Bringing you News that Counts
Bringing you News that Counts
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February 11, 2008
IN THIS ISSUE · Prosperity Campaign Kicks Off in Palm Beach County · Palm Beach County Employees Are Learning Leadership Skills · New Director Takes Over Office of Financial Management & Budget · 2-1-1 Phone Service Helps Residents in Need · America Saves Week: Build Wealth Not Debt
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Prosperity Campaign Kicks Off in Palm Beach County The Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners has teamed up with the United Way of Palm Beach County and the Internal Revenue Service to launch the Prosperity Campaign to help residents move toward greater economic stability, higher earnings and homeownership. The Prosperity Campaign has two elements: Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites and prosperity centers.
Through VITA, residents who earn $40,000 or less can get their taxes prepared and filed for free and receive the Earned Income Tax Credits (EITC) they deserve. These are credits many residents are entitled to, but do not know about. Four years ago, $12 million worth of earned income tax credits went unclaimed by Palm Beach County residents. Last year, United Way helped Palm Beach County residents claim $5.6 million in earned income tax credits.
VITA sites are staffed by volunteers who are trained and certified by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Last year, more than 10,127 residents had their taxes filed at VITA sites.
Prosperity centers are phase two of United Way of Palm Beach County’s successful Prosperity Campaign. Prosperity centers offer Palm Beach County’s low-income residents a one-stop source of services, including a matched-savings program for homeownership, help in resolving credit issues, money management assistance, benefits assistance, education and job assistance, plus free income tax filing services. Prosperity centers first opened in Palm Beach County in October 2004. United Way's four centers are located in Belle Glade, Delray Beac h, Pahokee, and West Palm Beach. For more information on the Prosperity Campaign and its programs, please call (561) 375-6600.
Palm Beach County Employees Are Learning Leadership Skills
The Human Resources Department has launched the first Leadership Level I training class where employees are learning how to excel as leaders in the workplace. Training & Organizational Development Coordinator Davette LaBay is leading the class. Students in the class have been paired up with other county employees who will serve as mentors and guide them through the course.
At a recent orientation, the students who attended represented a variety of county departments, including Water Utilities, Parks and Recreation, Public Safety, Library, Risk Management, Information Systems Services and Environmental Resources Management. The class includes 30 hours of class time, quarterly reading assignments and an outside project. Students are expected to graduate in February 2009.
New Director Takes Over Office of Financial Management & Budget
The Office of Financial Management & Budget is under new leadership following the recent retirement of former Director Richard Roberts.
Roberts has been replaced by the department’s former Budget Division Director Liz Bloeser while former Assistant Budget Director Joe Doucette has assumed Bloeser’s position.
Bloeser, who has served the county for the past 22 years, said she is excited about tackling her new role.
“This is a realization of a dream,” Bloeser said. “I’ve reached the top of my profession and I’m thrilled.” The Office of Financial Management & Budget consists of three divisions including Budget, Financial Management and Contract Development & Control.
Bloeser said she is looking forward to working with other department heads in preparing the 2009 budget. “I’ve had long-standing
relationships with so many of them,” she said. “I’m looking forward to the
challenge.” 2-1-1 Service Helps Residents in Need
The three-digit call links Palm Beach County residents to a team of specially trained staffers who assist callers with information and referral services, crisis counseling, and suicide intervention. The hotline is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
The free service collects and maintains information on community health and human services and makes this information available via its hotlines, helplines, printed directories, and on the web. People call 2-1-1 for many reasons. Some just need a phone number to a community program, while others call because they need to talk over a problem. Callers can be single parents trying to make it on their own, adult children concerned about their aging parents, elderly adults trying to retain their independence or teens struggling with adolescence
Faith Martin, director of the county’s Division of Senior Services, said the 2-1-1 service is especially important to the senior population, since it’s an easy number to remember. 2-1-1 staff members can connect the caller to more than 4,000 services in the community, she said.
“It’s a really good system for the county and especially the senior services community,” Martin said. “[2-1-1] really tries to be the gatekeeper for human services for seniors. It’s very important because many times it’s difficult for seniors to remember a number. This is just one number they have to call.” In July 2000, the Federal Communications Commission designated 2-1-1 nationally to serve as the abbreviated dialing code for access to community information and referral services. Effective February 11, 2002 the Center for Information & Crisis Services implemented 2-1-1 service for Palm Beach County, and by January 1, 2003 the residents of Martin, St. Lucie, Okeechobee and Indian River counties also could dial 2-1-1 and receive information, referral, telephone counseling and crisis intervention services.
All of the nominations will be reviewed and the most worthy person will be selected for the award. The honoree will be recognized before the Board of County Commissioners for a special presentation.
Nomination forms are available at the Animal Care and Control shelter, 7100 Belvedere Road in West Palm Beach, or from the Web site: www.pbcgov.com/pubsafety/animal. If you would like a form mailed to your home, please call (561) 233-1280. Forms must be returned to Animal Care and Control by the deadline of Saturday, March 15, 2008.
America Saves Week: Build Wealth Not Debt
Feb. 24 to March 02, 2008 is America Saves Week. The Cooperative Extension Service in collaboration with local banks and credit unions will launch “Palm Beach County Saves” on Thursday, Feb. 28, 2008. This free event will promote positive financial actions such as saving, credit/debt management and wise use of financial institutions. It will be from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Extension office, located at 559 North Military Trail, West Palm Beach. To register, call (561) 233-1742. For more information on the Extension’s Family and Consumer Sciences programs, visit http://pbcgov.com/coopext/facs.
· Before there were restaurants in Florida, natives had only one menu to choose from – the wild plant menu! See which plants were used for diet staples as you take a leisurely walk through the woods during the Edible Plant Walk at Okeeheelee Nature Center. The free event will be held on Saturday, February 9 at 10:00 for kids ages 7 and older. Reservations are required. Okeeheelee Nature Center is operated by the Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation Department and is located in Okeeheelee Park at 7715 Forest Hill Blvd. in West Palm Beach. Log on to www.pbcparks.com/nature for more information.
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