Search Results

Director of Agency Operations Primary Role: The Director of Agency Operations plans, coordinate, and direct a broad range of services that allows the organization to operate efficiently. The individual in this position will insure that agency programs and facilities operate as intended by the Executive Director, Board of Directors and as defined by agency guidelines and funding sources. This position will be required to provide leadership for Program Managers and insure that the services provided are sufficient to meet the agency goals of individual self-sufficiency, design and conduct monthly staff development meetings designed to update and upgrade the quality of services the agency provides, and serve in an administrative capacity in all matters relevant to employment of direct service workers in the agency. This individual will also be responsible for developing a relevant in-house tracking system utilizing programmatic data from program managers, data clerk and computer technician. The Director of Agency Operations attend and assist Executive Director in the bi-weekly monitoring of Program Managers progress of aiding Success Coaches, Caseworkers in meeting client case plans. The Director of Agency Operations coordinates space allocation, facilities maintenance and operations, and major property and equipment procurement, security, recycling, wellness and transportation services if needed. Additionally, this position ensures that contracts, insurance requirements, and government regulations and safety standards are followed and up to date. They may examine energy consumption patterns, technology usage, and personal property needs to plan for their long-term maintenance, modernization and replacement. Reports to: Executive Director Duties: Organizational Effectiveness: Assists the Executive Director in all matters related to the employment of direct service workers. Assists Executive Director in providing leadership for Program Managers, Caseworkers, Maintenance and Facilities management. Receives programmatic statistical data and analysis from Program Managers, clerical support, or computer technician in preparation for presentation to Executive Director, Board and Funding Sources. Participates and provides written and oral update to Executive Director during bi-weekly meetings. Provides written update for monthly board meeting. Provides written update and support for Internal Operations Committee. Re-trains and upgrades new and existing agency staff. Designs and conducts monthly staff development meetings to improve service quality. Provides monthly assessments tot the Executive Director and Sr. Finance Director for facilities management. Reviews the agency's services to ensure they meet the goals in agency guidelines. Prepares budget request to support service goals in concert with the Executive Director. Stays abreast of guidelines or regulations regulated to all funding sources. Assists in other special projects as determined by the Executive Director or Board of Directors. Aids the Sr. Finance Director in leadership in the absence of the Executive Director. Enhance Community Collaboration Attends and serves on community job-related committees to stay abreast of changes in agency service population. Monitors services in the wider Winston-Salem community to ensure that agency services are appropriate to community problems, and develops proposals for service changes when necessary. Ambassadorship Serves as an ambassador for the Experiment in Self-Reliance and respects the integrity of the organization. Serves as a team player and assists in furthering the mission of the organization. Reasoning Ability Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form. Physical Demands The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to walk, stand, crawl, bend, stoop, climb, use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and reach with hands and arms, here. The employee frequently required to sit and talk. The employee may occasionally lift and/or move up to 40 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job includes close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, and depth perception. Work Environment The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is rarely exposed to outside weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually low to moderate. Specification The information presented indicates the general nature and level of work expected of employees in this classification. It is not designed to contain, or to be interpreted as, a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and objectives required of employees assigned to this job. Licenses, Registrations, Certifications Valid Driver’s License and reliable transportation that may be used in the performance of duties. Qualifications: Director of Agency Operations must possess a 4-year degree in Social Work Degree or related field and a minimum of 8-10 years’ experience in business administration. Experience in a low-income population. Have proven supervisory or administrative content. Must have a capacity to collaborate cooperatively with people with varied personal backgrounds. Be able to supervise and lead program managers, caseworkers, maintenance, property management, and build appropriate referral networks in the community. Strong interpersonal, written, and oral skills

