HUD News. Bush administration announces $3 million to support homeless programs in Alaska. 20 housing and service programs to benefit from HUD funding. (Click here for more information.)
STATE OF ALASKA, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES. Prevention and Early Intervention Services eNotes for January and Febraury 2008. Courtesy of L. Diane Casto. Click here to download newsletter.
June Events 2008
Important Community Information
The Anchorage School District is participating in the Summer Food Service Program sponsored by the USDA. The program will provide meals to all children free of charge. The program is open to all summer school and neighborhood children age 18 and younger. Meals will be provided weekdays from June 9 - July 18 at the following sites on a first come, first served basis: For more information including locations, please see ASD's website: http://www.asdk12.org/menus/frp.asp
Free training is is being offered by the State of Alaska-Department of Health and Social Services, Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives in partnership with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This free training is geared towards service providers, specifically individuals who are currently managing programs or those who are thinking about starting their own non-profit organization. The training has limited slots and we are encouraging you to register asap.  The deadline for registration is May 20th. To register, or for more information, please contact: Denice DeOliveira at 301-589-3955 (ext 134) or email Denice at ddeoliveira@dbconsultinggroup.com or contact Rashaad Houston 301.589.3955 ext. 140 at rhouston@dbconsultinggroup.com.
Volunteers of America is offering a three day pro-active drug & alcohol prevention course for middle and high school students. June 3,4,5 at the Voluneers of America office. Click here for more information.
Paint the Town! As you are all working to help others, please keep in mind that we are looking for homes to paint free of charge in the community for our Paint The Town week of June 7 –June 14.  Homeowners can nominate themselves or someone can talk to them to see if they would like to participate.  We do the rest. Please contact Lori Nealley at 677-8409 or lnealley@akanhs.org if you know of someone in need who we can help.  Click here for more information. Click here for a nomination form.
Parenting classes being offered at the Grandview Baptist Church by Practical Postive Parenting and the Alaska Christian Ministries Association. Featured speaker: Linda King. Various dates in June available. Click here for more information.
Alaska Immigration Justice Project - Click here to download March Newsletter
Wireless Lifeline Program. Access Wireless has offered the Wireless Lifeline program to eligible customers around the state of Alaska for almost 5 years now. Click here for more information.
Volunteers needed to help staff Catholic Social Services' "Baby Boutique"
Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:00 a.m. --3:00 p.m. Our Boutique offers free maternity wear and baby clothing and supplies for expecting women and women with babies up to 24 months old. Volunteers needed for two-hour increments. Located at 3721 East 20th Avenue. Please contact Melissa at 222-7344 or mbartley@cssalaska.org to sign up! Click here for more information about the program.
Links to legislation and budget information from the session that just ended.
"I attended the Regional Conversation on Health Disparities and wanted you to have an update, so I am sharing Stephanie Wheeler’s (Director of Office of FBCI) excellent recap with you, with her permission. (Click here to download the recap)

"A big revelation for me was to learn that at the federal level, funding that communities could better use can only be awarded to academic institutions with astronomical admin fees! One of the recommendations that came forward was to redirect those funds to community organizations who can use the funds for more relevant purposes and less for admin. The workgroup I was in suggested giving Community Health Centers the same authority as Epidemiology Centers. There are some very key entitlements with that designation of which I was unaware.
 
"I spoke with Joan Fisher and Regan Mattingly about better legislative advocacy for our community health centers based on the number of minority patients they serve. Our advocacy last legislative session centered primarily on the Medicare population and general low-income uninsured population.  In speaking with Joan, director of Neighborhood Health, she confirmed that a significant number of those are minorities. Thankfully the funding for CHCs was not vetoed as we were advised they might be.
 
"The conference was intense and we worked to identify strategies, actions and outcomes. We will be receiving the captured results of our work.  I feel we need to better partner with the Office of Minority Health and the results of the conference will hopefully help move us in that direction." -Brenda Moore, Director Community Relations for CHA

Foundations of Disaster Mental Health, a full-day course, will be offered Friday June 6.
Psychological First Aid, a half-day course, will be offered Saturday, June 7. Information about training opportunities is included in the newsletter along with updated information about Disaster Registry for Vulnerable Persons. (Click here to download the newsletter.)
Although the main tax season is over, many people may realize that they should have filed in order to receive the Economic Stimulus Payment.  In order to receive the payment this year, a tax return must be filed by October 15, 2008.

People with enough income to result in tax, or people who had at least $3,000 of earned income, Social Security retirement or disability, or VA disability payments will qualify for an Economic Stimulus Payment and should be sure to file before October.  Taxpayers who are working, but not making very much money, may also be eligible for the Earned Income Credit.

There are still volunteers around Alaska who are available to help prepare and e-file basic tax returns for free. For people who have questions about the Economic Stimulus Payment, the IRS has added a special toll-free number  -- 1-866-234-2942. (Click here for more information)