If you are a Trumbull County older adult, various senior services assist with programs and activities.

S.C.O.P.E. stands for “Senior Citizens Opportunity for Personal Endeavors” and is one of many agencies supported financially by the Trumbull County commissioners through the Senior Levy.

One of our largest projects by the number of people who are assisted each year is our partnership with the AARP Foundation Tax Aide program with free tax preparation. The months of February, March and April are quite busy at our centers with this worthwhile and needed project.

More than 30 volunteer tax preparers assist senior citizens, disabled clients, veterans and any age low-income residents with free tax preparation throughout the valley. Led by regional AARP representative Bob Kovach, these volunteers who are thoroughly trained support nearly 3,500 people with their federal and state taxes.

The volunteers are provided with more than 20 hours of training through the IRS system., making it the number one volunteer tax preparation in the country.

What to bring is a question we get often. AARP suggests bringing all the paperwork from last year’s filing.

Please bring to your appointment photo ID(s), Social Security card(s), last year’s return, income information, Affordable Care Act Forms 1095 or proof of hospitalization insurance.

If you plan to have a direct deposit of your refund, then bring a copy of one of your checks with you. Both the taxpayer and spouse if filing jointly should be at the appointment.

You must stop by Warren SCOPE Senior Center (former YWCA building) to pick up a tax packet for the Warren or Champion sites at 375 N. Park Ave next to Carl W. Hall Funeral Home between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. We cannot take phone calls.

The Warren tax site will be located at the Warren-Trumbull County Public Library on Mahoning Avenue during the day on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

The Champion site will be located at the First Presbyterian Church on state Route 45 on Tuesdays.

Do not stop by the library or the church to pick up a packet.

The Niles SCOPE Senior Center is located across from the fire station downtown at 14 E.State St. on Fridays. Appointments are required by coming into the Niles Senior Center between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. to pick up a packet or calling 330-574-2888 to make a reservation.

The Hubbard site will be located at the Hubbard Library, 436 W. Liberty St. on Mondays. To make an appointment for either the Hubbard Library site or the Liberty Administration Building call the library directly at 330-534-3512 to find out times and days tax prep will be there.

There is also a tax site at the Girard Multi-Generational Center.

Call 330-545-6596 to make those reservations.

AARP Tax preparation is free for low-to-moderate income families and to all senior citizens.

We are proud to once again support the tax prep program as one of its senior support services projects. SCOPE also provides free one-on-one support for Medicare, prescriptions, Social Security, utilities, and technology training for cell phones, laptops and computers.

SCOPE has eight nationally accredited community senior citizen centers that operate in Bristol, Champion, Cortland, Howland, Hubbard, Newton Falls, Niles and Warren. Call 330-399-8846 for details and activity schedules.

There are also five other senior centers located throughout Trumbull County.