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As summer approaches, the residents of the City of Pittsburgh find themselves in an all too familiar position. Much like the end of last summer, the City closed all the pools and recreation centers; but what's changed is that Just Harvest has been taking on the Mayor, the Oversight Committee, City Council, and the Act 47 Board to get the pools and rec centers open so children can have a safe place to play and eat summer meals.
Does this story resemble David and Goliath a bit to you? But instead of a pebble, Just Harvest is organizing parents and children to keep the food issue front and center: to tell city officials that 1,800 children will go hungry this summer and 89,000 meals will not be eaten if the pools and recreation centers don't open.
We have met with individual City Council members and attended numerous Oversight Committee Meetings where citizens demanded and won a public comment period. Just Harvest's child nutrition advocate, Shauna Ponton, has brought parents and children to talk to the committee and also to speak at City Council meetings.
Shauna's ten-year-old son, D.J., called his schoolmates together to ask them what information he should convey to City Council. Then he wrote a speech and spoke at a Council meeting where he asked them to open up the pools and rec centers.
To date a number of partial solutions have come up. First, a group of foundation leaders, city officials and corporate heads plans to raise $850,000 to open some of the facilities. That money combined with the $142,800 already promised from the Regional Asset District (RAD) for the reopening of three pools will help to open 16 pools and seven recreation centers by June 19.
Next, the Oversight Committee has asked the Pittsburgh School Board to redirect an expected $4 million in RAD money to this effort, since they say the Board enjoys a $90 million surplus.
ACTION: There is still work to be done so hungry children can eat this summer. call your city council member and urge him/her not to deny food to children this summer. Or call Shauna at 412-431-8960 to ask how you can help.
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This year's Empty Bowls was our most successful in the nine-year history of the event! It brought in $26,812, which was divided between Just Harvest and the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.
About 900 people filled the atrium and Freehof Hall at Rodef Shalom Congregation on Sunday, February 29, selecting hand-made bowls, eating gourmet soup and bread, and enjoying the entertainment and atmosphere. Larry Berger of WRCT 88.3's Saturday Light Brigade served as Master of Ceremonies, and local singer-songwriter Karl Mullen delighted the audience with his folk music. A balloon artist from Mike the Balloon Guy's crew provided air-filled fun for kids of all ages, and Bob Schwartz painted faces.
Thirty-six schools, businesses, organizations and individuals donated hand-made pottery and other items for the event. Twenty-nine local fine restaurants donated over 200 gallons of gourmet soup that were dished out. Donating bowls and items for the silent auction were: Lyn Ferlo; Don Fisher; Suzanne Gilbert; Alix Paul; Pat Rampolla; Louisa Rudolph; James Shipman; Debbie Sigal; Myrna Stein; Sr. Charlotte Tolliver; The Art Institute of Pittsburgh; Bethel Park High School; Canevin Catholic High School; Carlow College Art Department; Carrick High School; the Edinboro University Art Department / Clay Club; the Ellis School; Fireborn Studios - Donna Hetrick; Friendship Village South Hills; Herksworks - Keith Hoerchenroether; Keystone Oaks High School; Little House Pottery - Be Carter; the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild; North Allegheny High School; North Hills High School; Penn Trafford High School; Pittsburgh Center for the Arts; Pine Creek Pottery - Willi Singleton; Schenley High School; Shadyside Academy; Shaler Area High School; St. Benedict the Abbot; St. Edmund's Academy; and Upper St. Clair High School. Café Allegro donated a gift certificate and Dawn Wallhausen donated handmade glass jewelry for the silent auction, as well.
The following restaurants and businesses donated delicious soups and bread: Ali Baba, Aromas Event Consulting and Catering, Bradley House of Catering, Café Allegro, Café at the Frick, Ches Anthony Catering, China Palace, Dorian's Catering, East End Food Co-op, Eat 'n Park, Enrico Biscotti Co., Giant Eagle, Hyeholde Restaurant, Kazansky's Deli, Poli Restaurant and Catering, Smallman Street Deli, Sodexho - (Corporate Services, Mellon Financial, NOVA Chemicals and University of Pittsburgh), Square Café, Stratwood Catering, Ugly Duckling Gourmet Edibles, Westmoreland Country Club, Sysco - Pittsburgh, The Breadworks, Schwebel's Bread, and Nestle USA, Inc.
