Summit focused on Financial Empowerment

Los Angeles – October 3m 2024, the Strength Based Community Change (SBCC) team participated along with other community-based organizations (CBO) and county departments in a summit hosted by the Los Angeles County Office for Financial Empowerment, a department under the Office of Consumer and Business Affairs for Los Angeles County.

Juan Conde represented SBCC Wilmington. Erika Schwerdt represented the Antelope Valley SBCC. Kathy Dixon represented SBCC and AIM. AIM is an acronym for Association for the Improvement of Minorities in the IRS.

One of the many beneficial services to the East Antelope Valley communities at TheCenter@Wilsona by SBCC is free income tax preparation by Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA).

Breakouts rooms included many topics that supported poverty alleviation for all, and the closing panel included Kathy who spoke on the success of expanding the VITA program located at the SBCC center on the Wilsona Elementary School Campus as well as the 2 other locations, LA Care in Palmdale and Penny Lane in Lancaster. Also represented was the location that SBCC sponsors in the LA region. Topic included Youth from resilience to success, needs of immigrants, alleviating medical debt, tackling fraud and scams and uniting for impact.

We hope to continue the work. Stay tuned for the tax preparation flyer coming soon for the 2024 tax season, which will likely begin February 1, 2025.

Pictured is Rafael Carbajal, Director of the Los Angeles County Office of Consumer and Business Affairs, Juan Conde SBCC Wilmington, Supervisor Holly Mitchell, Kathy Dixon, SBCC and AIM and Erika Schwerdt, SBCC Antelope Valley.

By Shirley Harriman