Headlines
2012 Water Supply Outlook: No longer the driest year on record
Thanks to April storms, which helped to improve our water supply conditions both locally and State-wide, 2012 is no longer the driest year on record. These late-season weather systems have also helped improve the Sierra snowpack, which has allowed increases in the water district’s imported water allocations.
Read more: 2012 Water Supply Outlook: No longer the driest year on record
Meet Shannon
Hello Everyone! My name is Shannon Meier, and I'll be 30 on April 30th. I’m one of the newest office volunteers and work on Wednesdays. I help with whatever is needed, such as addressing envelopes, making copies of information and helping Lea with other office tasks. I found out about Heart of the Valley through an agency in Sunnyvale with a Job coach and we checked out the web site, then she helped me fill out the application.
Action Line: Beware of bogus refund offers
Here's a warning from the IRS to beware of bogus refund schemes abusing the popular college tax credit.
The targets include seniors, working families and church members in California, according to an IRS news release. Bogus refund claims have been identified from California and at least five other states, including Georgia, Michigan, Louisiana, Alabama and Indiana.
The IRS says these schemes carry a common theme of promising refunds to people who have little or no income, and are normally not required to file a federal income tax return.Promoters falsely claim they can obtain a tax refund or nonexistent stimulus payment for their victims based on the American Opportunity Tax Credit, even if the victim was not enrolled in or paying for college.Typically, con artists falsely claim that refunds are available even if the victim never went to college, or attended decades ago. In many cases, scammers are targeting seniors, people with very low incomes and members of church congregations with false promises of free money.
25th Annual Meeting
On February 27, 2012, Heart of the Valley SERVICES FOR SENIORS, Inc. held it's 25th Annual Meeting at the Santa Clara Senior Center. We want to thank the Center for allowing use their space for our event, it worked out beautifully. It was a great space and Phillip and Tom did a great job of helping us set up the room and for the clean up afterward.
Want to get something done in Santa Clara? Call 87-year-old Glorian Quigley
Glorian Quigley is a dynamo, a one-woman get-it-done-machine. The octogenarian has worked to ban smoking in enclosed public places in Santa Clara County, started a campaign to help seniors get rid of old medicines and household chemicals and fought for a mental health ward at Valley Medical Center.
She recently added the title of author, writing "Grandma Glorian's Cookies," which sold out in its first run, with all proceeds going to Books Aloud, which records books for the blind.
That the 87-year-old Santa Clara grandmother is blind herself is almost irrelevant.
"I've been blessed with a mind that loves to be challenged constantly," Quigley said in an interview in the garden of her tidy home of 61 years.
IRS Releases Dirty Dozen Tax Scams for 2012
IR-2012-23, Feb. 16, 2012
WASHINGTON –– The Internal Revenue Service today issued its annual “Dirty Dozen” ranking of tax scams, reminding taxpayers to use caution during tax season to protect themselves against a wide range of schemes ranging from identity theft to return preparer fraud.The Dirty Dozen listing, compiled by the IRS each year, lists a variety of common scams taxpayers can encounter at any point during the year. But many of these schemes peak during filing season as people prepare their tax returns.
“Taxpayers should be careful and avoid falling into a trap with the Dirty Dozen,” said IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman. “Scam artists will tempt people in-person, on-line and by e-mail with misleading promises about lost refunds and free money. Don’t be fooled by these scams.”Illegal scams can lead to significant penalties and interest and possible criminal prosecution. The IRS Criminal Investigation Division works closely with the Department of Justice to shutdown scams and prosecute the criminals behind them.
Click here to learn more about the List of Dirty Dozen tax scams for 2012
Warm Welcome to Carolyn!
Hello.♥ My name is Carolyn Donnell and I am the new Office Administrative Clerk for Heart of the Valley, having been referred through the Council on Aging SCSEP program. I moved to the Bay Area from Houston, Texas in 1998 to work for IBM and to be closer to my son and two beautiful grandchildren. Before moving to California, I worked in database software computer with NASA (Johnson Space Center) for eleven years and also as a computer contractor with EXXON and Wal-Mart.
Volunteer Spotlight : Don Eberhard
FUNDRAISING NEWS : JOYFUL GIVING CAMPAIGN
Just in time for the holidays! Our Fundraising Committee had asked our HOV volunteers to help find opportunities to benefit our agency during these economically challenged times. One of our volunteers offered an idea that sounded good to us.
VEHICLE DONATIONS AND TAX DEDUCTIONS
Donations of “things” to non profits usually count toward the year in which the donation is made---take a box of clothes to the Goodwill and you get to take the deduction in that year.
However, the rules for deducting the fair market value of a vehicle are different. The IRS code section changed at the end of 2004, but how often does one donate a car? The qualified charity has to sell the car first, and then you get to deduct the gross proceeds of the sale. Heart of the Valley will report this amount to you and handle the DMV paperwork.
SCAM ALERT
I recently received a call from one of our volunteers who told me his parents recently were involved in a scam known as "The Grandparents Scam," so we wanted to warn you. According to Consumeraffairs.com, the grandparents scam usualy works like this:
You receive a phone call from someone who greets you with, "Hi Grandma."
"Hi."
"Do you know who this is?"
"Jeremy?"
"Yeah!"
Without knowing it, you just made a mistake. Instead of saying, "No, I don't know who this is," you supplied the scammer with the name of a grandchild. He then proceeds to impersonate that grandchild.
Your "grandchild" claims he's gotten into some kind of trouble -- auto accident, overdue rent, minor brush with the law -- and needs money to fix the situation. "Can you please help? But don't tell mom. She'd kill me if she found out!"