VITA Tax Program Manager Primary Role: The VITA Manager is responsible for supervising the operations for the asset building coordination through the VITA program by recruiting volunteers, training volunteers, and supervising and aiding staff and volunteers in setting up tax sites. This individual will manage and execute all free tax preparation with volunteers at community sites. The VITA Manager will work in concert with the economic literacy activities for IDA clients, agency wide clients, and community partners when appropriate. The unified coordinated efforts will aim to address the changing trends that impact families/individuals facing asset poverty. Additionally, the VITA Manager will aid in doing presentations to inform the public/clients in the importance of free tax preparation and information associated with taxes. This individual will lead the efforts of evaluating existing programs and activities in order to make suggestions/changes based on reported client/community needs and business trends. Reports to: Director of Agency Operations with guidance from the Executive Director for community collaborations. Duties: Organizational Program Leadership: Trains volunteers and ESR staff on the benefits of EITC specially the EITC for clients pursuing self-sufficiency and housing stability. Also train staff on the basics of how to use tax system to benefit working families including the use of the Child Tax Credit, the Education Tax Credit and the Savers' Tax Credit. Conducts training for VITA volunteers, set up current tax sites, facilitate process for new sites in concert with the IRS standards Conducts training for tax site host and create site standards in concert with IRS standards Attends and facilitates meetings for Forsyth County Working Family Partnership. Develops strategic plans for the changing community and professional trends by designing and implementing progressive educational programs. Maintains tracking system and data to monitor accomplishments on-going. Contributes to the effectiveness of the program by maintaining active interest in the field, consulting and advocating for change. Assists Executive Director in marketing services to the community or others as directed. Maintains professional competency by participating in continued education, workshops, seminars, etc. and personal growth experiences. Meets regularly with supervisor to discuss community needs, workload, communication concepts and, make suggestions for changes/new programs, etc. Works in concert with IDA Director to promote asset building efforts. Participates and provide written and oral updates to Community Collaborators during scheduled meetings. Maintains working relationships with participants and provide suggestions and/or recommendations as needed. Fulfills other related job duties as needed. Programmatic Marketing and Communication: Develops all outreach materials so that materials can be customized as needed for both the free tax sites and for VITA outreach materials for both eligible individuals and employers. This will include but not limited to fliers, brochures, employer toolkits, and other materials as agreed to by partner agencies. Develops an outreach strategy to reach employers, non-profits who serve low-income clients and eligible families on the benefits of the EITC. Provides educational presentations and marketing presentations to a wide variety of audiences, ensuring a broader range of potential sites and lead financial partners for VITA and asset building efforts. Promotes a positive image of the program by ensuring an understanding of the services available and conducting oneself according to a professional code of ethics. Programmatic Fundraising and Development Aids in grant writing and fundraising for VITA and asset building projects. Enhance Community Collaboration Develops strategic plans to recruit and assist in training volunteers and strengthen alliances for expanding and promoting VITA through the community. Aligns asset building strategies with community-wide expectations to address poverty in families/individuals. Maintains harmonious working relationships with co-workers, United Way, educators, and other related service agencies and collaborative contacts. Risk Management Maintains tax certifications to prepare taxes and attend related training sessions to expand knowledge of tax related laws and expectations. Renews and creates MOU's with tax site host Ambassadorship Serves as an ambassador for ESR and all collaborating partners and maintain the integrity of the organizations involved. Serves as a team player and assist in furthering the mission of the organization. Reasoning Ability Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form. Physical Demands The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to walk, stand, crawl, bend, stoop, climb, use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and reach with hands and arms, here. The employee frequently required to sit and talk. The employee may occasionally lift and/or move up to 40 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job includes close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, and depth perception. Work Environment The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is rarely exposed to outside weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually low to moderate. Specifications The information presented indicates the general nature and level of work expected of employees in this classification. It is not designed to contain, or to be interpreted as, a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and objectives required of employees assigned to this job. Licenses, Registrations, Certifications Valid Driver’s License and reliable transportation that may be used in the performance of duties. Qualifications: Should possess a 4-year college degree in business or related field, volunteer recruitment experience, tax preparation, and five years’ experience in financial, education or related field. Preferred candidates will have a Human Services, Business, Marketing, Operations or related degree, with two years related experience. Must have working knowledge of computer data entry process of Microsoft programs and other related software programs with strong computer skills in Microsoft Excel and tax software. The position also requires the ability to speak in public and to relate and maintain relationships with educators, clients, businesses, creditors, other agencies, etc.

