Category: Resources
MUNICIPAL MEDICAL TRANSPORTATION
The Dial-a-Ride Medical Transportation and Caregiver Mileage reimbursement program started their new
fiscal year on July 1, 2021 and runs until June 30, 2022. Residents who are 60+ or persons with disabilities are
eligible for the service. A one-page application is required in order to register. If you have already registered for
the program, you do not need to complete a new registration form.
Registered participants who cannot have their needs met by existing services will be provided a limited number of oneway trips per grant year (36) or as the grant dollars allow.
For further information or for an application, please contact the Senior Center office.
FREE N95 Masks are available for all Seniors
We will be offering N95 Masks to all of our
members.
Distribution of masks will take place on
Tuesday, February 15th between 1-2pm.
Two masks per person will be given.
Please call ahead of time at (860)434-4127
so we can make sure we have enough for
everyone that wants them.
FREE COVID Test Kit available for those that are considered vulnerable
The Lymes’ Senior Center has a limited
amount of test kits available for those considered vulnerable. The state has required
this delivery be designated for vulnerable
populations. They define vulnerable populations as: “persons living in congregate housing and persons who have physical, mental,
intellectual or other developmental disabilities that are unable to seek out testing kits
on their own.” Please call the Senior Center
at (860)434-4127 to arrange to pick a kit up
if you fall in any of those categories OR if
you are homebound let us know and we can
have one delivered.
Call N Connect
Would you or a loved one enjoy a weekly phone call from a volunteer to check-in and say “Hello”? If so, Thrive55+ Active Living Center (Groton Senior Center) has your solution!
Call N Connect, a national program through Call Hub, was put in place to help seniors stay connected and have socialization by phone. Anyone feeling lonely or isolated can benefit from a weekly phone call from a friendly volunteer to help brighten their day.
The Call Hub system keeps phone numbers between volunteer callers and seniors confidential. A background check and training is required for volunteer callers before they can call seniors.
This program is open to seniors age 55 and older living in any town in Connecticut.
For more information or to sign up for a weekly phone call,
Please contact Groton SC Program Supervisor Tomi Stanley, (860) 441-6782.
Free At-Home COVID-19 Test Kits
The Federal Government is distributing free at-home COVID-19 Test Kits by mail to those who sign up. Every home in the U.S. is eligible to receive 4 tests. The tests kits are completely free. Orders will be delivered by the USPS and usually ship in 7-12 days.
► The CDC recommends immediately getting tested if you have any symptoms of COVID-19. For those who are a close contact to someone who tested positive, the CDC recommends getting tested 5 days after exposure even if you have no symptoms.
For more information and to order your test kits, visit:
www.covidtests.gov
Looking for a local testing location? Visit: www.211ct.org/covidtesting
Affordable Connectivity Program
The Affordable Connectivity Program is an FCC benefit program that helps ensure that households can afford the broadband (internet) they need for work, school, healthcare and more.
The benefit provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward internet service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands. Eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers if they contribute more than $10 and less than $50 toward the purchase price.
Eligibility for the Affordable Connectivity Program includes households with incomes at or below 200%of the Federal Poverty Guidelines or participants in assistance programs (SNAP, Medicaid, Federal Public Housing Assistance, SSI, WIC or Lifeline). Please see websites for all eligibility categories.
For more information and to apply visit
www.acpbenefit.org AND www.fcc.gov/acp
Congregate Meal Program.
Lunch is served at 11:30 a.m. Reservations
are required. Call 860-889-0770 on Monday or 860–887-5581 extension 6
Tuesday thru Friday with questions or to make reservations.
February Food Distribution
Friday, February 4th
from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. to
attend the next food distribution at the Preston Senior Center, 42 Long Society
Road. Truly amazing the wide range of frozen meats, fresh produce, dairy and
non-perishable food items that are distributed through this drive-thru event.
Many thanks to United Community & Family Services and their many sponsors
which make this event possible. We will continue with the monthly distributions
(first Friday) each month (with Mother Natures cooperation). The program is
open to Preston residents and non-residents alike.
Elderly and Totally Disabled Tax Relief Program:
-
The qualifying income guidelines for the Elderly and Totally Disabled TaxRelief Program application to be filed for the 2021 Benefit year are $38,100 forunmarried individuals and $46,400.00 for married persons. Application filingdeadline for the Homeowner Program is May 15, 2022.You will need to provide proof of all sources of income including but notlimited to Social Security, pensions, interest statements, employment, Etc. If youfiled Income Tax, a copy of the signed and dated document, including supportingdocumentation is necessary to provide. It is extremely important that you bringall necessary documentation regarding proof of your income when you arrive foryour appointment. Items to be included as part of qualifying income are asfollows:*Wages, bonuses, commissions, gratuities and fees, self-employment net income(do not include depreciation expense)*Net Social Security (Box 5 from SSA-1099), Federal Supplemental SecurityIncome, payment for jury duty (excluding travel allowance)*Dividends and interest*IRA – include only “taxable” amount, NOT “total distribution”*Black Lung payments*Green Thumb payments*Interest or proceeds resulting from gifts received
-
*Lottery winnings*Net income from sale or rental of real or personal property (do not includedepreciation, receipts for expenses required when no tax return has been filed)*Pensions and annuities-include only “Taxable” amount*Veteran’s pension and veteran’s disability payments*Railroad retirement*Severance pay; UNEMPLOYMENT compensation*Worker’s compensation*Alimony*DSS cash assistance (SAGAP)Legal Settlements-Net Proceeds*Dependency and Indemnity Compensation from Dept. of Veterans Affairs*Cancellation of Debt*If property is owned in trust any distributions received from the trust (verifiedwith a copy of the trust federal tax return)*Capital gains total from previous year only (a capital loss carryover from aprevious year should be excluded from qualifying income calculations)Persons already receiving the Elderly and Totally Disabled Tax ReliefProgram benefits will receive correspondence from the Preston Assessor’s Officeindicating that this is the year in which you need to reapply for your benefits.Please contact the Senior Affairs Office at 860-887-5581 extension 6 after January31stto schedule an appointment.