Community & Government Announcements

Chester County Head Start and Preschool Programs are now enrolling for the 2020-21 school year.

More info here:  SSVC0420001 Recruitment and Enrollment Flyer (2)

The Phoenixville Food Insecurity Team announces the following food pantry and meal locations in Phoenixville for the month of August:

August PFIT

August PFIT Spanish

Hometown Helpers is a new website where agencies that have a need for volunteers can register their need and, likewise, a place where those individuals who are interested in volunteering can register their interest and match up their interest with agencies who may need volunteers.

The Phoenixville Community Education Foundation (PCEF)  is gearing up to provide back to school backpacks and supplies to families in need.  See the announcement here:

2020 Backpack publicity

Governor Tom Wolf signed an executive order that protects homeowners and renters from eviction or foreclosure until Aug. 31, if they have not received assistance from a new program administered by the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) or are not already receiving relief through one of several federal foreclosure moratorium programs or judicial orders. Lenders and property owners that receive funds through the PHFA program agree not to pursue foreclosure or eviction actions as a condition of participation in the program.  Read the full announcement here.

Renters and homeowners who were financially impacted by COVID-19 can access applications for rent and mortgage relief starting June 29. The applications will be available by clicking on a red CARES banner on the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) website at https://www.phfa.org/pacares/.

Renters can receive up to $750 a month, homeowners $1,000 a month, for six months, during the timeframe from March through November 2020.

Must provide documentation that income fell 30%, or documentation from applying for unemployment, and must fall below very generous income thresholds.

The Phoenixville Food Insecurity Team announces the following food pantry and meal locations for July:

July PFIT (002)

July PFIT Span

Pennsylvania is extending unemployment compensation for residents by an additional 13 weeks.  Read the full announcement and see eligibility requirements here.

Info from Life Transforming Ministries:

Life Transforming Ministries has scheduled additional times and locations for free tax drop offs between now and July 15^th.   Could you kindly help us get the word out.  We’ve added many dates and times since our last email.

Our Coatesville, Phoenixville and Pottstown sites will operate as Rapid Drop Off sites.  Social distancing restrictions will be in place at each site, including the required wearing of masks for all customers.  The Rapid Drop Off process is different from the Traditional process you are familiar with, and is designed to minimize interaction between volunteers and customers.

Taxpayers should come to the site with photo ID’s for the primary and secondary taxpayers, social security cards for everyone on the return, and all other W-2’s, 1099 forms, etc.  Once at the site they will be asked to complete our intake forms place all your information into an envelope provided for them.  A VITA volunteer will copy all their information and return all originals back to them.  At that point, they will leave the site and at a later time a volunteer will review their return with them over the phone.  When everything is complete and correct it will be e-filed and an electronic copy of the return can be made available to them upon request.  I have attached to this email our intake forms if they would like to print them off and fill them out ahead of time to save time at the site.

Intake & Quality Review Sheet

LTM Customer Information – drop offs

Please remember that since this is a drop off situation, there is no guarantee on the turn-around time for returns.  We will attempt to prioritize those returns, which must be completed by the deadline on July 15th.  If they would like their return to be e-filed before the deadline, we suggest bringing them in before July 11th if at all possible.  If they are getting a refund or do not owe the IRS any money, then the deadline will not affect them.  However, if they owe the IRS, missing the deadline could result in additional fees.

Below is our schedule from now until the July 15^th deadline:

Orion Communities

237 Bridge Street

Phoenixville, PA  19460

• Saturday, July 4^th                       9am-2pm
• Saturday, July 11^th                     9am-2pm

Family Services

1976 East High Street

Pottstown, PA  19464

• Wednesday, July 1^st                   6:30-8:30pm
• Saturday, July 4^th                       9am-2pm
• Wednesday, July 8^th                   6:30-8:30pm
• Saturday, July 11^th                     9am-2pm
• Wednesday, July 15^th                 6:30-8:30pm

The Transformation Center

645 East Lincoln Highway

Coatesville, PA  19320

• Wednesday, July 1^st                   8am-3pm
• Thursday, July 2^nd                     8am-3pm
• Monday, July 6^th                        8am-8pm
• Tuesday, July 7^th                       8am-3pm
• Wednesday, July 8^th                   8am-3pm
• Thursday, July 9^th                      8am-3pm
• Saturday, July 11^th                     9am-2pm
• Monday, July 13^th                      8am-8pm
• Tuesday, July 14^th                      8am-7pm
• Wednesday, July 15^th                 8am-7pm

Questions? dlaird@QuietRevolution.org or 610-380-9099.

Donna Laird

Life Transforming Ministries VITA Administration Support

645 East Lincoln Highway, Coatesville, PA  19320

dlaird@QuietRevolution.org

www.ChesterCountyFreeTaxes.org

610-380-9099