The Northwest Ohio Affiliate of Susan G. Komen has awarded nearly $500,000 to 15 organizations, including $58,374 to Blanchard Valley Hospital.
The programs that were awarded funds will deliver breast health services to uninsured and underinsured women and men in Komen Northwest Ohio’s 24 county service area.
Blanchard Valley Hospital’s grant will fund the Mammography Screening Initiative which provides screening and diagnostic mammography services through EasternWoods Outpatient Center and Bluffton Hospital to qualifying uninsured women and men.
The Seneca County General Health District was awarded $14,507. Funding will be used to increase the mammagraphy screening rates of women ages 40 years and older in Seneca, Huron, Wyandot and Crawford counties.
The Wyandot General Health District was awarded $10,880, to be used to provide access to breast health education, mammography/ultrasound screenings and transportation assistance for income eligible men and women in Wyandot and Crawford counties through Wyandot Memorial Hospital.
Komen Northwest Ohio grants 75 percent of the funds it raises to programs within its service area to provide breast exams, diagnostic and screening mammograms and treatment and educational services. The remaining 25 percent funds research at the national level.
United Way
Free tax clinics offered by United Way of Hancock County during tax season led to the completion of 2,217 federal tax returns, 199 more than were filed last year at the clinics.
The clinics were staffed by volunteers with the Ohio Benefit Bank, Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, Brown Mackie College, Tall Timbers Industrial Park and the Hancock Hardin Wyandot Putnam Community Action Commission. The clinics were held at the Findlay-Hancock County Public Library, Millstream Career Center and the Hancock County Agency on Aging.
Refunds processed through the program totaled $2,816,964. Of that amount, $698,945 was returned to families in earned income tax credits. According to the Internal Revenue Service Tax Center website, the National Society of Accountants reports that the average cost of hiring a tax professional to prepare a Form 1040 with a Schedule A and state tax return is $246. Therefore, the free tax preparation clinics in Hancock County saved tax filers approximately $545,382 in preparation fees.
The number of volunteer hours that were garnered for the season was 2,411. According to the Independent Sector, the value of those volunteer hours in Ohio is $51,596.
The program was open to individuals or families who made less than $65,000 with no capital gains in 2013. Again this year, appointments were scheduled through United Way of Hancock County’s 2-1-1 resource and referral call center. The Hancock County 2-1-1 program received 1,240 calls to schedule free tax preparation.
Mount Blanchard Alumni
Ninety-seven alumni and guests attended the Mount Blanchard 58th alumni banquet May 10 at Riverdale High School.
Recognition was given to Virginia Newman (oldest alumni present), Barbara Bishop Garner (traveling the farthest, from Alaska) and Neal Elder (having attended all alumni banquets).
The next alumni banquet will be held at 5:30 p.m. May 10, 2015 at Riverdale High School.