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[ TONE ] >>> COMING UP ON THE FORUM, MORE
THAN 40 CHILDREN IN NORFOLK'S FOSTER CARE ARE WAITING TO YOIN
A PERMANENT FAMILY. WILL YOURS BE ONE OF THEM?
>>> THE HOLIDAYS CAN BE TOUGH FOR A CHILD IN FOSTER SCARE.
FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN BRIGHTEN THEIR CARE.
PLUS AN OPEN HOUSE FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN BECOMING A
VOLUNTEER TAX PREPARER. HUMAN SERVICES FORUM BEGINS
RIGHT NOW. CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY
CAPTION ASSOCIATES, LLC www.captionassociates.com
>>> I LOVE BEING ADOPTED BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A NICE FAMILY AND
EVERYONE LOVES YOU IN THE FAMILY.
I LOVE THEM, THEY'RE NO NICE AND THEY GIVE US ENOUGH FOOD AND
WATER BECAUSE A LONG TIME AGO, WE NEVER USED TO HAVE FOOD OR
WATER. WE HAD TO GO HUNT FOR IT WERE TO
FIND ANY. SO THE CORBINS ARE GOOD PEOPLE
TO US BECAUSE WE HAVE OUR NEEDS AND I LOVE TO COLOR AND DRAW
BECAUSE THAT'S FUN -- [ LAUGHTER ]
THAT'S COOL. [ LAUGHTER ]
AND I JUST THINK -- I JUST THINK THE CORBINS ARE REALLY GOOD
BECAUSE WE GET A LOT OF OUR NEEDS AND WE GET A LOT OF LOVE
AND CARE. >> SHAYLEE CORBIN SHARES HER
FEELINGS ABOUT ADOPTION LAST YEAR IN A NORFOLK COURTROOM
PACKED WITH FAMILY CELEBRATING THE GIFT OF BEING CHOSEN.
THAT'S AN EXPERIENCE THAT 26 OR MORE CHILDREN IN NORFOLK WILL BE
SHARING IN YEAR ON NOVEMBER 27th FOR ADOPTION DAY.
WELCOME TO THE FORUM. I'M JAN CALLAGHAN.
MORE THAN 5,300 CHILDREN ARE WAITING FOR PERMANENT LOVING
HOMES IN VIRGINIA. 40 OF THOSE CHILDREN LIVE IN
NORFOLK AND IN NOVEMBER, THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES IS
MAKING SURE THE PUBLIC KNOWS ABOUT IT.
PLEASE WELCOME NANCY BROCK, WHO IS RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
COORDINATOR AND FOSTER FOR ADOPTIVE -- OR RATHER FOSTER
ADOPTIVE CARE AND PARENTING, AND LO TOY YEAH WILBORNE, WHO IS AN
ADOPTION -- LaTOYA WILBORNE, WHO AS ADOPTION SOCIAL WORKER.
THE TWO OF THEM WORK WITH FOSTER PARENTS TO ENSURE THAT CHILDREN
IN OUR SYSTEM ARE PROVIDED WITH LOVING PERMANENT HOMES.
NOVEMBER IS ADOPTION MONTH ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
THE NORFOLK DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES IS REALLY STEPPING UP
AND CONDUCTING A NUMBER OF EVENTS THAT ARE GOING TO CALL
THE PUBLIC'S ATTENTION TO THE CAUSE, AND WE DO HAVE CHILDREN
WHO ARE WAITING FOR -- THEY'RE LEGALLY FREED AND ARE AWAITING
FOR ADOPTIVE HOMES, BUT IT'S NOT JUST ANY ADOPTIVE HOMES.
IS THAT CORRECT, LaTOYA? >> THAT IS CORRECT.
>> YOU HAVE 40 CHILDREN WHICH MAY NOT SEEM LIKE A LOT OUT OF
5,000 OR SO, BUT IT'S 40 HUMAN BEINGS AND THEY'RE DIFFERENT
AGES. >> YES.
>> WHAT KIND OF AGE RANGE ARE WE TALKING ABOUT?
>> THEY RANGE ANYWHERE BETWEEN THREE MONTHS TO 18 YEARS.
>> SO WE HAVE TEENAGERS IN THAT GROUP AS WELL AS KIDS AND
TODDLERS AND INFANTS. SO A WIDE VARIETY AND FOR PEOPLE
WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN ADOPTION, STAY TUNED BECAUSE
THIS IS GOING TO GIVE YOU A LOT OF INFORMATION ABOUT HOW YOU CAN
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT IT, BECOMING A CERTIFIED PARENT, AND PERHAPS
EVEN ADOPTING A CHILD. WE'VE GOT A NUMBER OF EVENTS
GOING ON. ONE OF THEM IS A CONFERENCE THAT
STARTS THE BEGINNING OF THE MONTH AND THAT IS FOR
PROFESSIONALS ONLY. >> YES, NOVEMBER THE 8th,
NORFOLK DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES WILL BE HOSTING THEIR
FIRST-EVER ADOPTION CONFERENCE AT THE CROWN PLAZA, FORMERLY --
EXCUSE ME, AT NORFOLK PLAZA, FORMERLY KNOWN AS CROWN PLAZA.
