Wellbeing at the "Y," a New Gateway in the Poconos and MORE

New 'Wellbeing Initiative'

Kicks Off at Area YMCAs

Dear John,

This week, I joined leaders from local YMCAs to announce a new Wellbeing Initiative being introduced - free of charge - thanks to $1.85 million in federal Community Project Funding I secured.

This funding will provide mental health and support services to residents of all ages at YMCAs in Lackawanna, Luzerne, Wayne and Pike counties through a partnership with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).

For decades, the YMCA has served as a valuable community resource, promoting youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. The new wellness program now being rolled out is yet another way our local YMCAs will continue to uphold their mission to "build healthy spirit, mind and body for all."

Remember, no one should let the fear of stigma attached to mental health and substance use disorders - or an inability to pay - prevent them from getting the help they need. I'm proud to do my part to help Northeastern Pennsylvanians access the mental health services they need from an organization they know and trust.

Read more about the program kickoff here.

Gateway to the Poconos

Also this week, I was invited to tour the Smithfield Gateway development project in Monroe County, where elected officials provided exciting updates.

Located at Routes 209 and 447 in Smithfield Township, the multi-phase, mixed-use project will consist of retail, office and residential spots, including 236 apartments and 200 additional units for residents over the age of 55.

The new development is designed to be a concentrated area of activity, where residents can live, work and play all in the same place, while providing good-paying jobs and contributing to the regional economy.

Supporting the Police

Also in the Poconos this week, a group of Monroe County police chiefs invited me to meet with them to discuss community policing and public safety efforts in their region.

I was happy to sit down with Acting Police Chief Shawn Goucher from Pocono Twp; Chief Chris Wagner, Pocono Mountain Regional; Lt. Scott Raymond, Stroudsburg Area Regional; Chief Bill Parrish, East Stroudsburg University; and Taylor Munoz, manager, Pocono Twp.

As a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee and Ranking Member of the Commerce, Justice and Science Subcommittee, I'm committed to bringing federal tax dollars home to Northeastern Pennsylvania, especially for our police, firefighters and first responders.

Filing Your 2022 Taxes

As of January 23, the IRS has started accepting and processing 2022 tax returns. You have until the April 18th deadline to either submit your 2022 tax return or request an extension.

Through IRS Free File, taxpayers can select and use commercial software to prepare and file their federal income taxes online if they earned $73,000 or less in 2022.

For taxpayers who are comfortable completing their own tax forms, Free File Fillable Forms may be a good option. The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance and Tax Counseling for the Elderly Locator tool is available to help find organizations that provide free tax assistance for taxpayers with low incomes, the elderly and disabled, or people whose preferred language isn’t English. MilTax is a free tax resource from the Department of Defense available to the military community.

The IRS offers many tools and resources to provide assistance during filing season. You can visit IRS.gov to access all tax information, support and account management tools.

The IRS also provides information and resources in many languages and offers enhanced services for people with disabilities. Taxpayers who need accessibility assistance can call 833-690-0598.

On the anniversary of the unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, I am proud to reaffirm my support for the Ukrainian people in their fight to defend their democracy. They have shown remarkable resilience and tenacity over the past 12 months against unwarranted Russian aggression, and I am proud to support continued aid and assistance to help Ukraine win this war.

Be safe and well,

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