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TCTC Works With Habitat for Humanity

Agency on Aging:
Ombudsman Program

The Long Term Care Ombudsman Program of Area Agency on Aging 11 launched an advocacy effort today to try to ensure that area residents who reside in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and adult group homes are able to benefit from the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008.
The Act specifically enables individuals (or spouses) with low income, and who may not have recently filed tax returns, to receive $300 in Economic Stimulus monies.
"All too often, when people move to a nursing home, they seem to be forgotten, except by their closest relatives", said John Saulitis, Area Agency on Aging Ombudsman Program Director. "The Agency on Aging wants to ensure that these people are not forgotten when it comes to the Economic Stimulus benefits".
"For most of the people living in nursing homes, the Medicaid Program is covering much of the cost of the nursing home stay. Those residents pay their entire monthly income, except for $40, as their share of the cost of the nursing home stay", said Brenda Burbick, Ombudsman Program Volunteer Coordinator. "However, residents receiving Social Security benefits, some Veterans benefits, and some Railroad Retirement benefits will very likely still be eligible for the $300 Economic Stimulus payment even if all of that income goes to the nursing home".
Low income individuals who may not have to file tax returns, and may not have filed tax returns for many years, are still eligible for the stimulus payment, but will have to file a tax return for 2007.
The Ombudsman Program has sent out a letter encouraging long term care facilities to actively assist their residents in filling out the necessary tax forms this year. The mailing also includes information from the IRS, the Ohio Department of Job & Family Services, and the National Council on Aging.
"We feel that the facilities should embark on a systematic, comprehensive effort to ensure that all eligible residents have a 2007 Tax Form filled out. They should go further than simply mentioning the Economic Stimulus Payments to family members", said Saulitis. "Weare afraid that simply leaving it up to others will result in many eligible residents being left out in the cold".
According to the IRS, residents would have until October 15, 2008 to file fire tax forms to receive the stimulus dollars.

Trumbull County Habitat for Humanity remains busy building and remodeling homes for deserving local families.  They have been working on two new houses on Plaza Street, behind the Elm Road Plaza in Howland Township for over a year now.  With the help of many dedicated volunteers from TCTC and the community, the houses will soon be finished, and the new owners will be moving in. 
One of the finishing touches recently completed was the installation of all electrical light fixtures.  Students in the TCTC Adult Training Center's Residential Wiring class took on this project as part of their training.  Students learned theory in class, practiced on the house in their lab, and then put this knowledge to work at the two new Habitat Homes.  There they installed a variety of new fixtures, including bathroom and ceiling fans. 
This not the first time TCTC Electrical students worked on these particular Habitat homes.  Last year, students from the Adult Residential Wiring Class as well as those from the high school's Electrical Technology Program, ran the wiring to the panels and throughout both homes. Also last school year, the TCTC High School Carpentry class built the framing for wall sections in lab, transported them to the homes, and erected them on site. 
The electrical wiring job recently completed is what Habitat for Humanity refers to as a "blitz."  During a work blitz, a group of volunteers show up on a specific day to complete a particular project.  Any community group can offer to work a "blitz."  In addition to the contributions made by their regular volunteers, blitzes and the groups who perform them are an important part of the overall success of our local Habitat for Humanity.
The Trumbull Career & Technical Center is proud of its relationship with Habitat for Humanity, and many instructors in both the high school and adult construction appreciate the real-life hands-on experience working with Habitat for Humanity provides their students.  For both the school and Habitat, the relationship is a real win-win.
These two particular homes are almost complete, but additional help is needed.  Anyone interested in learning more about volunteer opportunities with Habitat for Humanity is asked to call Habitat for Humanity at 330-395-1524.  Learn how you can join the high school and adult students at TCTC make the dream of home ownership a reality for a deserving area family.

Michael Jones installs a ceiling fixture as fellow students (l to r) Melinda Conley and Melinda Pavkovick assist.

TCTC Adult Education student, Brett Mitchell, prepares to install a ceiling fixture in one of the bedrooms in the Habitat home.

Building Maintenance / Construction Trades student, James English, unpacks a chandelier for installation in the new house.