Gayle Young
My name is Gayle Young. I am the new Administrative Clerk for Heart of the Valley through the Council on Aging's Title V Program. I live in San Jose, California. My husband and I have been married for almost 30 years. My husband retired because he has gradually become low vision impaired. We have a "Brady Bunch," two sons, two daughters, and six grandchildren so far.
I like to cook and bake. I also like to embroider baby blankets and the rules to card games. We play Books and Runs, and computer games.
I have been trying to re-invent me. My youngest son, Jason decided with his mentors blessing to go for his dream and start his own til and stone restoration business. He asked me to take care of the books for him. I want to help him with his business venture and maybe eventually I can start my own bookkeeping business. Recently my aunt decided she did not want to take care of the books for the family partnership so she handed over the books to me to mange. i decided it would be a good idea to go back to school to learn accounting.
NATIONAL PRESCRIPTION DRUG TAKE BACK DAY
OCTOBER 29, 2011 10am-2pm
Santa Clara Police Department601 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA.
Take part by removing potentially dangerous old, unwanted, or unused prescription or over the counter drugs from our home and dispose of them from 10am-2pm in the parking lot of Santa Clara Police Department. Keep our water clean and keep these drugs from getting into the hands of children. For more information on this important event go to:
and search "National Prescription Drug Take Back Day".
Let your friends, neighbors and colleagues know. If you are over 59 and unable to participate on October 29, please call Heart of the Valley, SERVICES FOR SENIORS at (408)241-1571 to request a pick up at your residence at a later date.
Heart of the Valley Parking Lot Sale a Huge Success!!!
PARKING LOT SALE JUNE 25...Please Come!
COME TO OUR HUGE PARKING LOT SALE
on June 25th, 2011 9am-2pm
Held by Heart of the Valley SERVICES FOR SENIORS, Inc.
At 1550 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA 95050
LOTS AND LOTS OF GOOD STUFF FOR SALE:
>>> furniture, rugs, lamps, paintings, tv stand, dvr player, books, dishes, dvd’s, and much, much more! <<<
All proceeds from the sale will be used to benefit seniors in need within the Santa Clara Community served by Heart of the Valley.
We look forward to seeing you at the PARKING LOT SALE!
To find out more about Heart of the Valley SERVICES FOR SENIORS, Inc. check out our website at: www.servicesforseniors.org or www.facebook.com/heartvalley
Heart of the Valley is a non-profit 501(c)(3) volunteer agency supporting independent living for seniors 59+ residing in our West Valley service area. Our volunteers provide escorted transportation and a wide variety of in-home services free of charge. Our other programs include, Disaster Preparedness, Household Hazardous Waste pickup, Pharmaceutical Waste pickup and Senior Safety Net. Please contact our office for further information at (408)241-1571
Welcome Jean Reed!
Hi! My name is Jean Reed. I’ve recently joined Heart of the Valley through the Council on Aging after a Home Care Aide class. As an Office Assistant I’m already finding Heart of the Valley to be a very rich experience as staff, volunteers and seniors build caring bridges of service. Although my office background has been in legal support, I am most inspired by what coming from the heart brings out in us.
C is for Cookie
Heart of the Valley is putting together a “Cookie Cookbook” that will contain yummy recipes from our volunteers, clients, donors and area agencies. These can be cherished family cookie recipes, newly invented cookie recipes, traditional or international cookie recipes or something delicious you saw in the paper or on TV or in the newspaper. We then hope to sell the “Cookie Cookbook” to earn money to support our seniors!
You can send your wonderful recipes to our office at PO Box 418, Santa Clara, CA 95052 or Email it to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . If it comes with a special story, include that as well!
Also, we are looking for a creative, fun or touching title for our “Cookie Cookbook", so please help us out by contacting HOV by mail or phone to let us know your suggested title!
Meet Kirby!
Hi! My name is Kirby Cristobal and I have accepted the position of Coordinator of Volunteer Programs at Heart of the Valley. I hope to serve you all as well as Kate and look forward to getting to know everyone.
I was born in Sacramento California, the second child, and only girl, of three children. My father was a pilot with USAF and my mother a home maker.
Because Dad was in the Air Force, I moved a great deal, every one to two years up to the age of thirteen. This created a great deal of childhood and teenage angst as I left friends behind, however in retrospect, this experience did give me the opportunity to see the commonalities and differences in people throughout the country. I found this extremely useful with interactions in my adult years.
My childhood was fairly normal (for an introvert uncomfortable with other people), then my parents divorced in 1960. It was also a time of internal and external change in the world and I became a true child of the ‘60’s!
Local Corporate and Community Groups Share Their Hearts
In March, the San Jose Leadership Group, offered their help to two Heart of the Valley clients. They were able to organize, remove unwanted items and clean up areas that had been too daunting for our clients to deal with on their own. We greatly appreciate these wonderful men and women who donated their Saturday, to make a huge difference in the lives of these seniors.
Our appreciation goes out to all the corporate and community volu nteers from Cisco, Wells Fargo Bank, Real Estate Offices, Campbell United Methodist Church, county employees and various schools who have given their time and shared their hearts to improve the lives of our many seniors who just get overwhelmed with their homes.
We want to encourage other corporate and community groups to step up to help! Now that the sun is shining, there’s always a lot to do! Call our office and talk to Glenda to see how you can lend your helping hand.
Best Wishes to Kate!
Kate Jones, our delightful volunteer coordinator, has left Heart of the Valley for a full-time position at The Health Trust. We will all miss her enthusiasm and “can do” spirit here at our office, but she will remain part of our team of volunteers helping seniors and be involved whenever she can. Our appreciation to Kate for her great efforts on behalf of Heart of the Valley.
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