February 2, 2005

United Way recruits volunteers for tax time

BOSTON -- United Way of Massachusetts Bay is lending its volunteer recruitment muscle behind the City of Boston’s Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Campaign this tax season. UWMB is working to attract volunteers to this campaign through its online volunteer search engine found at www.uwmb.org and its vast network of human service agencies.

The EITC is a federal and state tax credit available to many low-to-moderate income working families and individuals. The EITC Campaign is working to raise awareness among low-income families that they may qualify for up to $4,900 in federal and state money. Last year, the EITC helped 4,860 low-income individuals and families keep over $7 million dollars of the money they earned.

The Campaign has opened 20 free tax preparation sites throughout the city to assist residents in filing their taxes and claiming the EITC.

“The EITC allows people to put food on the table, move into better housing, invest in education, or save for the future,” said Milton J. Little, Jr., president and chief executive officer at United Way of Massachusetts Bay. “This effort supports our commitment to look at new and innovative ways to make it possible for low-income individuals to establish banking relationships, build assets and transition to self-sufficiency.”

Volunteers are needed for any of the following opportunities:

• Tax preparation: Prepare tax returns for clients at a neighborhood tax site. Tax preparer volunteers will receive free basic tax law and software training.
• Cash Advisor: Greet taxpayers at a neighborhood tax site and provide basic financial literacy information and assist taxpayers in organizing required paperwork before they see a tax preparer.

Additionally, Spanish, Haitian Creole and Vietnamese-speaking volunteers are needed and highly encouraged to participate. Volunteers can be trained throughout the tax season and will be expected to dedicate three to four hours per week at one of the 20 free tax preparation sites in Boston. For more information about these volunteer opportunities, visit volunteer solutions by clicking here.

Media inquires should contact:
Jeff Bellows
Phone: 617-624-8250
Fax: 617-624-9114
E-mail: jbellows@uwmb.org