Experiment in Self-Reliance has exciting events throughout the year! From Golf Tournaments to Galas, we have special occasions you won't want to miss! Upcoming Events 9th Annual ESR Golf Tournament Fundraiser Fri, Aug 15 Winston-Salem Experiment in Self-Reliance (ESR) is thrilled to invite you to our 9th Annual Golf Tournament Fundraiser held at Winston Lake Golf Course on Friday, August 15th, 2025. This event is not only a highlight of our year but also an invaluable opportunity to collaborate with our friends, and funders. Click Here Support Our Mission Donate Now

¿Está listo(a) para dar un paso hacia el cambio de su vida? El ESR puede ayudarle. ¡Ahora ofrecemos sesiones de orientación en español!!! Las sesiones de orientación están ubicadas en Experiment in Self-Reliance (ESR). Spanish Speaking ¿Está listo(a) para dar un paso hacia el cambio de su vida? El ESR puede ayudarle. ¡Ahora ofrecemos sesiones de orientación en español!!! Las sesiones de orientación están ubicadas en Experiment in Self-Reliance (ESR). Únase a nosotros el tercer Miércoles del cada mes a las 10:00am a nuestra sesión de orientación con Myriam Pereda, Entrenadora de Éxito para el Programa de Auto-Suficiencia de ESR. Nuestra dirección es: 3480 Dominion St. Winston-Salem, NC 27105. Para obtener más información, llame al (336) - 722 - 9400. Ready to take a step towards changing your life? ESR can help. We now offer orientation sessions in Spanish! Orientation sessions are located at Experiment in Self-Reliance (ESR). Please join us on the third Wednesday of every month at 10:00 am for orientation sessions facilitated by Myriam Pereda, Success Coach for ESR’s Self-Sufficiency Program. Our address is 3480 Dominion Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27105. For more information, call (336) - 722 - 9400.

Your donation stays here in Forsyth County. These funds help provide assistance to clients in need of purchasing food vouchers and bus passes, for deposits on utilities, rent deposits, assistance with childcare for a working parent, uniforms for work or school, tuition, books, and other services to help meet our clients’ immediate and long-term needs. Donate Now more than ever, ESR needs your support Your donation stays here in Forsyth County. Generally, your monetary contributions go directly to client assistance funds. These funds may be used for purchasing food vouchers and bus passes, for deposits on utilities, rent deposits, assistance with childcare for a working parent, uniforms for work or school, tuition, books, and other services to help meet our clients’ immediate and long-term needs. Your donations of goods also go to assist our clients, depending on the nature of the donation. We have limited storage for donated items, however please call us to see if we have an immediate need for your items. For information on how to donate tangible items, call (336)-722-9400. For more ways to give, see giving options below. Annual Fund General giving goes to the area that has the most need. Your gift, plus the gifts of others, can mean the continuation of a program, the addition of new programs or activities to help citizens of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County to remove themselves from poverty, help meet the needs of a family throughout the year, or provide for a host of other vital services in our community. Louise G. Wilson Legacy Society Louise G. Wilson served as ESR’s Executive Director from 1968 until 1985. Over the course of her career and throughout her life, Wilson dedicated her time to advocating for the needs of the poor. Her legacy of service and commitment to the community proceeds her. The Louise G. Wilson Legacy Society is reserved for donors who contribute $1,000 annually. An honor event will be held each year in recognition of Mrs. Wilson and the Legacy Society. Donation Form First name Last name Street Address Street Address Line 2 City Region/State/Province Postal / Zip code Email Phone Select Your Campaign Annual Fund General Support Louise Wilson Legacy Society Program Support (please specify) Other (please specify) If your gift is in support of a Program or Other, please specify the program or campaign here. This gift is In honor of (please specify) In memory of (please specify) Not applicable If your gift is "In honor of" or "In memory of," please specify here. Enter the amount you wish to pay: $ Go to Checkout Thanks for submitting!

From time to time, we are able to bring on interns from a variety of higher education programs such as social work, sociology, and psychology. Through internships, we can offer students hands-on experience working with the low-income community. Become an Intern Becoming an Intern at ESR From time to time, we are able to bring on interns from a variety of higher education programs such as social work, sociology, and psychology. Through internships, we can offer students hands-on experience working with the low-income community. This experience will help them understand the challenges and fulfillment of helping clients move from the most hopeless situations to self-sufficiency. Students are exposed to nearly every aspect of the day-to-day function of a nonprofit community action agency. Interns can expect to be part of the team and do some job shadowing, along with direct client contact. Activities and tasks may vary while working in different departments. Interns can go from answering phones or entering data to creative activities such as designing brochures or flyers. Interns might also serve as assistants for classroom activities, or even speak at events or information fairs. We treat our clients with respect and dignity, and we expect no less of our interns. ESR learns intimate details of their lives, including the circumstances that have brought them to our door. We collect a great deal of personal and financial data. All of this information must be kept private, and to ensure that client rights are respected, interns are required to sign privacy documentation. Internships at ESR never guarantee a full-time permanent position on the staff. Although we love to see our interns apply when staff positions open. Further, we welcome interns to volunteer with us if they have time they can share with us. Whether it’s for a single event or to work with a particular program they found enjoyable. Internships are usually arranged through a student’s instructor or counselor, and that’s the best place to start. If your program requires internship or volunteer hours, but your instructor(s) leave the arrangements to the student, we can work with that as well. If you need assistance arranging an internship that your program has approved please contact Delores McCullough who can guide you through the process. Delores can be contacted at (336) 722 - 9400 x124 Monday through Thursday or via email at delores . mccullough @ eisr . org .

