Statewide OBB Photo Contest

*Remember, one grand prize winning OBB site will receive a free trip to the OBB Annual Conference, including mileage, hotel, and dinner for two!

Warm Holiday Reminders!

Hello Southeast Ohio Benefit Bankers!

Just a few Holiday/End of the Year reminders for everyone!

1) Ohio Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks will be closed beginning December 24th and re-opening on January 3rd. Jessica and I will be periodically checking our emails and voicemails if you need to contact us. We will also have our cell phones on in case of emergency.

2) The Benefit Bank has changed their help line number. I posted their new number shortly after it changed, but here it is again, just in case! 855-TBB-HELP (855-822-4357).

3) If you looking to hold a Tax Clinic and have not done so in the past, we have a Clinic Kit available for help! Please look on the right side of our blog for the NEW Tax Clinic Kit button!

4)In mind of tax clinics, if your site is hosting a clinic, please let us know what date & times it will be held (even if you don't need us there!). And definitely let us know when you are holding one if you DO need us there!

5) Also in mind of clinics, if you would like or need the OBB Mobile Express Van to be there please let us know and we will try to arrange that it be there! If you are not sure what the Mobile Express is, please check out their blog and read up on their recent outings! The link for their blog is here!

Hope all these reminders are helpful! If you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact either Jessica or myself! We both wish you a warm, happy & safe holiday season and we'll see you after the New Year!

Alesha & Jessica

Tax Season is Coming! What's Your Plan?

Hello, Ohio Benefit Bankers!

It's that time of year again. The first snow has fallen, the holidays are fast approaching, and I'm sitting down once again to plan out 2010 tax season for Southeast Ohio.

To all our returning tax sites, thank you for renewing your commitment! To all our new tax sites, we welcome you with open arms! We had an incredibly successful tax season last year, and I know that this year will be even better. Now is the time - if you haven't started already - to plan in specifics how you're going to use Ohio Benefit Bank for your clients this tax season.

Are you going to offer tax assistance regularly throughout the week? Are you going to hold evening and weekend clinics? Are you going to do both? Are you going to partner with other OBB sites in the area and put on one big event? Are you going to have computers set aside so that clients can utilize Self-Serve? Are you going to a location where you'll need our Mobile Van Team? These are all great options, and can be tailored to fit your particular site. Remember, we want the OBB to be a tool; something that can be molded to best fit your site at your location within the confines of your staff and/or volunteer base. No effort is too big or too small.

As always, Alesha and I are a resource for you, and will help you with your plans. We'll be contacting all of our tax sites in the next few days to see how we can work together to make this tax season the best one Southeast Ohio has ever seen!

Be well,
Jessica