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Aaron Bartlett Ohio Benefit Bank Community Organizer AmeriCorps VISTA

Aaron Bartlett Ohio Benefit Bank Community Organizer AmeriCorps VISTA . Who is the Ohio Benefit Bank?.

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Aaron Bartlett Ohio Benefit Bank Community Organizer AmeriCorps VISTA

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  1. Aaron Bartlett Ohio Benefit Bank Community Organizer AmeriCorps VISTA

  2. Who is the Ohio Benefit Bank? The Ohio Benefit Bank (OBB) is implemented through a public-private partnership between the Ohio Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks, 9 state agencies and 4 federal agencies, and 1,133 faith-based and community organizations across Ohio.

  3. What is the Ohio Benefit Bank? The OBB is a free internet-based program that: Brings Low- and Moderate-Income Ohioans closer to stability and self-sufficiency Simplifies and centralizes the process of applying for many state and federal benefits and filing taxes Supports Ohio’s local and state economy

  4. Ohio’s Unclaimed Funds Nationally over $67.7 billion Federal dollars provided to help stabilize low-to-moderate income families go unclaimed each year,more than half of which are available through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). • In Ohio, more than $2.24 billion Federal dollars in tax credits and work support programs go unclaimed by Ohio citizens each year; 57% is unclaimed SNAP funding. • Unclaimed Federal dollars must be returned each year for re-allocation to other states or other Federal programs. • The Ohio Benefit Bank strives to assist Ohioans to access these unclaimed funds which in turn provide revenue for our local Ohio economies. *Sources for unclaimed fund data include: the USDA, the IRS, the Annie E Casey Foundation, the Kaiser Family Foundation, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. Census, statehealthfacts.org, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and finaid.org.

  5. What the OBB offers A potential eligibility indicator An application completion tool A free income tax assistance program An educational outreach program that helps raise awareness of available tax credits and work support programs

  6. Programs supports by the OBB 6  *e-submission

  7. Current results Results are current as of June 31, 2011. • To Date, The OBB has potentially returned to Ohioans more than $500 Million! This money goes directly to local economies through medical expenditures, food purchases, and a variety of areas through income tax refunds. • Currently the OBB has: • 3,799 trained counselors • 1,133 sites statewide • Assisted over 245,459 individuals within all households served.

  8. OBB potential impact for 1 family 8 Below are the estimated amounts for one adult with 2 children and an earned income of $15,600 a year (gross)*. This represents an individual earning $10 an hour for 30 hours a week. $ 5,028 in Earned Income Tax Credit $ 4,728per year in potential Food Assistance $ 175 per year in Home Energy Assistance = $9,931 potential income enhancement Adding healthcare such as Healthy Families or Healthy Start would drastically increase this amount. The Estimated Benefits and EITC Credit alone would provide a potential increase in annual income of more than 64%! *According to the recent statewide Ohio Hunger study by Mathematica Inc., the average annual income for households accessing the emergency food assistance network was $11,590. 75% of households had incomes below the federal poverty level.

  9. OBB site models 9

  10. OBB Counselor Assisted 10 • New Counselors attend a training, offered at many convenient locations. • The trained counselor can assist clients in preparing their application packages for state agencies who administer the work support programs, and also educate them on the application completion process. The application(s) may take 1-2 hours. • The program is question-guided and composed in simple, easy to understand language. • The program serves as the expert and calculates and/or evaluates with each answer you provide. Accurate responses are critical.

  11. OBB Self-Serve 11 • Clients use the software on their own vs. one-on-one with an OBB Counselor • Detailed reporting of client use at the site available • Less training needed to become a site

  12. OBB Self-Serve Tax Service 12 Anyone in Ohio with a household income of $60,000 or less can self-file their income taxes for free! Visit www.ohiobenefits.org. Click “Available Programs. Click “File Your Federal and State Application”. Students can also complete the FAFSA.

  13. OBB Pro • For agencies with staff that provide more extensive case management services to their clients. • Combines the traditional, easy-to-use Benefit Bank software with additional case management tools. • OBB Pro counselors are able to work on client applications without the client present. • OBB Pro counselors must be authorized representatives for all of their clients.

  14. How can I get involved? 14 • Become an OBB Site • Participate in a Pre-Training Orientation, sign an Organization Agreement and have staff or volunteers trained. • Complete Benefits and/or Tax Training • Training consists of 2 parts: • Online training at your own pace (max 1.5 hrs) and • In-person training (about 3 hours) offered regionally • Become a Volunteer • If you don’t currently have a site to work with, we can set you up with a site that could use your help by calling the OBB Hotline at 1.800.648.1176.

  15. How can I get involved? 15 Spread the word about The Ohio Benefit Bank You can help us to gain more volunteers and sites while helping people with critical needs to connect with help and hope Connect clients with The Ohio Benefit Bank Self-Serve Take advantage of our free marketing even if you are not an OBB site by calling the OBB hotline at 1-800-648-1176

  16. Tonya Bailey Ohio Benefit Bank NEO Regional Coordinator Ohio Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks

  17. Toni Brown-Harris Ohio Benefit Bank Sustainability Coordinator Community Action Council of Portage County

  18. Thank you very much! Let us answer your questions, please. Tonya Bailey Ohio Benefit Bank NEO Regional Coordinator Ohio Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks 350 Opportunity Parkway Akron, OH 44307-2234 Cell: 419-279-3520 Fax: 330-996-5337 tbailey@oashf.org Aaron Bartlett AmeriCorps VISTA Ohio Benefit Bank Community Organizer 350 Opportunity Parkway Akron, OH 44307-2234 Ph: 330-777-2303 Fax: 330-996-5337 abartlett@acrfb.org Toni Brown-Harris Ohio Benefit Bank Sustainability Coordinator Community Action Council of Portage County P.O. Box 917, 1036 W. Main St. Ravenna, OH 44266 Ph: 330-297-3461 Fax: 330-296-7805 tbrownharris@cacportage.net

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