Congress passed, and the President has signed into law, the VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011. Included in this new law is the Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP). VRAP offers up to 12 months of training assistance to unemployed Veterans. The Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) and the Department of Labor (DOL) are working together to roll out this new program on July 1, 2012.

To qualify, a Veteran must:

• Be at least 35 but no more than 60 years old
• Be unemployed
• Have an other than dishonorable discharge
• Not be eligible for any other VA education benefit program (e.g.: the Post-9/11 GI Bill, Montgomery GI Bill, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Assistance)
• Not be in receipt of VA compensation due to unemployability
• Not be enrolled in a federal or state job training program

This program is limited to 45,000 participants from July 1, 2012, through September 30, 2012, and 54,000 participants from October 1, 2012, through March 31, 2014. Participants may receive up to 12 months of assistance equal to the monthly full-time payment rate under the Montgomery GI Bill–Active Duty program (currently $1,473 per month). DOL will provide employment assistance to every Veteran who participates upon completion of the program. VA will begin accepting applications online by May 15, 2012.

Participants must be enrolled in a program of education approved for VA benefits offered by a community college or technical school. The program must lead to an Associate Degree, Non-College Degree, or a Certificate, and provide training towards a high demand occupation.

 Click Here for More Information.

Accomplishments and Highlights this year’s tax season:

• Volunteers prepared 290 returns. 
• By using our free sites, taxpayers saved approximately $42,000 in tax preparation fees (using an estimated fee of $150 per return by commercial preparers.)
• The total amount of refunds this year was $470,230. 
• Earned Income Credit provided refunds of $175,855 which is approximately 34.7% of total refunds. 
• Child Tax Credits of $87,735 accounted for 18.7% of total refunds.
• The average adjusted gross income of households for taxpayers served was $22,804.
• Total volunteers included:  22 community volunteers and 9 student volunteers who donated 1,024 hours.

Click Here For the 2012 VITA Community Tax Program Report

Click Here for the 2012 Vita Community Tax Program Charts

 Summer Term Schedule

The purpose of the Kindergarten Readiness system is to evaluate the effectiveness of prekindergarten, Head Start, government subsidized, and other community-based child-care programs in preparing children for kindergarten.

• KRS recognizes the positive impact of your PreK program with a “PreK Center of Excellence” designation.
• The KRS program values local control and creative classroom efforts that prepare preschoolers for success in kindergarten.
• Your PreK program can join KRS using a simple and web-based application process.
• The PreK Center of Excellence designation is considered a gold standard in high quality PreK by the State of Texas.
• The KRS provides parents with information that helps them make choices about a prekindergarten program and to enable them to select a program that prepares their children to be on grade level upon kindergarten entry.
• This program is voluntary and offered at no charge. This program is offered through a partnership with the Texas Education Agency and Region 17 Education Service Center

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION

Some of the assistance given to these customers includes a housing sponsored GED class which operates 5 days a week 8 to 5 and evenings to address literacy issues.  There are no waiting list for these GED services.  For those FSS customers registered on WorkinTexas, special joint housing and workforce case review team meetings are being held to identify and coordinate resolution of any  employment barriers.  The outcome of these meetings results in a joint comprehensive plan of services for each individual family which is then recommended to the family.  Designated workforce career coaches and business services staff work one-on-one to do job development for individuals who need that extra assistance.  As available, workforce funding assist with occupational  and on-the-job training.  And for those who are unemployed support is  given through a weekly job club.  To improve their financial stability customers in the FSS program contribute to a housing individual development account which receives matching funds.  When  FSS customers graduate from the program they are off of all public assistance and have savings to purchase a home, attend college, or start a business.  Many families have benefitted from this joint effort in the Brazos Valley.

Click here to see what’s available and who to contact for more information.

Make the most of your financial future by opening a checking or savings account.

Visit http://www.bankonbrazosvalley.com/ or call 2-1-1 for more information.

Some Bank on Brazos Valley account features:

• No or low minimum opening balances
• No or low maintenance fees
• No minimum monthly balances
• Direct deposit of paycheks or monthly income
• Free debit cards
• Online banking

Visit WorkInTexas.com for a wide variety of jobs and resources from throughout the state.