THERE WILL BE MANY PROFESSIONALS COMING FROM ACROSS THE STATE OF
RA TO TALK ABOUT DIVERSITY IN ADOPTION, SO IT WILL BE
EXCITING. >> SO WE HAVE SOCIAL WORK
PROERGES, COMMUNITY PARTNERS -- PROFESSIONALS, COMMUNITY
PARTNERS AND PEOPLE COMING FROM ACROSS THE STATE.
IT'S A BIG EVENT AND AN ALL-DAY ONE, WHICH IS A BIG DEAL, AND
IT'S A GREAT WAY TO KICK OFF THE MONTH TO SPREAD THE WORLD ABOUT
ADOPTION NOT ONLY IN THE PROFESSIONAL WORLD, BUT ALSO TO
THE PUBLIC. THE MAYOR OF NORFOLK IS ALSO
GOING TO BE DOING SOMETHING. >> YES.
ON NOVEMBER THE 13th, THE MAYOR OF NORFOLK WILL BE READING A
PROCLAMATION FOR ADOPTION, SO THAT'S GOING TO BE PRETTY COOL.
>> ALL RIGHT. HE DOES THAT IN FRONT OF CITY
COUNCIL AND IN FRONT OF THE PUBLIC AND IT WILL BE ON TV-48
AS WELL DURING THE REGULAR COUNCIL SESSION TAPING TO
PROCLAIM NOVEMBER AS ADOPTION AWARENESS MONTH IN NORFOLK, AND
THAT LEADS US TOWARDS LATER IN THE MONTH, WHICH IS, WHEN YOU
SAW THE VIDEO EARLIER OF THE YOUNG LADY WHO WAS SPEAKING, SHE
IS ONE OF OUR CHILDREN WHO DID BECOME ADOPTED ALONG WITH HER
SIBLINGS LAST YEAR FOR A BIG CELEBRATION IN THE COURT.
>> YES. NOVEMBER THE 27th AT CIRCUIT
COURT, THERE WILL BE AN ADOPTION CONFERENCE TO CELEBRATE ALL OF
THE ADOPTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN FINALIZED THIS YEAR.
>> OKAY. AND HOW MANY DO WE HAVE
FINALIZED? DO WE KNOW?
>> OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, I'M GOING TO SAY CLOSE TO 30
ADOPTIONS HAVE BEEN FINALIZED, SO THAT IS EXTREMELY EXCITING.
>> YEAH. >> TO HELP CHILDREN FIND
PERMANENCY. >> THAT'S A LARGER NUMBER THAN
USUAL. ALSO, THE CELEBRATION, WHICH
TAKES PLACE EVERY YEAR, BECOMES SO LARGE THAT THEY HAVE MOVED IT
FROM THE JUVENILE DOMESTIC RELATIONS DISTRICT COURTROOM TO
CIRCUIT COURT TO MAKE ROOM FOR EVERYBODY AND ALSO TO HAVE A BIG
CELEBRATION AFTERWARDS. WE HAVE A LOT OF SUPPORT IN THE
COMMUNITY FOR THIS. >> YES.
THERE'S A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS THAT WILL BE SUPPORTING NORFOLK
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES WITH THE GOAL THAT WE HAVE
REACHED WITH HELPING CHILDREN RECEIVE PERMANENCY.
I KNOW THE NORFOLK POLICE DEPARTMENT IS ONE OF THE
INDIVIDUALS, ONE OF THE SITES THAT WILL BE ASSISTING WITH
SPONSORING THIS EVENT. >> OKAY.
AND THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE TOO, I BELIEVE, GETS INVOLVED WITH
TEDDY BEARS AND THEY HAVE BEEN DOING THAT FOR A NUMBER OF
YEARS. AND THE CHILDREN WHO ARE
CELEBRATING THE FINALIZATION OF ADOPTION AND, OF COURSE, THE
FAMILIES ARE ALL THERE TO CELEBRATE AND THOSE WHO WANT TO
ATTEND, AND MOST OF THEM DO. ONE OF THE THINGS I FOUND
INTERESTING IN PAST CELEBRATIONS IS THAT, ALTHOUGH THERE ARE
FAMILIES WHERE ONE CHILD HAS BEEN ADOPTED AND THEY CELEBRATE,
THERE ARE MANY THAT HAVE SEVERAL CHILDREN WHO ARE ALSO BECOMING A
PART OF A PERMANENT FAMILY ALL AT ONCE AND THEY'RE GENERALLY
BROTHERS AND SISTERS. >> YES.
>> DO WE SEE THAT HAPPENING THIS YEAR AS WELL?
