Stay Up to Date with Vehicle Safety Recalls

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration's (NHTSA) VIN Look-Up tool allows car owners a quick method of looking for important vehicle recalls to keep you and others safe. Please go to

http://www.safercar.gov/checkforrecalls

to learn more.

Cut Cable/Satellite TV Costs

Many people who have internet service save money by watching their favorite TV channels free on their website. Some even connect their computers to a newer TV to serve as their monitor. Also the YouTube.com website also offers may free tutorials on many interesting topic and "How To" features to allow you to gain valueable skills and knowledge.

Local AARP

The AARP Fredericksburg Chapter
Meets the First Tuesday of Each Month at 10:00 a.m.
For more information, please visit http://aarp3396.org/

FREE Telephone and FCC Certified Telephone

Captioning Service for Hearing Impaired Individuals

Did you know that you, a friend, or relative with hearing loss or impairment may possibly qualify for a FREE FCC-certified telephone captioning service provider and telephone?

The requirements to qualify for this service, the individual must have:

Medically qualified hearing loss necessitating your use of the service
High-speed Internet connection
(Standard phone connection) Landline home phone service

For more information, please either call 877-557-227 or visit

Volunteer to Tutor Local Children in Need!

Experience Corps, for example, which is sponsored in part by AARP, trains older people to tutor kids in 20 cities across the country.

(Contact them at experiencecorps.org; 202-434-6400.)

Learn Paid and Volunteer Skills

Encore.org offers a road map to paid as well as volunteer opportunities such as teaching business skills to low-income people or planting community gardens.

(Find them at encore.org; 415-430-0141.)

Serve as a Mentor to Organizations in Need

Senior Corps is a government organization that connects older people with local and national organizations in need of volunteers.

(Find out more at nationalservice.gov/programs/senior-corps.)

The IRS is warning about tax scams to watch for ...

ALERT: New Tax Scam Warning from IRS
http://www.emergencyemail.org/newsemergency/anmviewer.asp?a=5479&z=62

Top 10 Scams from the IRS for Tax Season
http://www.emergencyemail.org/newsemergency/anmviewer.asp?a=5483&z=62

Please remain alert and protect your personal information!!!

Explore the World with Road Scholar

Educational Travel Since 1975

Road Scholar (formerly known as Elderhostel), the not-for-profit leader in educational travel since 1975, offers 5,500 educational tours in all 50 states and 150 countries. Alongside local and renowned experts, experience in-depth and behind-the-scenes learning opportunities, from cultural tours and study cruises to walking, biking and more.

Scholarships for Those in Financial Need
Each year, Road Scholar awards $250,000 in scholarships toward programs in North America for those who do not have the financial means to participate.

Learn More About Road Scholar by going to http://www.roadscholar.org/about/history.asp

Virginians Age 60 & Older

May Take College Courses with Free Tuition

(Senior Citizens Higher Education Act)

Did you know that Section §23-38.56 of the Code of Virginia (also known as the Senior Citizens Higher Education Act) states that Virginians age 60 and older may take college courses without paying tuition? Older citizens may register for and enroll in courses in any state institution of higher education (subject to the admission requirements of the institution) as a full-time or part-time student for academic credit if their federal taxable income does not exceed $15,000 per year. The State Council of Higher Eduction (SCHEV) has details of the Senior Citizen Tuition Waiver. These details may be found at http://www.schev.edu/adminfaculty/regsSeniorCitizenTuitionWaiver.pdf

Virginians age 60 and older, regardless of income, may register for and audit courses in any Virginia institution of higher education. Students may have to pay for course materials and laboratory fees. For more information, contact the admissions office of the state college or university nearest you. SCHEV offers a listing of state colleges and universities at http://www.schev.edu/Students/collegeListAlpha.asp

Health Insurance Opportunity

If you know someone who is uninsured or underinsured, someone who works for or owns a small business, or someone who simply wants to know what other health insurance options are out there, the Marketplace on www.HealthCare.gov offers options for coverage with financial assistance.

