United Way Seeking Tax Assistance Volunteers

With tax season right around the corner, United Way’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program is looking far and wide for volunteers who are interested in becoming IRS-trained and certified tax preparers.

This will be the third year VITA has been available to Pickens County residents and we have high hopes for the program.

Last year our VITA program completed 969 returns and refunded $1,037,748 back into Pickens County residents’ pockets. These numbers couldn’t be achieved if it wasn’t for the hard work and dedication of our volunteers.

VITA offers free income tax preparation to low- and moderate-income individuals and families in seven counties across the Upstate: Anderson, Cherokee, Greenville, Laurens, Pickens, Spartanburg and Union Counties. United Ways in these counties have formed a coalition to ensure that residents in our area have access to free tax services, receiving tax credits and deductions free of charge.

Residents living outside this seven-county area are still able to receive VITA services and need only call 2-1-1 to make an appointment at a nearby tax site.

In Pickens County, the VITA program will begin helping residents file their 2012 tax returns on January 21 and will continue to do so through April 15.

United Way of Pickens County is currently looking for volunteers for VITA. No previous tax experience is required and volunteers receive IRS-training and certification.

This is a great opportunity to give back to your community and help put real dollars back in the pockets of your neighbors.

There will be a VITA Meet and Greet on November 1, 2012 from 6pm-8pm in the Carr Center (West End Hall, 201 S. 5^th St., Easley). This will be a chance for new volunteers to come out and learn more about what VITA is as well as sign up for training dates. Please RSVP by October 29 to Virginia Blowers.

For more information about VITA or to sign up to volunteer, please contact Virginia Blowers by phone at 864-850-7094 ext. 133 or by email at vblowers@uwpickens.org

VITA sites in Pickens County are as follows: Pickens County YMCA in Easley, Village Branch Library in Pickens, Hampton Memorial Library in Easley and Clemson Community Care.