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This free program saved clients $500,000 in tax preparation fees and brought nearly $2.3 million dollars back to our community. Bucks County Opportunity Council (BCOC), a local non-profit organization dedicated to reducing poverty has completed another successful tax season with its Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program. The VITA program is an IRS initiative designed to support free tax preparation service for the underserved through various partner organizations. This year’s VITA program made a huge impact, completing a record number of tax returns. Including local, state, federal, property tax and rental rebates, BCOC did 1,577 returns. This free program saved clients $500,000 in tax preparer fees and brought nearly $2.3 million dollars back to the Bucks County community. The VITA program has operated for over 50 years. VITA sites offer free tax help to low-income people who need assistance in preparing their own tax returns. While the IRS manages the VITA program, the five VITA sites in Bucks County are operated by the Bucks County Opportunity Council (BCOC) and staffed by volunteers who want to make a difference in their communities. The 54 dedicated, IRS-certified volunteers who provided tax counseling are a mix of retired and working individuals who support BCOC and happily give their time and expertise to the cause. This year they donated 3,440 volunteer hours to the VITA program. Since BCOC began providing the VITA program in 2005, volunteers have prepared 21,914 returns, resulting in $37.5 million reinvested in the Bucks County community in the form of refunds, credits, and fees saved. The VITA program is a key component of the financial literacy provided to low-income families participating in BCOC programs. Refunds received through VITA assist low-income families whose household budgets are tenuous, bringing economic stability back to the household. This year, BCOC’s newest VITA site at the Epstein Campus of Bucks County Community College in Lower Bucks County, more than tripled the number of returns they completed, all while providing a hands-on learning experience for students. Najet, a student who participated for the first time this year said, “This experience is helpful for building resumes, brushing up on people and problem-solving skills, and building compassion and empathy for different social or financial situations.” BCOC is grateful for the financial support provided by the IRS, the Bucks County Foundation, and First National Bank and Trust of Newtown. Individuals interested in getting involved for next year’s tax season are welcome to reach out to Danielle Bush at [email protected] or call 215-345-8175 x209. BCOC is the lead anti-poverty, non-profit organization in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, dedicated to ending poverty by connecting people with the resources they need to thrive. BCOC has five major program areas: Housing, Food, Weatherization, Volunteer Income Tax Preparation (VITA) and the Economic Self-Sufficiency (ES) Program. Housing includes street outreach, rental and move in assistance and utility shut-off prevention. Food services distributes food directly to families through a network of over 75 food pantries and distribution sites. Weatherization services assist families in reducing their energy costs. VITA provides free income tax preparation assistance. The ES Program assists individuals and families to leave poverty permanently through case management, education, and employment. For 60 years, the Opportunity Council has served low-income families in Bucks County by helping them to stabilize when in crisis, garner resources to achieve a livable wage, gain additional education and training, and work towards economic self-sufficiency.
This free program saved clients $500,000 in tax preparation fees and brought nearly $2.3 million dollars back to our community.
Bucks County Opportunity Council (BCOC), a local non-profit organization dedicated to reducing poverty has completed another successful tax season with its Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program. The VITA program is an IRS initiative designed to support free tax preparation service for the underserved through various partner organizations.
This year’s VITA program made a huge impact, completing a record number of tax returns. Including local, state, federal, property tax and rental rebates, BCOC did 1,577 returns. This free program saved clients $500,000 in tax preparer fees and brought nearly $2.3 million dollars back to the Bucks County community.
The VITA program has operated for over 50 years. VITA sites offer free tax help to low-income people who need assistance in preparing their own tax returns. While the IRS manages the VITA program, the five VITA sites in Bucks County are operated by the Bucks County Opportunity Council (BCOC) and staffed by volunteers who want to make a difference in their communities. The 54 dedicated, IRS-certified volunteers who provided tax counseling are a mix of retired and working individuals who support BCOC and happily give their time and expertise to the cause. This year they donated 3,440 volunteer hours to the VITA program.
Since BCOC began providing the VITA program in 2005, volunteers have prepared 21,914 returns, resulting in $37.5 million reinvested in the Bucks County community in the form of refunds, credits, and fees saved. The VITA program is a key component of the financial literacy provided to low-income families participating in BCOC programs. Refunds received through VITA assist low-income families whose household budgets are tenuous, bringing economic stability back to the household.
This year, BCOC’s newest VITA site at the Epstein Campus of Bucks County Community College in Lower Bucks County, more than tripled the number of returns they completed, all while providing a hands-on learning experience for students. Najet, a student who participated for the first time this year said, “This experience is helpful for building resumes, brushing up on people and problem-solving skills, and building compassion and empathy for different social or financial situations.”
BCOC is grateful for the financial support provided by the IRS, the Bucks County Foundation, and First National Bank and Trust of Newtown. Individuals interested in getting involved for next year’s tax season are welcome to reach out to Danielle Bush at [email protected] or call 215-345-8175 x209.
BCOC is the lead anti-poverty, non-profit organization in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, dedicated to ending poverty by connecting people with the resources they need to thrive.
BCOC has five major program areas: Housing, Food, Weatherization, Volunteer Income Tax Preparation (VITA) and the Economic Self-Sufficiency (ES) Program. Housing includes street outreach, rental and move in assistance and utility shut-off prevention. Food services distributes food directly to families through a network of over 75 food pantries and distribution sites. Weatherization services assist families in reducing their energy costs. VITA provides free income tax preparation assistance. The ES Program assists individuals and families to leave poverty permanently through case management, education, and employment.
For 60 years, the Opportunity Council has served low-income families in Bucks County by helping them to stabilize when in crisis, garner resources to achieve a livable wage, gain additional education and training, and work towards economic self-sufficiency.