Welcome to the 60th issue of the ILRCSF Resource Rag. This compilation of resources, announcements, and events is designed as a community pipeline for things that may fall through the cracks of other newsletters or postings.

The Rag is published the first week of each month and sent to the ILRCSF Resource Rag distribution list and you can also pick up copies of the Rag at our office. If you have resources or articles you would like to share, would like to give us feedback, or want to be added to the Resource Rag distribution list, please send an email to data@ilrcsf.org

CONTENTS

• ILRCSF Announcements, Updates and Calendar
• Spotlight News - Rebates from the Federal Government's Economic Stimulus Plan
• Advocate’s Corner - Proposed Spraying for the Light Brown Apple Moth
• Events
• Announcements

ILRCSF RECOGNIZES NOTABLE DATES IN MARCH

Monthly Observances:
Cataract Awareness Month
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFIDS) Awareness Month
Deaf History Month
Hemophilia Month
Mental Retardation & Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month

Daily Observances:
3/8 Daylight Savings Time Begins
3/8 International Women’s Day
3/17 St. Patrick’s Day
3//20 Earth Day
3/21 Purim
3/23 Easter Sunday

1.  ILRCSF ANNOUNCEMENTS, UPDATES AND CALENDAR:

NEW ILRCSF OFFICES HOURS:
Monday to Thursday 9:00 am to 4:30 pm
Friday's 9:00 am to 4:00 pm

ILRCSF is wheelchair accessible and provides reasonable accommodations on request, including ASL interpreters and print information in alternative formats. ILRCSF is a scent-free office in order to be fully accessible to all people with disabilities. Please do not wear any scented products including perfumes, aftershave, hairspray, etc. to any meetings, groups, or workshops held at or by ILRCSF.  If you are wearing scents, you will not be able to remain in the office.

SAVE THE DATES

April 5 – Support for Families Resource Fair
May 15 – Disability Capitol Action Day in Sacramento

BENEFITS WORKSHOP
ILRCSF offers three different workshops on benefits:
1. Basic Benefits Overview
2. Returning to Work - for People Receiving SSI only
3. Returning to Work - for People Receiving SSDI or both SSDI and SSI

Every Thursday at 9:30 am, we will hold a workshop on one of these three topics. You can ask any question about benefits at these workshops, but if possible, please come to the workshop most closely related to your benefits. If you need information about applying for Social Security, Medi-Cal or other benefits, come to the Basic Benefits Overview. The other two workshops cover - in depth - the PASS program, and how Social Security benefits and healthcare are affected by returning to work.

Upcoming workshops:

March Workshops:
March 6: Returning to Work – for People Receiving SSI only
March 13: Basic Benefits Overview
March 20: Returning to Work – for People Receiving SSDI or both SSDI & SSI
March 27: Basic Benefits Overview

April Workshops:
April 3: Returning to Work – for People Receiving SSI only
April 10: Basic Benefits Overview

HOUSING WORKSHOPS - Low Income Housing
Registration is required. Call 543-6222 ext. 100. Monday’s in March 1:30-3:30.

ILRCSF RESOURCE ROOM
ILRCSF has a FREE/ accessible Resource Room, with information in Chinese, English and Spanish. We also have a bulletin board with information for Deaf Consumers and information is available in alternative formats upon request.

The resource room provides info on a variety of subjects, such as benefits, ADA, assistive technology, returning to work, free food-shelter-medical care resources, health care access, legal resources, housing (including a place for those who want to post ads for apartments for rent or shared housing rentals; an updated rental list from Craig’s Lists; etc.) etc. If we don’t the resource, we’ll do our best to find the resource and referrals you are looking for. (Service providers are welcome to send us flyers and handouts to distribute.)

For further information on these and other ILRCSF services
you can stop by our office at 649 Mission Street, 3rd Floor

ATTENTION SAN FRANCISCO PEDESTRIANS: We need your help!!

