Our Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program is up & running! The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program offers free tax help to low- to moderate-income individuals and families. IRS-certified volunteers provide free basic income tax return preparation with electronic filing for qualified individuals. We can complete up to three years of past returns. If you have multiple years of tax returns that need to be completed, please make an appointment for each year. Please arrive at your appointment with all the documents that are needed to complete your tax return. If you do not have all your documents, you will be asked to make another appointment.

Please visit https://uwbb.org/vita/ for up-to-date locations and times.

During the last tax season in Spring of 2023, 1,910 tax returns were completed and saved taxpayers $382,000 dollars in tax preparation fees. By having this program for our neighbors, $2,314,372 dollars in refunds were given back to neighbors in our community.

For this tax season, there are ten participating VITA sites including sites in Wakulla and Franklin Counties. Sites will be open through April14^th. Make your appointment today!

As part of an ongoing commitment to advancing education and early learning, United Way of the Big Bend in partnership with the Florida Center for Reading Research at Florida State University held the first annual Literacy Forum on January 23, 2024, from 8:00 am to 10:00 am at the Florida State Conference Center located at 555 W. Pensacola Street in Tallahassee.

The Literacy Forum fostered a robust dialogue on the critical importance of literacy in early childhood development and education. Esteemed panelists -- leading experts in their respective fields, shared their insights, experiences, and strategies to enhance literacy among young learners.

Darrick D. McGhee, Sr., Chief Operating Officer at Johnson & Blanton, LLC, and the Chief Operating Officer for the Florida Commission on Human Relations, Founding Pastor of Bible Based Church, Tallahassee moderated the statewide panel, and Sally Bradshaw, Founder & Owner of Midtown Reader and member of the UWBB Board of Directors, moderated the local panel of experts. Panelists included:

·     Dr. Nicole Patton-Terry, Director of the Florida Center for Reading Research (FCRR) and Professor of Reading Education, Olive & Manuel Bordas Professor of Education in the School of Teacher Education, and Director of the Regional Educational Lab – Southeast at Florida State University

• Dr. Holly Lane, Director of the University of Florida Literacy Institute (UFLI) and Associate Professor of Special Education, Irving and Rose Fine Endowed Professor of Education and Director of the James Patterson Literacy Challenge

• Cari Miller, Florida Department of Education Chancellor of the Division of Early Learning

• Dr. Michelle Gayle, Deputy Superintendent of Professional, Intervention, and Community Services, Leon County Schools

• Dr. Shaunte Duggins, Associate Director of New Worlds Reading Initiative at the Lastinger Center for Learning at University of Florida

• Pamela Moore, Library Director at LeRoy Collins Leon County Public Library

• Dr. Maria Pouncey, Administrator of Instructional Services of the Panhandle Area Education Consortium

The event featured engaging discussions and thought-provoking conversations exploring innovative approaches to nurturing literacy skills, discussing challenges, and highlighting best practices in early childhood education.

“We know that acquiring strong literacy skills forms the cornerstone of a child’s successful educational journey, which is why UWBB has provided literacy support to struggling readers for more than a decade though our ReadingPals program. But there is always new information about trends and best practices in the field. The Literacy Forum provides a unique opportunity for educators, parents, and stakeholders to come together and learn from the experts,” said Berneice Cox, President and CEO of United Way of the Big Bend. “FCRR is pleased to partner with UWBB to welcome our community into our ongoing conversations about how best to ensure that all children are reading and succeeding in schools. Everyone in the community has a role to play in achieving that goal and we hope that we can continue to do it together,” said Nicole Patton Terry, Director of FCRR and reading education faculty at Florida State University.

The Literacy Forum was the second in a series forums hosted by United Way of the Big Bend focusing on our five outcome areas of Housing, Early Learning, Health & Mental Health, Skills Development, and Safety Net.



^{UPDATE ON DISASTER RELIEF – AFTER THE STORM}

In a powerful demonstration of community collaboration, Second Harvest of the Big Bend and United Way of the Big Bend announced a strategic partnership to address the pressing issue of food insecurity in our region. This partnership conducted three significant food distributions during January, specifically targeting areas in need left in the wake of Hurricane Idalia’s impact in these communities.

The distribution events were as follows:

1)    January 19^th -- Jefferson County Food Distribution; Public Library at 375 S. Water Street, in Monticello

2)    January 24^th-- Madison County Food Distribution; Madison County Agricultural Center, 182 College Loop, in Madison

3)    January 30^th -- Taylor County Food Distribution, West Frasier Mill, 1509 S Byron Butler Pkwy, in Perry



The need for assistance in these communities is substantial, with many families struggling to access basic necessities, especially during these challenging times. The organizations recognize the urgency of the situation and mobilized their resources to ensure that no one goes hungry.

Both Second Harvest of the Big Bend and United Way of the Big Bend have a longstanding history of working together to address issues of poverty and hunger in their region. Their collaborative efforts have proven to be instrumental in creating sustainable solutions and providing essential support to those in need.