Health insurance provides peace of mind. Before the Marketplace, many people could not afford to get the health care they needed. Now financial help is available, families do not have to be at risk of bankruptcy due to medical expenses. If everyone tells just one friend or family member about the Marketplace, we’ll be taking steps to achieve our strategic goal of a Healthier America. The Health Insurance Marketplace established under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) does not affect the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program.

So the bottom line is this. If you have friends or family who are uninsured, tell them to www.HealthCare.gov or www.CuidadoDeSalud.gov, the Spanish version of the site.

Ways to Make Dental Care More Affordable, Especially for Seniors

Since Medicare do not cover routine dental care. Therefore unless you purchase a dental policy or have extra money to cover dental care you may want to consider contacting a dental college because many office discounted exams and care through well-supervised dental students. Also visit tooth wisdom.org/care or dental lifeline.org/our-state-programs for free or inexpensive clinics by state and city.

Adoption is a Family Matter!

Virginia One Church- One Child advocates the recruitment of African-American families for Adoption Grants. Please contact for Sis. Charlene White at (804) 440-5090 if interested in participating or go to their website: www.vaonechurchonechild.org. Presently, there are approximately 1,362 Afro-American, children who are awaiting placement with wholesome families in Virginia. Parents (through adoption) are desperately needed ASAP.

I AM A 21st CENTURY LEADER PROGRAM PROVIDES TUTORING & LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

AN INNOVATIVE, PEPRSONALIZED LEARNING, & YOUTH LEADERSHIP PROGRAM

FOCUSING ON MATH, LANGUAGE ARTS, ENGLISH, SOCIAL STUDIES, SCIENCE, WORLD LANGUAGES, SOL, SAT/ACT/ASVAB,

& GED PREPARATION

www.empoweringthepoor.org

MISSION: I Am a 21st Centure Leader Program is a program sponsored by Empowering the Poor, a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering poor communities to self-reliance through education, healthcare, and micro loans programs in the United States and around the world. The mission of the I Am a 21st Century Leader Program is to enhance the academic achievement and leadership skills of all students attending the local 1st through 12th grades by providing special emphasis on empowering economically disadvantaged students and their parents to become accountable for learning and long-term academic successes by matching students, parents with caring teachers to:

Remediate academic gaps and help student to master concepts taught at their current grade levels;
Teach independent study skills and test-taking strategies;
Provide assistance with homework completion;
Increase the literacy skills of students with limited English proficiency; and
Prepare students to pass the SOLS, SAT/ACT. ASVAB, and GED tests.

The program's aim is "to help students understand what is means and takes to become a leader in today's 21st century global village, while promoting perssonal and community responsibility." The leadership aspect of the program's audience is limited to 9th - 12th grade students and provides leadership activities that inlcude local and global service-learning projects, field trips, college tours, etc.

To seek assistance, obtain more information, or donate to this very worthwhile program, please contact Darius Coulibaly, Program Founder & Chief Executive Servant at coulibaly@empoweringthepoor.org.

To donate to this very worthwhile cause, you may donate online at www.empoweringthepoor.org or mail your tax-deductible donation to:

EMPOWERING THE POOR

P O BOX 42031

FREDERICKSBURG VA 22404

myRA (my Retirement Account

myRA (my Retirement Account) is a new retirement savings program that helps you take control over your future introduced by the Obama administration. myRA is a simple, safe and affordable retirement account created by the United States Department of the Treasury for the millions of Americans who face barriers to saving for retirement. It is designed as a new retirement savings option that makes it easy for you to participate, with no minimums, fees or risky investments.

Learn more by visiting: https://myra.gov

Questions?

· Contact the United States Treasury about myRA

· Website: https://myra.gov/

· Email: myra@treasury.gov.

· Phone: 855-406-6972

· TTY/TDD: 855-408-6972

· International: 1-414-365-9616

TAX RELIEF FOR SPOTSYLVANIA SENIORS

Spotsylvania County provides an exemption of taxes on real property for the elderly and/or totally disabled persons.

