Here’s some not-so-random numbers for you:
Every number has a story to tell, and these three – all from this year’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program – inform us that, once again, this inititive has made a profound difference in the lives of thousands of residents in Coconino, Navajo and Apache counties.
During the first four months of this year, 103 IRS-certified volunteers spent thousands of hours pouring through the forms and documents to file 3,409 tax returns for individuals and families in Northern Arizona. Their tireless work meant that our friends and neighbors were able to identify and claim all of the tax credits and breaks available to them, bolstering the amount of their refunds and keeping that money in our communities.
The total of the tax refunds for those returns was a whopping $5,007,692,including almost $2 million in Earned Income Tax Credits.
This year it was easier than ever to get VITA assistance. Taxpayers set up appointments beforehand, meaning they didn’t have long waits to be seen by VITA volunteers. Using the Scan2Go system, about 85% of them were able to get their forms and documents scanned and leave. Volunteers then filled out the tax returns as their schedule permitted and arranged for the returns to be picked up or mailed to the taxpayer.
It’s been a decade since UWNA started the VITA program in northern Arizona and the program continues to grow each year. In 2010, for example, the total refunds were about $2 million, less than half of what was filed this year.
In addition to our volunteers, UWNA would like to thank the partners and sponsors who made the program possible this year: City of Flagstaff, Coconino County, Navajo County, Flagstaff Unified School District, Page Public Library, Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona, The Hopi Foundation, El Tapitio, Whole Foods, Bank of the West, Cuddle Outreach, St. Jude Food Bank and the Moenkopi Senior Center and Northland Pioneer College. We’d also like to thank Megan Good for her dedication and service to the program since its inception.
Congratulations again to all our VITA partners and volunteers for another very successful year.
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