LIFE Senior Services 2022 Winter LIFELines newsletter

ISSUE 2/WINTER 2022

LIFELines LIFE SENIOR SERVICES

YOUR GUIDE TO LIFE; YOUR LIFELINE TO OTHERS

LIFE’s

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holiday project

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A Note from Eileen Bradshaw,

Hello and Happy Holidays!

I love this time of year so much, probably even more now than when I was a child. I love the lights; I love the anticipation; I love gathering with friends and family, and I love the spirit of giving which seems to bubble up in us all.

In this issue of LIFELines, you can learn about an outstanding volunteer, a thoughtful and committed donor, an especially giving team member, and what happens here during the holidays for our seniors.

Thank you for all you do for LIFE Senior Services and those we serve. You really do make an impact.

Your “holiday spirit” is on display all year long, and we are most grateful.

This season of giving is a magical one, but through your efforts, LIFE steps in and make sure these seniors feel special and seen all year long.

People volunteer their time and give resources to provide thousands of seniors in our community information, care, reassurance and often joy. The time and attention you make possible can have a transformative effect on the life of senior or a caregiver.

I hope you have a wondrous holiday, filled with people you love.

Eileen Bradshaw, President and CEO LIFE Senior Services, Inc. and Affiliates

by the numbers

LIFE TAP 1:369

Pre-pandemic, LIFE’s volunteer Tax Assistance Program (TAP) was 1 of 369 such sites in the country.

1:18

During the pandemic, LIFE was 1 of only 18 TAP sites still active nationwide.

11,007 The number of seniors who contacted 1,616 at no cost to LIFE for tax information them last year.

1,616 The number of tax returns prepared and e-filed by LIFE’s volunteers at no cost to seniors last year.

1:70

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At this time, LIFE has persevered and remains as 1 of only 70 TAP sites in the country. LIFE’s program provides continuity of service while maintaining the health of our participants, volunteers, and staff.

The number of tax volunteers who gave 2,408 hours of time to TAP by scheduling appointments, greeting clients, and preparing taxes last year.

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Tax Assistance Program: Reassurance and Relief in a 1040 Form For low-income seniors who need assistance completing and filing their tax forms, LIFE’s Tax Assistance Program (TAP) takes the stress out of tax season.

Our trained and IRS-certified specialists prepare and e-file basic income tax returns at no cost to participants 60 years and above with an annual 2022 household income of $58,000 or less. Without this program, many low-to-moderate income seniors would

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have very limited affordable tax preparation resources available to them.

Anyone who doesn’t qualify under the guidelines above, can still go to www.

LIFEseniorservices.org and navigate to Programs/Tax Assistance. The website provides another option for free electronic state and federal tax preparation if their household income is below the limit of $73,000.

There’s No Need To Fear (the IRS), Tax Assistance Is Here!

Meeting Deborah, you quickly determine she is a Type A personality with a lot of energy. The wife of a Methodist minister, Deborah loves helping people. She volunteers preparing and serving food, and offers a community clothes closet, all in addition to her work as a volunteer tax preparer with LIFE’s TAP. Preparing TAP taxes for fifteen years, including eight with LIFE, Deborah said, “I love LIFE’s appointment schedule. From other agencies, I’ve heard lots of stories of people spending up to six hours waiting and they still didn’t have their returns addressed. Many elderly people with physical disabilities have trouble sitting and waiting.” With the appointment system LIFE utilizes, that simply doesn’t happen.

Although Deborah missed the camaraderie and shared resources of working in a single location, she was proud the TAP program continued during the pandemic, “LIFE did a yeoman’s job of making sure we continued during that time, while keeping our customers and staff safe. LIFE is just amazing.”

Over the years, for the people who call, upset and fearful of consequences from inadvertent errors on their taxes, TAP helps. In fact, several seniors Deborah assisted learned they would

receive a refund, a result of their pension plans withholding taxes they didn’t owe. Deborah reminisced, “One filer said, ‘I’ve been worried about this for so long. I can’t believe I put it off, I should have come here sooner.’ What a relief to take that burden off their shoulders after all that time, and they’re getting money back. What a joy that is!”

