The Good and The Frustrating

PART ONE: THE GOOD

One nice thing about the montly reports we have to prepare for our supervisors (which seem to come around much more frequently than once a month...) is that they force me to look back and reflect on and evaluate what I've done over the past 30 days.

Here are some times I was happy to be doing what I'm doing.

1. One of the best things about my work as an Ohio Benefit Bank community trainer is the frequent opportunity to witness people coming together to help someone in need solve a problem.

I was recently sitting at the Ohio Benefit Bank table at a community resource fair in Toledo when a man approached a nearby table asking for help finding affordable eyewear.

Overhearing the conversation, a VISTA leader sitting next to me jumped in and offered a few low-cost options she had recently heard about. As the three continued to talk, other questions and issues arose, each of which could be addressed by other nearby VISTAs, who were able to explain a program offered by their site or point the man to another possible resource at the fair or in the community.

By the end of the conversation, the man had a handful of pamphlets, web sites to check out, phone numbers to call, answers to all his questions – and a grateful, relieved smile stretched across his face.

To me, this was a great illustration of how Americorps members are uniquely positioned on the ground as repositories of community resource information and willing and eager to put their heads together toward solving a need in the community.

2. A married couple came into a tax clinic in Paulding where I was working as a counselor. They had already filed their return with another service, but suspected it had been done incorrectly and wanted to check their return using The Benefit Bank. Their filed return had them getting a federal refund of about $1,000, but TBB figured the couple was owed a federal refund of about $6,000! They could not file their return with TBB because they had already filed, but we explained how to file an amended return by paper and they were thrilled and thankful.

3. At the same tax clinic in Paulding, I worked with a woman who had recently been divorced and was nervous about handling her own finances for the first time. Besides her tax return, we ended up filling out a food stamp application and a FAFSA as well before she left. She was very thankful for all the help and I think she walked away feeling relieved about getting her taxes out of the way and at least marginally more confident about her future.

4. I helped a client follow up with his HEAP application until he found out for sure he had been placed on the PIPP plan. Along the way, we also talked about food stamps. While at first resistant to the idea of applying (he said he’d been rejected in the past and didn’t think he’d be eligible), we eventually met to fill out an application and just see what would happen. OBB estimated that he should be eligible for about $100 in food stamps per month. He was surprised and is currently waiting for his JFS appointment letter.

PART TWO: THE FRUSTRATING

And then there are times when I just want to shake my head at people. Sometimes I wonder if they are just posturing as unconcerned and nonchalant, saving face a little for my benefit. Or maybe things aren't bad enough for them to change yet. But sometimes the things people say just make me wonder about their sense.

For example, the woman talking about her job search, frustrated because she just didn't have certain skills employers were looking for. Yet she alluded to job opportunities that would have had her starting work at, say, 8 am or working past 6pm, etc. Well. She wasn't about to do that.

Or the guy who had never heard back from Job and Family Services about his food stamp appllication, but told me he'd get around to calling them tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow. He just didn't feel like spending his day on hold. True, it can be a pain. But I know for a fact he doesn't work. If anyone has time to be on hold, it's him. What else does he have to do that's so pressing he can't be on hold for half an hour? A hold that could possibly lead to $100 in food stamps a month. Nothing.

The same guy can barely pay his utility costs. His house has drafts like a sieve. But he talks about blasting his AC this summer. Man he can't wait. Excuse me? You might just have to be a little warm, buddy.

I know life is about the small comforts. And I don't begrudge people that. But sometimes you just gotta suck it up.

Toledo Is...

Fellow VISTA Maureen and I went to a networking event last week in Toledo. An early evening, stand-around-with-drinks, schmoozy sort of event.

On our nametages, along with our names, we were asked to think of one word to finish the phrase "Toledo is ______".

Most people seemed to come up with a work immediately, but Mo and I just stood there staring blankly at our blank nametags. Finally, we started the phrase, writing "Toledo is" -- but then just stared at it some more.

I'm not sure why I had so much trouble coming up with a word. Maybe it's because I'm from here and it's just always BEEN here, around me, with no first impression recorded. Maybe it's because there are so MANY memories. But it's hard to sum up what Toledo is to me in ONE WORD.

Some examples we saw around the room as we mingled included: home, lively, quiet, cold, friendly, on the move.

Looking out the window where we stood by the sign-in table onto the rather dreary-looking gray downtown buildings as the sun began to set, I don't know that I would have any great love for this city if it wasn't home. But it is. So that's what it is.

Toledo is home...again.

Tax Flyering 101

After cutting my teeth co-planning Toledo's Ohio Benefit Bank fall regional meeting in November, I felt a lot more confident coming into tax season being asked to help plan and host several tax clinics.

Not that I didn't have more to learn.

Perhaps my biggest accomplishment this month has been learning to plan and host a tax clinic from the ground up, including picking a date, mapping a strategy, making a site visit, organizing volunteers, creating and posting flyers, sending out media releases, scheduling client appointments, setting up the site, handling client intake and working the clinic.

Flyering is an art-form in itself. Fellow VISTA Maureen and I have gotten a lot smarter since we started.

One of my favorite things to do is scope out all the H&R Blocks, Jackson Hewitts and Liberty Mutuals around town and hit all the businesses around them hard.

It's not too difficult to spot Liberty Mutuals thanks to their spiffy dancing Statues of Liberty. (I hope that gig pays well...it's gotta be embarrassing)

(Randomly Googled photo)

Often the businesses will already have stacks of flyers from one of the tax prep services, perhaps offering $30 off. But wait, here's mine, BAM! FREE! haha

Places with community bulletin boards, like certain librarys and laudromats and all Panera Breads, are the best thing ever.

Starting early is always an excellent idea. Fellow VISTA Maureen - organizer extroidinaire - has helped whip us into better shape on that front. We actually started flyering for our clinic tomorrow in early February. It was a good feeling to know we were early enough that it was actually worth stopping at churches, for example, and know there would actually still be a weekend service before the event.

In an attempt to be more efficient, I've also started dropping off other OBB info, especially a general 800-number tax flyer, along with the tax clinic flyer so they know this isn't a one-time service and see they have other options if someone can't make it to the event.

Good places to post flyers that create the most "bang for your buck" ie most potential for the greatest number of people seeing one flyer include libraries, apartment complexes, laudromats and daycares.

Another good trick if a business kind of balks at putting out your flyer to the public is to ask if they could put it in the back for their employees. Most will agree to at least that. And employees need to file taxes too, yo. Good deal.

Masquerading as a Michigander

While I wait for my car to be fixed, I have a rental.

With Michigan plates.

I'm masquerading as a Michigander.

But it drives nice. And smells new. (Although I lose my OWN car in parking lots, so I have to be very careful to remember where I park this one I don't recognize yet.)

Today is sunny and beautiful. And I'm off early. Life is good!