Please let us know what you think about the City’s Accessible Pedestrian Signals (APS). Have you used them? Did they work properly? Have you encountered any problems? Have they helped you in your travels? Please use the contact information at the end of this announcement to give us your feedback!

A list of San Francisco intersections currently equipped with APS can be found on the website of the San Francisco LightHouse at http://www.lighthouse-sf.org/AccessiblePedestrianSignals.php

On that same page you will find information about how the APS work and links to information about the settlement agreement between the blind community and San Francisco about APS. To request an APS, call the City’s Customer Service Line at 311 (if you are in San Francisco) or 415-701-2311 (outside of San Francisco).

The APS in San Francisco are being installed as a result of an agreement between the City and the LightHouse, the California Council of the Blind, and the Independent Living Resource Center. Community feedback is crucial as we implement the agreement over the next two years. We hope we will hear from you soon.

Please send feedback to: info@lighthouse-sf.org or, if email is not available, please leave a message, toll free, at 888.400.8933

Thanks in advance, Jessie Lorenz, SF LightHouse, Linda Porelle, CCB, Diane Rovai, ILRC

JOB ANNOUNCEMENT

Deaf Community Services Coordinator

Independent Living Resource Center San Francisco, located in the financial district (downtown SF very near to BART/MUNI) is looking for a 50%-60% time Deaf Community Services Coordinator. This position reports directly to the Associate Director, Programs.  

Independent Living Resource Center San Francisco (ILRCSF) is a disability rights advocacy and support organization. ILRCSF’s mission is achieved by: systems change; community education; partnerships with business, community organizations and government; and consumer directed services.

Salary for this part - time position is in the range of $17,000 - $20,400 annually, and includes a prorated benefits package: health, dental, vision, and life insurance and 403(b) employee contribution retirement plan, 2 weeks vacation. Flexible and diverse work place.

 Job Description

Under the direction of the Associate Director, Programs, the Deaf Community Services Coordinator provides an array of services including peer counseling, information & referral, and advocacy, in service areas including housing, benefits, work incentives, assistive technology, health care access, etc. for people who are deaf/have experienced severe to profound hearing loss. Occasional translation/interpreting required. All services are delivered on a bilingual-bicultural and disability peer role model basis at ILRCSF and at community sites.

Specific Responsibilities include, but may not be limited to:

Qualifications

Send résumé and cover letter to Alice Ordover, 649 Mission Street, 3rd Floor, SF, CA 94105 or email alice@ilrcsf.org

Union representation by the Office & Professional Employees, International Union Local No. 3, AFL-CIO

**************************************************************************************

Chinese Community Services Coordinator

Independent Living Resource Center San Francisco, located in the financial district (downtown SF very near to BART/MUNI) is looking for a CHINESE COMMUNITY SERVICES COORDINATOR .  This position reports directly to the Community Outreach Supervisor.

Independent Living Resource Center San Francisco (ILRCSF) is a disability rights advocacy and support organization. ILRCSF’s mission is achieved by: systems change; community education; partnerships with business, community organizations and government; and consumer directed services.

Salary for this position is in the range of $34,500-$39,000 annually, and includes a benefits package: health, dental, vision, and life insurance and 403(b) employee contribution retirement plan, 2 weeks vacation. Flexible and diverse work place.

Job Description

Under the direction of the Community Outreach Supervisor, the Chinese Community Services Coordinator is responsible for establishing a relationship with community organizations which facilitates culturally appropriate services for Chinese speaking people with disabilities in San Francisco 's Chinatown (primarily). Additionally, this position provides an array of services in group and individual settings, including peer counseling, information & referral, and advocacy, in service areas including housing, benefits, work incentives, assistive technology, health care access, etc. Occasional translation/interpreting required. All services are delivered on a bilingual-bicultural and disability peer role model basis at ILRCSF and at community sites.

