Community Events

Free Income Tax Preparation Help Begins February 4

Loyola University New Orleans College of Law is partnering with the Community Center of St. Bernard, 1111 LeBeau St, Arabi to offer free income tax preparation services and electronic filing services through its Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA). Sessions will be held at the Community Center of St Bernard from 10 AM until 2 PM on the following Saturdays: February 4, February 11, February 25, March 3, March 17, March 24 and March 31. No appointment is needed; however, residents are requested to arrive by 1:30 PM to ensure that their tax returns will be able to be completed by 2 p.m.

In order to receive assistance, taxpayers are reminded to bring photo identification and Social Security cards for each person included on their tax returns, as well as any W-2 forms, 1099 forms, Social Security statements and all other tax documents. For further information, please contact the Loyola College of Law VITA Program at 504.861.5668, or phone the Community Center at 504-281-2512. Loyola's VITA Program is affiliated with the Asset Building Coalition of Southeast Louisiana and the American Bar Association.

Meraux Foundation Awards $20,000 grant to the Community Center of St Bernard

The Community Center of St Bernard in Arabi, Louisiana announced today that it has received a $20,000 grant from the Meraux Foundation. The funds will support core organizational initiatives including the Food Pantry, Media Lab, and Community Connections programs, which serve more than 5,100 local residents each year.

The funds will also be used to provide expanded program offerings such as workforce development training to teach small business owners how to set up websites for their companies. And the grant will support investments in the Community Center's infrastructure to enable the Center to keep pace with the rapidly-increasing client numbers and capacity demands that it continues to face in the wake of the Gulf Oil Spill and the ongoing national economic crisis.

Mr RM Iray Nabatoff, executive director of the Community Center of St Bernard, noted: "On behalf of our staff, volunteers, and clients, we are very grateful that the Meraux Foundation has stepped forward as a major community partner in support of programs that provide assistance to so many St Bernard parish residents. With this generous grant, we will be able to fund additional services and development work so that we can more effectively provide local residents with the assistance they need as they continue to rebuild their lives and their communities here in St Bernard."

The Community Center of St Bernard is a grassroots nonprofit organization dedicated to providing residents of the St Bernard parish area with local access to emergency assistance and recovery resources. Services available through the Community Center and its partner agencies include a food pantry, clothing bank, food for seniors, Food Stamps enrollment, Medicaid enrollment, senior citizen employment training, crisis counseling and support, tax preparation assistance, information and referrals, legal aid, public computers, computer classes, and community-building events such as bingo nights, NA meetings, dinner dances, and holiday celebrations.

For more information about the programs and services available at the Community Center of St Bernard, please phone 504.281.2512 or visit www.ccstb.org

Medicaid Enrollment Assistance Now Available By Appointment

The Community Center of St. Bernard, 1111 LeBeau St, Arabi, is pleased to announce that Medicaid enrollment assistance will be available every Wednesday and Friday from 3 PM – 5 PM by appointment only. Anyone wishing to make an appointment for Medicaid enrollment should phone 504.281.2512 and speak to Salvador Lara-Rico.

At the time of the appointment, applicants are requested to bring proof of income for the past 30 days, proof of identification, and proof of residence, as well as social security cards for all family members who will be included on the application.

Please note that the Community Center can only help with new Medicaid enrollments. If you are already enrolled in the program and need assistance, or if you want to check the status of your application, please phone the Medicaid hotline at 1.888.342.6207.

Other locations in St Bernard Parish where residents can receive Medicaid enrollment forms include St. Bernard Parish Health Center, 7718 W. Judge Perez Dr., Chalmette, and the St. Bernard Parish Health Unit, 3002 Jean Lafitte Parkway, Chalmette.

Register for Evacuation Assistance at the Community Center

St. Bernard Parish residents with special needs can receive assistance when a mandatory evacuation is called, either due to a hurricane or another type of emergency which might arise in the parish. Special needs residents include those who are disabled or infirm, or those who do not have any transport to evacuate themselves in the event of an emergency. Residents who may need assistance with evacuation are required to register each year with the St Bernard Parish Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness.

Anyone who needs to register can meet with representatives from the Parish Department of Homeland Security at the Community Center of St Bernard, 1111 LeBeau St, Arabi from 10 AM until noon on Mondays beginning on May 2. Registration forms can also be requested by phoning the Department of Homeland Security at 504.278.4322, and the forms are also available for download from the St Bernard Parish website at www.sbpg.net.

Residents are reminded that they need to re-register if any of the contact information on the form changes, and that they must have valid identification such as a drivers license. For more information about the special needs evacuation assistance program, please contact the St Bernard Parish Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness at 504.278.4322.

Free Bingo Every Tuesday Night at 5:30!

Tuesday nights are Free Bingo Nights at the Community Center of St Bernard! Everyone is invited to a family evening filled with fun, prizes, and 10 rounds of Bingo. Starting on January 5, Bingo will be held every Tuesday night starting at 5:30 PM at the Community Center of St Bernard, 1111 LeBeau St, Arabi.

There is no charge for admission, and children are welcome to join in the fun as long as they are supervised. Winners will be able to choose from a variety of prizes including vases, figurines, and handicrafts, so come out and join us for "Bingo on Lebeau"! For more information, please phone the Community Center Office at 504.281.2512.

Road Home Assistance Now Available By Appointment Only!

Effective February 10, 2010, anyone needing Road Home assistance should phone 225-219-9600 and ask for either Anita Anderson or Ted Guillot to set up an appointment at the Community Center.

If neither Ms Anderson or Mr Guillot is available, please leave a message with the receptionist. Appointments can also be scheduled by emailing anita.anderson@la.gov or ted.guillot@la.gov .