Lebanon County United Way is looking for VITA volunteers

United Way of Lebanon County seeks volunteers to support tax assistance program

The United Way of Lebanon County, in collaboration with Lebanon Community Action Partnership and the Lebanon United Church of Christ, is actively seeking volunteers to participate in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA). This program aims to provide much-needed assistance to individuals and families in Lebanon County who earn less than $57,000 per year and require assistance with preparing and filing their income taxes.

Last year, with the dedicated support of IRS-trained and certified volunteer tax preparers, the VITA program successfully helped a total of 362 clients file their federal tax returns, resulting in total refunds of $587,655, with filers claiming an additional $111,595 in child tax credits. With approximately 35% of Lebanon County’s families qualifying for VITA assistance, the United Way of Lebanon County recognizes the urgent need for additional volunteer tax preparers to increase the numbers of families.

VITA is one of United Way of Lebanon County’s ongoing service programs. It is sponsored this year by the FirstEnergy Foundation and has made a significant impact on the local community over the years, but to further its impact in the community and reach, additional volunteers are needed.

While the main need for volunteers is for certified tax preparers, there are other volunteer opportunities for VITA including greeter/screener, intake specialist, interpreter, quality reviewer, and technology support specialist. To ensure volunteers are equipped for their roles, free IRS training will be provided.

“We are striving to strategically increase the number of collaborating organizations delivering and expanding the program, while simultaneously aiming to increase the number of trained and certified volunteer tax preparers, the number of households served, and the total refund amounts by 25% or more during the upcoming tax season,” said Bert Miuccio, Executive Director at United Way of Lebanon County.

Individuals interested in making a difference in their community by becoming a VITA program volunteer should contact Bert Miuccio at (717) 963-2369. By volunteering, they will not only contribute to the impact of this program but also gain valuable experience and be part of a cause that positively impacts individuals and families in their own community.