FORT WORTH, Texas (Jan. 17, 2023) — Heading into the busy tax season, United Way of Tarrant County (UWTC) needs volunteers for its Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. Annually, an estimated 4,000 households across Tarrant County use these free tax preparation services, which are available to families and individuals with household incomes of $60,000 or less.
“Our VITA volunteers are the backbone of the program, and it’s because of their help we’re able to impact so many families,” said Regina R. Williams, executive vice president of Community Investment and chief impact officer. “We’re asking anyone who has the time to come out and help these hardworking families get the most out of their income tax refunds.”
VITA is an IRS-supported program. In the past 13 years, VITA volunteers have helped file more than 80,000 tax returns and secured more than $149 million in total refunds for Tarrant County residents.
Several VITA volunteer opportunities are available, including:
- Tax preparers who provide basic tax return preparation.
- Saving ambassadors who pass along information on ways to save through VITA,
- Interpreters for non-English speaking clients, and
- Intake specialists to greet clients upon arrival to each VITA site.
Volunteers do not need prior experience. UWTC provides full training for all positions. Tax certification classes are free. VITA tax sites open January 23 and run through April 29. For more information on the VITA volunteer program, visit UnitedWayTarrant.org/VITA-Volunteer.
Volunteer Scholarships Available
To recognize college students volunteering for VITA, UWTC will award four $500 scholarships this spring. Volunteers enrolled at a university or college in Tarrant County for the 2022-2023 academic year who intend to reenroll in college next year are eligible to apply for the scholarship.
Applicants must complete a minimum of 25 VITA volunteer hours as certified tax preparers at any site location in Tarrant County during the 2023 tax season. Applications are due March 31. Winners will be announced in May. To view the full requirements and apply for the scholarship, visit unitedwaytarrant.org/vita-scholarship/
About VITA
Since 2010, VITA has saved Tarrant County residents over $20 million in tax preparation fees. UWTC’s VITA program partners include the City of Fort Worth and Foundation Communities. The IRS supports VITA programs in locations in all 50 states through partner organizations.
Generous support for VITA in our area comes from U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey, Southside Bank, Capital One, the Amon G. Carter Foundation, the Santander Consumer USA Foundation, Charles Schwab & Co. and the Wells Fargo Foundation.
About United Way of Tarrant County
United Way of Tarrant County brings people together to build strong communities where everyone thrives. As a nonprofit leader, we help communities tackle tough challenges and work with private, public, and nonprofit partners to boost education, financial stability, and health resources. In the past two years, we have doubled our impact, helping more than 550,000 people through our resources. We celebrate our 100th anniversary in 2022 and are ready to serve Tarrant County for years to come.