Specific Responsibilities

1. Provide service coordination to the cross disability community, including needs assessment, identification of relevant community resources, advocacy, and interpreting.
2. Provide independent living skills training so consumers may actively participate in obtaining community services.
3. Provide information and referral services.
4. Provide assistance in the areas including IHSS, disability benefits, work incentives, housing and assistive technology, health care access and ADA related issues.
5. Provide peer counseling and assist consumers to develop peer and family support systems.
6. Conduct community workshops and other community education activities.
7. Through community outreach, establish culturally appropriate relationships with community groups to facilitate identification of people with disabilities; identify venues for community education; and work to increase both disability awareness and accessible service delivery in the community.
8. Maintain and develop resource materials for Chinese speaking community.
9. Represent ILRCSF on community task forces and committees.
10. Participate in Officer of the Day duties.
11. Complete necessary reporting duties in a timely manner.

Qualifications

1. Bilingual-bicultural Chinese speaking persons preferred.
2. Must identify as a person with a disability as part of independent living/role modeling approach. (Includes diabetes, asthma, heart disease, HIV, or other disabilities which significantly effect some daily activity or activities).
3. BA or equivalent education and experience.
4. At least 2 years experience in social services delivery.
5. Good personal and written communication skills.
6. Ability to present information in a workshop/group setting.
7. Ability to work as a generalist - absorb detailed information in an array of service areas.
8. Ability to come to work scent free.

Union representation by the Office & Professional Employees, International Union Local No. 3, AFL - CIO

Independent Living Resource Center San Francisco (ILRCSF) is wheelchair accessible and provides reasonable accommodations on request, including ASL interpreters and print information in alternative formats. ILRCSF is a scent-free office in order to be fully accessible to all people with disabilities. Please do not wear any scented products including perfumes, aftershave, hairspray, etc. to any meetings, groups, or workshops held at or by ILRCSF. EOE.

Send résumé and cover letter to Alice Ordover, 649 Mission Street, 3rd Floor, SF, CA 94105 or email alice@ilrcsf.org

2.  SPOTLIGHT NEWS - Rebates from the Federal Government's       Economic Stimulus Plan

Are you eligible for the $300 rebate from the Federal Government’s
“Economic Stimulus Plan”?

Some key information for people receiving disability benefits:

• People who receive SSI only arenot eligible for the rebate
• People receiving a combination of Social Security and SSI benefits must have received at least $3000 from Social Security in 2007, in order to qualify for rebate
• If you qualify for the rebate, you must file taxes this year (2007), even if you have no taxable income

The following information can be found at the IRS website - http://www.irs.gov/irs/article/0,,id=179096,00.html

Stimulus Payments: Instructions for Low-Income Workers and Recipients of Social Security and Certain Veterans’ Benefits

FS-2008-16, February 2008

Some low-income workers and recipients of Social Security [ this does not include people who receive only SSI], certain veterans’ benefits and certain Railroad Retirement benefits may qualify for economic stimulus payments this year from the federal government.

In most cases, payments will range from $300[the amount for most people whose sole source of income is Social Security or a combination of SSI and Social Security, with at least $3000 received from Social Security in 2007] to $600 for individuals and $600 to $1200 for joint filers. Taxpayers may receive $300 for each qualifying child.

Most taxpayers do not need to take any extra steps to receive the payment beginning in early May. But there are some exceptions - Individuals who might not otherwise be required to file a 2007 tax return will need to file a return this year to receive the stimulus payment . The return must show at least $3,000 in qualifying income.

In other words, low-income workers who had at least $3,000 in earned income in 2007 but do not otherwise earn enough to be required to file a federal tax return need to file a return in order to get the stimulus payment. Likewise, Social Security recipients, veterans and retired railroad workers who might not otherwise need to file a tax return must do so to receive the economic stimulus payment.

Filing taxes:

For purposes of meeting the qualifying income requirement, the following benefits need to be reported in any combination on Line 20a of Form 1040or Line 14a of the Form 1040A.

[These forms may seem overwhelming, but for people who don’t actually need to file, but are only doing so to receive the rebate, it should be a very quick process, since most of the questions do not apply - it will require little calculation. There is a list of places in San Francisco offering free tax preparation following this article. If you have a computer, you can file on line for free, by going through the IRS web site and following the instructions for Free file.]

