NAACP becomes a part of service bank

Source: Dayton Daily News, OhioAug.迷你倉價錢 24--DAYTON -- Last year, Ohio Benefit Bank sites helped approximately 70,577 low-income individuals receive assistance with food, child care, health coverage and other items.The state organization hopes to help even more people by working with the Dayton Unit NAACP. The Dayton Unit NAACP now is certified to be an OBB site, which will allow low-income individuals to complete applications for various social services programs at one location."People's time is better spent looking for a job or seeking out a better job, rather than running from one agency to another trying to apply for and maintain their benefits," said Lisa Hamler-Fugitt said, director of the Ohio Association of Foodbanks, the organization that runs the Benefit Bank.The Benefit Bank ""is an internet-based application assistance program that provides over 24 different work support programs, tax credits and educational opportunities for low-income individuals," Hamler-Fugitt said .She added that their target audience are those who do not have access to the internet. "Internet access is expensive," she said. "That's one of those expenses that lower income people cannot afford."Dayton-area residents will be allowed to log onto The Benefit Bank online services from the NAACP's headquarters at 1528 W. Third St.The OBB saw a 352 percent increase during the time period of July 1, 2012 through June 30 of this year, according to Hamler-Fugitt.This increase tells Hamler-Fugitt that more people are searching for basic needs. "It could be the long-term unemployed, those who have lost their jobs," Hamler-Fugitt said.The迷你倉OAF is able to serve people by teaming up with local faith-based and non-profit organizations, who allow members of their staff or volunteers to be trained to help OBB's clients and provide a place where the clients can log onto OBB's services.The statewide network includes 1,300 OBB sites and 4,400 counselors who assist the applicants."Every year, over $2.24 billion goes unclaimed in the way of federal work support programs, education, tax credits, as well as healthcare," Hamler-Fugitt said. "We connect individuals to those benefits by educating them about what's available and helping them to complete the application process and get it to the appropriate state or federal organization that determines eligibility."OBB has been able to return more than $1 billion in potential income enhancements to their clients, Hamler-Fugitt said."The Dayton Unit NAACP is honored to provide OBB services at our office," said Derrick Foward, president of the local chapter. "We are centrally located in the heart of the City of Dayton and on Third Street RTA bus route. Therefore, it will be very easy for citizens to access these important services."The Dayton Unit NAACP does not receive any compensation from OAF for becoming an OBB site, Hamler-Fugitt said.The OBB has served approximately 315,800 households during the time period of 2006 and July of this year.For more information about the Dayton Unit NAACP's OBB site, call the unit office at 222-2172.Copyright: ___ (c)2013 the Dayton Daily News (Dayton, Ohio) Visit the Dayton Daily News (Dayton, Ohio) at .daytondailynews.com Distributed by MCT Information Services新蒲崗迷你倉