With the support of 50 volunteers, the Bucks County Opportunity Council’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program prepared a record-breaking 1,348 income tax returns for low or moderate income families in Bucks County this past tax season. The work was made more efficient this year due to the support of the Foundations Community Partnership, whose generous grant enabled BCOC to purchase new computers and printers for the project.

“Our volunteers are the lifeline of VITA; without them we would not be able to offer this program,” stated Eileen Albillar, Volunteer and Community Connections Manager. “Many volunteers return each year to help, and all are trained and certified before each season. We expanded our sites this year and are always looking for new volunteers.”

In the 14 years since its inception, VITA Program volunteers have prepared over 12,300 tax returns for workers with low incomes, facilitating returns valued at over $23 million. Most of that money stays right here in Bucks County, as clients use returns to buy everyday essentials at local businesses, pumping up the local economy.

According to Kevin of Lower Makefield Township, a retired actuary who helped out approximately 15 hours each week, the reasons for volunteering are varied. “The other volunteers are fabulous, and we help each other out” Kevin stated. “Plus, I enjoy seeing many repeat clients, and helping to give them peace of mind at having completed the process. There is real excitement when they are getting a refund. They are living on this money—not going to amusement parks or on vacation. The return is clearly a necessity and we make the process painless.”

Kevin estimates that the average return he files is $500-800, although he recalls a woman this season who was on the verge of tears after hearing that she was getting a $1,000 refund. She is struggling to help her son, who is fighting cancer.

Kevin enjoys spending time with the clients and other volunteers, who are all there helping each other. “It may be brief, but you make a connection.” Sometimes he explains to those who could use the money month-to-month, rather than wait for a refund, that they can adjust their withholding. “People appreciate us, they are not comfortable trying to figure it out.”

“It’s been a great year—no issues with the computers,” Kevin said.

Another volunteer, Ben of Doylestown, has helped for four years with VITA at its Warrington site, but also supports other BCOC programs such as the food program, and more recently Adopt-A-Family. The Adopt-A-Family connects a sponsor to a family who is working through BCOC’s Economic Self-sufficiency Program and needs support. Ben has always done his own taxes and enjoys computer work and working with numbers. Before he retired, he ran a distribution center.

Ben enjoys not only the camaraderie among the other volunteers, but also seeing some of the same people return each year to have their taxes done. New clients may be recently widowed and have no idea where to begin, or they are not aware of things like the Homestead Rebate that they may be entitled to each year. He enjoys being able to help them and sharing in their joy when they learn they will be getting money back. “Their level of income is not high to begin with, so any amount of return is going to help them,” he said. How do they say they will they spend the money? Ben recalls that many talk about being behind in their bills, and that a return will help them catch up.

In his spare time, Ben plays senior softball, but gets a special satisfaction volunteering. His first introduction to BCOC was driving the food truck to various distribution sites. When he has free time, he seeks out other opportunities to help people, such as delivering Christmas gifts to BCOC client families or helping to distribute fresh fruits and vegetables through BCOC’s Fresh Connect program.

In addition to Foundations Community Partnerships, VITA is supported by the First National Bank & Trust Company of Newtown, the Bucks County Foundation, and the IRS.

Saving $150-200 on monthly expenses is a good thing for anyone; but for Jane, who participated in our Weatherization Program, that savings was the difference between living comfortably and the stress and discomfort of not being able to meet her monthly bills.

Jane bought a modest home in 2015 and was doing fine until a breast cancer diagnosis meant that she was not able to work as much during major surgeries and treatments. With less income, she was struggling to maintain her home. She kept the heat low to save money and put up with the drafts. “I was so tight on my bills that I would not have been able to keep the house,” Jane said.

Jane heard of BCOC’s weatherization program through her contacts at the Department of Welfare. She first applied for LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program), a federal low income energy assistance program that offers cash grants for fuel and crisis assistance for those with broken heaters, or facing electricity shut-off or a fuel shortage. That contact led her to BCOC’s weatherization program, a free program for eligible low-income Bucks County residents. Funding partners include the U.S. Department of Energy; U. S. Department of Health and Human Services; Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; and BCOC.

To be eligible for the Weatherization Program, clients must have earned less than 200% of the federal poverty level for the previous 12 months. For example, a single person making less than $24,980 is eligible; for a family of four, that income must be less than $51,500.