>> YES. THERE HAVE BEEN DEFINITELY BEEN
ADOPTIONS WHERE SIBLINGS HAVE BEEN ADOPTED AND THERE'S MORE
THAN ONE SIBLING, SO THAT IS REALLY EXCITING TO BE ABLE TO
KEEP THE FAMILY TOGETHER. >> IT'S A LOVELY CEREMONIAL
OCCASION AND THE HONORABLE WILLIAM P. WILLIAMS PRESIDES
OVER THE COURT AND HE LOVES DOING THIS.
AND HE WAS WHO YOU SAW ON THE VIDEOTAPE EARLIER AS WELL, SO HE
ALWAYS HAS A GREAT TIME WITH IT AND IT REALLY IS A GREAT TIME TO
CELEBRATE. NANCY, AS SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN
IN THE BUSINESS OF RECRUITING PEOPLE TO BECOME FOSTER/ADOPTIVE
PARENTS, THIS IS A CULMINATION OF A LOT OF HARD WORK, CERTAINLY
ON THE PART OF THE PARENTS, BUT ON THE PART OF YOU AND YOUR
STAFF. >> EXACTLY.
THIS IS A VERY EXCITING TIME BECAUSE WHAT WE NEED, OUR MAJOR
GOAL WITH CHILDREN WHO COME INTO FOSTER CARE, IS THAT THEY WILL
ACHIEVE EARLY PERMANENCE AND THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, PRIORITY
GOALS, BUT IF THE CHRN CANNOT GO BACK TO THEIR PARENTS OR THE
FAMILY TO WHICH THEY WERE BORN, THEN THEY NEED ANOTHER FAMILY,
AND THAT IS THE EXCITING PART BECAUSE ADOPTION MEANS
PERMANENCE FOR THESE CHILDREN. >> AND IT'S MORE THAN JUST
PERMANENCE, IT'S THE LOVING, CARING ENVIRONMENT THAT NURTURES
THEM, AND SOMETHING THEY MAY HAVE NOT HAD FOR SOME TIME IN AN
UNSTABLE ENVIRONMENTAL, BUT JUST TO POINT OUT THE FOSTER
CHILDREN, THE FIRST GOAL IS TO RETURN THEM TO THEIR BIOLOGICAL
PARENTS IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, BUT THAT DOESN'T ALWAYS HAPPEN AND I
KNOW THE JUDGE SAYS ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT THINGS TO DO IS
TO TERMINATE A PARENT'S RIGHTS, SO THEY DO NOT TAKE THAT
DECISION LIGHTLY. >> HOWEVER, THE OPTION IS STILL
POSITIVE AND THAT'S WHERE YOU COME IN, NOT ONLY AS TRAINING
FOSTER PARENTS, BUT ALSO PEOPLE WHO MAY BE ON THE ROAD TO
ADOPTING A CHILD AND THAT'S -- THAT IS A PROCESS THAT ISN'T
TAKEN LIGHTLY. IT'S CERTAINLY A LARGE
COMMITMENT, BUT ONE THAT REQUIRES TRAINING.
>> IT DOES, INDEED. AND TRAINING THAT WE PROVIDE IS
FOR BOTH FOSTER PARENTS AND ADOPTIVE PARENTS BECAUSE
CHILDREN COME INTO FOSTER CARE, WE ARE -- OUR PRIORITY IS ON
TRAINING PEOPLE WHO WILL BE FOSTER PARENTS, BUT IF THE
CHILDREN IN THEIR HOME CANNOT GO BACK TO THEIR PARENTS OR
EXTENDED KIN, THEN THEY NEED ANOTHER HOME AND MOST CHILDREN
WHO ARE ADOPTED FROM FOSTER CARE ARE ADOPTED BY THEIR FOSTER
PARENTS, WHICH IS A VERY LOGICAL THING, WHICH MEANS THAT THE
CHILD WHO COMES IN AND CAN'T GO HOME WILL NOT HAVE TO GO
SOMEPLACE ELSE. THEY CAN STAY IN THAT HOME, AND
THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE REALLY HOPING IS THAT
CHILDREN WILL NOT BE BOUNCED AROUND FROM PLACE TO PLACE.
>> OKAY. >> THAT'S NOT GOOD FOR ANYBODY.
>> NO, IT ISN'T. I MEAN, YOU CAN JUST PUT
YOURSELF IN THAT PLACE AND REALIZE THAT HAVING SOMEBODY YOU
CAN COUNT ON, A PLACE YOU CAN CALL HOME, YOU NEED YOUR COMFORT
ZONE AND YOU NEED TO FEEL SAFE AND THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ALL
ABOUT. IT'S A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT MUCH
WORK, THOUGH. BEING A PATTERN AS TREMENDOUS
AMOUNT OF WORK, BUT WHEN YOU'RE BRINGING A CHILD IN WHO HAS
EXPERIENCED SOME TRAUMA IN THE PAST, WHICH IS A COMMON
SITUATION AND CIRCUMSTANCE WITH CHILDREN WHO COME INTO FOSTER
CARE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE SKILLS TO ADDRESS THE SPECIAL
NEEDS. >> THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT, AND THE
SKILLS THAT WE TEACH IN THIS CLASS ARE NOT GENERAL PARENTING
SKILLS. THEY'RE THE SKILLS, THE
KNOWLEDGE THAT YOU NEED TO WORK WITH A CHILD WHO HAS HAD TO BE
SEPARATED FROM THEIR PARENT AND THEIR FAMILY, WHAT THEY KNOW.
