Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Partnership Volunteers & "Food Stamp" Outreach & Resource Navigators

Volunteer Opportunity Details:

Want to help your low-to-moderate income neighbors access their state and local tax refunds, including the EITC, the nation's most effective federal program to reduce poverty? Want to link VITA families with food and other resources?

Can you commit at least sixteen hours between January and April 2012?

Last year, 68 volunteers participated in Montgomery County's Community Action Agency's Voluntary Income Tax Assistance (VITA) partnership, serving 1,455 low-to-moderate income households, and returning over $3.2 million to families through EITC (Earned Income Tax Credits), Child Tax Credits and state and federal refunds!

Community Action VITA Partnership is a program of the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, and brings together resources from the IRS, the City of Rockville, the City of Gaithersburg and its "Bank On" initiative, Family Services, Inc., the Maryland CASH Campaign, local nonprofits and volunteers to help assure high quality, free tax services for families earning under $50,000 a year.

VITA reaches people with complex social service needs, and works with case managers to help people with disabilities and other barriers. Besides saving families' hundreds of dollars in tax preparation and related fees, our VITA partnership links families with financial education, banking and savings, and referrals to local resources.

VITA VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED AT OUR 4 PARTNERSHIPS:

--MidCounty Regional Services Center in Wheaton
--Takoma East Silver Spring Center (TESS)
--City of Rockville, and
--at Family Services, Inc. in Gaithersburg

Tax assistance is primarily scheduled during the later afternoons and evenings, with some daytime and Saturday hours.

OPPORTUNITIES INCLUDE:

Preparers are responsible for preparing current, prior year, and amended federal and state income tax returns. You must have a Basic, Intermediate, or Advanced Certification from the IRS.

Appointment schedulers make appointments and explain what documents need to be brought in to have their taxes prepared. They also call clients from list of appointments and remind them of their appointment date and time.

Greeters make sure the clients have all of the necessary paperwork before meeting with a tax volunteers and manage the flow of clients being served. You must have a pleasant personality and a Basic certification from the IRS.

Intake Screeners interact with clients by making sure that they have all of the necessary paperwork, prepare a file folder, and get the client ready to meet with a preparer. You must have a Basic certification from the IRS.
Promoters will go out into the community and disseminate VITA, Earned Income Tax Credit, and Child Tax Credit information.

Quality Reviewers are responsible for the review of all tax returns for accuracy and completeness; you must have a Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced Certification from the IRS.

Site Coordinators are responsible for coordinating the tax site making sure that the site runs smoothly and efficiently, problem solving, e-filing, follow up on rejects and re-file, and be available to clients and preparers to answer any tax questions or concerns. You must have a Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced certification from the IRS.

Interpreters are responsible for interpreting for the volunteer and the tax client in order to complete income tax returns. English fluency with competence in a second language is required. Spanish speakers are especially needed.

"Food Stamp" Outreach & Resource Navigators are responsible for screening and assisting customers interested in Food Stamps and other resources. Navigators will help customers complete an online application using Maryland SAIL, and refer customers to other needed resources.

All VITA volunteers must complete the IRS "Standard of Conduct" training and pass a simple test. Certification is required for preparers and for some other positions. We offer free training in-person from November through January, and self-paced training is available online. To review VITA certification requirements, go to www.irs.gov and search for "link and learn."

Our partner Maryland Hunger Solutions is providing training for Food Stamp Outreach & Resource Navigators. To learn more, contact Laura Flamm, LFlamm@mdhungersolutions.org or call 410-528-0021 x23

This opportunity is sponsored by: Community Action Agency of Montgomery County

We need volunteers who are free at these times Evenings Weekends Weekdays Weekly Volunteers will work with the following groups Abused / Battered Low-income / Poverty Adults (26-54) Men Disabled / Ill Military Disaster Victims Minorities Families / Parents Older Adults (55+) Homeless Students Immigrants Women Law Offenders Young Adults (18-25) This volunteer opportunity is available to the following types of volunteers Older Adults (55+) Individual Adults (26-54) Skilled Professionals Business Young Adults (18-25) This volunteer opportunity addresses the following social interests Civic & Community Hunger / Food Consumer Poverty Human Services Public Assistance We are looking for volunteers with the following skills Counseling / Information Support Language Skills - Spanish Finance / Accounting Tax prep

Contact Person: Taunya Johnson, (phone), (email) View all organization contacts

Address:

2424 Reedie Drive Suite 238 Wheaton, MD 20902 (See a map)

Directions:

Nearest Metro/Subway Stop: Wheaton,   Walk distance (in minutes): 2

Details where opportunity can also be performed

This opportunity can also be performed in these locations:

Cities:		Silver Spring Takoma Park
Zip codes:		20850,   20877

Miscellaneous Information

Minimum Age for Volunteers:
	18