Deborah wants qualifying seniors to know, “The appointments are the best. Call early to reserve your spot; they can fill up.” To learn more or schedule appointments from February 7 until April 15, call (918) 664-9000, ext. 1189.

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LIFE’s Holiday Project

Delivers

joy!

LIFE offers a spectrum of vital services to our program participants. The Holiday Project offers light and joy as we celebrate the many winter holidays in our community.

The program focuses on providing both items of need and festivity to participants in LIFE’s Case Management, PACE, and Vintage Housing programs.

All participants receive a holiday stocking filled by generous donors from a list of suggested items. Many items help with simple functions such as pill cutters, soap, toothpaste and floss. Other fun items such as puzzle books, stress toys, back scratchers and the like provide simple items beyond the means of many elders.

In addition, our case managers help identify people with unique needs and put together wish lists of individualized items. The generous Tulsa community then steps in to fill the need in time for the holidays.

Carrie Clevenger, LIFE’s Volunteer Manager said, “During the pandemic we learned how harshly isolation impacts our seniors. This program brings joy and connection to the people we serve in our community. It is important for everyone to know someone is thinking of them.”

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Volunteers Like Pat Valencia Go the Extra Mile

Pat Valencia was a LIFE receptionist for 13 years.

During her tenure, she reliably worked on LIFE’s Holiday Project and has continued as a volunteer since her retirement. She also participates in the Knittin’ Kittens, a service group that shares warmth and love with handmade crocheted and knitted items all year. “I’ve always liked being involved and helping someone who doesn’t have what they need. I want them to know someone cares.”

Regarding the stockings and gifts, Pat notes the importance of the program to the participants. “It’s no different than when you’re a child. Getting what you want is a big deal. The staff and volunteers work really hard to get all the requests filled.”

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Volunteers from the Knitten’ Kittens

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Partners: The Bow on the Package

With the hundreds of gifts needed each year, businesses, volunteer organizations, and communities of faith can mobilize their members quicker than a mob of elves in a cookie factory.

The Church of St. Mary is one of the longestrunning supporters of LIFE’s Holiday Project with their passionate outreach director, Jackie Fusco, serving as the driving force.

not what they want, that’s what they need.’ I love to see the kids work through that process.”

Church of St. Mary’s community outreach program operates as a resource for people in the area offering financial assistance, a food pantry, counseling, education, and other resources. The people they serve face a variety of difficult, “heavy” situations. “So when we get to focus on our Gift Giving Sunday, this is what brings us brightness and joy,” Jackie said.

So many Jackie Fusco groups and individuals are helping fill the need for seniors this holiday season. People generously volunteer their time, donate handmade items, purchase gifts, and make donations to supplement the rest. On behalf of the people served by LIFE, thank you to everyone participating.

“Families look forward to this every year. You hear the kids talk about it once they start earning chore money. It’s such a sacrificial gift, they work all year and they want to spend their money helping people.”

The donation link on our website will remain available through December. If you would like to donate, please navigate to the “Support LIFE” tab at the top of our homepage and look for Holiday Project.

Jackie noted, most of the kids buy gifts for other children but, “You get a few special kids.

They’ve looked on the tags with the gifts filled out with things like a toothbrush, slippers and a blanket. They notice the age of the person, and then they show their heart. They say, ‘That’s

“That’s not what they want, that’s what they need.”

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That’s LIFE: Whittier Heights Affordable Housing

Whittier Heights Apartments

Bill Eagleton, Maria Barnes, Eileen Bradshaw

LIFE Senior Services and Vintage Housing held a ribbon-cutting ceremony in mid-September for the newly opened Whittier Heights housing development.

You can find the brand new 52-apartment and 6-villa low-income senior housing complex just north of Admiral on Lewis, in the vibrant Kendall Whittier neighborhood.