Tax FAQ Have a question about filing your tax return? We can help! Here are our Frequently Asked Questions. Have additional questions? Give us a call at 336-722-9400 . Question: Am I required to file a tax return? Answer: To determine if you are required to file a tax return will depend on several factors, including your age, gross income, filing status, and if you are a dependent on someone else’s tax return. To get more specific information on who must file, check out IRS Publication 501. Question: What is the difference between the standard deduction and itemized deduction? Answer: A standard deduction is a fixed dollar amount based on the taxpayer’s filing status that lowers the taxpayer’s taxable income. The standard deduction is a benefit that eliminates the need for taxpayers to itemize deductions such as medical expenses, mortgage interest, and charitable contributions. Itemized deduction allows taxpayers to reduce their taxable income based on specific personal expenses such as medical expenses, mortgage interest, and charitable contributions. Most taxpayers have a choice of either taking a standard deduction or itemized deduction whichever gives the taxpayer the lower taxable income and lower tax amount. Question: Will I receive a tax form if I had a health plan through the Health Insurance Marketplace? Answer: If a taxpayer or anyone in the taxpayer’s household is enrolled in a health plan through the Health Insurance Marketplace, Form 1095-A will be issued. This form will be mailed from the Health Insurance Marketplace and not the IRS. If you have not received Form 1095-A, contact the Health Insurance Marketplace (800-318-2596) or visit the website https://www.healthcare.gov/. Question: What do I do if I have been a victim of identity theft? Answer: If you have been a victim of identity theft, contact the IRS Identity Protection Specialized Unit at 800-908-4490 extension 245 immediately. Question: When are tax returns due for the tax year 2024? Answer: Taxpayers will have until Tuesday, April 15th, 2025 to file their 2024 tax returns. Question: How can I check the status of my tax refund? Answer: The taxpayer can check the status of a tax refund by using the Where’s My Refund? tool (https://www.irs.gov/refunds). Where’s My Refund? tells the taxpayer if their tax return has been received and if the IRS has approved their tax return and/or sent the taxpayer their tax refund. Question: What if I am unable to pay the taxes that I owe? Answer: It’s important that taxpayers still file a tax return even if the taxpayer is unable to pay the taxes owed. Failing to file a tax return will result in penalties and interest. If the taxpayer is unable to pay taxes owed, the IRS has multiple payment options including installment agreements. For additional information, taxpayers may call (800-829-1040) or visit the IRS website .

VITA Tax Program Assistant Primary Role: The VITA Tax Program Assistant is a knowledgeable and experienced tax preparer who assists the VITA Program Manager in the total operation of the VITA Program, ensuring compliance in keeping with Internal Revenue Service (IRS) regulations and agency policies to provide support to individuals and families. The program works to help individuals and families connect with valuable credits like the Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, etc., and free tax preparation. Reports to: VITA Tax Program Manager, with guidance from the Director of Agency Operations, and Executive Director Essential Responsibilities Prepare and submit tax returns for clients. Schedule clients’ appointments. Advise clients about the tax preparation process. Assist clients with IRS communications. Audit all tax forms for completeness, accuracy and electronic acceptance. Assist with volunteer recruitment. Coordinate volunteer recognition tools for volunteers. Provide tax preparation assistance to tax sites when applicable. Assist with error resolution, tax preparations, e-filing, contacting taxpayers, and responding to tax questions. Maintain tax resources and distribute to individuals and tax sites, when applicable. Maintain volunteer database, ensuring certifications are complete before distributing software access information. Provide guidance to volunteer seeking training resources. Perform other duties as requested by management. Experience/Certifications: Possess a bachelor’s or associate degree in accounting or business administration. Previous experience with tax preparation preferred. Certified or ability to become an IRS-certified tax preparer. Key Competencies: Ability to multi-task, including strong organizational skills, with the ability to prioritize multiple tasks, and the ability to meet deadlines. Exceptional interpersonal skills, including developing relationships with organizations and individuals from diverse backgrounds. Strong focus on detail and accuracy; deadline oriented. Ability to work effectively in a team environment and build strong working relationships. Demonstrated experience in effective communication - both written and verbally. Demonstrated ability to work and function with confidential information and data. Proven comfort level with learning new software applications and systems as necessary. Proficient with Microsoft Office, tax software, volunteer tracking and appointment platforms. Ability to process tax returns in a virtual environment (includes scanning and uploading/downloading documents).

