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WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina - On Halloween, Thursday, October 31st, Experiment in Self-Reliance (ESR), in conjunction with Mechanics & Farmers Bank and its community partners, proudly hosted their 1st annual Trunk or Treat event at Mechanics & Farmers Bank, located at 770 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Winston-Salem, NC. This fun-filled afternoon invited families to enjoy a safe and festive Halloween experience while learning more about the important work ESR does. "I’m here to provide the kids with a safe place to come and engage with other community members while collecting candy," said Chief William H. Penn, an ESR Board Member and Chief of the Winston-Salem Police Department. "We are celebrating Halloween in a fun, safe environment, and all the participating community agencies not only talk about loving kids but also demonstrate it by engaging with them. "Trunk-or-treat events are becoming increasingly popular, and it’s easy to see why. Parents of young children especially appreciate these Halloween gatherings. Families can stroll among cars decorated for Halloween and let their children experience the excitement of trick-or-treating without the stress of navigating their neighborhoods. Little ghosts and goblins can put on their costumes and collect candy without getting tired. "It’s wonderful to see a community come together to support one another, and to watch children enjoy themselves, knowing there are people who stand behind them and their families is powerful, especially in this community," shared Dr. Phygenia Young, another ESR Board member. Through this event, we were able to provide a fun experience and delicious candy to many children and families, thanks to our community partners, which included Mechanics & Farmers Bank, the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Department, the Winston-Salem Police Department, Sifted Sugar, Inc., United Way, the Delta Sigma Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., the Children’s Law Center, and the ScottCares Foundation. As ESR celebrates 60 years of serving this community, these efforts enable us to continue providing essential services to clients and fulfill our goal of facilitating access to education, homeownership, and free tax preparation for individuals and families with low to moderate incomes. Experiment in Self-Reliance is a non-profit agency chartered in 1964 and has been supporting the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County community for over 60 years. Our mission is to empower social and economic self-reliance for low-income and homeless individuals. We are dedicated to creating a judgment-free zone and treating everyone with respect, all while pursuing our vision of reducing poverty and homelessness in our community. To learn more or make a donation, visit us at  www.eisr.org  or give us a call at 336 722-9400. #END

On Monday, March 25th, St. Leo's provided food to 25 ESR families.  Each family was given either a turkey or ham of their choosing and food items needed for Easter dinner to feed their families, along with Easter baskets and or/easter candy items to families with school-aged children.  Goodwill Industries also worked in collaboration with ESR to pick up and deliver the items to our location.  St. Leo's has been a partner with ESR for several years and hosts sponsorships for Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas to some of the client families we serve. We are grateful for their continued support and partnership over the years.

ESR's Forsyth Free Tax Program was featured on WXII 12 News for the 2024 tax season. Program assistant, Allison Lizotte spoke about the programs general information, requirements, and the impact this service has on our clients and the community. A very special thank you to our program manager, Cherie Ingram, program assistant, Allison Lizotte, and all of our VITA volunteers! Note: (Incorrect spelling of ESR in the video is no fault of our own. We have made WXII aware of this mistake and corrections of our name in the article are in process of being fixed.)

Resources New Century IDA Application Interest & Notification DOWNLOAD ESR Strategic Plan 2022-2023 DOWNLOAD ESR's 990s DOWNLOAD

Donate Now more than ever, ESR needs your support Your donation stays here in Forsyth County. Generally, your monetary contributions go directly to client assistance funds. These funds may be used for purchasing food vouchers and bus passes, for deposits on utilities, rent deposits, assistance with childcare for a working parent, uniforms for work or school, tuition, books, and other services to help meet our clients’ immediate and long-term needs. Your donations of goods also go to assist our clients, depending on the nature of the donation. We have limited storage for donated items, however please call us to see if we have an immediate need for your items. For information on how to donate tangible items, call (336)-722-9400. For more ways to give, see giving options below. Annual Fund General giving goes to the area that has the most need. Your gift, plus the gifts of others, can mean the continuation of a program, the addition of new programs or activities to help citizens of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County to remove themselves from poverty, help meet the needs of a family throughout the year, or provide for a host of other vital services in our community. Louise G. Wilson Legacy Society Louise G. Wilson served as ESR’s Executive Director from 1968 until 1985. Over the course of her career and throughout her life, Wilson dedicated her time to advocating for the needs of the poor. Her legacy of service and commitment to the community proceeds her. The Louise G. Wilson Legacy Society is reserved for donors who contribute $1,000 annually. An honor event will be held each year in recognition of Mrs. Wilson and the Legacy Society. Donation Form First name Last name Street Address Street Address Line 2 City Region/State/Province Postal / Zip code Email Phone Select Your Campaign Annual Fund General Support Louise Wilson Legacy Society Program Support (please specify) Other (please specify) If your gift is in support of a Program or Other, please specify the program or campaign here. This gift is In honor of (please specify) In memory of (please specify) Not applicable If your gift is "In honor of" or "In memory of," please specify here. Enter the amount you wish to pay: $ Go to Checkout Thanks for submitting!

