CSET Newsletter - March 2025

THE COMMUNITY VOICE A Quarterly Newsletter by Community Services Employment Training

March 2025

Dear CSET Community, As we welcome 2025, we want to extend our deepest gratitude to our generous donors, dedicated partners, and the incredible community that continues to uplift and support our mission. Your commitment has been the driving force behind the progress we’ve made together.

This year brings new opportunities to serve and strengthen our community. Our free tax preparation services through VITA are available now through April 15, helping individuals and families access essential financial resources. In May, Senior Day in the Park will bring our community together to celebrate and support our seniors.

These are just a few of the many initiatives we’re excited to launch in the months ahead.

We remain inspired by the resilience, generosity, and compassion of our community. Together, we can build on the progress we’ve made, expand our impact, and continue working toward a brighter future for everyone. Thank you for being an essential part of this journey—your dedication fuels the work we do, and we look forward to all we will accomplish together in 2025!

Sincerely, Mary Alice Escarsega-Fechner, CSET Executive Director

FREE TAX PREPARATION SERVICES NOW AVAILABLE We are happy to announce the return of our Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program for Tulare County residents! CSET can provide free tax preparation services to local residents with an annual household income less than $67,000. We are offering free in person tax service every other Saturday, drop off tax preparation, and you can also file taxes on your own!

Eligible residents may also qualify for Federal and California Earned Income Tax Credits (CalEITC) that could reduce the amount of taxes owed, or increase a tax refund for working families and individuals. This year, VITA sites are available in Visalia, Tulare, Porterville, Cutler-Orosi, Exeter, Hanford, and Earlimart. Service options include in-person, drop-off, and filing from home using MyFreeTaxes.org.

For more information, visit us online at www.cset.org/vita.

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ANTHEM BLUE CROSS SUPPORTS THE VISALIA NAVIGATION CENTER We are proud to highlight Anthem Blue Cross for their continuous support of the Visalia Navigation Center (VNC). Their contributions are making a profound impact by helping to create a warm, welcoming, and caring environment for our guests during a time when compassion matters most.

Anthem contributed funds to provide healthy meals for guests staying at the Visalia Navigation Center. Additionally, Anthem is helping with long term sustainability by providing grocery store gift cards for VNC guests who move to independent living.

Anthem’s generous donation goes beyond providing immediate relief—it is providing hope, supporting unhoused neighbors with essential shelter, nutritious meals, and life-changing services through the VNC. We are deeply grateful for Anthem and all our donors who help make our mission possible!

SAVE THE DATE: SENIOR DAY IN THE PARK Mark your calendars - Senior Day in the Park is right around the corner, and this year’s theme is Hawaiian! Join us on Friday, May 9 from 9:00 am - 2:00 pm at Mooney Grove park in Visalia. Enjoy live music, delicious food, exhibitor booths, games, and an incredible performance from Jeremy “Elvis” Pearce. Don’t forget to wear your best Hawaiian gear!

SAVE ENERGY, SAVE MONEY! Summer will be here before we know it, and now is the perfect time to increase the energy efficiency of your home and save money. With just a few small changes, you can save yourself money and protect the environment along the way!

Some easy ways to save energy and money are switching to energy-efficient light bulbs, reversing your ceiling fan in the winter, weather stripping doors and windows, and using a programmable thermostat. These small changes can greatly improve the energy efficiency of a home, reducing energy use and saving you money!

CSET’s Energy Services Department can provide assistance with gas or electric bills for qualified families once a year. Additionally, we can provide weatherization services to increase the energy efficiency of homes. To learn more, call CSET’s Energy Services Department at 1-844-224-1316.

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PORTERVILLE #LEAD STUDENTS EXPLORE SPACE INNOVATION AT JPL The Porterville #LEAD cohort recently visited NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory ( JPL) in Pasadena. The field trip offered students an up-close look at groundbreaking space exploration technologies and the opportunity to learn from NASA experts. From observing robotic engineering to hearing about upcoming missions, the students left inspired and eager to pursue their own dreams in science and technology.

This hands-on experience exemplifies the #LEAD program's commitment to fostering innovation and leadership among its participants.

YOUTH ACTION BOARD DISTRIBUTES BACKPACKS OF HOPE Shoutout to the Youth Action Board (YAB) for their amazing work in the Tulare community! They recently distributed 45 backpacks filled with essential items like hygiene products, snacks, and resource information to unhoused youth, empowering them with tools for stability and growth.

A huge thank you to Anthem for making this initiative possible with their generous support! Together, we’re making a real impact.

This is just the beginning! Stay tuned as YAB continues to bring resources and hope to more communities across Tulare County.

BACK2WORK PROVIDES DISASTER RELIEF We’re proud to announce the deployment of our Disaster Relief Support project! Members of the Sequoia Community Corps went to Southern California earlier this year to assist with cleanup efforts after the devastating fires in Southern California.

Former Back2Work participant Marcos Marques, now serving as Senior Program Specialist in the Sequoia Community Corps, led a crew of 10 dedicated crew members. Marcos and his team worked tirelessly to clean hazardous waste from destroyed homes and remove downed trees, concrete, metal and other debris.

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BACK2WORK: TURNING CHALLENGES INTO OPPORTUNITIES Visalia CSET 312 NW 3rd Ave. Visalia, CA 93291 Tel. 559.732.4194 Visalia Employment Connection 4025 W. Noble Ave. # B Visalia, CA 93277-1631 Tel. 559.713.5000 Tulare Family Resource Center & Employment Connection Affiliate 155 N K. St. Tulare, CA 93274 Tel. 559.684.1987 Porterville Employment Connection 1063 W. Henderson Ave. Porterville, CA 93257 Tel. 559.788.1400

The Back2Work (B2W) crew in Bakersfield recently completed essential OSHA 10 and Roadside Safety training, ensuring that our crew members are equipped with the critical skills and knowledge they need to succeed professionally.

These trainings are vital to maintaining safety standards and preparing our crew for the next steps in their career journey.

Earlimart CSET 176 N. Front St. Earlimart, CA 93219 Tel. 661.849.2960 Orosi CSET 12737 Ave. 417 Orosi, CA 93647 Tel. 559.216.0438

What makes this even more special is that the women in the program are part of Casa Aurora, a female rehabilitative community correctional center. Through the Back 2 Work program, they are gaining hands-on experience and developing important soft skills like timeliness, preparedness, and teamwork—skills that will be vital for their successful reentry into the workforce.

Pixley CSET 927 Center St. Pixley, CA 93256 Tel. 559.575.0098

We are deeply grateful to our partners at Back2Work, Casa Aurora, TURN Behavioral Health Services, and Butte County Office of Education. We are thankful for their collaboration and unwavering commitment to creating positive change and providing new opportunities for these women to build a brighter future.

Porterville CSET 108 E. Morton Ave. Porterville, CA 93257 Tel. 559.216.0525 CSET Senior Services 1.800.321.2462 Cutler-Orosi, Earlimart, Exeter, Farmersville, Goshen, Lindsay, Porterville, & Woodlake

Visalia Navigation Center (VNC) 3525 N. Court St. Visalia, CA 93291

CSET combats poverty by providing individuals, families, and communities with the resources, skills, and opportunties to thrive.

To subscribe or unsubscribe to the Community Voice newsletter, send an email to: csetmarketing@cset.org Discover more information about CSET’s programs and services at: www.cset.org Follow us on social media for the latest updates:

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