Toe River Project Access

03/02/2026

02/27/2026

📢 Mitchell County Residents! Free Tax Prep Event at the Buladean Community Resource Center📢

Need help filing your taxes? Toe River Project Access is offering FREE tax preparation assistance through the VITA program!

📍 Location: Buladean Community Center, 12190 NC-226, Bakersville, NC 287005
📅 Tuesday, March 3rd | 10am–2pm
📅 Thursday, March 5th | 10am–2pm

📞 Call 828-606-6428 to schedule an appointment today!

✔️ Free, trusted tax help
✔️ IRS-certified VITA volunteers
✔️ Limited availability — call early!

Please share to help spread the word!

02/26/2026

Yancey County residents we are fully booked for this event. In one day we got 20 local residents scheduled. Thank you!!

02/25/2026

EXCITING NEWS for Yancey County Residents — April is Healthy Vision Awareness Month! 👀
We’re offering FREE Eye Exams to our community at Aldridge Eye Institute on

📅 Thursday, April 16
⏰ 1:00 PM – 4:30 PM

✔ Eye Exams
✔ Prescription Checks
✔ Vision Screenings
✔ Glasses Repair

⚠️ Limited availability — appointments fill up quickly!
📞 Call Toe River Project Access at 828-606-6428 early to book your appointment.
👉 All appointments are scheduled through Toe River Project Access, not Aldridge Eye Institute.

💲 No cost to you
🩺 No insurance required

Good vision is crucial for our overall health. If you or someone you know has been delaying an eye exam due to financial concerns and no insurance, this is a wonderful opportunity. The caring staff at Aldridge Eye Institute, along with Toe River Project Access, are volunteering to help their neighbors access healthcare.

Please share with your friends and family.

02/20/2026

02/19/2026

Yancey County neighbors we will be at the Yancey Library Next week for free to you tax preparation and e-filing call to make an appointment at 828-606-6428

02/18/2026

💚 FREE Community Tax Preparation for March
Locations in Avery, Mitchell & Yancey Counties 💚

Check out locations and times on the attached flyer.

📞 Call or Text 828-606-6428 to schedule your appointment.

We can help with:
✔️ W-2 and 1099 income
✔️ Child Tax Credit & other credits
✔️ Self-employment (basic returns)
✔️ Spanish-speaking assistance
✔️ Direct deposit refunds

Appointments fill up quickly — schedule today and let us help make tax season stress-free!

02/16/2026

Reminder: Free VITA Tax Clinic – Tomorrow!
There are still a few spots available for FREE tax preparation services tomorrow at the Avery County YMCA.

📍 Location: Avery County YMCA
📍 Address: 436 Hospital Drive, Linville, NC 28646
🗓 Date: Tomorrow
⏰ Time: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Call 828-606-6428 for an appointment

Services are provided by IRS-certified volunteers through the VITA program.

Feel free to share with anyone who may need free help filing their taxes.

02/13/2026

🚨 SCAM ALERT – Medicare Phone Calls 🚨
We are receiving multiple reports of scam phone calls claiming to be from Medicare.

📞 What callers are saying:

There is a “Donald Trump Medicare program.”

It offers discounted drug prices

It includes a grocery benefit card worth $800–$900 per month

There is a deadline to apply (some callers say the end of this month, others say March 31)

⚠️ IMPORTANT FACTS:

❌ There is NO Trump Medicare program

❌ There is NO Medicare grocery card with an upcoming deadline

❌ Medicare does NOT call you to enroll in benefits

In all 10 reported cases, beneficiaries trusted their instincts, hung up, and contacted SHIIP or a local site to verify—and they were right. This is not legitimate.

This appears to be a Medicare Advantage sales tactic, but because the information being shared is false and misleading, it is a scam.

✅ What to do if you get this call:

Hang up

Do NOT give personal information

Call SHIIP or a trusted local resource to verify

Please share this post to help protect friends, family, and neighbors—especially older adults.

02/12/2026

🚨 SCAM ALERT: "FREE GROCERIES" & MEDICARE CARDS
Friends and family, please be on high alert for ads or callers promising "free groceries," "monthly food allowances," or "new Medicare flex cards."
Scammers are using these fake promises to steal Medicare numbers and Social Security information.
Important Facts:
Medicare does NOT call or text out of the blue to offer free grocery money.
Original Medicare does not provide these "flex cards" for food or gas.
Never give your Medicare number to someone who calls you unexpectedly, even if they seem friendly.
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 ADULT CHILDREN: Please check in on your parents today! Make sure they know that these "too good to be true" offers on Facebook and TV are often identity theft traps. A quick 5-minute chat could save them from a major headache.
What to do if you’re unsure:
Hang up and call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) directly to verify any benefits.
Visit the official Medicare.gov website for real information.
Report suspicious calls to the Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) at 1-877-808-2468.
Please SHARE this to help protect our seniors! 🛡️

02/07/2026

❤️ February is Heart Health Month

Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in Western NC — but many heart problems can be caught early with simple screenings.

🩺 Get your heart checked:
✔️ Blood pressure
✔️ Cholesterol
✔️ Blood sugar

💙 Toe River Project Access is here to help you stay connected.
We can help you:
• Find local clinics and health departments
• Set up medical appointments
• Understand where to go for screenings
• Navigate healthcare resources in Avery, Mitchell & Yancey Counties

📞 Need help? Call Toe River Project Access at 828-606-6428

Taking care of your heart starts with knowing your numbers. Share this to help keep our mountain communities healthy ❤️

02/06/2026

📣 Important Update: SNAP (Food Assistance) Changes in North Carolina
Here’s what you need to know in simple steps:

1️⃣ New SNAP Rules Started (Feb. 1, 2026)
North Carolina began applying updated federal SNAP eligibility rules as of Feb. 1, 2026. These include new work requirements and eligibility changes.

2️⃣ Work Requirement (for Adults Without Dependents)
Adults ages 18-64 without children must work, volunteer, or participate in training about 20 hours per week (80 hours per month) to stay eligible beyond 3 months in a 3-year period. Those who don’t meet the requirement risk losing benefits after 3 months.

3️⃣ Income Limits for SNAP Eligibility (Monthly)
Most households in NC qualify under expanded income rules — gross income up to 200% of the federal poverty level makes you eligible to apply. Net income (after deductions) must also be low enough. Here are the rough limits for October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026:

👶 Household Size — Max Gross Income (before deductions)
• 1 person: $2,608/month
• 2 people: $3,526/month
• 3 people: $4,442/month
• 4 people: $5,358/month

These are general guides — actual eligibility considers household deductions and other factors.

4️⃣ Immigrant Eligibility Changes
Some non-citizen groups lost automatic eligibility under the new federal rules. Certain groups may still qualify, but documentation requirements have changed.

5️⃣ Next Steps for Current Participants
If you already get SNAP benefits, you’ll follow the old rules until your next renewal/recertification — then the new work and income rules will apply.

6️⃣ Local Help Is Available
If you need help applying for SNAP, or need a list of local food pantries, please call Toe River Project Access: 828-606-6428
They can help with SNAP application and food assistance resources.