Become a Volunteer Tax Preparer

Help hard-working families claim the Tax Credits they’ve earned!
One hour of your time can boost a family’s annual income by an average of $1,700!

We need Volunteers who are interested in:

Learning how to prepare taxes and become certified by the IRS.
Interacting with individuals and families within our communities.
Giving back to this community by helping residents in need of this service.


We will provide a FANTASTIC volunteer opportunity!

No experience needed.
Supervising tax professional on site at all times.
No liability to the tax preparer (Sites are IRS approved & insured).
Flexible hours.
Great sense of personal satisfaction that you made a difference!

To volunteer contact Cristalyn Vargas (203) 777-0313 or email: Cristalyn@newlifecorp.org

“You can help working families receive what belongs to them. Plus, you get the satisfaction of seeing the smiles of relief when they hear how much money they are getting back from the IRS.”
- A volunteer tax preparer

Data Snapshot - Basic Needs Are Increasing In Our Region

Data Snapshot - November 2008

Utilities/Heat

• There has been a 35% increase in service requests to 2-1-1 for utilities/heat assistance from • our region (1,136 requests in October 2008 compared to 858 requests in October 2007).
• There has been a 79% increase in the energy assistance caseload for our region (managed by • Community Action Agency) between November 2007 and November 2008, from 2,586 cases in 2007 to 4,637 in 2008.

Food

• There has been a 13% increase in service requests to 2-1-1 for food assistance from our region • (424 requests in October 2008 compared to 375 requests in October 2007).
• Comparing July – September 2008 to the same period in 2006, the Community Soup Kitchen • in New Haven has experience a 25% increase in the number of people served (based on an unduplicated count). According to the CT Food Bank, the increase in meals served and number of people served by the Community Soup Kitchen is typical of the increased need and demand evident throughout the greater New Haven service area.

Housing – Shelter

• In New Haven there has been a 5% increase in homeless individuals and in Connecticut a 13% • increase in families this year, compared to last year.
• In New Haven there has been an increase of almost 13% in the number of homeless single • women. Women are also losing their children to foster care once they are no longer able to provide shelter.
• Before the overflow shelter opened last week, Columbus House was turning away 8-10 men a • night. They would be referred to Emergency Shelter Management Services (Immanuel Baptist), which is also at capacity.
• The overflow shelter, which opened last week, is already serving 50 men a night. The capacity • is 75 men.

Housing - Foreclosure

• The number of homes lost to foreclosure in New Haven has risen steeply in 2008 (293 during • the first three quarters of 2008, compared to 165 for all of 2007).
• The majority of foreclosures affect owner-occupied housing. •

Overall data

• 2-1-1 data show a marked increase in calls from towns of Hamden, East Haven, North Haven, • and North Branford when comparing October 2008 to October 2007.

*Correction: There has been a 79% increase in the energy assistance not a 179% increase as previously indicated.

New Haven Organizations Reach Out to Growing Homeless Population

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 7, 2008
Media Contact: Michelle Wade
Work: 203.691.4202
Cell: 860.834.0128
mwade@uwgnh.org

New Haven Organizations Reach Out to Growing Homeless Population

On Saturday, October 25, 2008, United Way of Greater New Haven as well as service providers and volunteers came together to help out the growing homeless community. Project Homeless Connect, held at Wilbur Cross High School, was designed as a one-stop opportunity for the homeless population to receive and get access to all types of services.

This was the second year that the program has been held and over 400 people came to utilize the services provided. The range of services offered during Project Homeless Connect was vital to the project’s success. Many families came out, and in anticipation of this, there was an entire children’s area devoted to keeping the kids entertained with face painting and other fun activities. While the kids were occupied, the parents had time to seek out the services that they needed. Flu shots, hair cuts, housing services information, and care packages were top priority to most people attending the event. Other services offered were mammograms, substance abuse counseling, social security assistance, and legal counseling.

“Project Homeless Connect was so successful this year was because of the outpouring of support from the community. With about 68 volunteers at the event helping to set up, serve lunch, and guide people around, everything ran smoothly. Also, over 60 agencies, including Planned Parenthood, Columbus House, and North Haven Academy (a Paul Mitchell partner school), donated their time and services to make this event possible,” said Cecily Jones, Volunteer Engagement Coordinator of United Way of Greater New Haven.

To lend a helping hand in your community and to influence the condition of all please visit www.uwgnh.org.

About United Way:

United Way brings together the caring power of our community to create measurable, sustainable change and to improve lives. To do this we: help identify our region's greatest needs and best opportunities for change; raise dollars and invest those dollars for results; connect people to their caring through volunteer opportunities.

More information about United Way of Greater New Haven's community leadership and how you can help can be found at www.uwgnh.org.

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