AND THAT IS FOR THOSE CHILDREN A TRAUMATIC EVENT.
FOR MOST ADULTS WHO HAVE TO BE SEPARATED THAT THEIR FAMILIES,
THAT'S TRAUMATIC, BUT FOR CHILDREN WHO DON'T HAVE THE
SKILLS OF COPING WITH THE WORLD, IT IS PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT AND
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TEACHING OUR PROSPECTIVE FOSTER AND ADOPTIVE
PARNTS AND THE TRAINING THAT -- PARENTS AND THE TRAINING THAT WE
PROVIDE, AND WE DO NEED MORE PARENTS SO TAKE ON THAT ROLE
BECAUSE SOME OF THESE FAMILIES ARE ADOPTING CHILDREN, THEY
COMPLETE THEIR FAMILIES, AND THEN THEY DROP OUT.
SO WE NEED MORE FOLKS TO COME IN AND TAKE THEIR PLACE.
>> SO THERE'S ALWAYS A NEED AND THERE IS AN INFORMATION
SESSION -- >> THERE IS.
>> -- THAT THE DEPARTMENT OFFERS AND WHEN IS THE NEXT INFORMATION
SESSION? IT WILL BE IN 2013.
>> IT WILL. JANUARY THE 12th, THESE ARE
SATURDAY MORNING PROGRAMS. THE INFORMATION SESSION IS TO
UNDERSTAND AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GIVE ME CALL SO THAT
WE CAN TALK ABOUT -- I CAN TALK ABOUT THE PROCESS AND WHAT THEY
NEED TO KNOW, AND THEN THE FIRST CLASS BEGINS THE NEXT SATURDAY
MORNING ON THE 19th. >> OKAY.
AND THOSE CLASSES LAST FOR HOW LONG?
>> THERE ARE NINE CLASSES OF THREE HOURS EACH IN ADDITION TO
THE INFORMATION SESSION. SO WE'LL FINISH UP IN MARCH.
>> OKAY. AND THEN YOU ARE CERTIFIED.
THERE ARE A LOT OF STEPS TO GO THU AND THEN, OF COURSE, THERE
IS BRINGING ON A CHILD FOR THE TIME AND THAT'S AN EXPERIENCE
THAT YOU JUST HAVE TO HAVE IN ORDER TO MOVE FORWARD.
BUT IN SOME CASES, THE CHILD IS EITHER RETURNED HOME, WHICH CAN
BE A VERY, VERY GOOD THING FOR THE CHILD, AND IN OTHER CASES,
THAT CHILD LEND -- WILL END UP BEING ADOPTED, WHICH IS ALL PART
OF THE CELEBRATION THAT WILL TAKE PLACE LATER IN NOVEMBER.
ALWAYS A WONDERFUL EVENT AND ALWAYS FILLED WITH A LOT OF JOY.
IT'S EVERYTHING YOU WOULD EXPECT IT TO BE EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT ON
THE INSIDE LOOKING OUT. BUT VERY, VERY POSITIVE
EXPERIENCE. >> AND I HAVE TO SAY, IT'S
POSITIVE FOR THE FAMILIES. IT'S POSITIVE FOR THE JUDGE AS
YOU SAID, AND FOR US SOCIAL WORKERS, IT IS POSITIVE FOR US
TOO BECAUSE THAT IS THE DESIRED OUTCOME IS THAT THESE CHILDREN
HAVE A PERMANENT FAMILY. >> WONDERFUL.
THANK YOU, THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.
>>> AND WE'LL BE BACK IN JUST A MINUTE WITH SOME DETAILS ABOUT
AN ANNUAL HOLIDAY PROJECT THAT CAN BRIGHTEN THE SEASON DURING
THE HOLIDAY FOR NORFOLK'S FOSTER KIDS.
AND THEY CAN DO IT WITH YOUR HELP, SO DON'T GO AWAY.
\M\M >>> OH, SWEETHEART, CAN I GIVE
YOU A HAND? >> NO THANKS, DAD, I GOT IT.
>> OKAY. I'M GOING TO GO FIX THE LAMP IN
YOUR ROOM. >> YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE PERFECT
TO BE A PERFECT PARENT. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN
IN FOSTER CARE WHO WILL TAKE YOU JUST AS YOU ARE.
