Dear Community Partner,

Disability Alliance BC (DABC) is thrilled to announce the launch of our new program, Tax AID DABC.

Tax AID DABC is a free, confidential provincial program that will assist people with the Persons with Disabilities (PWD) designation or Persons with Persistent and Multiple Barriers (PPMB) designation with basic income tax filings and information/referrals on tax related matters. Our main focus will be on helping chronic late tax filers to catch up on their unfiled taxes. We can assist clients in several ways including:

• Filing income taxes through one-to-one meetings
• Helping gather tax slips and other necessary documents
• Providing advice and information (in-person, or by phone and/or email) about filing income tax returns
• Providing referrals to organizations in clients’ communities
• Accessing advice and support for clients with more complex tax returns from a chartered accountant.

More than 20,000 people receiving BC’s disability assistance don’t file their income taxes regularly. This means they’re missing out on hundreds of dollars each year. For example, the GST credit, BC sales tax credit and carbon tax credit can provide an extra $400-$500 annually. Also, once people have filed their taxes they may be able to open a registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) with grants and bonds which can be worth thousands of dollars.

Please feel free to refer people receiving PWD and PPMB with unfiled taxes to Tax AID DABC. For more information, please contact Sam Turcott at 604-872-1278/1-800-663-1278 or taxaid@disabilityalliancebc.therightfitbc.org, or visit Tax AID DABC’s website at www.taxaiddabc.org.

Any help you can give to let people know about Tax AID DABC would be most appreciated. We’ve attached PDF versions of Tax AID DABC’s poster and brochures. If you would like us to mail you some, please email Chloe at chloe@disabilityalliancebc.therightfitbc.org. And please help spread the word about Tax AID DABC by using #TaxAidDABC on social media.

Thank you!

Best regards,

Jane Dyson
Executive Director

Tax AID DABC is generously funded by the Vancouver Foundation.

We are delighted to introduce our newest video, “A Glimpse of Possibility: Resilience” about maintaining resilience while living with disability/chronic illness. Thank you to Carol, Lillian and Darren for sharing their stories about coping with illness and disability.

Lillian coined the phrase, “a glimpse of possibility” several years ago while talking about resilience with DABC’s Shelley Hourston. We felt it was an ideal title for our most recent video created by Brianne Nettelfield of Feel It All Productions (http://www.feelitallproductions.com).

We are grateful for funding from Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) for funding our AIDS & Disability Action Program/Wellness & Disability Initiative and this video.

To watch the video, please visit our website:  https://disabilityalliancebc.therightfitbc.org/health.htm

DABC’s AIDS & Disability Action Program/Wellness & Disability Initiative has published a new booklet on HIV and Hepatitis C (HCV) stigma in health care environments. Checklist for Change: HIV & Hepatitis C Stigma in Health Care is based on research and interviews with service providers and individuals living with HIV and HCV.

Included in the publication is a checklist to encourage reflection on personal communication practices for individuals working in health care settings. Suggestions for training and effective organizational policies are also included.

You may download Checklist for Change below.

BC Health Care Student Reviewers Invited

BC students studying any area of health care are invited to review Checklist for Change and provide feedback until August 31, 2015. Selected feedback will be incorporated in a revised edition in September. Student reviewers will be entered in a draw for one of three gift cards. To become a reviewer, email Shelley@disabilityalliancebc.therightfitbc.org.

Download  Checklist for Change – HIV & HCV Stigma in Health Care