Location and directions to Experiment in Self-Reliance. Directions

Become a Volunteer! Every year, ESR is fortunate to work with volunteers who aim to give back to the community in a variety of ways. Everyone has a unique set of gifts that allow them to serve others, and we are happy that you are interested in sharing your gift with others. Become a Volunteer With your help, life here in Winston-Salem and Forsyth County can be better for everyone Every year, ESR is fortunate to work with volunteers who aim to give back to the community in a variety of ways. Everyone has a unique set of gifts that allow them to serve others, and we are happy that you are interested in sharing your gift with others. Please download the brochure below to learn more about our volunteer opportunities. Then, please fill out the information below and we will get in touch with you! Volunteer Brochure DOWNLOAD Volunteer Interest Form First name Last name Email Phone I am interested in volunteering for the following Clerical/Administrative Tasks Outdoor Maintenance Tax Preparer Special Events Other (please specify) Submit Thanks for submitting!

Community Outreach Success Coach Primary Role: The Community Outreach Success Coach will be responsible for all direct work with clients and serve as liaison with other collaborating partners such as Goodwill. This individual will assist CSBG eligible clients in developing a case plan, work closely with the client to achieve the benchmarks in the case plan, by providing timely counseling and appropriate intervention in order to assist each client in successfully completing their case plan. The Community Outreach Success Coach facilitates referral services and consults with immediate supervisor regarding any client that may need additional developmental planning to achieve self-sufficiency. Reports to: Self-Sufficiency and Family Advocate Service Manager Organizational Effectiveness Maintains minimum of (42) caseloads. Provides written documentation for enrollment process. Provides programmatic statistical data by funding source to Program Service Manager monthly. Maintains monthly contact with clients to monitor case plan progress. Assists in the development of the case plan by monitoring, evaluating, modifying case plan when necessary. Maintains working knowledge of programs, guidelines and other related regulations pertaining to the clientele. Utilizes supervision effectively. Maintains accurate case files as defined by program guidelines and maintain CARDS computerized client record system conducive to NC ROMA principles. Performs other duties as requested by management. Enhancing Community Collaboration Provides ESR core services onsite for collaborating partners. Serves as the liaison on partner agency committees that serve the underserved citizens. Ambassadorship Serves as an ambassador for the Experiment in Self-Reliance and respects the integrity of the organization. Serves as a team player in furthering the mission of the organization. Reasoning Ability Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form. Physical Demands The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to walk, stand, crawl, bend, stoop, climb, use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and reach with hands and arms, here. The employee frequently required to sit and talk. The employee may occasionally lift and/or move up to 40 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job includes close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, and depth perception. Work Environment The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is rarely exposed to outside weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually low to moderate. Specification The information presented indicates the general nature and level of work expected of employees in this classification. It is not designed to contain, or to be interpreted as, a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and objectives required of employees assigned to this job. Licenses, Registrations, Certifications Valid Driver’s License and reliable transportation that may be used in the performance of duties. Qualifications: Must be an experienced caseworker with a 4-year college degree. Have strong interpersonal and communication skills. Must have working knowledge of computer data entry process, Microsoft programs, and other related software programs. Provides programmatic statistical data by funding source monthly. Researches grants relevant to program.

Hours of Operation | Phone | Physical and Mailing Address | Inquiry Form Contact Us Let's Connect Hours of operation: Monday- Friday 9am - 5:30pm Note: Our office is closed every year on the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day. Phone: (336)-722-9400. Physical Address: 3480 Dominion Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27105 Mailing Address: PO Box 135, Winston-Salem, NC 27102 For inquiries about our programs or events, fill out this form and we’ll get back to you within the business week. First name Last name Email Phone What are you interested in? Choose an option If you selected "other," please specify. Thanks for submitting! Submit Join Our Mission to Empower Self-Reliance! Donate Now