VITA

A new year brings a new tax season. For some it means that yearly visit to your account's office or late nights trying to figure out which credits you may qualify for. But some working families in our communities don’t think about tax returns; they are focused on getting the next meal on the table and paying this month’s rent. Wouldn’t it be great if some of these families receive the tax benefits they are due? Unfortunately, many lower income families who qualify let federal funds go unclaimed not knowing about the programs, not knowing how to apply, or because they are overwhelmed by the tax preparation process.

The VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) Program aims to help alleviate this problem by mobilizing and training volunteers to provide free tax service to working individuals and their families. VITA assists taxpayers who are struggling to make ends meet by saving them the cost of tax preparation and helping them claim all tax credits for which they are eligible. 

Last year's VITA site processed over 2,000 income tax returns and helped return a total of $2 million back into our local economy. VITA is central to increasing the number of families who are financially stable and can have a ripple effect into the U.S. economy, as families that receive these funds typically spend them on the necessities of life. United Way aims to cut by half the number of low-income families who are financially unstable by 2018.

If you would like to volunteer to help make this program available, please contact our office at (850)785-7521.