LWV meeting set for Jan. 12
The League of Women Voters Beaufort will hold a General Meeting from 6 to 7:30 p.m., on Thursday, Jan. 12 at the Sea Island Presbyterian Church Meeting Room on Lady’s Island. The public as well as LWVB members are encouraged to attend.
The League is a non-partisan group whose mission is to identify and discuss relevant subjects and to educate ourselves about current topics affecting our lives in order to make our voices heard. The League meets every second Thursday of the month.
The January 12 meeting will be about the topics members have suggested as projects for 2023. We are looking forward to a lively discussion and timely contributions from attendees as to how we can best address and advance positions that are important to our community.
City to close offices for holidays
The City of Beaufort will close its offices on Friday, Dec. 23, and Monday, Dec. 26, in honor of the Christmas holiday.
Offices will also close on Monday, Jan. 2, in honor of New Year’s Day.
VITA volunteers needed
United Way of the Lowcountry (UWLC) is looking for volunteers who are interested in helping Lowcountry residents – who need extra support and guidance – file their tax returns for free.
The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program – a collaboration between the IRS, Beaufort County Human Services Alliance and United Way of the Lowcountry – supports individuals and families with low-to-moderate incomes, persons with disabilities, the elderly and limited English speakers with free tax preparation.
VITA volunteers are community members trained to help their neighbors file their taxes for free and claim every tax credit available to them. Their service supports workers in caring for their families, withstanding unexpected economic challenges and bolstering their overall financial well-being.
Last tax season, a team of 49 volunteers saved 1,797 Lowcountry residents more than $450,000 in tax preparations fees alone and placed more than $2.6 million in refunds back into residents’ pockets.
Non-tax certified volunteers can serve as greeters and screeners; interpreters; and computer specialists/troubleshooters. Tax certified volunteers are needed as site coordinators; tax preparers; and quality reviewers. There is also a special need for bilingual Spanish speakers for all positions.
Free training is offered both online and in the classroom. Tax sites are open the first week in February through mid-April during weekdays, weeknights and Saturdays. Hours are flexible, allowing volunteers to choose time slots that fit their schedules.
To learn more about volunteering for the VITA Program in 2023, email lowcountryvitacoalition@gmail.com or call 843.379.3064.
Community Foundation of the Lowcountry accepting nominations for award
The Community Foundation of the Lowcountry has teamed up with one its most generous supporters to create the Joan and Wade Webster Community Impact Award. The award will recognize an individual within the Foundation’s four-county service territory (Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton, and Jasper) that has made a recent significant contribution to improving the quality of life in the Lowcountry, and has demonstrated visionary leadership in a community activity or on behalf of a community organization.
This is not a lifetime achievement award. The award winner will receive a $10,000 grant to bestow to a charitable organization based in the Foundation’s service territory, as well as a keepsake to memorialize the honor.
Nomination forms are available to download on the Community Foundation website at https://cf-lowcountry.org/. The fillable PDF should be completed and emailed to info@cf-lowcountry.org. Answers to the three questions/statements should be included in the body of the email. You can also pick up a nomination form at the Community Foundation office located on 4 Northridge Dr., Suite A, Hilton Head Island. The deadline to submit your nomination is January 17, 2023.
The inaugural Joan and Wade Webster Community Impact Award will be presented at the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry’s Annual Community Meeting held from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 29, 2023 at Hilton Head’s Arts Center of Coastal Carolina.
The following are ineligible for the award: current board and staff of the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry; individuals currently serving in a public elected office; and individuals who are paid staff of a nonprofit. If you have questions, or need more information, please contact Rob Ennamorato at rennamorato@cf-lowcountry.org or 843-681-9100.