>>> EVERY YEAR THE NORFOLK DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES
INVITES THE LOCAL COMMUNITY TO HELP MAKE THE HOLIDAY WISHES OF
MORE THAN 200 CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN OUR FOSTER CARE SYSTEM COME
TRUE. WE HAVE LYNN PARKER, A SOCIAL
WORK SUPERVISOR JOINING US TO GIVE US DETAILS ON THE HOLIDAY
PROJECT FOR FOSTER CHILDREN. THANKS, LYNN, FOR JOINING US FOR
THE SHOW. THIS IS AN ANNUAL PROJECT THAT'S
BEEN GOING ON FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
>> YES. FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, ONCE I
DID SOME RESEARCH, IT APPEARS IT DATED BACK TO 2003.
>> SO ALMOST TEN YEARS THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON AND EVERY YEAR,
PEOPLE ARE VERY GENEROUS IN WHAT WE CALL GIVING BACK TO THE
COMMUNITY. THE HOLIDAY PROJECT ITSELF IS
REALLY A WAY TO BATTEN UP THE HOLIDAY FOR SOME OF THE CHILDREN
BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFICULT THINGS THAT CHILDREN
GO THROUGH IN FOSTER CARE ANYWAY, BUT DURING THE HOLIDAYS
CAN BE PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT. >> VERY MUCH SO BECAUSE THEY'RE
NOT WITH THEIR PARENTS WHOM THEY STILL LOVE.
>> SO THE PRESENTS OR THE GIFT CARDS OR WHAT HAVE YOU ARE PART
OF CHEERING THEM UP A LITTLE BIT AND ONE OF THE NICE THINGS ABOUT
THE PROGRAM IS THAT THE PUBLIC CAN GET INVOLVED IN A WAY THAT
THEY COULDN'T NORMALLY BECAUSE THERE ARE CERTAINLY
CONFIDENTIALITY ISSUES AND SUCH WITH OUR FOSTER CHILDREN AND
IT'S NOT ALWAYS EASY TO KNOW WHO THE CHILD IS.
HOWEVER, THERE IS A WAY TO FIND OUT WHAT THE CHILD MIGHT WISH
FOR COME THE HOLIDAYS. >> YES, YES.
WE SEND OUT A LETTER THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF NORFOLK OR AT LEAST
AN EMAIL THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF NORFOLK FOR ANYONE WHO WISHES TO
PARTICIPATE AND THEY WILL NOT KNOW THE CHILD'S NAME, BUT A
NUMBER WILL BE ASSIGNED. THEY WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO
EITHER DONATE VIA CASH OR CHECK OR GIFT CARDS OR EVEN GIFTS, AND
THEY SHOULD GET A LIST FROM EACH CHILD REQUESTING OR ASKING FOR
AT LEAST THREE GIFTS, AND SOMETIMES THE KIDS GET THEM ALL.
SOMETIMES THEY MAY NOT GET THEM ALL, BUT WE TRY TO MAKE SURE
THAT THEY GET EVERYTHING THAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR.
>> SO THE WISH LIST, AS IT WERE, FOR A CHILD IN FOSTER CARE, CAN
BE -- PROBABLY IF THEY HAD IT THEIR WAY, COULD BE QUITE
EXTENSIVE. >> IT COULD BE, VERY MUCH.
>> BUT THERE ARE GENERALLY AT LEAST TWO OR THREE ITEMS ON THAT
WISH LIST THAT THEY TRY TO HONOR AND PEOPLE DO HELP OUT AND WE'D
LOVE FOR YOU TO PARTICIPATE. THE NUMBER -- OR RATHER THE
ADDRESS AND PHONE NUMBER ON THE SCREEN WILL SEND YOU THERE.
YOU CAN MAIL A CHECK OR YOUR GIFT CARD TO THE DEPARTMENT OF
HUMAN SERVICES. THIS IS ATTENTION GARY COFIELD,
WHO IS THE PROGRAM MANAGER FOR THIS AREA.
IT'S 731 MONTICELLO AVENUE, NORFOLK, 23510 OR YOU CAN CALL
MISS BETHEA ROBY AS 664-6005 AND SHE WILL BE HAPPY TO TAKE YOUR
CALL AND ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE HOLIDAY PROJECT FOR
FOSTER CHILDREN. THE WISH LISTS I GUESS VARY AND
THEY'RE MOSTLY FOR THE KIDS, NOT SO MUCH THE TEENS, LYNN, IS THAT
CORRECT? >> THE WISH LIST IS FOR THE
CHILDREN UNDER AGE 15. WE TRY TO PROVIDE FOR THE
CHILDREN WHO ARE AGES 15 AND UP WITH A GIFT CARD.
>> I CAN'T IMAGINE WHY. [ LAUGHTER ]
>> WELL, BECAUSE THEY'RE NEEDS ARE SO VARIED.
