million to Montgomery County. Families and individuals in these areas saved over $84,375 in tax preparation fees.

Want to help?

You can. Volunteer to be a greeter/screener, tax preparer, site coordinator, quality reviewer, interpreter or budget coach. For volunteer opportunity descriptions, please see the below post about volunteering with VITA. All positions are essential to the program’s ability to assist low to moderate income taxpayers and keep them from losing their money to tax services fees.

To volunteer, please contact Christa Detweiler at c.detweiler@volunteermontco.org or 215-855-3002.

Sources:

“Avoiding the Pitfalls of Refund Anticipation Loans.” Children’s Defense Fund. March 2009. http://www.childrensdefense.org/child-research-data-publications/data/ral-report-2009.html

National Consumer Law Center. http://www.nclc.org/.

“Refund Anticipation Loans.” New York City Habitat for Humanity. http://www.habitatnyc.org/pdf/advocate/covenant2008/RAL_factsheet.pdf

Election Day is Tuesday, November 2nd!

I'm sure we're all equally tired of hearing about the upcoming mid-term election. Between the phone calls, radio ads, running political commentary on the news and those expensive tv spots, I've pretty much reached mid-term election exhaustion, and November 2nd has not yet arrived. I heard last Sunday that $3.5 million has been spent on advertisements for this election, when I hear that number, all I can think about is what kind of good work could be done with that money? I would venture to say that that $3.5 million has brought a lot of frustration, anger, irritation and perhaps worst of all - apathy to the voters in our country. We discuss Return on Investment on a fairly regular basis in the United States. What will that $3.5 million investment bring us?

I am going to urge you to go out and vote on Tuesday. It's your right as an American citizen and it's the one of the most simple ways to participate in our complicated political system. Not to mention, if you don't vote, you do give your vote away to somebody else who does.

We're electing a new governor. Regardless of which candidate wins, a new administration will bring various policy changes that will effect each and every one of us. The candidates have outlined their positions on the issues, and we'd like you to consider the following areas that are so critical to advancing the common good.

The benefits of early childhood education have been proven in countless studies. Programs such as Keystone STARS, Child Care Works, Pre-K Counts, and Head Start all work together to provide our children with high-quality Pre-K education. These programs deliver net benefits to society as much as $17 per dollar invested. Think of what $3.5 million could do here! Children enrolled in Pre-K programs are more likely to arrive at kindergarten ready and able to learn. This reduces the time that teachers must spend on remedial work and enables our kids to progress more quickly. It also reduces the likelihood that children will need to repeat a grade or enroll in more costly special education programs. While Pre-K education has proven benefits, we are still facing a tough economic climate. Even so, state government needs to remain committed to initiatives that work and provide value. Our new Governor must make sure that early childhood education programs are fully funded in order to protect the future of our commonwealth.

With winter's biting cold just around the corner, another important area of focus for the incoming administration is energy and utility assistance. A pressing and consistent issue facing Pennsylvanians in need is an inability to pay utility bills. Many factors contribute to this problem, including energy rate cap removal and an increase in cut-off households. Supplemented funding to the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) can help as can a new focus on outreach to the folks who may be having trouble paying for their utilities.

Health is also an important issue that our new administration must take a look at. Pennsylvania has adopted a number of innovative programs and policies to help keep residents healthy while assisting those who need help. These include the PA Nurse Family Partnership, Early Intervention and disability services. We hope that our next Governor will continue funding to the programs that have demonstrated success in improving overall family and community health and welfare.

Also critical to Pennsylvanians is 211. We are only one of two states where the system is not active. 211 is an easy-to-remember phone number which anybody can dial for non-emergency human service needs. It is a single point of contact, providing information and referral providers who have access to the most comprehensive database on community service and nonprofit programs in their state. In the days following Hurricane Katrina, thousands of people in the affected area called 211 looking for help in locating shelter, family members, friends and other non-emergency assistance needs. Calls were routed to and handled by 211 in neighboring states where the infrastructure was not damaged or destroyed. Should we happen to have a particularly destructive weather event here, there isn't any one central place for people to call and get information. Despite the numerous community benefits and the cost savings to government that 211 presents, Pennsylvania continues to lag behind the rest of the country in developing a 211 system.

And finally, our new Governor must focus on budgetary reform. Our lawmakers and the Governor have been unable to agree on a budget for most of the past decade, resulting in several harmful stalemates. Budget delays are extremely detrimental to health and human service organizations that depend on budget funding for their operations. We should all be encouraging our new administration to develop and adopt policies that will facilitate timely budgets that promote the interest of the commonwealth and the people that live here.

As Pennsylvanians, we have an important upcoming choice, please make your voice heard by voting and advocating to the new administration on behalf of the common good. That's what it means to LIVE UNITED.

Strengthen Your Community & Learn New Skills!

Volunteer Opportunities

The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program is an IRS-sponsored program brought to the North Penn and Indian Valley communities through a partnership between the North Penn United Way and the Greater North Penn Collaborative for Health and Human Services. The VITA program pairs community volunteers with low to moderate income individuals and families in the area--families that cannot afford to lose part of their refund to tax preparation fees or refund anticipation loan interest. These individuals and families may also be eligible for major tax credits, like the Earned Income Tax Credit (which can return up to $5,666 to a family with three qualifying children this tax season), and not know it. This can be a life-changing tax credit, but no family can claim it if they don't know about it. That's where VITA volunteers step in.

