Events of Tuesday, February 16, 2021

Jackson College Black History Month Event.  Why Black History Month Matters, panel discussion, Feb. 16 from 3-4 p.m. via Zoom https://zoom.us/j/664214957  Panelists will include Jackson College Trustee Sheila Patterson; Associate Minister & Co- Chair of Sisters in Ministry, Janice Fairley; Retired Warden Harold White; and Chief Executive Officer of the Blazer newspaper, Alan Wade.

Red Cross Blood Drive. In honor of Black History Month this February, the American Red Cross encourages eligible donors, and especially those who have recovered from COVID-19, to give blood to honor the legacies of African Americans like Dr. Charles Drew and Dr. Jerome Holland. Their passion for helping improve the lives of patients in need of lifesaving blood products is carried on through dedicated blood donors, blood drive sponsors, volunteers and Red Cross employees.  Blood donation appointments can be made by downloading the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enabling the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device. As a thank-you for helping ensure a stable blood supply, those who come to give this February will receive a $5 Amazon.com Gift Card via email, courtesy of Amazon. (Restrictions apply. Additional information and details are available at RedCrossBlood.org/Together.)

Upcoming Blood Drives:

2/16/2021: 10 a.m. – 3:45 p.m., First Presbyterian Church, 743 West Michigan

2/17/2021: 10 a.m. – 3:45 p.m., Jackson College, 2111 Emmons Rd

2/18/2021: 12 p.m. – 5:45 p.m., Jackson American Legion, 3200 Lansing Avenue

2/22/2021: 12 p.m. – 5:45 p.m., St. John’s Parish Center, 711 N. Francis Street

2/24/2021: 10 a.m. – 3:45 p.m., FOE 612, 301 Detroit St

2/25/2021: 12 p.m. – 5:45 p.m., Calvary United Methodist Church, 925 Backus

2/26/2021: 12 p.m. – 5:45 p.m., St Rita Parish, 10516 Hayes Road

Lumen Christi Tuition Assistance Nights.  Lumen Christi is hosting two Tuition Assistance Information Nights this week.  On Tuesday, February 16th, we will be hosting a virtual session starting at 7:00 p.m. and on Thursday, February 18th, an in-person session will be held in the LC Library from 7:00-8:00 p.m. Please register through this link: https://forms.gle/BSUhc3AoBAV7vjt46  This is an optional event for any parent who has questions about applying for tuition assistance or enrolling their student in FACTS. Our event is intended to help you meet the deadline of March 1 to be eligible for the Diocese of Lansing Scholarships and to be in the group of families receiving Lumen Christi tuition assistance announced early spring this year.

VITA Tax Preparation.  Community Action Agency provides free Federal, state and city income tax preparation services through the IRS sponsored Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. CAA provides trained IRS certified volunteer tax preparers to complete and e-file returns.  Tax preparers work with each client to ensure the client receives all of the money they are entitled to receive. This money could be from the Child Tax Credit, Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), Homestead Property Tax Credit, Home Heating Credit, among others. To learn more about the EITC visit the IRS EITC homepage.  Returns are electronically filed (e-filed) to speed up the receipt of the refund. Returns for prior years may be able to be completed for you.  Residents who have household incomes of less than $57,000 can get their tax returns prepared for free.  To schedule an appointment, call 517-247-2099.  caajlh.org

17th Annual Young Poets Competition.  Have you ever imagined riding on a space ship? Or building a snowman that reaches the sky? These themes and many more are what the Jackson District Library is asking K-12 students in the county to write about for the 17th Annual Young Poets Contest.  If you are a K-12 student in Jackson County, JDL invites you to submit one original poem by March 1, 2021.  You’ll find the entry form here, as well as contest guidelines (including prize information), and resources that you can use to spark your imagination. Be sure to check out last year’s winners here.  For more information, please contact JDL’s Community Engagement Department via email.