>> YEAH, AND THEY'RE TEENS TOO. I GUESS THAT THEY WANT TO GET
WHAT THEY WANT TO GET. >> THEY WANT TO GET WHAT THEY
WANT TO GET AND SO AT LEAST A GIFT CARD CAN HELP THEM GET TO
CONSIDER THEY WANT TO GET AND HOPEFULLY THEY'RE GETTING
SOMETHING FROM THE PARENTS AND, YOU KNOW, OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS
BECAUSE THERE ARE STILL A LOT OF FAMILY MEMBERS INVOLVED.
>> SURE. >> SO WE'RE JUST TRYING TO
NORMALIZE THEIR CHRISTMAS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE BY GETTING
THOSE GIFTS FROM THE COMMUNITY. >> OKAY.
AND THAT'S A REALLY, REALLY NICE THING TO DO.
AGAIN, YOU CAN MAIL THEM OR PURCHASE A GIFT CARD YOURSELF
FOR A TEEN OR YOU CAN CERTAINLY SEND A MONETARY DONATION AND
THAT WOULD GO TOWARD THE PURCHASE OF GIFT CARDS DENYING
ON THE NEED OR IF IT -- DEPENDING ON THE NEED OR IT
COULD GO TO FULFILL A CHILD'S WISH LIST, SO YOU HAVE A
SPECIFIC AGE GROUP OR YOU LOOK TO, YOU KNOW, TO SATISFY
SOMETHING THAT YOU'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO DO, THIS IS YOUR
CHANCE TO DO IT AND YOU CAN EITHER PURCHASE THE GIFT AND
THEN DROP IT OFF, WHICH BY CALLING THE NUMBER THAT WE'VE
PUT UP ON THE SCREEN, YOU CAN FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THAT.
THIS IS ALSO OPEN TO BUSINESSES WHO HAVE BEEN SUPPORTIVE OVER
THE YEARS TOO. >> THAT'S CORRECT.
IT'S OPEN TO BUSINESSES AND ANYONE IN THE PUBLIC.
WE RECEIVE GIFTS FROM MANY CHURCHES, FROM THE COMMUNITY AT
LARGE, AND, OF COURSE, FROM BUSINESSES AND FROM SOME OF OUR
PRIVATE PROVIDERS, AND SO WE'RE HOPING THAT EVERYONE WILL GET
INTO THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT AND JUST GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
>> OKAY. AND I GUESS WE'D LIKE TO SEE
PEOPLE DO THIS BY WHAT TIME, WOULD YOU SAY WOULD BE A GOOD
DEADLINE? >> WE'RE HOPING THAT WE RECEIVE
ALL THE GIFTS OR THE DONATIONS BY AT LEAST THE END OF NOVEMBER.
>> OKAY. >> AND HOPEFULLY NO LATER THAN
MID DECEMBER BECAUSE WE STILL MAY HAVE TO PICK UP SOME GIFTS,
GIFT ITEMS, AND WE KNOW THAT THE STORES GET EMPTY PRETTY FAST.
>> YES, THEY DO. AND THE SOCIAL WORKERS DO AT
LOVE RUNNING AROUND AT THE LAST -- A LOT OF RUNNING AROUND
AT THE LAST MINUTE, SO THE EARLIER THEY CAN GET IT, THE
BETTER. LYNN, THANK YOU FOR SHARING
THAT. I WANT TO SHARE ONE OTHER THING
THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE TO SHOW EARLIER.
WE DO HAVE OUR CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE, WE WERE TALKING
ABOUT CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE WHO MAY BE ON THE ROAD TO
ADOPTION AND MAYBE AVAILABLE FOR IT, AND WE DO HAVE A T-SHIRT
THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE WORN BY OUR SOCIAL WORKERS IN THE NEXT
FEW DAYS, AND STARTING THIS WEEK --
>> FRIDAY. >> AND YOU MAY SEE ON OCCASION,
IF YOU SEE A DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES STAFF MEMBER WEARING
THIS T-SHIRT, ASK THEM ABOUT ADOPTION.
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU, WE WANT PEOPLE TO ASK AND FIND OUT
MORE BECAUSE WE CAN ALWAYS USE FOSTER AND ADOPTIVE PARENTS FOR
OUR CHILDREN. >> THAT'S CORRECT.
>> OUR CHILDREN WHO ARE IN NEED OF LOVING AND STABLE
ENVIRONMENTS. LYNN, THANKS FOR JOINING US.
GREAT PROJECT AS ALWAYS, ANOTHER TEN YEARS, WE HOPE.
>> THANK YOU. >> ALL RIGHT.
AND WE'RE GOING TO BE RIGHT BACK TO TALK TO THE FOLKS BEHIND THE
VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX PROGRAM, SO YOU CAN FIND OUT HOW TO GET
INVOLVED. DON'T GO AWAY.
>>> DO YOU PREPARE INCOME TAX RETURNS FOR YOUR FRIENDS AND
FAMILY BECAUSE YOU LIKE TO? VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX PROGRAM
KNOWN AS VITA IS LOOKING FOR PEOPLE JUST LIKE YOU, AND
JOINING ME ARE BONNIE TAZEWELL, WHO'S FINANCIAL STABILITY
MANAGER WITH THE UNITED WAY OF SOUTH HAMPTON ROADS.