YOU can be an indispensable part of the impact this year.

Just last year, volunteers helped return $535,000 to individuals and families in the North Penn and Indian Valley communities. Just under $3.5 million dollars was brought back to the Montgomery County last year thanks to VITA volunteer efforts.

We can't do this without you.

We are currently looking for volunteers to fill the follow positions. Perhaps you are interested in being a tax preparer, but that's not the only way you can be involved:

Site Coordinators These volunteers are tasked with overseeing their VITA site. Site Coordinators are responsible for ensuring that all patrons receive quality, free services and that all procedures are being followed correctly. They should be friendly, organized and comfortable dealing with volunteers, stakeholders, partners and the public in a helpful and supportive manner. Site coordinators will also be trained and IRS-certified.

Interpreters Korean- and Spanish-speaking individuals.

Tax Preparers Volunteer Tax Preparers become IRS-certified to complete personal income tax returns for VITA clients. No experience necessary! Free training provided--it is self-paced and can be completed online.

Quality Reviewers Quality Reviewers become IRS-certified to complete and review personal income tax returns for VITA clients. These volunteers must be organized, have a great attention to detail and should have prior tax preparation experience either through VITA or work experience.

Greeters & Screeners These volunteers are responsible for surveying each taxpayer to ensure that they have proper documentation required to complete their tax return. Greeters & Screeners should be friendly and have the ability to communicate well with others.

Budget Coaches Budget Coaches offer VITA clients information on how to build a budget, money management and how to utilize other financial resources in the community. Free training is provided.

If you think one of these positions sounds like something you would enjoy, please consider volunteering for one 4-hour session per week during this 13-week tax season (January-April 2011). No previous math or accounting experience is necessary and all training will be provided. Liability coverage under the Volunteer Protection Act of 1997 will apply.

For more information or to volunteer, send an email to Christa, c.detweiler@volunteermontco.org, or call 215-855-3319.

Play a part in improving the financial stability of families and increasing awareness of resources in your community! You can make a real difference this tax season.

All It Costs is a Little Love

Up until a couple of weeks ago, the American Red Cross was doing all it could to get a hold of me due to a critically low blood supply in the area. It seemed like every time they would call to tell me about a blood drive that was coming up, I was unable to make it due to conflicts in my schedule. Probably to their frustration more than mine, though I felt that it was important to make some time to go donate. I did manage to find some time to go donate blood at a drive in Hatfield last month, and I'm going to try to keep going every 56 days, which is how long you must wait in between donations.

When Christa, Heather and I were brainstorming ideas for this blog in our office, blood donation came up. I'm not really sure how our conversation made its way to this topic but we did come to the conclusion that giving blood is a great way to volunteer and to donate (not all donations are financial) and make an impact somewhere in the community. Thus, this is a way to LIVE UNITED!

According to the American Red Cross, somebody in the United States will need blood every two seconds, and we need about 38,000 blood donations daily to maintain that demand. That's 16 million units per year! For about an hour and fifteen minutes of your time, a little needle stick and one pint of your blood, you have the potential to save the lives of three people. That's quite the impact for very little involvement. And all it costs is a little love.

While I've been fortunate so far to never have been in the position to need donor blood, my daughter Natalie required it when she was just seven-months old, following the open heart surgery she needed to correct a heart defect. I have no way of knowing who donated the blood that she received, and though I won't ever know the answer I'm eternally grateful and indebted to those folks. Not to mention the good people at the blood bank who made sure the hospital had enough blood for Natalie and all the other patients who needed it. Natalie just marked her eight year post-op anniversary at the beginning of October and her prognosis remains great.

Who else needs blood? Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy can require blood and blood products up to twice a day during treatment. A single car accident victim might need as much as 100 pints of blood. People with Sickle cell disease frequently need blood transfusions throughout their lives. And with less than 38% of the American population eligible to give blood, it's easy to see how it can be a challenge to for the supply to meet the demand.

I'd be remiss if I didn't offer you the opportunity to give blood, and while the North Penn United Way isn't hosting a blood drive, there is one at the Montgomery County Dispatch Center (you might know it more commonly as the place where your 911 call gets answered) on October 27th from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. The Montgomery County Dispatch Center is located at 50 Eagleville Road in Eagleville, PA. You may make an appointment for this blood drive online at http://www.redcrossblood.org/ and entering sponsor code 14633. If this date or location doesn't work for you, you can search for other blood drive dates in the area at that same website. Please remember that new blood donations are constantly needed. Red blood cells must be used within 42 days of collection, and platelets must be used within 5 days of collection.

Thank you, Thank you, THANK YOU!

A big THANK YOU to all of the volunteers who help paint the exterior of Generations of the Indian Valley on Monday!! The fresh coat of paint received many compliments from Generations patrons!

Below are a few pictures of our wonderful volunteers in action!