BCOC conducted an energy audit of Jane’s home to see what could be done to reduce her energy bills. Cost saving measures vary from home to home, but can include caulking windows, adding weatherization strips or insulation, tuning the heater, and replacing light bulbs with more energy efficient ones. In some cases, inefficient water heaters or refrigerators can be replaced through cooperation with PECO. The work on Jane’s home also included sealing up and insulating the attic, wrapping pipes, adding a bathroom fan, and attic ventilation.

Throughout the process, Jane was given educational materials that outlined ways to reduce energy use and therefore reduce costs. She also learned of the health benefits of air flow, ventilation to reduce mold, and the use of smoke detectors. “I am so thrilled with the results; life is comfortable again,” Jane said. Jane receives regular audits from PECO and is proud that her usage has gone down. “It has made me more energy conscious and the savings are unbelievable.”

“I am so grateful for the Opportunity Council and especially Chris and Owen,” she added. (Chris is the Senior Home Energy Auditor; Owen, a Home Energy Auditor.) “Chris and Owen explained everything, told me what would happen next, and followed-up to check the work. They are remarkable people who really care.”
Today, Jane’s cancer is in remission, and she is living comfortably in a home she can maintain– thanks to Chris and Owen, and the Bucks County Opportunity Council’s Weatherization Program.

A hand out. A term for the record, I would like to say is archaic and extraneous.
A passerby often looks onto the long row of pallets of fresh fruit and vegetables, clients holding shopping bags, and perceive to see a hand out before them. I hear all the time, “That’s great you are handing out free fruits and vegetables to those in need!” Defining Fresh Connect in those terms would be unfair because it has grown to be so much more.
The free mobile farmers market which started in April 2017 has hosted over 17,000 visits between its three site locations in Ottsville, Warminster, and Bristol. The program has distributed over 450,000 pounds of fresh produce to hungry neighbors in need in Bucks County.
As the site coordinator, I witnessed week after week a sense of community begin to form. Volunteers knowing clients’ names and stories by heart, clients coming early to talk to their neighbors in line, and photos of delectable dishes being shared amongst participants. The air of excitement is contagious when we arrive on site to see what the nutrionists will be providing a sample of, giving new ideas of what to do with the produce they will receive that day. Fresh Connect suddenly became more than a place to go to get free produce; it became a safe, open space for a community to come together, make new connections, and begin to thrive.
We recently asked clients, “Does Fresh Connect make a difference in your life?” Below are 6 stories of how Fresh Connect gave them a helping hand and provided opportunities for them to thrive.

Want to do more to help your hungry neighbors in need? There are two easy ways to embody the Fresh Connect spirit!

1. Volunteer at a Fresh Connect Location

Each site is always in need of 10-15 volunteers. Signing up to volunteer is as easy ask clicking the links below. However, we ask all volunteers to be at least 18 years old and comfortable lifting 30 pounds repeatedly.

Tuesdays in Warminster from 11:30 – 1:30
Thursdays in Ottsville from 10:30 – 12:30
Friday in Bristol from 11:30 – 1:30

2. Plan a Healthy Food Drive
November 10-18 is National Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week. Use the guidelines provided by Hunger Coalition of Bucks County to host your own healthy food drive. BCOC can help pair you to a pantry closest to you.

Amanda Musselman is Food Program Coordinator for Bucks County Opportunity Council. When not pursuing her passion of fighting food insecurity, she can be found hanging out with her pup in the great outdoors.

Fresh Connect Bucks County is a free farmers’ market bringing fresh, healthy food to our hungry neighbors in Bucks County. It returns to the same location on the same day at the same time each week, providing reliable and needed food to the 57,000 Bucks County residents facing hunger, 32% of whom are children. Fresh Connect is a collaboration of Bucks County Opportunity Council, Philabundance, Rolling Harvest Food Rescue and St. Mary Medical Center, with generous funding by United Way of Bucks County. For more information, visit: BCOC.org.

Three things move people out of poverty: a job that pays a living wage, education/training, and a trusting relationship of mutual respect. The approach of our Economic Self-sufficiency Program (ES), which incorporates these three factors, was recently reviewed by an independent consultant using data collected over the last 20 years.

The ES program grew out of our emergency services programs; we wanted to help people move out of poverty for good, not just cope and get by between emergencies. Since starting ES at BCOC, we have learned what it takes to move people from poverty to self-sufficiency. But we wanted to learn more about our graduates, and what is and isn’t working in our program, so we recently commissioned an outside review.