WE HAVE LINDA JOHNSON, WHO IS THE EMPLOYMENT NETWORK
COORDINATOR FOR THE INDEPENDENCE CENTER AND WE HAVE WILLARD WHO
HAS BEEN WITH US, BOY, FOR A YEAR OR SO WITH THE SOUTH
HAMPTON ROADS EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT COALITION AND WORKS WITH
UNITED WAY AS WELL. AND WE ARE PLEASED TO HAVE ALL
THREE OF YOU HERE. WE'LL HAVE A LOT TO COVER IN A
SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, BUT BONNIE, WORKING WITH THE GROUP
OF COMMUNITY SERVICE PROVIDERS WHO PROVIDE VOLUNTEERS --
>> CORRECT. >> -- TO PREPARE FREE, FOR FREE,
TAX RETURNS FOR LOWER INCOME INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES.
THAT IS -- ALL THESE ARE ABOUT VOLUNTEERS AND WE HAVE AN OPEN
HOUSE THAT IS COMING UP. >> SURE.
>> SO PEOPLE CAN FIND OUT MORE ABOUT IT WITHOUT MAKING THAT BIG
COMMITMENT FIRST. >> YES.
WE WILL BE CONDUCTING AN OPEN HOUSE ON DECEMBER THE 3rd IN THE
GREENBRIAR AREA, AND ONE OF OUR PARTNER -- COMMUNITY PARTNERS,
WELLS FARGO, WILL BE HOSTING THE LOCATION.
VOLUNTEERS, WE NEED VOLUNTEERS AS TAX PREPARERS, SCREENERS TO
MAKE SURE THAT FOLK HAVE WHAT THEY NEED IN PREPARATION FOR
THEIR TAXES. WE NEED QUALITY REVIEWERS,
INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE A BACKGROUND IN TAX PREPARATION,
AND WE HAVE A HOST OF VOLUNTEERS THAT ASSIST IN A VARIETY OF
THINGS SUCH AS ANSWERING THE TELEPHONE TO SCHEDULE
APPOINTMENTS AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE
INTERESTED IN HELPING DURING THE TAX SEASON, WHICH WILL BE FROM
JANUARY TO APRIL 15th. >> OH, YES, THE FAMOUS APRIL
15th DEADLINE. WILLARD, YOU HAVE BEEN INVOLVED
WITH HELPING COORDINATE THE VOLUNTEERS, WHETHER THEY ARE
WHAT THEY CALL ROVING SITES WHERE THEY COME TO YOU OR THE
STATIONARY SITES TOO. BECOMING A VOLUNTEER IS NOT JUST
A MATTER OF SHOWING UP AT AN OPEN HOUSE AND SAYING THAT'S
WHAT I WANT TO DO, SO THEN YOU'RE IT.
IT INVOLVES TRAINING. >> YES, YES, MOST DEFINITELY.
THE IRS HAS A STRUCTURED TRAINING PROGRAM WHERE A PERSON
HAS TO BE CERTIFIED TO DO THE TAXING WITH A TESTING PROCESS,
SO THEY HAVE TO PROVE BY TESTING THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO DO THE
TAXES AT VARIOUS STAGES AND DEPENDING ON THE DIFFICULTY OF
THE PERSON THAT THEY'RE WORKING WITH, THEY HAVE TO BE CERTIFIED
FOR THOSE DIFFICULT LEVELS BEFORE THEY CAN SERVICE THAT
CLIENT. WE MAKE SURE THAT A PERSON WHO
HAS A DIFFICULT TAX RETURN GETS A PERSON WHO IS MORE EXPERIENCED
AND MORE SEASONED IN DOING THEM. WE DON'T GIVE A BRAND-NEW PERSON
TO A PERSON WHO HAS A BIG LAUNDRY LIST OF THINGS TO DO, SO
WE MAKE SURE WE MATCH THE PERSON WITH THE PROPER CLIENT.
>> OKAY. AND IN THE CASE OF THE COALITION
THAT PROMOTES THE EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT, THAT WOULD BE AN
AREA THAT WOULD TARGET LOWER TO MIDDLE-INCOME TAXPAYERS WHO MAY
BENEFIT FROM -- >> YES.
>> -- EITHER A LARGER REFUND OR A SMALLER TAX LIABILITY IN ALL.
>> YES. >> AND THAT IS REALLY THE WHOLE
GIST OF GETTING THE WORD OUT FOR VOLUNTEERS.
LINDA, AS A REPRESENTATIVE WITH THE INDEDENIED -- END DEPENDENCE
CENTER, HOUR HERE AS A VOICE FOR FOLKS WHO ARE DISABLED IN THE
COMMUNITY AND THERE IS A NEED FOR TAX ASSISTANCE TO BE
PROVIDED BY THESE VOLUNTEERS TO THE COMMUNITY.
