Pars Equality Center

THE REFUGEE CAREER PATHWAYS PROGRAM

THE SAVING TOGETHER REFUGEE INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT ACCOUNTS(IDA) PROGRAM

THE SAVING TOGETHER REFUGEE IDA PROGRAM IS A MATCHED SAVINGS AND FINANCIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR ELIGIBLE REFUGEES RESIDING IN THE GREATER BAY AREA OF N. CALIFORNIA, INCLUDING SILICON VALLEY.

IRANIAN COMMUNITY SELF-HELP PROJECT

THE DESCRIPTIVE TITLE OF PARS PROJECT IS THE CITIZENSHIP INTEGRATION PROGRAM . PARS HAS ATTACHED A SUMMARY OF THIS PROJECT

IRANIAN COMMUNITY SELF-HELP PROJECT

PARS EQUALITY CENTER: LOS ANGELES PROPOSES TO PROVIDE A CITIZENSHIP AND INTEGRATION PROGRAM SUPPLYING NATURALIZATION AND CITIZENSHIP READINESS PROGRA

CITIZENSHIP INSTRUCTION AND NATURALIZATION APPLICATION SERVICES

PARS BRIDGES TO WELLNESS - PARS EQUALITY CENTER WILL IMPLEMENT PARS BRIDGES TO WELLNESS, A 3-YEAR MENTAL HEALTH LITERACY AND CRISIS-RESPONSE TRAINING PROGRAM FOR FARSI-SPEAKING PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY. PROJECT ACTIVITIES WILL FOCUS ON PROVIDING MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID AND QUESTION, PERSUADE, REFER (QPR) SUICIDE-PREVENTION TRAINING SO PARTICIPANTS CAN RECOGNIZE SIGNS OF MENTAL ILLNESS, SAFELY DE-ESCALATE CRISES, AND CONNECT AT-RISK FAMILY MEMBERS TO CARE. A STRUCTURED REFERRAL PATHWAY WITH A LICENSED CLINICAL PARTNER WILL CONNECT INDIVIDUALS IDENTIFIED THROUGH TRAINING-GENERATED REFERRALS TO SCREENING, ASSESSMENT, AND TREATMENT SERVICES. PARS WILL ALSO CONDUCT SUSTAINED OUTREACH, PARTICIPATE IN COMMUNITY COALITIONS, AND USE A TRAIN-THE-TRAINER MODEL TO DEVELOP COMMUNITY AMBASSADORS WHO CAN SUSTAIN TRAINING DELIVERY. OVER 3 YEARS, PARS WILL TRAIN 720 PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS AND LINK AT LEAST 120 INDIVIDUALS TO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES THROUGH THE PROJECT’S REFERRAL PATHWAY. THE PROJECT WILL STRENGTHEN COORDINATION BETWEEN PARS AND ITS CLINICAL PARTNER TO SUPPORT TIMELY REFERRAL AND SERVICE DELIVERY.

ESL AND CITIZENSHIP PREPARATION PROGRAM

PURPOSE: THE VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE (VITA) GRANT WAS ESTABLISHED AS A MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR ORGANIZATIONS WHO SUPPORT COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: THE VITA GRANT PROGRAM PROVIDES FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO ORGANIZATIONS WHO 1) EXTEND SERVICES TO UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS IN HARDEST TO REACH AREAS BOTH URBAN AND NON-URBAN; 2) INCREASE THE CAPACITY TO FILE RETURNS ELECTRONICALLY; 3) HEIGHTEN QUALITY CONTROL; 4) ENHANCE TRAINING OF VOLUNTEERS; AND 5) SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE THE ACCURACY RATE OF RETURNS PREPARED AT VITA SITES. END GOAL/EXPECTED OUTCOMES: VITA GRANT RECIPIENTS ARE EXPECTED TO 1) FOLLOW EXISTING GUIDANCE GOVERNING VITA SITE OPERATIONS; 2) ENSURE AT LEAST 90% OF RETURNS PREPARED ARE FOR INDIVIDUALS WHOSE INCOME IS EQUAL TO OR LESS THAN THE MAXIMUM EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT (EITC) THRESHOLDS; 2) FILE ALL ELIGIBLE RETURNS ELECTRONICALLY; 3) ACHIEVE 100% OF THEIR RETURN PRODUCTION GOALS; 4) BECOME MORE EFFICIENT WITH GRANT FUNDS; AND 5) SHOW INCREMENTAL INCREASES IN RETURN PREPARATION EACH YEAR. INTENDED BENEFICIARIES: TAXPAYERS WHO ARE LOW TO MODERATE INCOME INDIVIDUALS, PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES, THOSE FOR WHOM ENGLISH IS A SECOND LANGUAGE, NATIVE AMERICANS, INDIVIDUALS LIVING IN RURAL AREAS, MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES AND THEIR FAMILIES, AND THE ELDERLY. SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES: SUBRECIPIENTS MAY BE UTILIZED BY GRANT RECIPIENTS TO HELP DELIVER KEY ELEMENTS OF THE PROGRAM AND MUST ADHERE TO GRANT PROGRAM GUIDELINES. BROADBAND: SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES RELATING TO BROADBAND USAGE ARE NOT KNOWN AT THE TIME OF AWARD.

PURPOSE: THE VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE (VITA) GRANT WAS ESTABLISHED AS A MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR ORGANIZATIONS WHO SUPPORT COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: THE VITA GRANT PROGRAM PROVIDES FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO ORGANIZATIONS WHO 1) EXTEND SERVICES TO UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS IN HARDEST TO REACH AREAS BOTH URBAN AND NON-URBAN; 2) INCREASE THE CAPACITY TO FILE RETURNS ELECTRONICALLY; 3) HEIGHTEN QUALITY CONTROL; 4) ENHANCE TRAINING OF VOLUNTEERS; AND 5) SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE THE ACCURACY RATE OF RETURNS PREPARED AT VITA SITES. END GOAL/EXPECTED OUTCOMES: VITA GRANT RECIPIENTS ARE EXPECTED TO 1) FOLLOW EXISTING GUIDANCE GOVERNING VITA SITE OPERATIONS; 2) ENSURE AT LEAST 90% OF RETURNS PREPARED ARE FOR INDIVIDUALS WHOSE INCOME IS EQUAL TO OR LESS THAN THE MAXIMUM EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT (EITC) THRESHOLDS; 2) FILE ALL ELIGIBLE RETURNS ELECTRONICALLY; 3) ACHIEVE 100% OF THEIR RETURN PRODUCTION GOALS; 4) BECOME MORE EFFICIENT WITH GRANT FUNDS; AND 5) SHOW INCREMENTAL INCREASES IN RETURN PREPARATION EACH YEAR. INTENDED BENEFICIARIES: TAXPAYERS WHO ARE LOW TO MODERATE INCOME INDIVIDUALS, PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES, THOSE FOR WHOM ENGLISH IS A SECOND LANGUAGE, NATIVE AMERICANS, INDIVIDUALS LIVING IN RURAL AREAS, MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES AND THEIR FAMILIES, AND THE ELDERLY. SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES: SUBRECIPIENTS MAY BE UTILIZED BY GRANT RECIPIENTS TO HELP DELIVER KEY ELEMENTS OF THE PROGRAM AND MUST ADHERE TO GRANT PROGRAM GUIDELINES. BROADBAND: SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES RELATING TO BROADBAND USAGE ARE NOT KNOWN AT THE TIME OF AWARD.