The ES program at BCOC works with motivated adults who have been living from crisis to crisis, paycheck to paycheck, and want support to strategize a better, long-term future story. We like to say “when they are ready to commit to the program, we are here to help.”

The assessment of our ES program was conducted by Don Dailey, Ph.D.  Dr. Dailey studied program evaluation at Vanderbilt University, was a Senior Research Scientist at the American Institutes for Research in Washington, D. C., and has taught college courses on community-based research, education policy, and poverty. Dr. Dailey analyzed data collected for over 20 years in our Client to Success (CTS) data base, interviewed ES coaches and graduates, and reviewed program related documents.

To date, 313 families have moved out of poverty through ES, and we will be celebrating additional graduates in October with a formal graduation ceremony.  A client “graduates” when he or she is employed; free of all subsidies (food stamps, cash assistance, housing subsidies); has a balanced household budget; resides in safe, affordable housing; has reliable transportation; a checking and savings account; an acceptable credit rating or approved Credit Repair Plan; health insurance coverage for all family members; completed their education/training program; and learned basic employment skills (for example, interviewing skills and resume preparation).

Key findings of Dr. Dailey’s assessment are:

• For 82% of our graduates, the path toward self-sufficiency included starting an education/training program.
• All graduates are employed. Many are trained for health care positions, such as RNs LPNs, CNAs, medical assistants; others pursue careers as customer service reps, information technology specialists, chefs, for example.
• Upon entering our ES program, clients’ average starting income was $11,099. Over the years of analysis, the exiting average income grew to $38,335. Remarkably, that exit income average grew to $46,322 for our 2016 graduates.
• The average length of time for graduates in the program is three years.
• The majority of ES graduates are single women with children. (464 children have benefitted from ES as their parents graduate and break the cycle of poverty, showing them a future story with more opportunities.) Other extended family have also benefitted and started their own path toward self-sufficiency, bringing the total people in households positively affected to 845.
• The majority of clients enter the program on welfare, that percentage growing to 77% in 2016. When they graduate, that number is 0%. (Being off subsidies is one of the requirements for graduation.)
• Most of the clients come to us because of an emergency, and it is not usual for clients to return again and again as new emergencies occur. But for those who commit to a long-term solution and graduate from the ES program, 83% leave poverty permanently. Only 17% need additional support over time.
• The community impact of the ES program is significant. For the 161 clients who entered the ES program with subsidies, there is a savings of approximately $75,000 over five years—the average time clients receive subsidies. This savings can be estimated at $12 million dollars over the course of the last 20 years.
• There is a 4.60 to 1 return on investment in ES.

Coaches who regularly meet one-on-one with each client play a critical role in a client’s success. They are experts at building a meaningful, trusting relationship that includes advising; connecting clients to resources, educational opportunities, jobs, and other agencies; advocating in an emergency to help the client remain stable; and encouraging them to stay the course.

In the conclusion of his report, Dr. Dailey stated that “there is evidence that when clients are motivated and helped with a structured set of support and resources as manifested through ES, lives are changed. People are moved out of poverty.”

We agree! We see lives changing every day. Our goal now is to grow this program to help more families in need in Bucks County.

To access Dr. Dailey’s full report, click bcoc ES Final Report 9-19-2018

This summer I had the incredible chance to intern with the Bucks County Opportunity Council as the Kid’s Lunch Box Coordinator. Since a young age, I have had a passion for fighting child hunger in America, immersing myself in numerous projects and volunteer activities to aid food insecurity within our community. The position was a perfect opportunity for me to learn and continue to serve.
It is hard to sum up a summer’s worth of experience in just a few paragraphs. My experience interning with BCOC was more than I could’ve imagined, and while I am sad to see it come to an end I am so grateful for everything that it has taught me.
As the Kid’s Lunch Box Coordinator, I learned the ins and outs of the BCOC Food Program. While my main job was distributing the kids’ lunches at each of the Fresh Connect sites and working to spread the word of the availability of the lunches, I had the chance to experience many of the other programs that BCOC and the Food Program offers. I was able to spend time at the Hope of the Harvest Garden at Delaware Valley University, distribute senior food boxes, and visit and help at pantries throughout Bucks County.

Throughout the summer I became more and more aware of the true value of our actions and the power of community, as I was continually amazed by all the hard work done by those at BCOC and the volunteers that lend their time to make a difference. As I met and interacted with many people throughout the community, from pantry managers to weekly volunteers, I was impressed with our local community members and their dedication to serving others.

