MARCH 6, 2026 RESOURCES GROUNDCOVER NEWS 13 Gratitude for outpouring of love, money and personal assistance sustaining vendors SUSAN BECKETT Pubilsher emeritus It really does take a village. Historically, Groundcover volunteer staff has been made up primarily of retirees with a sprinkle of college students. With COVID striking, most of the older volunteers had to isolate while college students returned to their parents. Miraculously, a covey of young adults appeared at our doorstep offering help. They have delivered groceries and money to homebound Groundcover vendors, set up and managed phone plans, made masks, provided tech support for many phones and devices, helped vendors file for the stimulus and unemployment and are now helping us sell papers to our vendors in the outdoor spaces around our office. Many of our older supporters and volunteers donated all or some of their stimulus checks to help our vendors stay housed and connected when vendors’ Groundcover income disappeared in mid-March. Some volunteers transitioned to helping remotely — checking in with vendors weekly and assisting with tax and benefit filing. Food Gatherers and the Community Action Network supply us weekly with appropriate food to distribute to vendors who are in need. Devoted readers subscribed to our online publication, providing us with cash that we passed on to our vendors weekly. To date, none of the Groundcover vendors have contracted COVID-19. Even though we are again publishing and selling a physical paper, we are continuing some of the supports. Many vendors have underlying health or age conditions that make it especially risky for them to be out. And we never know when the incidence of cases in Washtenaw County might rise to the point where we need to suspend print operations again. (For anyone wondering, you can subscribe to our online edition through our website, groundcovernews.org.) Even now, we are restricting our sales to the downtown and campus areas of Ann Arbor to avoid the areas where case counts are higher and to allow for better oversight. All vendors are required to go through a COVID orientation that details the safety practices we expect them to follow while selling Groundcover. These include wearing a facemask over the mouth and nose, maintaining a distance of six feet from others whenever possible and frequent hand sanitation. We are also encouraging cashless sales. So don’t be surprised if you are offered the option of paying by credit card, Cash App or Venmo! We give heartfelt thanks to all our donors and our pandemic support staff of Jessi, Glenn, Hailu, Lucy, Michael, Elahe (Eli), Andrea, Tyler, Stephen, Audrey, Matthew, Elizabeth, tax preparation RESOURCE CORNER Tax day is April 15! The IRS is already accepting and processing tax returns; don't wait until the last day! If your total income is less than $69,000 you likely have one or more cash benefits waiting and tax prep services are at no cost to you. Exact details vary based on the specific tax credit, your tax filing status and the number of people in your household. Some, but not all, tax credits require that you or your children have a Social Security Number. FINDING TAX FORMS Ann Arbor District Library branches offer physical copies of various federal tax forms beginning in late January. Librarians can print additional forms for no cost. Call (734) 327-4200 for more information. Ypsilanti District Library offers tax forms, while supplies last, at the Whittaker and Superior branches. Call the library for more information. Whittaker branch: (734) 482-4110, x2411 Superior branch: (734) 482-4110, x2431 Download necessary tax forms from the Michigan Department of Treasury website and check income tax refund status. www.michigan.gov/taxes FILING HELP The Housing Bureau for Seniors Offering FREE tax return preparation for seniors in partnership with AARP Foundation! Appointments are offered Wednesdays and Fridays from February 4 - April 10. Trained volunteers will be able to provide you with a full federal and state return or complete the Michigan Property Tax Credits you qualify for. Past returns can be completed from 2022 onwards. Call Housing Bureau for Seniors to schedule your appointment at 734-998-9341! United Way Southeastern Michigan Tax preparation services are provided by IRS-certified non-profit partners, Accounting Aid Society and Wayne Metro Community Action Agency. Participation requirements include: make less than $69,000/year, have a Driver's License or picture ID, have a Social Security Card or ITIN, live in Washtenaw County. Schedule your appointment at unitedwaysem.org/resources/ tax-preparation-assistance/ St. Francis of Assisi Parish Offers tax help to individuals with limited income ($57,000.00 or less) and simple tax returns. Call the parish office at (734) 821-2121 to make an appointment to drop off your return. Services offered February through April. Assistance also available in Spanish. ONLINE FILING MyFreeTaxes.com Free online service provided by United Way for preparing and filing your taxes brought to you by United Way. Must make $67,000 per year or less to use this service. Get started today at MyFreeTaxes.com Madi, Rainey, Shoshana, Jon, Lisa, Cheryl and Daniel, to our summer intern and layout editor, Lindsay, and to assistant director Michael. Originally published in the August 2020 edition of Groundcover News.
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