VIDEO: Rep. Deluzio’s Office Helps Local Food Assistance Nonprofit Navigate IRS, Serve Community Faster
CARNEGIE, PA — Today, Congressman Chris Deluzio (PA-17) released a video sharing a casework success story about how his office helped a local non-profit, Food Assistance Match (FAM), get the correct tax designation it required from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). FAM works in Western Pennsylvania, including in Pennsylvania’s 17th Congressional District, to connect communities with local farmers, support small businesses, and bridge the financial gap to make farmers’ markets and fresh food available to more people.
"We were founded March 20th this year. Everything we had heard to this point was we were going to be in limbo for four to six months waiting for the IRS designation that would allow [FAM] to get donations,” said Albert Ciuksza, Co-Founder and Vice-Chair of Food Assistance Match. “Knowing that we needed to get going quickly for us to be able to hit the market season this year, we reached out to [Congressman Deluzio’s] team. Within about three weeks we got the notice that we had our IRS designation. So quite literally, everything that happened this year and everything that we have been able to accomplish has been because we were able to get that [designation] so quickly, thanks to [Congressman Deluzio’s] team.”
“My office is here to help, and I’m thrilled we were able to help Food Assistance Match navigate the IRS and get going on their important work feeding our community and supporting farmers,” said Rep. Deluzio. “I encourage all Western Pennsylvanians in my district who are having issues with a federal agency to get in touch with my office through my website, deluzio.house.gov, or by calling my Carnegie Office (412-344-5583) or Beaver County Office (724-206-4860). Even in the case of a Republican Government Shutdown, my office will still be working for the people.”
Congressman Deluzio’s congressional office is available to help constituents, businesses, and institutions in Pennsylvania’s 17th Congressional District navigate issues with federal agencies like the IRS, the Social Security Administration, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the State Department, and many others. To date, Congressman Deluzio’s casework department is responsible for returning more than $3.4 million back to the community through casework services and has resolved 949 constituent cases.
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