While this summer was filled with many hot days at Fresh Connect and heavy lifting to build pallets at the county cooler, it was all worth it when I saw the smiles on the kids’ faces as I handed them their lunch boxes. I think the greatest thing about my summer was being able to be a part of something bigger than myself.

I am reminded of a story that I felt was very fitting with what I’ve been able to do and what I’ve learned this summer. It was called “The Starfish Story” and told of a little boy who was throwing washed up starfish back into the ocean when he was approached by a man. The man said that with hundreds of starfish on the miles of beaches there was no way that little boy could make a difference. The boy continued to throw the starfish back into the ocean and replied, “I made a difference to that one.”

I am reminded of the way in which our actions impact others. You never know how the smallest thing could make a difference in someone’s life, and I am thankful for my summer at BCOC that has allowed me to do just that.

Kate Klock is a senior at Pennsbury School.

As we celebrate a year of providing free, healthy food to those in need through our Fresh Connect Program, we are buoyed by the stories we hear from clients whose health has improved since the program began. We are not surprised. Eating healthy foods has health benefits for everyone, especially those living with compromised health. Often for those who are poor, fresh fruits and vegetables are not an option; they compromise their family’s health in some cases to pay rent or an electric bill, or purchase medicine.

Since last April, the Bucks County Opportunity Council, in partnership with Philabundance, St. Mary Medical Center, Rolling Harvest Food Rescue, and with generous funding from the United Way of Bucks County, has provided farm fresh foods each week at two sites in Bucks County: Bristol and Ottsville. Plans are underway to open a third site in Warminster in June.

Almost from the beginning last Spring, we heard stories from the people in line about how much better they were feeling, and how the healthy eating was the catalyst for other healthy behaviors, such as added exercise, especially walking. Lower blood pressure, a doctor’s approval to cut cholesterol medicine dosages, healthier joints, and generally feeling better were all reported.

A great deal of research has been devoted to the fact that children who are hungry find it difficult to concentrate and learn in school. Other studies show that those who do not have the proper balance of nutrients are more at risk of arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, stroke and certain cancers. People who lack reliable access to healthy food are responsible for $77.5 billion a year in excess health care expenditures nationally, according to a recent Washington Post article that drew a connection between a lack of nutritious foods and disease.

A total of 1,446 households have benefitted from the Fresh Connect Program this year: 1,283 children, 2,054 adults and 817 seniors. In total, over 198,500 pounds of free food was distributed. The program is possible because of the 162 volunteers who show up each week and have committed over 1,490 hours to the program to date. It is truly a community effort.

Fresh Connect has encouraged community as well– social capital. As they gather each week to pick up their food, neighbors share recipes and news of other resources in the neighborhood. Nutritionists from St. Mary Medical Center, Rolling Harvest and Doylestown Health provide samples of a healthy recipe using some of the ingredients that will be distributed that day.

There are 57,000 Bucks County residents who are hungry; 32% of them are children. In addition to our Fresh Connect locations, we coordinate distribution of food to over 60 locations in Bucks County where over 71,000 visits were recorded last year. In addition, BCOC delivers senior food boxes to 430 seniors every month.

To volunteer, find location details, or make a donation to support Fresh Connect, visit our website at www.bcoc.org.

According to a recent survey, more than half of Americans have less than $1,000 in savings in 2017[1]. Not being prepared for financial emergencies that come up can lead to high-interest credit-card debt, the trap of pay day lending or other unpleasant financial woes. Saving money for unexpected emergencies, as well as basic financial literacy skills, are crucial to economic self-sufficiency. However, making savings a priority when you can’t meet regular monthly expenses and basic needs is more than difficult.

The Bucks County Opportunity Council, the anti-poverty Community Action Agency for Bucks County, includes the principles of financial literacy in the framework of all of our programs as we empower our clients to take control of every facet of their lives, and understand that integral in every decision they make, there is a decision about finances. Financial Literacy refers to the set of skills and knowledge that allows an individual to make informed and effective decisions with all of their financial resources. Helping people increase their resources isn’t just about money; resources also needed for economic self-sufficiency include emotional, physical and health resources, hope and positive relationships. Key BCOC programs that incorporate financial literacy include the following.