Tax FAQ Have a question about filing your tax return? We can help! Here are our Frequently Asked Questions. Have additional questions? Give us a call at 336-722-9400 . Question: Am I required to file a tax return? Answer: To determine if you are required to file a tax return will depend on several factors, including your age, gross income, filing status, and if you are a dependent on someone else’s tax return. To get more specific information on who must file, check out IRS Publication 501. Question: What is the difference between the standard deduction and itemized deduction? Answer: A standard deduction is a fixed dollar amount based on the taxpayer’s filing status that lowers the taxpayer’s taxable income. The standard deduction is a benefit that eliminates the need for taxpayers to itemize deductions such as medical expenses, mortgage interest, and charitable contributions. Itemized deduction allows taxpayers to reduce their taxable income based on specific personal expenses such as medical expenses, mortgage interest, and charitable contributions. Most taxpayers have a choice of either taking a standard deduction or itemized deduction whichever gives the taxpayer the lower taxable income and lower tax amount. Question: What is the current standard deduction amounts for the tax year 2022? Answer: The standard deduction amounts for the tax year 2022 are: Single or Married Filing Separately – $12,950 Married Filing Jointly or Qualifying Surviving Spouse – $25,900 Head of Household – $19,400 Question: What is the amount of the Child Tax Credit, Credit for Other Dependents, and the Child Age Limit for the year 2022? Answer: The child tax credit is $2,000 per eligible child (The temporary increase to $3,000 and $3,600 was for the tax year 2021 only). The credit for other dependents is $500 (This credit is for dependents who do not qualify for the $2,000 child tax credit). A child must not have attained age 17 by the end of 2022 to be a qualifying child. Question: Will I be able to still claim charitable contributions for the tax year 2022 if I do not itemize? Answer: No, this was only temporary for the tax year 2021, where the taxpayer was able to claim charitable contributions if the taxpayer took the standard deduction. The taxpayer will only be able to claim charitable contributions if they choose to itemize. Question: Will I receive a tax form if I had a health plan through the Health Insurance Marketplace? Answer: If a taxpayer or anyone in the taxpayer’s household is enrolled in a health plan through the Health Insurance Marketplace, Form 1095-A will be issued. This form will be mailed from the Health Insurance Marketplace and not the IRS. If you have not received Form 1095-A, you contact the Health Insurance Marketplace (800-318-2596) or visit the website https://www.healthcare.gov/. Question: What do I do if I have been a victim of identity theft? Answer: If you have been a victim of identity theft, contact the IRS Identity Protection Specialized Unit at 800-908-4490 extension 245 immediately. Question: When are tax returns due for the tax year 2022? Answer: Taxpayers will have until Tuesday, April 18th, 2023 to file their 2022 tax returns. Question: How can I check the status of my tax refund? Answer: The taxpayer can check the status of a tax refund by using the Where’s My Refund? tool (https://www.irs.gov/refunds). Where’s My Refund? tells the taxpayer if their tax return has been received and if the IRS has approved their tax return and/or sent the taxpayer their tax refund. Question: What if I am unable to pay the taxes that I owe? Answer: It’s important that taxpayers still file a tax return even if the taxpayer is unable to pay the taxes owed. Failing to file a tax return will result in penalties and interest. If the taxpayer is unable to pay taxes owed, the IRS has multiple payment options including installment agreements. For additional information, taxpayers may call (800-829-1040) or visit the IRS website .