Tax Preparation Assistance Program Continues

In 2007, with support from United Way, The Children’s Network of Solano County partnered with the Family Resource Center Network to create Solano’s Earn it! Keep it! Save it! Campaign, our Earned Income Tax Credit Program (EITC).  EITC has provided a significant additional amount of financial resources for eligible families. Since the program’s inception in 2007, the overall federal refund generated for families by the FRC’s and our partners has grown from $890,420 in 2007 to a total of $3,804,247 in 2012.

Additionally, as an integral part of this program, financial literacy and banking opportunities are provided to clients while they wait their turn for tax return computations. This increases the family’s capacity to save funds for future needs and helps them avoid predatory lenders and other financial risks.

The 2013 program is in high gear, having completed successful sessions at The Fairfield Library, Vacaville Cultural Center Library, and Suisun City Library in February.  Sessions will be held at several Vallejo locations in March.

County residents may also use a free, IRS-provided web site to prepare their taxes.  The site, MyFreeTaxes.com, is available to anyone with an income of less than $57,000.

Family Resource Centers Face Fiscal Peril

A recent front-page article in Fairfield’s Daily Republic highlighted serious financial challenges facing Solano County’s Family Resource Center (FRC) program.  The program, created, coordinated, and provided with staff support by The Children’s Network of Solano County, provide services and linkages to strengthen families and communities through a network of community-based centers in all seven Solano County cities.

In his Daily Republic article, report Barry Eberling noted that the FRCs are funded through a web if financing arrangements.  He went on to say that:

A key piece of the web is threatening to become unraveled. The county recently prioritized the way California Office of Child Abuse Prevention money is spent and the centers are not among the highest priorities. That could cost the centers about $348,000 annually.

Should that funding disappear, some centers could close and other services might be curtailed. 

The Solano County Board of Supervisors has approved emergency funding to maintain the program at its current level through June.  At this time, no date has been set for the Board to revisit the issue.

Children’s Network Office Hours Change  

The Children’s Network of Solano County faces the same financial pressures as other agencies that provide support to the families and children of Solano County.  Because of those pressures, we have been forced to make some staff cutbacks, and must change our office hours.

The Children’s Network office at 2320 Courage Drive, Suite 107, in Fairfield, will now be open Monday through Thursday, 9 am to 5 pm, and will be closed very Friday.