Bon Secours Community Works Financial Services Program
Bon Secours Community Works provides drop off and pick tax preparation services. Provides free filing for Federal and State, $25 for Earned Income Credit eligible. Do provide services to file back taxes, a free consultation and the fee is based on the number of years that need to be filed.
Provide services around budgeting, debt repair and credit counseling, earned benefit screening, and help clients submit their applications to receive benefits.
Try to be a one stop shop to provide all financial resources in one place.
Financial coaching and counseling sessions and provide one on one consultations and provide information about how to acheive goals and aspirations. All services except for the taxes are free, and there is no zip code requirement.
Schedules are available on social media.
There is a workshop offered on March 13th for the Maryland 529 college savings account. There are state contributions provided each year through the Save4College program. (This is income limited, but the family income limits are quite high). Each year the state will provide $500 or $250 if a family makes a $25 or $100 contribution. The program begins each year in January and have to re-apply each year.
If they need to refer to other programs they support the client being referred.
To refer: call 410-801-5100 and let them know that you are interested in financial services.
Don’t have funds to provide utility support, if they have turn off notice they have to be sent to the CAP Center (community action partnership center).
Evicition prevention funds are also controlled by the city, limited.
Do work with some advocacy organizations for systems change.
Workforce Development Committee
Southwest Partnership workforce indicator to support a goal of improving the quality of life and access to economic opportunity for current residents is for everyone who is able and willing to work to make a living wage.
Announcements
Bon Secours Community Works is providing nursing assistant training (CNA/GNA), have to be 18 years old but no age limit, free training provided.
Each year they have 5 cohorts a year, and there are 25 participants in each cohort. The program is either 6-8 weeks M-F 9-3. Students are provided with Bon Secours wrap around services, including financial education. The next cohort will start in April.
Southwest Partnership Community Referral Program now offers on site interviews each month. For each of these sessions Bon Secours has provided most of the participants, and all of their referred individuals have gotten multiple offers and there’s very strong/positive feedback that Bon Secours and community partners in general have gotten for their candidates because of the support. Next on site interviews is March 25th for clerical positions.
Olivia will talk to Goodwill about getting re-engaged in Southwest Baltimore.
UMMC looking to pipeline in 100 students from West Baltimore to apply for Youthworks
Joanne will bring legislative priorities to next meeting.
ByteBack focuses on adult computer literacy focus on computer literacy. New to Baltimore, doing outreach to partner with other organizations. Courses are free and offered all over the city, will identify locations in Southwest Baltimore who could classes. Have laptops available.
Back on My Feet turns 11 next month. Have had immenses success with Per-scholas, a 15 week IT training program with no age limit, have a pipeline into TechSystems. Interested in presenting an being involved. Elizabeth will follow up with Zoe on bringing them to the workforce roundtable.
NPower–free IT training program and paid internships for ages 18-25 just started 8th cohort. Located in SWP area, recently hired a new Executive Director (Kendra Parlock). Next NPower cohort will start in July, UMB/Southwest Works/UMMC would love to do an information session.
UMMC also has supported employment programs.
UMB: new Community Engagement Center Director Tyrone Roper has a lot of experience in behavioral health and criminal justice. Working on more outreach to men, on track to open new center in June of 2020. New center is at 16 S Poppleton St, will be able to host some dedicated training programs.