VITA – Volunteer Income Tax Assistance

BCOC volunteers provide free, confidential, and secure tax return preparation for those in need of tax assistance. People with low-to-moderate incomes, seniors, and people with disabilities usually qualify for this free service.  Since BCOC began our VITA program in 2004, VITA volunteers have prepared more than 10,000 tax returns and generated refunds, credits, and preparation fee savings totaling $19 M for low and moderate income working families. Volunteers can also provide resources and information on how clients can use their refunds to pay off debt, and increase savings.

My Free Taxes

United Way and the IRS offer My Free Taxes, a free online software tax preparation service for any household that had an income of $66,000 or less in 2017. There is also a call center help line, so that you can call and speak with a tax preparer for assistance while preparing taxes.

“Getting Ahead in a Just Gettin’-By World”

Getting Ahead is a 12-week course for BCOC clients to help them as they journey toward economic self-sufficiency, by examining the impact that poverty has on their family and community. The curriculum helps clients study poverty and near poverty through the lens of economic class to better understand how our society and the economy work together. Curriculum includes the theory of change, causes of poverty, and the hidden rules of economic class. It also includes discussion of finances as they relate to resources, including income, assets, and net worth.

Economic Self-Sufficiency and the Match Savings Program

The goal of our Economic Self-Sufficiency Program is to empower low-income families with the education, skills and resources necessary to achieve and maintain economic self-sufficiency without any future need for cash welfare subsidies. Integral to the Economic Self Sufficiency Program is building savings. Partnering with QNB and BB&T Banks, BCOC clients can save money for asset purchases, such as home purchase or education costs, and it is matched $1 for $1 by the bank. Actively seeing savings grow is validation that new knowledge, skills and attitude really can make a difference.

Careerworks

Partnering with Penn Community Bank, BCOC clients have an opportunity for apprenticeships that include training, mentorships, motivation and support systems so participants can take on more skilled work, earning a better wage, improving self-image and experiencing success as a routine in life instead of a surprise.

Credit Counseling

Working with the Credit Counseling Center and Clarifi, BCOC clients have access to their credit reports, free one-on-one consultations, assistance with credit disputes, money management workshops, and budget preparation services.

BCOC is thankful for the support and partnership of many of our financial business neighbors:

  First National Bank of Newtown

Penn Community Bank

QNB Bank

Univest Bank

Inspire Federal Credit Union

BB & T

Key Bank

PNC

Clarifi

Several weeks ago, the Bucks County Opportunity Council, the anti-poverty organization in Bucks County and the Hunger Nutrition Coalition sponsored a “Morning Conversation” entitled, “White Bread, it’s What’s for Dinner.” “Morning Conversations” are a means for community members who have participated in Bridges training to continue the conversations about poverty, keeping them engaged and continuing our collective learning and relationship building. Over 30 volunteers and advocates from our Food Pantry Network attended this “Morning Conversation” about food insecurity.

The food insecurity rate in Bucks County is 9.2%, equating to 57,320 individuals that are food insecure and are likely ineligible for federal food assistance programs and thus dependent upon charitable food programs. (Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap)

Food insecurity as defined by the USDA is a “…lack of access to nutritious food that can sustain an active, healthy life for all household members.” Food insecurity often results in families needing to make “tradeoffs” between paying an important basic need and purchasing food. A 2014 state report for Pennsylvania indicates that 55% of client households have chosen between paying for food and paying their rent or mortgage at least once in the past 12 months. (Feeding America: Hunger in America 2014, State Report for Pennsylvania)

Food insecurity and the “tradeoffs” associated with it are all about survival. The three driving forces in poverty are survival, relationships and entertainment. Decision making in poverty is often related to these three driving forces.

As we examined the mental model of poverty, we emphasized that relationships play a primary role. People are important ~ people help us get by and get ahead. Key discussion points in “White Bread, it’s What’s for Dinner” included:

Food, required to survive and sustain life, and relationships seem to go hand in hand. The meal table is often the place where conversation begins and relationships are fostered. Eating and conversing are intimate, personal opportunities where trust and learning are the fruits of our efforts.

“No significant learning occurs without a significant relationship.” (Dr. James Comer)

How does the act of giving food, of providing another with a means to survive impact your work as a food pantry volunteer? Does it shift your thinking, change your approach?

Food is a conduit to relationship building, which in turn opens the door to the possibility of change. The conduit is unique and provides an opportunity for pantry volunteers to be the “first responders” in building bridges of hope and possibility!

I look forward to sitting with you at the table!
Tammy B. Schoonover, ACSW, LSW
Director of Community Services
Bucks County Opportunity Council