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Thursday, July 30, 2009

If Facebook Can't Help, Maybe Social Security Can

By Elizabeth Wertime
Social Security Public Affairs Specialist in Albany, NY

Last night I was thrilled to reconnect with my childhood best friend on Facebook. Since I joined Facebook several months ago, I have been able to reconnect with long lost friends from my alma mater, North Warren Central School. Such surprise connections can be fun and conjure up memories of times forgotten. But what if you have a more serious situation and you need to locate a particular person? Perhaps Social Security can help.

Social Security is in the business of paying benefits, not reconnecting people. But, in some cases, we will do what we can to help.

We will attempt to forward a letter to a missing person under circumstances involving a matter of great importance, such as a death or serious illness in the missing person's immediate family, or a sizeable amount of money that is due the missing person. Also, the circumstances must concern a matter about which the missing person is unaware and would undoubtedly want to be informed.

In less dire cases, such as when a son, daughter, brother or sister want to establish contact, we will write to the missing person, rather than forwarding a letter.

Because this service is not related in any way to a Social Security program, its use must be limited so that it does not interfere with our regular program activities.

There is no charge for forwarding letters that have a humanitarian purpose. However, we must charge a $25 fee to cover our costs when the letter is to inform the missing person of money or property due. This fee is not refundable. The fee should be paid by a check made payable to the Social Security Administration.

We must read each letter we forward to ensure that it contains nothing that could prove embarrassing to the missing person if read by a third party. Letters should be in plain, unstamped, unsealed envelopes showing only the missing person's name. Nothing of value should be enclosed.

To try to locate an address in our records, we’ll need the missing person's Social Security number or identifying information such as date and place of birth, father's name, and the mother's full birth name.

Unless a missing person is receiving benefits under a program Social Security administers, we would not have a home address for them. Usually, we forward a letter in care of the employer who most recently reported earnings for the person.

Requests for letter forwarding should be sent to:

Social Security Administration
Letter Forwarding
P.O. Box 33022
Baltimore, MD 21290-3022

Learn more about this service at:
www.socialsecurity.gov/foia/html/ltrfwding.htm

Monday, July 27, 2009

August Blood Drives

Sullivan Trail Chapter Red Cross AUGUST, 2009 Blood Drives

  1. August 10 from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Tyrone Fire Department, 3600 State Route 226, Tyrone;
  2. August 21 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Schuyler Hospital, 220 Steuben St., Montour Falls;
  3. August 26 from 12:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Montour Moose Lodge, 2096 St. Rt.14, Montour Falls;


OUT OF THE 107,000 PEOPLE IN CHEMUNG AND SCHUYLER COUNTY, ONLY 3,867 DONATE BLOOD. PLEASE HELP US RECRUIT AND RETAIN BLOOD DONORS.

For Chemung and Schuyler County
From July 1, 2009 through August 31, 2009, all presenting donors will receive a coupon for a free carton of Friendly’s Ice Cream, redeemable at participating Friendly’s restaurants. Coupons expire September 30, 2009. Tax additional where applicable.

To make an appointment
to donate blood, all current eligible and new donors may:
  • Call the local Sullivan Trail Red Cross Chapter House at 734-3317 days
  • Call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE (1-800-448-3543)
  • Email betsy@redcrosselmira.org
  • www.donatebloodnow.org nights and weekends

Anyone 17 years or older, weighing at least 110 pounds and in general good health may be eligible to donate blood. In New York State, 16-year-olds may donate blood provided they bring an original signed New York State Informed Parental Consent form for a 16-Year-Old to Donate Whole Blood. Appointments encouraged, walk-ins welcome and Identification is required.

Monday, July 20, 2009

Phone Number Change

The contract with Verizon for the RSVP phone number 315-694-1081 has expired and therefore been disconnected. RSVP will not be entering into a new contract until the 2010 budget and revenue figures are finalized. We regret any inconvenience this may cause our Yates County volunteers and stations. Thank you for your patience in this regard.

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Happy Fourth of July!


We wish you all a happy and safe holiday!