Rodef Shalom Congregation and other long-time Empty Bowls partners, like Little's Shoes, Roth Carpet, McKnight Development and M. Fellinger Co. continue to make this event possible.
Our planning committee proved crucial to the success of Empty Bowls 2004, as well. Committee members Steve Bodner, Ivy Ero, Anne Hawkins, Wendy Lachendro, Pat Murphy, Ken Regal, Ann Roth, Louisa Rudolph, Ellie Siegel, Patty Van Dillen, Colleen Wolfson, Steve Hill, and Lauren Jacobus put in many long hours to ensure that everything was ready to go and ran smoothly.
A big thank you to everyone who donated bowls, soup and other items, our long-term partners, planning committee and volunteers, and of course, everyone who attended! Look for announcements about next year's Empty Bowls. We look forward to seeing you there.
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The state of Minnesota has asked federal permission to ban food stamp purchases of candy and soft drinks. Two experts (below) weigh in on opposite sides of the issue.
PRO
Cindy Javor, RD, Nutrition and Health Educator at Penn State Cooperative Extension
I am a strong proponent of the food stamp program and have positive feelings toward the proposed changes in policy by Minnesota's governor. As a nutritionist I feel that healthy, nourishing food is what food stamps should be providing. After all, WIC has been limiting the foods provided to women, infants and children to certain types for nutrition sake, for over 30 years. I know that it is difficult to tell a person that they can never purchase candy and soft drinks, but how different is it from not allowing the use of food stamps to buy paper goods and other non-food items?
Soft drinks provide only calories and no other nutrients that will make a person grow stronger and healthier. The extra calories in fact have been part of the blame for the ever-growing concern of childhood and adult obesity in the United States. Nutrition education with the distribution of food stamps would be ideal and probably started early in life, could make a difference in a persons lifetime food choices. The laws have got to change somewhere and why not start with just some basic limitations on two or three unhealthy food items.
CON
Ellen Vollinger, Legal Director of Food Research and Action Center(FRAC)
Minnesota's proposal would undermine the Food Stamp Program's effectiveness, add significant complexity for consumers and retailers, and increase program stigma.
The federal Food Stamp Program earmarks resources for purchasing "any food or food product for home consumption except alcoholic beverages, tobacco, or hot foods or hot food products ready for immediate consumption." That provides consumers and retailers with a simple, national test. Minnesota would limit food stamp purchases based on its sales tax. Some products seem similar but receive different treatment. Unsweetened baking chocolate, Twix, Kit Kat, and Tang are allowed; chocolate baking chips, yogurt covered raisins, fruit drinks that contain 50 percent or less fruit juice, and Gatorade are not.
Food stamps' stigma often stemmed from redeeming paper food stamp coupons in a supermarket line. Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) technology is mainstreaming that transaction. Minnesota's proposed complex products test would create new point of sale transaction problems, as recipients and clerks literally sort out non-allowable food stamp products from grocery baskets.
Minnesota would treat recipient shoppers differently from other consumers, even though, on the whole, their purchase patterns are better than those of nonrecipients. Research shows the value of food stamps received has had positive effect on overall dietary quality, and, compared to nonrecipients, food stamp recipients consume less fats, oils, sugars, sweets and snack foods.
The proposal, by increasing complexity and stigma, could lower program participation and increase obesity. Girls in food insecure households have a significantly lower risk of being overweight if they participate in Food Stamps, School Lunch and/or School Breakfast.
Nationally and in Minnesota about 4 in 10 food stamp eligible persons are left unserved. Access to resources to obtain food is a prerequisite to good nutrition. The focus should be on reaching more eligible people with benefits, increasing benefits value, and offering nutrition education.
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NATIONAL NEWS
The usual spring flurry of activities in Congress yielded both gains and setbacks on poverty issues. Here are highlights of the latest news from Washington.
After passing separate FY2005 budget resolutions in March, the House and Senate are seeking a compromise resolution - in conference committee-that will have critical implications for hunger and poverty relief.
Both budgets would cut more than $100 billion from domestic discretionary spending including the Food Stamp Program, Earned Income Tax Credit, and Medicaid. The House version would essentially lock in cuts of this size by imposing caps on discretionary spending for the next five years. The Senate version included amendments to improve the income limit for free school meals and simplify summer food participation rules nationwide.
The pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) rule, included in the Senate budget and now the main sticking point, would require that new tax cuts or entitlement expansions must be offset by other tax increases or spending cuts. It would help to reduce the deficit. The House Budget Committee has approved a separate bill that would impose PAYGO requirements only on entitlement increases, not on tax cuts. Failure to include the Senate PAYGO provision in the conference report would pave the way for additional tax cuts, resulting in a larger deficit and further cuts to entitlement programs.
Budget resolutions are not appropriations; they set parameters for the appropriations which will be passed later.
ACTION: Add your organization to the growing list urging Congress reject a budget that would hurt low-income families. Contact ahughes@chn.org at Coalition for Human Needs.
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On March 24 the US House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved the child nutrition reauthorization bill. This bill would improve many aspects of the different child nutrition program, including nutritional as well as access changes. It extends eligibility for school meals to more low-income military families and for summer food to more rural children. The Child and Adult Care Feeding Program will be available to for-profit child care centers which serve a significant number of low-income children. The application process for school meals will now be easier for many low-income families, and a pilot program to simplify paperwork for the Summer Food Program will allow more low-income kids to participate. The bill also addresses children's overall health and nutrition by including different varieties of milk, more whole grain foods, and fruits and vegetables in the school meals programs. WIC participants will also benefit through ten local demonstration projects which will evaluate the addition of fruits and vegetables to the WIC food package.
ACTION: Reauthorization now goes to the Senate. Ask Sens. Specter and Santorum to support funding for child nutrition programs.
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On March 31 President Bush signed a bill to extend TANF (cash welfare assistance) for the seventh time-- as many advocates across the country had hoped. TANF received a "clean" (no changes) extension for an additional three months, until June 30, 2004.
Since the Senate and the House agreed to extend TANF (HR 4) the debate has been nothing but controversial. First, Sens. Olympia Snowe(R-ME) and Christopher Dodd(D-CT) introduced their amendment to increase mandatory child care funding by $6 billion over five years. The Senate approved the amendment, 78-20 with affirmative votes from all Democratic Senators except one and 31 Republicans (including Sen. Specter from PA). Then Sens. Ted Kennedy (D-MA) and Barbara Boxer (D-CA) offered an amendment to increase the federal minimum wage from $5.15 to $7 an hour over two years. After an unsuccessful effort by the Republicans to cut off debate (because they wanted to avoid a vote on the subject), the President of the Senate prevented a vote, thus stalling any further action.
Both Houses went home for spring break and were scheduled to resume work on the floor the week of April 19. TANF is one of the first items on the Senate's agenda. Three labor- related issues-minimum wage, unemployment compensation extension, and overtime pay-are holding up a final Senate vote on HR 4. At this point in the election year, it seems unlikely that the stalemate will be broken before summer recess June 30. So advocates are calling for a "clean" 2-year extension of HR 4!!
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STATE NEWS
A low-cost workforce has lured American corporations to outsource some of their most coveted jobs to overseas companies. Many of the jobs associated with this shift include positions in high-skilled fields like medical transcription, computer programming, engineering and accounting, but manufacturing and call center positions are being outsourced to such far-afield cities as Bangalore or Pune, too. In fact, 38 states-including Pennsylvania-- now have contracts with J.P. Morgan Chase & Co, a company with staffed call centers in India, to handle questions about the United States federal Food Stamp Program.
Pennsylvania State Reps. Mike Veon (D- Beaver Falls) and Mike McGeehan (D- Philadephia) recently proposed legislation designed to deter state agencies from awarding contracts to such companies. The bill would add a "social responsibility" factor to the existing three major criteria - cost, quality of service and record for employing women and minorities - used for deciding state contract winners. Companies that use American workers will be deemed socially responsible and will be awarded additional points (and preference) for state contract awards.
Proponents of outsourcing insist that it ultimately strengthens the US economy by helping companies save money and become more competitive in the marketplace, creating capital that will be reinvested in our country. Others fear that limiting outsourcing will provoke countries that outsource work to the US to respond in kind. But Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) argues that hiring Americans creates more taxpayers, thereby channeling funds into struggling local economies.
