1. Building a Stronger Community
Nicholas Weber
2010-2011 VISTA Staff

2. VISTA Flow Chart
Corporation for
National and
Community Service
AmeriCorps AmeriCorps
State & NCCC
National AmeriCorps
VISTA
Ohio Campus
Compact
John Defiance Mercy
Kent State College
Carroll U. College
Ohio State
University
McMaster
School
Nick Weber

3. Building a
Community Garden

20. The Ohio Benefit Bank

21. What is the Ohio Benefit Bank?
 OBB is NOT a physical
site or building
 Started by the
governor's office 2006
 Available to Low &
Middle Income families
 Files Tax Returns, file
Federal Assistance
Program applications

22. Program Overview
1. Program Structure
2. Service Learning Model
3. Marketing Strategy
4. Community Need
5. Program Growth

23. Our Goal
Combating poverty in the Defiance
community, one person at a time

24. 1. Program Structure
How do we function?
What Who
 Tax Preparation  Nicholas Weber
 Public Assistance  Marci Matthews
Program access
 NOCAC Staff
 Phone line
 DC Students
 Numerous locations
 Community volunteers
 Follow-up help

25. 1. Program Structure
How do we function?
What Who
 Tax Preparation  Marci Matthews
 Public Assistance  Nicholas Weber
Program access
 NOCAC Staff
 Phone line
 DC Students
 Numerous locations
 Community volunteers
 Follow-up help

26. 2. Service Learning Model
Student Engagement
Community
Students Defiance
College

28. Faculty Support
 Dr. Michael Gallagher
Professor of Accounting
 J. Richard Sealscott
Assistant Professor of Accounting
 Alesia Yakos-Brown
Assistant Professor of Social Work
Students
Jodi Johns Anna Kusz
Allison Henderson Sara Langley
Clay Heitkamp Alex Shomaeker
Katie Heitkamp Ashley Plummer
Joshua Gerschutz Jessica Mandula
Kimberly Forward Misty Miller
Trisha Denniston Azure Dee Patrick
Michael Deffely Andy Timmerman
Brandon Campbell Jeffery Whitman
Alysia Callender Logan Wolfrum

29. 3. Marketing Strategy
Who do we serve?
 Newspaper
 Word of Mouth
 Flyers
 Public Service
Announcement
 Local libraries
 Repeat clients

30. 4. Community Need
Why offer these services?

32. Soaring Food/Gas Prices

33. Why Choose the OBB?
Program Restrictions Filing Bees
 “Prepare” and “File” are  W2 $40-$60
NOT the same!  Social Security $40
 Income Limits  Injured Spouse $150
 Free programs come  Energy credit $100
with restrictions  Mistakes $50
 Direct Deposit- ???
 Filing Fees
 Fed
 State
 School

34. Finding out you paid
too much to file your
tax return-
Priceless

35. 5. Program Growth
To The Spreadsheets!

36. Program Year 2009
January 1st - May 1st
Clients Williams Fulton
 26 Clients Served
 35 Returns and/or Henry
Applications Completed Defiance
 Total Federal Refunds Issued
$17,838
Paulding
 Total OH Refunds Issued
Putnam
$1,423
Total Resources Generated: $19,261

37. Community Sites 2009
 Defiance College

38. Program Year 2010
January 1st - May 1st
Clients Williams Fulton
 273 Clients Served
 Total Federal Refunds
Henry
Issued= $422,560 Defiance
 Total State Refunds Issued
$24,969
Paulding
 Preparation & Filing Fees
Putnam
$40,950
Total Resources Generated: $488,479

39. Community Sites 2010
 Defiance College
 Northwest Ohio Community Action
Commission (NOCAC)

40. Program Year 2011
Defiance College
Clients Williams Fulton
 253 Clients Served
 Total Federal Refunds
Henry
Issued= $338,716 Defiance
 Total State Refunds Issued
$26,660
Paulding
 Preparation & Filing Fees
Putnam
$37,950
Total Resources Generated: $403,326

41. Program Year 2011
NOCAC
Clients Williams Fulton
 458 Clients Served
 Total Federal Refunds
Henry
Issued= $666,550 Defiance
 Total State Refunds Issued
$47,019
Paulding
 Preparation & Filing Fees
Putnam
$68,700
Total Resources Generated: $782,269

42. Community Sites 2011
 Defiance College
 Northwest Ohio Community Action
Commission (NOCAC)
 Henry County Emergency Management Services
 Paulding County Job Center
 Hicksville Library
 Defiance Library
 Paulding Library

43. Program Year 2011
Total-

44. Results from 2011
January 1st - May 1st
Clients Williams Fulton
 711 Clients Served
 Total Federal Refunds
Henry
Issued= $1,005,266 Defiance
 Total State Refunds Issued
$73,679
Paulding
 Preparation & Filing Fees
Putnam
$106,650
Total Resources Generated; $1,185,595

45. Public Recognition
 Two appearances in the
Crescent News
 VISTA Voice Newsletter
 OBB Newsletter
 Columbus Spotlight
 Networking with
other colleges
 Radio Interview
 Northwest Signal
 Letter to the editor Bryan
Times

46. Program Sustainability
OBB Community Garden
 Continue close work  Fully sustainable
with NOCAC resource  Work with other
 Evaluate strongest gardening organizations
community presence  Outreach to local
 Carefully manage schools
program growth  Work more closely with
 Long-term but limited City of Defiance
commitment from resources
college faculty

47. Questions?