The Peru Gazette

The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program in Clinton, Essex and Franklin Counties helped well over 4,440 individuals and families last year get their taxes done for FREE. This program counts on volunteers! Over $6,000,000 in refunds was seen in the three counties. The Earned Income Tax Credit Coalition of the Adirondack chaired by Kathy Snow, Director of Development of the United Way of the Adirondack Region, Inc., is seeking volunteers for this program for the upcoming 2017 tax season.

The VITA Program offers free tax help to low- to moderate-income people who cannot prepare their own tax returns, including the elderly, the disabled, and those in rural communities.

Kathy Snow stated that “If you ever wonder how to make a difference and help people in your community, then becoming a tax volunteer may be just right for you.”

Volunteers assisting with the VITA Program come from all walks of life: retirees, college and high school students, and people who just want to help in their communities. They do not need to have experience in taxes. Certified volunteers sponsored by various organizations receive training to help prepare tax returns. Online training is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week via IRS.gov and allows volunteers to take courses and obtain certification at their own pace. Supplemental classroom training on tax law and using tax preparation software is also offered.

If you do not know that much about taxes, don’t worry, you will get specialized training. You can also choose a volunteer role that doesn’t require tax law certification. There are two volunteer roles that are needed at the FREE tax preparation sites, Greeter/Screener and Tax Preparer.

In Essex and Franklin Counties, we are seeking volunteers for four locations: Adirondack Community Action Programs, Inc. in Elizabethtown, Port Henry Town Hall in Port Henry, Malone OneWorkSource in Malone, and the Mohawk Indian Housing Corp in Akwesasne.