>> DEFINITELY. A LOT OF FOLKS DON'T KNOW THAT
THEY NEED TO FILE TAX. THEY'RE WORKING.
THEY DON'T THINK THEY EARN ENOUGH, SO IT'S GOOD THAT WE CAN
GIVE THEM THE INFORMATION TO GO AND TALK TO THE FOLKS HERE WITH
VITA TO GET THEIR TAXES PREPARED FOR FREE BECAUSE SOME FOLKS MAY
BE FILING TAXES THE VERY FIRST TIME AS THEY STARTED WORKING
RECENTLY. >> PARTICULARLY IF IT'S THEIR
FIRST JOB. >> EXACTLY, EXACTLY.
IF SOMEONE IS GETTING BENEFITS FROM SOCIAL SECURITY, THEY MAY
START WORKING AND NOT KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE TO FILE
TAXES OR NEVER FILED TAXES BEFORE, AND THEY DON'T KNOW
WHERE TO GO. SO IT'S GREAT THAT THEY HAVE
THIS OPTION FOR FREE TAX PREPARATION.
>> YES. AND THAT, AGAIN, WILL START IN
JANUARY. THE IRS HAS YET TO ANNOUNCE
EXACTLY WHEN THOSE RETURNS WILL BE ACCEPTED, BUT IT SHOULD BE IN
THE LATTER PART OF JANUARY AND RUN THROUGH APRIL 15th, SO WITH
PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES, WE HAVE CERTAINLY A POPULATION OF
PEOPLE THAT CAN BENEFIT GREATLY, NOT ONLY FROM PERHAPS AN EITC,
OR AN EARN INCOME TAX CREDIT, BUT OTHER CREDITS THEY MAY NOT
BE AWARE OF THAT THEY'RE QUALIFIED FOR.
>> RIGHT. >> THAT IS WHERE THE
INDEPENDENCE CENTER CAN COME IN AS A GREAT HELP TO PEOPLE TO
PROVIDE THEM WITH THE RESOURCES THEY NEED AND HOPEFULLY IN
ASSOCIATION WITH THE SOUTH HAMPTON ROADS EITC COALITION, WE
CAN SPREAD THE WORD EVEN MORE, BUT IT HAS TO FIRST START WITH
THE VOLUNTEERS. WE CANNOT DO IT WITHOUT THE
VOLUNTEERS BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES WHO REALLY ARE THE HEART
AND SOUL OF THIS PROGRAM. SO VOLUNTEERS CAN SHOW UP FOR
THIS OPEN HOUSE AND IT'S OFFERED AT A COUPLE OF TIMES, IS THAT
RIGHT? >> YES, WE ARE GOING TO OFFER
TWO OPPORTUNITIES FOR VOLUNTEERS.
THE FIRST SESSION WILL RUN FROM 4:00 TO ABOUT 5:30 AND OUR
SECOND OPTION WILL BE FROM 6:00 TO ABOUT 7:30.
ON THE AFTERNOON OF THE EVENT. THEY CAN CALL UNITED WAY OR THEY
CAN CALL OUR COALITION TELEPHONE NUMBER TO REGISTER.
>> YOU CAN CALL ME TOO. THE PHONE NUMBER THAT YOU SEE ON
THE SCREEN RIGHT NOW IS MY DIRECT LINE AND I CAN CERTAINLY
DIRECT YOU TO WHOEVER IT IS YOU NEED TO TALK TO AS WELL AND NOTE
THAT IT IS IN CHESAPEAKE AT THE TRAINING CENTER, WELLS FARGO,
WHO HAVE GENEROUSLY OFFERED TO PROVIDE THAT SPACE, LIGHT
REFRESHMENTS AND LOTS OF GOOD INFORMATION AND MAYBE A CHANCE
TO DO A LITTLE HANDS-ON WITH THE ONLINE TRAINING, WHICH IS AN
IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THIS AS WELL.
>> YES, IT IS. ALL OF THE TESTING IS ONLINE,
VARIOUS CASES WHERE WE HAVE EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE
WE DO NOT HAVE COMPUTER CONNECTION, WE CAN DO MANUAL
TESTING, BUT THE TRAINING IS ONLINE AND SOMETIMES
FACE-TO-FACE TRAINING, SO DEPENDING ON THE NEEDS OF THE
PREPARER, WE HAVE TRAINING TAILORED TO THOSE PERSONS.
>> TERRIFIC. WELL, THANK YOU FOR FILLING US
IN ON THAT. A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME, A LOT OF
INFORMATION, BUT REMEMBER DECEMBER 3rd FROM 4:00 TO 5:30,
OR 6:00 TO 7:30, THE WELLS FARGO TRAINING CENTER IN CHESAPEAKE
FOR PEOPLE WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING AS A
TAX PREPARER DURING THE UPCOMING TAX FILING SEASON.
WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU, SO GIVE US A CALL, AND THANK YOU
FOR JOINING US. WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN NEXT TIME.
BYE. CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY
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