NORTHAMPTON — The city’s Senior and Veteran Tax Work Off program is accepting applications for the new year, offering eligible residents a property tax credit of up to $1,500 in exchange for community service.
To receive the full benefit amount, participants must complete 105.26 hours of service for city departments or agencies between Jan. 1 and Oct. 31, 2023.
“Over the last eight years, 197 eligible seniors and veterans have participated in the program providing 15,143 hours of volunteer service to city departments,” Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra’s office said in a news release. “For these volunteer services, the city provided $200,071 in property tax relief.”
In 2020, the city offered full tax abatements, but the program, which was put on hold in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, returned this year with a lower maximum credit.
Senior residents who pay property taxes to Northampton are eligible starting at age 60, based on income limits. Veterans can participate regardless of their income.
Applications are available at the Assessor’s Office inside City Hall, the Veterans Services Office at 240 Main St. and the Northampton Senior Center at 67 Conz St. They are accepted on a rolling basis or until all spaces have been filled, the mayor’s office said, but those filed by Nov. 30 will be considered first.
“Primary consideration will be given to first-time applicants. Individuals previously chosen for the program may make re-application in subsequent years,” the program guidelines read. “No applicant is guaranteed a position. A lottery system may be used if there are more applicants than available positions.”
Grow Food Northampton has announced that it is one of eight statewide recipients of a coveted “specialty crops” grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The $73,914 grant will be used to create programs that help food-insecure people in Northampton “increase their knowledge of where to access and how to enjoy locally grown produce,” the nonprofit food justice organization said in a statement.
“GFN will hire Food Ambassadors … to coordinate and produce a series of educational sessions, food-centered events, and community meals that teach about local produce, including information about their nutritional value, how they can be prepared, their cultural significance among a variety of ethnic communities, and where they can be accessed and purchased,” the organization said.
Under federal law, specialty crops are defined as “fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops (including floriculture).” The grants support “projects that enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops in the state and support specialty crop growers through marketing, education, and research,” according to the USDA.
Grow Food Northampton’s initiative involves a partnership with the Northampton Survival Center to recruit local farmers, chefs, nutritionists and others to participate in multilingual cooking demonstrations, recipe exchanges, the installation of gardens in subsidized housing communities and more.
“From cider pressing to growing the ingredients for a community-wide sofrito-making party, this funding will allow food-insecure communities to truly engage in and become a part of their own local food system,” Grow Food Northampton’s food access manager, Erin Ferrentino, said in a statement.
Two days next week, the city’s Health and Human Services Department is offering free flu shot clinics to the public.
The first clinic will be held at the Northampton Senior Center, 67 Conz St., on Thursday, Oct. 20, from 8 to 11 a.m. Appointments are required and can be scheduled at https://bit.ly/3T1KDq7.
No appointment is necessary for the drive-thru clinic at Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School, 80 Locust St., on Saturday, Oct. 22, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
“We can normally provide flu vaccines to all individuals over the age of 5 years old,” the health department said in announcing the clinics. “We will provide a free vaccine regardless of insurance coverage, housing, or residence in Northampton MA.”
Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra received her flu shot on Tuesday, according to a city Facebook post.
“Thank you to the Northampton Health and Human Services Public Health Nursing staff and volunteers for a painless, friendly and dare I say fun experience getting my vaccine today,” the post reads. “Protect yourself and protect our community from the flu and get your vaccine!”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, flu is especially dangerous for infants and young children, adults 65 and older, pregnant people and those with certain health conditions — including asthma, diabetes and heart disease — or a weakened immune system.
Homebound people can schedule an in-home vaccination by calling (413) 587-4919.
The clinics will have Flublok egg-free vaccine available for those who are allergic to eggs, the department said, and none of the vaccines use preservatives.
Brian Steele can be reached at bsteele@gazettenet.com.