3. ADVOCATE'S CORNER - Proposed Spraying for Light Brown       Apple Moth

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is proposing to spray all of San Francisco, northern San Mateo County, eastern Marin, western Contra Costa and nearby areas this spring and summer to eradicate the light brown apple moth. Until last year, when the USDA obtained an “emergency exemption” from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to spray Santa Cruz and Monterey counties, the spray had been used aerially only over farms and never over populated areas. Because of the “emergency exemption,” the spraying is not subject to state approval; however, CDFA is listening to protests about this proposal.

Many people have concerns about the possible effects of the spraying on people and animals. Persons with respiratory problems or multiple chemical sensitivity have reported side effects from the Santa Cruz/Monterey spraying. An alliance to stop the spraying can be found online at www.CASSonline.org. ILRCSF also has complaint forms that can be faxed or mailed to CDFA before March 17.

There is no widespread infestation of the light brown apple moth; USDA and CDFA say they are trying to ward off a potential agricultural disaster since the moth’s larvae stunts seedlings, pits leaves and can damage fruit trees and grapes. CDFA has said that other options are not feasible. One possible reason is that there is not enough money budgeted to pursue other options.

To sign up to be notified of spraying in your community: www.cdfa.ca.gov (or call hotline at 1-800-491-1899). The spray used will have a pheromone (which disrupts the moth’s ability to reproduce itself) and many inert ingredients, which may be more toxic to humans than the pheromone itself.

Information taken from: SF Chronicle (staff article and column by entomologist R. Fagerlund), CDFA pamphlet, CASS website.

4.  EVENTS

FREE TAX PREPARATION AVAILABLE – Locations and dates:

Tenderloin Community School
Sponsored by KPMG
627 Turk Street @ Van Ness Avenue
Saturday, March 1 and April 5, 12, 10:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.

St. Peter’s Parish School
Sponsored by Deloitte
1249 Alabama Street
Saturday, March  29 and April 5, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.

Boys & Girls Club of San Francisco, Columbia Park Unit
450 Guerrero Street @ 17th Street
Wednesday, March 5, 12 , 19, 26, 5:30 p.m.–8:30 p.m.

Glide Memorial Church
Freedom Hall, 330 Ellis Street @ Taylor Street
Saturday, March 1, 15 , 29, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.

Jones Memorial United Methodist Church
Sponsored by Rowbotham & Co., LLP
1975 Post Street @ Steiner
Saturday, March 1, 8, 15, 9 a.m.–1 p.m.

Salvation Army Chinatown Corps
Sponsored by Seiler & Co.
1450 Powell Street @ Broadway Street
Saturday, March 1, 9 a.m.–2 p.m.

Southeast Community Facility
1800 Oakdale Avenue @ Phelps Street
Saturday, March 8, 22 and April 5, 9 a.m.–12 p.m.

Sunset Neighborhood Beacon Center
3925 Noriega Street @ 46th Avenue
Saturday, March 1, 15 , 22, 29, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.

Richmond District YMCA
360 18th Avenue
Saturday, March 22, 29 , 9 a.m.–2 p.m.

California Youth Leadership Forum for High School Juniors and Seniors who have Disabilities
Dates: July 27 – 31; Application deadline March 11
Description: Students will have the opportunity to live on a college campus and join more than 900 alumni from across the state that have been a part of this unique five-day program.
Cost: FREE
Applications: www.youthleadership.kintera.org - if you experience difficulty filling out the application contact the California Foundation for Independent Living Centers at (916)325-1690, TTY – (916) 325-1695 or email at ylfapps@cfilc.org

Support Group for People with Schizophrenia or Schizoaffective Disorder
Date and Time: Third Wednesday of each month from 5:30 to 6:45pm
Location: 1380 Howard St Room 537
Information: Drop in or call Susanne Killing at 415-558-5900 . Dinner is provided at meetings