Furthermore, even the commissioner of the Department of Social Services of one state that outsources food stamp calls admits that, in an ideal world, food stamp call centers would be staffed by current or former clients of the program.
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Governor Rendell's Economic Stimulus Package included up to $100 million in grants, low-interest loan financing and loan guarantees to support the development of farmers' markets and supermarkets in under-served communities in Pennsylvania. The new "First Industries" program is the most significant level of state support ever directed at solving this food access problem. It is a tremendous initiative for Pennsylvania since it will help the state assume a national leadership role in promoting the development of quality food resources for its citizens.
State Reps. Dwight Evans (D-Phila.), Jake Wheatley (D-Pittsburgh) and Frank Oliver (D-Phila.)were leaders in promoting this issue in Harrisburg with the support of the Pennsylvania Supermarket Access Campaign, a joint effort of Just Harvest, the Philadelphia Food Trust, and Pennsylvania Hunger Action Center.
Despite all their public statements about healthy food, USDA will severely cut PA's funds for nutrition education starting in October. Pennsylvania agencies won't be allowed to continue using money from their state food purchase program for the match required by USDA. This means that participants in the Pennsylvania Nutrition Education Program (PANEP) will no longer have money to educate food pantry clients and food stamp recipients about healthy eating. As a result, the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank - which receives almost $400,000 from this program --and similar organizations around the state, will be forced to drop out of PANEP.
Led by PA Hunger Action Center, vocal organizations convinced Kathy Yorkievitz, Deputy Secretary of PA Department of Public Welfare (DPW) to head up a delegation to Food and Nutrition Services(FNS) Under Secretary, Eric Bost in March. They urged Bost to consider ways that nutrition education could continue at distribution sites, stressing that food distribution has become an effective tool for reinforcing lessons in healthy eating.
The groups also convinced Sens. Arlen Specter and Rick Santorum to step in and pen letters to USDA Secretary Ann Venneman about the importance of nutrition education. Thus far, the efforts have made no headway: on April 6, FNS officials reported that none of the alternatives proposed at the March meeting were acceptable. Secretary Venneman has not replied to either Senator.
Other federal cuts to nutrition programs include the struggling Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP). Due to budget constraints, EFNEP has reduced its Pennsylvania staff by 25 since 1999, and they project 12 more layoffs by October if Congress fails to provide more funding. Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) recently sponsored a successful resolution to restore some of EFNEP's funding. Sen. Specter (PA) is in a position to see that the Senate follows through on that statement of intent. (Thanks to PA Hunger Action Center for help with this article)
ACTION: Call Sen. Specter and ask him to support Grassley's restoration of funds for EFNEP.
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Community groups, including anti-hunger groups, were enraged in March when the city froze millions of dollars they had already contracted for, in order to plan infrastructure for next year.
When Ann Mason of Hunger Services Network (HSN) received a letter from City Planning Director Susan Golomb telling her to cease referring hungry callers to community-based food pantries because of the freeze, Ann decided to take action. "I guess we'll tell the callers to call down to Tom Murphy's office when they're hungry," she said. "He can find them food."
But community groups took the matter into their own hands, displaying 90 minutes of anger and frustration at the March 30 City Council meeting. When it was all over, the money was restored. "I knew direct action would work," said one observer.
Forty-two thousand dollars of that money pays for HSN's hunger hot line which refers callers to community-based food pantries.
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Food stamp outreach activities have succeeded in getting more people onto the Food Stamp Program. Over the last two years, the number of individuals receiving food stamps has increased by 22% in Pennsylvania, and 14.5% in Allegheny County.
These trends reflect increased enrollment since the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare (DPW) began funding outreach mini-grants to community organizations. Still only 3/4 of the people eligible for food stamps in Pennsylvania participate in the program!
Welfare reform has made participation in the program difficult for various reasons. Many people do not know they are eligible, have misconceptions about the program, or face unfair program standards.
The DPW needs to work harder to ensure that those who are in need and eligible for this benefit get it.
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NEWS BRIEFS
"Get the Facts!" - Just Harvest's new fact sheets. "Poverty in America" and "Children" available now from Just Harvest.
