Financial Security
Everyone deserves the opportunity to earn a living that can sustain a family and build security for future generations.
That’s why we’re helping hard working families make ends meet while connecting them with the education, financial tools, and job training opportunities to empower them to create a better, more sustainable future for themselves and their loved ones.
Volunteer income tax assistance (VITA)
Through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program, more than 80 volunteers are trained by the FREE TAX COALITION and certified by the IRS to prepare state and federal tax returns for free. The Free Tax Coalition partners with Goodwill Industries, Southwestern Community Action Council, Huntington WV Housing Authority, Mountwest Community and Technical College, MU Beta Alpha Psi Club, City National Bank, and the WV Alliance for Sustainable Families to bring the VITA program to the community.
Financial Security Programs
Catholic Charities West Virginia — $24,500 — Supporting their Community Center of Huntington Adult Education Program that provides adults 18 years and older the opportunity to improve their academic and job readiness skills. Providing salary support, occupancy support and contract services. Serving Cabell and Wayne counties.
Dress for Success River Cities — $30,000 — Supporting their Breaking Barriers and Building a Pathway to Success and Financial Stability for Women program. Providing clothing, work readiness workshop and a sense of community for the women they serve. Providing salary support, program supplies, equipment, occupancy, contract services, and training and professional fees. Serving Cabell, Lincoln, Mason, Wayne, Gallia, and Lawrence counties.
Field of Hope — $35,000 — Supporting their New Life program for the students during the school year to help with the guidance and work training. Providing salary support for their programming. Serving Mason, Gallia, and Lawrence counties.
Sojourners Care Network — $35,000 — Supporting their Gallia County Crisis Transitional Housing Project that provides critical crisis response services to homeless youth. providing salary support, program supplies, and contract services. Serving Gallia County.
Tri-State Literacy Council — $23,000 — Supporting their Adult Learners classes by providing adult learns the ability to increase their basic literacy skills. providing salary support, program supplies, equipment, and training. Serving Cabell, Mason, Wayne, and Lawrence counties.
Tri-State Literacy Council
Adult learner C.H. enrolled with the Tri-State Literacy Council in March 2023. C.H. was 40 years old and married with adult children at the time of her enrollment. C.H. had left school in the 10th grade. During her school years, C.H.’s learning disability was incorrectly diagnosed as an intellectual disability.
C.H. worked a number of minimum wage jobs over the years before deciding to return to the classroom. C.H. worked in another adult education classroom with little success before enrolling with TSLC. C.H. was initially assessed at a 4th grade equivalency in both reading and math.
Throughout her enrollment, C.H. faced a number of personal tragedies including a medical emergency with her daughter and the death of her father and sister. However, C.H. let nothing stand in her way. She continued to work diligently toward her goal and make reading and math levels gains at every assessment.
C.H. choose to focus on one subject at a time, and in March 2024 she passed the last subject area and received her diploma. C.H. immediately enrolled at Huntington Jr. College in the Medical Assistant program. In June 2024, she stopped by the Learning Center to let us know that she had passed her first semester of school. Her next semester includes Anatomy, she’s nervous but with her determination, motivation, and work ethic, TSLC staff are certain she will succeed.
C.H. is a success story, not only because of her impressive accomplishments, but also because of her attitude. In class, C.H. helped and encouraged other learners, and we are certain she will continue to meet her goals.