The development has already found a niche in the community. Discussions recently began about partnership possibilities with Circle Cinema. The grocery store across the street and the farmer’s market, only a block away, provide additional resources. Bill Major, from the Zarrow Family Foundations and former Executive Director of LIFE noted, “The results demonstrate that affordable housing, contrary to stereotypes, can enhance a neighborhood’s character.”

Colleen Rongey, the facility manager, recalled the gratitude of several potential residents as they realized they would soon ditch living in cars,

substandard housing, or abusive living situations for the spacious, accommodating, and stunning apartments.

While waiting for the construction process to end, one hopeful resident came to complete final paperwork and to look at photos of the complex. Colleen remembers the woman humbly leaving her office: “She said, ‘I don’t know what I did to deserve this.’ Then, I watched her going down the steps and her body just shook. You could tell she was weeping all the way to her car.” For seniors in need of a safe, affordable place to live, LIFE’s Vintage Housing changes lives.

Find out more about LIFE’s Vintage Housing at www.lifeseniorservices.org.

Consider a gift of $50 to celebrate 50 years of LIFE Senior Services.

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The Spice of LIFE Donor Profile Kristen Davis In her twenties and just beginning her brilliant work career, Kristen Davis has already appointed LIFE as a beneficiary of her trust. Although any financial planner can facilitate legacy planning, Kristen went through the Tulsa Community Foundation. “Because a portion of the trust is allocated to a nonprofit, TCF does not pull fees out of the trust account.”

For Kristen, that means more of her investment will go where intended.

“This may be where you are, but it isn’t where you have to stay.”

Kristen’s relationship with LIFE grew when she observed how LIFE makes truly affordable, community-based housing available to seniors in need. She noted, “By keeping rent actually affordable, LIFE fulfills its mission of helping seniors on fixed incomes live independently as long as possible.”

“Tulsa is very philanthropic and a lot of nonprofits do their work well. I think the end goal for all of these nonprofits is, this may be where you are, but it isn’t where you have to stay.” For Kristen, that is a goal worth supporting.

With your help, LIFE supports seniors, caregivers, and the community with opportunities and resources throughout the aging process. Here are some of the programs you support through LIFE. SENIORLINE: The first place to call with questions about aging services or situations. (918) 664-9000.

ADULT DAY HEALTH: Nationally accredited centers provide safe, cost-effective care, health monitoring, and flexible daily enrichment activities for seniors and other adults in a safe, friendly, and supportive setting.

ACTIVE SENIOR CENTERS: Offer a variety of social, creative, educational, and fitness activities supporting healthy aging, staying active, and sharing time with friends.

LIFE PACE: Provides care and comprehensive, integrated support services for qualifying individuals. PACE’s unique, team-based approach results in positive health outcomes and dramatically reduced hospitalizations.

MEDICARE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (MAP): Oklahoma’s most comprehensive counseling service helping beneficiaries understand and navigate Medicare Part D. BEHAVIORAL HEALTH: Provides information, education, and collaboration on mental health and senior issues to reduce the possibilities of higher healthcare use, lower quality of life, caregiver stress, and suicide risk.

VINTAGE HOUSING: Comfortable and affordable community-based housing for seniors with limited resources.

CASE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM: Assesses needs and coordinates a personalized social, economic, and environmental support plan enabling seniors to remain safely at home.

VOLUNTEERS FOR LIFE: Provides meaningful volunteer opportunities to seniors and retirees throughout our community.

COMMUNITY EDUCATION: Opportunities for the entire community with online and in-person options. Offerings include wellness topics, cooking, creative writing, and more.

TAX ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (TAP): The only such site in Oklahoma, the program provides assistance with free tax preparation and filing February – April to qualifying individuals.

PUBLICATIONS: LIFE’s Vintage Newsmagazine, published monthly, and LIFE’s annual Vintage Guide to Housing & Services, Oklahoma’s most comprehensive guide to senior resources, have both won National Mature Media awards.

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Wishing everyone a season of

life, love and light The most beautiful winter holiday season of all occurs when we appreciate the light shed by each community’s heartfelt traditions.

This year, please spread kindness.

LIFEseniorservices.org 8 LIFELines

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