Interagency Council: December 2013 Meeting Minutes

Ginger Lacross of The Cedars attended as a guest. Welcome Ginger!
CONGRATULATIONS! The S/W/W Interagency Council awarded the 2nd Annual Have a Heart Scholarship, totaling $350, to two organizations: High Peaks Hospice & Palliative Care and The Council for Prevention.

High Peaks was awarded $100 to purchase 100 copies of the "5 Wishes" pamphlet to distribute/fill out with members of the community so that they have a Health Care Proxy and Living Will in place. The pamphlet also contains information about why this is beneficial and necessary.
The Council for Prevention was awarded $250 for their annual Students Against Destructive Decisions conference so that they don't have to limit the number of SADD student members from 11 area schools who can attend this day of learning & training. Participants become Student Leaders in their schools/communities, bringing with them awareness-raising around the issues of leading healthy lifestyles and making good decisions about alcohol use, drugs and texting while driving.

Speaker: Joan Prouty (dprouty@capital.net), Cornell Cooperative Extension, VITA Program

VITA stands for Volunteer Income Tax Assistance & provides FREE tax return assistance for eligible residents of Warren & Washington County (and in some cases VT).
This program comes from the "kinder, gentler side" of the IRS and started 11 years ago.
Its aim is to help eligible taxpayers (household income $51,000 or less) file their Income Taxes for FREE, to claim their Earned Income Tax Credit if applicable, and to keep all of their refund instead of just part of it (HR Block, et al, charges fees for filing and instant-refund programs).
The Earned Income Credit MUST be applied for on the Income Tax Form, & VITA helps eligible taxpayers do so, for NO FEE.
Appointments are REQUIRED.

Thursday Feb 13, 2014 at Warren County Municipal Center, Human Services Bldg, 8:30a-9:30a. Featured Organization: Planned Parenthood.

Interagency Council