WCAC January 2023 Enews

Community Action News

JANUARY 2023

NEW YEAR,

NEW HOME

FOR WCAC

Finally! I am thrilled to share that WCAC has successfully, and at long last, relocated our Worcester office to a new home on the 5th Floor at home 18 Chestnut Street. I am very grateful for the many partners who made this move possible and to WCAC's dedicated staff who worked tirelessly and under very challenging circumstances to minimize the impact on our programming and services throughout the transition.

Beyond new furniture and fresh coats of paint, our new office provides improved visitor parking, enhanced meeting spaces and a truly client-focused environment. Our new office is now far more reflective of the transformative work WCAC does and the quality of services we provide. The public's continued patience as we fully settle into our new home is appreciated. We look forward to welcoming you to our new space and to continuing to serve our community for many, many years to come!

Marybeth Campbell, Executive Director

VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX

PROGRAM READY TO ROLL

Through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, IRS-certified volunteers prepare taxes and specifically look for tax credits the household may be eligible for, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), Child Tax Credit (CTC), Circuit Breaker Tax Credit, and others. Utilizing the free tax preparation services allows families to retain their full refund, avoiding typical preparation fees which can often cost hundreds of dollars.

For 2023, WCAC’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program will operate between the last week of January, and the tax deadline of April 15th. Requests for free tax preparation by WCAC are accepted for individual taxpayers or households making $60,000 or less within Worcester and 45 surrounding towns in Central Massachusetts.

Appointments for face-to-face tax preparation with IRS-certified volunteers are available to book by preferred time slot beginning the last week of January and will be held at WCAC’s new location at 18 Chestnut Street. A fully online tax preparation process is also available again this season should you be unable to come in person or prefer not to.

Click here to learn more and to schedule your appointment. Review what’s in scope for VITA returns and the list of documents you should bring with you to your appointment or online submission to prepare ahead of time.

Scheduling:

Book your own in-person appointment online.
Voicemails requesting an in-person appointment left at 508-754-1176 ext. 171 will be returned in late January when seasonal staff begin.
If you prefer to submit and complete your VITA return online by working with a tax preparer virtually, a link will be available for GetYourRefund on January 31st.

MORALES LOOKING TO MAKE MEANINGFUL IMPACT

The new year brings a new face to WCAC - we are thrilled to welcome Maydee Morales as the new Director of the agency's Resiliency Center. Although new to WCAC, Maydee is no stranger to Central Massachusetts having worked previously for Centro, Friendly House, Edward M. Kennedy Health Center and most recently as the director of social services for Catholic Charities of Worcester County.

A native of Puerto Rico, she credits her mother and grandmother with nurturing her passion for social service noting from a very early age she was taught the importance of being there for others. "Making meaningful changes in the lives of our society, our community is what I'm all about," she said, noting that the opportunity to support people in reaching true self-sufficiency through WCAC's Resiliency Center really excited her.

"We have the opportunity to wrap ourselves around our families," she said. "We want to support individuals in creating a solid foundation - something to stand on when they suffer the consequences of the Cliff Effect and make truly connected referrals to put them on the path to self-sufficiency."

WCAC's Resiliency Center presently has two Cliff Effect Coaches and one Financial Coach, and will be looking to add several Community Navigators to the team soon. The coaches work one-on-one with individuals to educate, empower and connect people to financial opportunities and support them to reach their self-identified goals. Click here to learn more or request a meeting with one of the coaches.

In addition to her work for WCAC, Maydee is overseeing Open Sky's new Sowing Seeds of Hope homeless shelter at Blessed Sacrament Church and has announced her candidacy for at At-Large seat on the Worcester City Council.

HOME HEATING HELP IS HERE

As has been widely reported throughout mainstream media, we are collectively experiencing an extremely challenging home heating winter season with retail prices for energy at or near multi-year highs across the United States. WCAC’s Home Heating Assistance program stands at the ready to help as many eligible households as possible secure the help they need.

WCAC’s Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), best known as fuel assistance or home heating assistance, helps homeowners and renters pay home heating bills. Financial assistance is available for income-eligible households to help pay home heating bills incurred between November 1 – April 30 of each year.

An online application is now available here. Review required documents and information before submitting in order to expedite your application. Applications and related documents can also be submitted in person to our office at 18 Chestnut Street, 5th Floor weekdays between 9 a.m. -4 p.m.

Once submitted, you can check the status of your application by using WCAC's 24/7 automated phone system by calling 508.796.2423 and follow the voice prompts.

Due to unprecedented demand for assistance, your patience is greatly appreciated. It can take quite some time for applications to be reviewed and fully processed. If you are facing a No-Heat Emergency please message ENERGY@WCAC.net for assistance. If you experience a no-heat emergency after hours or when the agency is otherwise closed you should contact your fuel vendor directly.

MOVING UP

Congratulations to WCAC's own Jenna Wills who was promoted to Director of the Job & Education Center (JEC). Jenna first joined WCAC as part of a grant-funded project through Working Cities, taking on several roles including as Manager/Senior Manager of Workforce Development, and most recently as Assistant Director of the JEC. In her new role, Jenna will be focused on the developing and implementing the JEC’s strategic vision. The JEC offers space for young people to explore and develop their potential. Taking into consideration numerous systemic obstacles, individualized attention is given to each participant to reach economic self-sufficiency through three key avenues: education, employment and positive youth development. Learn more here.

Congratulations to WCAC's own Rachel Collins who was promoted to Director of Human Resources. Rachel began her career as an intern in the Human Resources department at the agency in 2015, grew into her role as Human Resources Administrator and now oversees the department for the agency's nearly 100 employees. Learn more about employment opportunities at WCAC here.

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