Tenant Leadership Training – Mental Health Association of SF
Dates and Time: Every Wednesday night for 7 weeks from March 12 – April 23 from 5:30 – 8:00pm
Location: SOMA neighborhood – Location of the training will be included in a registration confirmation letter
Information: Contact Kendra Fuller at 415-421-2926

American Red Cross 27 th Annual CPR Saturday – Free 4.5 hour CPR Training Course
Date: March 8
This training will be offered in 8 counties and 12 training locations. Trainings will be offered in English, Spanish, Mandarin and Cantonese. For a complete list of training sites visit www.redcrosscprsaturday.org
Information and registration: 1-888-686-3600 (English), 1-888-327-3311 (Spanish), 1-888-522-5511 (Cantonese)

Understanding Early Intervention Workshop
From the High Risk Infant Interagency Council
Date and Time: Thursday, March 27, 2008 from 6:30 to 8:30pm
Location:Support for Families, US Bank Building–22 nd and Mission,3rd Fl. Registration and Information: 415-920-5040 or phampton@hriic.org

San Francisco Women Against Rape (SF WAR) 5K Walk and Rally Date and Time: Saturday, April 19, 2008 at 10:00am
Location: Walk begins at Justin Herman Plaza; rally at Mission Dolores Park
Information, Registration, Sponsorship Forms:www.sfwar.org

5.  ANNOUNCEMENT

Rebuilding Together San Francisco

Rebuilding Together is a non-profit organization that provides free of charge repair services to community facilities and low-income homeowners. Rebuilding Together has two programs:

Applicants must meet income guidelines, be elderly or disabled, San Francisco homeowners who live in their home. For more information call 905-1611

National ADA Symposium and EXPO

A comprehensive three day conference on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other disability laws sponsored by the National Network of Disability and Business Technical Assistance Centers (DBTAC). Conference will be held from May 12 – 14, 2008 at America’s Center in St. Louis, MO. For more information call 1-800-949-4232 for the DBTAC that serves your region.

Converter Boxes Necessary For TV’s Using Antennas Federal Government Providing Coupons to Assist with Purchase

(from an AP report)

Millions of $40 government coupons are available to help low-tech television owners buy special converter boxes for older TVs that might not work after the switch to digital broadcasting.

Beginning Feb. 18, 2009, anyone who does not own a digital set and still gets their programming via over-the-air antennas will no longer receive a picture. That's the day the television industry completes its transition from old-style analog broadcasting to digital.

The converter boxes are expected to cost between $50 and $70 and will be available at most major electronics retail stores. Viewers who have satellite or cable service will not need a box.

To request a coupon, consumers can apply online at http://www.dtv2009.gov starting Tuesday. The government also has set up a 24-hour hotline to take requests, 1-888-DTV-2009 (1-888-388-2009).

YOUR ONLINE PURCHASES CAN BENEFIT
Independent Living Resource Center San Francisco!

Who hasn't uttered the words, "I wish there was something I could do to help"? Now you can. Start shopping! At iGive.com®, you can buy the items you've always wanted - like that DVD box set, designer bag,or big-screen TV you've had your eyes on - only without the guilt. iGive.com is FREE for you and free for our organization. Find everything you need at 650+ participating online stores, including; Staples.com, Barnes & Noble, drugstore.com, and Lands'End.

Up to 26% of each purchase is donated to Independent Living Resource Center San Francisco. GET A $5 BONUS DONATION with your 1st purchase at any iGive.com store!

* Join for free at: www.iGive.com/ILRCSF

* 1st purchase must be made through iGive.com, within 45 days of joining. eBay bids are not considered for this purpose. Causes listed at iGive.com have been listed by iGive members for their own and other members' use. Information listed here is subject to change. Visit www.iGive.com for the most current information.

ILRCSF is wheelchair accessible and provides reasonable accommodations on request, including ASL interpreters and print information in alternative formats. ILRCSF is a scent-free office in order to be fully accessible to all people with disabilities. Please do not wear any scented products including perfumes, aftershave, hairspray, etc. to any meetings, groups, or workshops held at or by ILRCSF.