"One Big Table" is this year's theme for National Hunger Awareness Day on June 3. The Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank is organizing activities aimed at educating the public about the causes of hunger and moving people to action in their communities. A Market Square Gathering on June 5 will host speakers from families that are facing hunger. Also, if you buy coupons from Giant Eagle between May 30 and June 12 you can help feed hungry families and help stamp out hunger. The Food Bank is selling "One Big Table" display kits for $5 which include a table cloth, information about hunger, and other great items. Civic groups, churches and other organizations can call the Food Bank at (412) 460-3663 to see how you can get involved.
Beginning in June children and parents in Allegheny County can call Just Harvest's Summer Food Hotline to learn about the nearest summer food site. Although some of the usual City sites will be closed (see article page 1), we feel confident that hungry children will be able to eat. Call 1-888-FOOD-210. Magnets and other materials are available.
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The Federal Election Commission recently held two days of public hearings on their proposed rules to further limit political speech by non-profit organizations.
In February, the National Alliance for Justice quickly organized a mass campaign which resulted in 140,000 e-mails and 11,000 faxes to the FEC, the most comments filed on a single rulemaking in the FEC's history. Thirty witnesses testified at the hearings. The Coalition to Protect Nonprofit Advocacy drafted comments that were signed by 672 organizations, including Just Harvest.
If approved, the new rules would expand the definition of "political committees," severely restricting the fundraising and non-partisan activity of many non-profits. Nonpartisan voter registration campaigns would probably face funding restrictions.
As several speakers at the hearings explained, the current rules have been built up over decades; abruptly changing them in the heat of an election year is not advisable.
The national organizers of the campaign are confident that a majority of the commissioners-- stunned by the outcry from the non-profit sector -- will give serious consideration to their comments. For more info: http://www.afj.org or http://www.pfaw.org.
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Just Harvest has garnered lots of attention in recent weeks with a number of news reports, and exciting community events.
Just Harvest Education Fund was one of eight non-profit organizations honored with the Dominion Community Impact Award, presented at the company's Awards Luncheon on March 26. The award recognized our Welfare Justice Project and our Give Paychecks A Boost campaign and included a $5,000 prize.
Two dozen Just Harvest supporters gathered at the Pittsburgh Public Theater in April to enjoy a matinee performance of Dario Fo's slapstick political satire Accidental Death of an Anarchist. The event raised about $400 for our work.
The news media has been keeping us in focus as well: The Beaver County Times featured Empty Bowls in a recent Sunday magazine cover story, and Pittsburgh Magazine highlighted our Give Paychecks a Boost Campaign in its March issue. The Tribune-Review also ran three fine articles in recent weeks, covering our tax preparation assistance service, Empty Bowls, and our campaign to protect City of Pittsburgh summer food sites from the impact of city budget cuts. News stories on the summer food crisis also were carried by the Associated Press and broadcast on WTAE-TV and Fox-53. The South Pittsburgh Reporter helped get the word out about Give Paychecks a Boost to our Southside neighbors and surrounding communities. And thanks also to several broadcasters, websites, and papers including the Post-Gazette's Food Section and Weekend Hot List for helping get the advance word out about Empty Bowls.
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The annual Attorneys Against Hunger campaign of the Allegheny County Bar Foundation was a huge success again this year. Just Harvest gratefully acknowledges the Bar Foundation and all the contributing attorneys for the campaign's 2004 gift of $13,642. Attorneys Against Hunger also supports the Hunger Services Network and the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.
Just Harvest Education Fund is also most pleased to thank an anonymous donor for a recent gift of $7,000 to support our anti-hunger work.
