Community & Government Announcements

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

Information provided by Life Transforming Ministries

Life Transforming Ministries’ VITA program will be offering free tax preparation help to low and moderate income households this Saturday, 6/27, from 9am to 2pm at the following locations—

Orion Communities

237 Bridge St

Phoenixville, PA 19460

Family Services

1976 E High St

Pottstown PA 19464

Taxpayers will be able to drop off their information, but they will not be waiting onsite while their return is completed. More information on our new process will be provided to taxpayers at the site.

We are hoping to provide more times to drop off tax information in the coming weeks before the July 15^th filing deadline.

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

A message from the Chester County Health Department regarding the WIC Program:

First and foremost, on behalf of the Chester County WIC Program I wanted to thank all of our partners and friends for the incredible support that has been extended to the WIC program and its participants during this unprecedented pandemic. In a time of such uncertainty, the extra services and efforts offered by our partners have provided comfort and relief for many of our WIC families.

Beginning June 5^th, the Chester County WIC program transitioned alongside the Chester County Health Department into the “yellow” phase of the Governor’s reopening plan. This means that WIC staff have returned to a full-time operating schedule Monday through Friday. However, for the protection of staff and participants alike, WIC will continue to operate on a limited-contact basis with appointments conducted via phone call only and food benefits loaded via curbside pick-up. Participants with scheduled WIC appointments will receive a phone call from WIC staff 1-3 business days before their appointment to speak with a nutritionist and will be scheduled a time to come to their clinic for curbside pick-up afterwards. WIC is NOT able to service any walk-ins at this time. WIC has recently been approved to begin offering curbside pick-up services at our satellite clinic locations in Spring City and Phoenixville in July and will be offering curbside services at our Oxford satellite clinic as soon as we are approved to do so.

Any new applicants to the WIC program should call their local WIC clinic or complete a pre-application online at https://www.pawic.com/OnlineApplication.aspx (www.pawic.com à Get Started Online!). New applicants may also be referred directly to WIC using the referral form attached.

WIC Referral Form Final

Any current WIC participants who need an appointment should be directed to call their local WIC clinic. When calling the WIC clinic, please encourage participants to leave a message and WIC staff will return their call ASAP. Due to our current reliance on communications via phone, please encourage WIC participants to update their local clinic with any changes to their phone number so that they may be contacted.

West Chester/Phoenixville/Spring City WIC clinics: 610-344-6240

Coatesville WIC clinic: 610-383-3824

Toughkenamon/Oxford WIC clinics: 610-268-5153

Please do not hesitate to reach out to me directly via email at smkelly@chesco.org or via phone at 610-344-5578 if you have any questions about updates to WIC operations or come across any special situations. We appreciate your patience and support during this transitional time.

Best,

The Chester County Health Department and Department of Emergency Services are partnering to expand availability of COVID-19 testing in Chester County. Starting June 8th, PCR (nasal swab) diagnostic testing will be available at multiple locations. This testing is prioritized for individuals with symptoms or who have had a close contact with someone who has COVID-19. No prescription or referral is needed but registration is required.

Learn more and register at: https://www.chesco.org/4514/Coronavirus-COVID-19-Nasal-Swab-Testing

Alianzas is celebrating 10 years of service to the community with a virtual festival on Saturday, July 25 from 1:00 to 3:00 PM.  More info in this flyer — 2020 FESTIVAL FLYER Eng.

[Below is information from Gaudenzia’s press release.]

1-833-976-HELP(4357)

Gaudenzia has launched The Treatment and Recovery Hotline!

Our new Hotline offers screened linkage to treatment facilities across Pennsylvania for the entire spectrum of care, including detox/withdrawal management, residential treatment, co-occurring residential treatment, outpatient treatment services, women and children’s services, and other programs tailored to specialty populations.

When can I call the Hotline?

The Hotline is available 24/7.

Who can call the Hotline?

          Anyone from first responders, warm hand off staff, loved ones, people seeking help for themselves, all of our partners, and other treatment providers.

Should I use the Hotline or call right to the program as I did in the past?

          The Treatment and Recovery Hotline is not meant to replace existing referral relationships that you have with our programs.  You are absolutely welcome and encouraged to continue to make referrals directly to our programs if that’s your preferred referral option. If you are not sure which program would be the best fit for your client, or if it’s after normal business hours/weekends, the hotline is here for you.

Can we share the Hotline number?

          Yes! We have attached a flyer for you to use and share. Please feel free to post it on social media, print and hang it, and/or email it to others who might need help placing clients at all hours.

Where is the Hotline Located?

          The hotline is located right here in Pennsylvania at the Coal Twp. Facility of Gaudenzia’s Central Region. Our Hotline team is made up of trained Gaudenzia staff.

To access help through Gaudenzia’s Treatment and Recovery Hotline, please call 1-833-976-HELP(4357).

For more information about the hotline, contact Erin Pressel at (484)388-3864 or email hotline@gaudenzia.org, or visit Gaudenzia’s website at www.gaudenzia.org

Gaudenzia Hotline Flyer