GENERAL INFORMATION If you are disabled, one letter from Social Security or one letter from two separate doctors has to be provided at the time of application stating the total disability and the date the applicant was declared disabled. The disability date has to be before January 1 of the tax year. The disability statements only need to be provided if you are a first time applicant and are not over sixty-five (65) years old. The exemption is for the dwelling and up to one (1) acre of land. Applicants are required to own and occupy the property currently and before January 1 of the current tax year for which the exemption is applied. An exemption may be given for the prior tax year if the applicant meets the qualifications and an application is submitted before the March 1 deadline anniversary date. The prior year gross income and net worth totals are used to determine if the applicant qualifies. A maximum amount of up to $1,200 in taxes may be exempted.

The exemption is granted on an annual basis and a renewal application has to be filed each year.

1) All information on the application is confidential and not open to public inspection.

2) Current exempted taxes are due upon the sale of the exempted property and/or death of the applicant if there is no surviving qualifying co-applicant, or if the applicant(s) no longer resides on the exempted property for any reasons other than occupying a nursing home/hospital.

ELIGIBILITY:

Age 65 years or older or totally disabled before January 1st
Income of $50,000 or less
Net worth less than $200,000 (excluding home and up to 10 acres)
Reside in Spotsylvania County at the exempted home

Application forms are available at: http://www.spotsylvania.va.us/cor/realestate/taxrelief

Help Stop Diabetes!

You can prevent or delay type 2 diabetes. Stay at a healthy weight, eat well and be active. With these steps, you can stay healthier longer and lower your risk of diabetes. - See more by clicking the button below:

SNAP Special Rules for the Elderly or Disabled

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

A federally-funded program administered locally by the county or the state that enables low-income households to obtain an electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card, similar to a bank debit card, which can be used in most grocery stores to purchase food.

Most SNAP rules apply to all households, but there are a few special rules for households that contain an elderly or disabled member.

Who is Elderly?

A person is elderly if he or she is 60 years of age or older.

Who is Disabled?

Generally, a person is considered to be disabled for SNAP purposes if he or she:

Receives Federal disability or blindness payments under the Social Security Act, including Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security disability or blindness payments; or
Receives State disability or blindness payments based on SSI rules; or
Receives a disability retirement benefit from a governmental agency because of a disability considered permanent under the Social Security Act; or
Receives an annuity under the Railroad Retirement Act and is eligible for Medicare or is considered to be disabled based on the SSI rules; or
Is a veteran who is totally disabled, permanently housebound, or in need of regular aid and attendance; or
Is a surviving spouse or child of a veteran who is receiving VA benefits and is considered to be permanently disabled.

How do I Get SNAP benefits?

SNAP Special Rules for the Elderly or Disabled

Most SNAP rules apply to all households, but there are a few special rules for households that contain an elderly or disabled member.

Who is Elderly?

A person is elderly if he or she is 60 years of age or older.

Who is Disabled?

Generally, a person is considered to be disabled for SNAP purposes if he or she:

Receives Federal disability or blindness payments under the Social Security Act, including Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security disability or blindness payments; or
Receives State disability or blindness payments based on SSI rules; or
Receives a disability retirement benefit from a governmental agency because of a disability considered permanent under the Social Security Act; or
Receives an annuity under the Railroad Retirement Act and is eligible for Medicare or is considered to be disabled based on the SSI rules; or
Is a veteran who is totally disabled, permanently housebound, or in need of regular aid and attendance; or
Is a surviving spouse or child of a veteran who is receiving VA benefits and is considered to be permanently disabled.

How do I Get SNAP benefits?

CONTACT: Spotsylvania County Department of Social Services

9019 Old Battlefield Boulevard, 2nd Floor, 2nd Floor, P.O. Box 249, Spotsylvania, VA 22553

See map: Google Maps

Main: (540) 507-7898
Fax: (540) 507-7807

Virginia Energy Assistance Program

With winter approaching, we encourage individuals who need financial assistance with utility bills to apply now for the Virginia Energy Assistance Program.

Eligible customers can apply at local Virginia Department of Social Services offices based on their income and family size. See below for income guidance based on family size and contact information for Spotsylvania County’s contact information for the Department of Social Services below.