Thanks, of course, to all our recent contributors, including: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, Christ United Methodist Church, Our Lady Of The Sacred Heart, PathWays PA, Sisters of Mercy of Allegheny County, United Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh, Gayle Abrams, Mary Arenth, Milton Backal, George Brownell, David Caldwell, Jan Carlino & David Houston, Alexander Carlisle, Joleen Chiaverini, Kate Clancy, Rosemary Coffey, Maureen Coyne, Judy Dodd, Susan Dowd, Robert & Nancy Evans, Helen Faison, Mary Gilligan, Ruth Gottlieb, Alexandra Gruskos, Margaret & Keith Hamilton, Eva Havlicsek, Anne Hawkins, Gloria Highsmith, Lee Katsafanas, Mary Kish, Barbara Krupp, Joan Luokkala, Louise & Michael Malakoff, Audrey Maretzki in honor of D. Benkovitz, H. Abramson, and A. Mueller, Joseph & Gaynell Markowski, Sara McIntire, Terrence Marcelle, Ann Meyers, Julia Nagle, Eunice Nelson, Rev. Jack O'Malley, Helen Ortman, Mary Pascarella, Frank Perrino, Karen Peterson, Gene & Mary Pochapsky, Suzanne Polen, Connie Portis, Pat & Don Rampolla, Ross Rosen, Roger Rosner & Rowena Dodson, Joyce Rothermel, Lorraine Sauchin, Dr. & Mrs. Harold Scheinman, Marion Schnurer, Vivienne Selia, Anna Jane Shally, Ed & Dorothy Sites, Ramin Skibba, Pat Snowden Dittig, Gerald Sokolow, Marjorie Spenser, Suzanne Steidl, Sylvia Sussna, Lowell & Rachel Swarts, James & Barbara Syphers, Jean Szoch, Rosemary Trump, Carla Wasielewski, Jean Weaver, George & Bernice Weber, Bill Wekselman, Nancy Welfer, Judy Wertheimer & Michael Boninger, May Whitcomb, Derek & Kathleen Whordley, Gina Wilson, John Wilson, Sylvia Wilson, and William Wood.
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- Former felons are eligible to vote in Pennsylvania as of December 2000, unlike in Florida where 57,000 African-American voters were purged from the roll of eligible voters in 2000 by Secretary of State Katherine Harris by creating false criminal records.
- Registered voters can get an absentee ballot if they are in jail for a misdemeanor or detained awaiting trial according to Mark Wolosik, Allegheny County Elections Director.
- Homeless persons can vote in Pennsylvania as long as they have a mailing address.
- Voters who are voting for the first time at a polling place must show ID. You may show almost anything with your name and address on it. It doesn't have to have a photo.
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Thursday, October 14, 2004
Just Harvest's
Sixteenth Annual Harvest Celebration Dinner
at the Omni William Penn Hotel
featuring an evening of political humor with America's premier political comic
Will Durst
Seeds of Justice Award to long-time local activist for peace and social justice, and founding Just Harvest Board Member Molly Rush
Make Our Auction Something Special!
We're gearing up for our Harvest Celebration Dinner on Thursday, October 14 and we need some marquee items for the auction. Do you know anybody with a cottage in Chatauqua, a condo in Mexico, a box at the Steelers, or a time-share in Myrtle Beach? Would they donate a gift to our Silent Auction? Call Shauna at 412-431-8960.
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"I couldn't believe I had so much coming. She (Dawn Wallhausen) was so wonderful to explain everything and I understood very well. I was confused before I came down here," said Christine Thomas, one of the 780 taxpayers we served this tax season. The numbers are staggering: the taxpayers received totals refund of $967,119. About $475,000 of which came from the Earned Income Tax Credit, and $81,000 From PA Tax Back. Taxpayers also saved an additional $78,500 in tax preparation fees.
We celebrated this success with a Tax Refund Celebration including a visit from the "Refund Hero" on March 31 to recognize and thank our clients and supporters. We could not have provided this service without financial support from The Birmingham Foundation, The Pittsburgh Foundation, and Pathways PA , a project of your Delaware County Government and the Workforce Investment Board administered by the Delaware County Office of Employment and Training. Thanks also to Giant Eagle and Vocelli Pizza for supplying food for the party.
We are sad to say goodbye to all the additional staff and volunteers who made this service possible. Corinne Ogrodnik, tax campaign intern, was an invaluable team member willing to tackle large projects as well as attend to the smallest details. Our tax preparers: John Fraser, Kellie Kasbee, Pat O'Malley, Rich Surdyk, Sarah Vignale and Dawn Wallhausen did the hard work of completing and explaining hundreds of tax forms. Terri Blow, Brittany Roberts, and Cailann Meehan have been exemplary volunteers.
We're starting to plan for next tax season. Your agency can get involved in large or small ways by providing volunteers, space, supplies and/or staff for VITA sites. Contact Kristie at 412-431-8960 to find out more.
ACTION: Contact your state representative and urge him/her to support Representative Pat Browne's (R-Lehigh Valley) upcoming legislation to regulate predatory refund anticipation loans from paid tax preparers in Pennsylvania.
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