"I thought that volunteering with the Free Community Tax Service would be a great way to be more involved in the community. People are appreciative. Some clients were from very low-income homes and would not have been able to pay for tax assistance, and being able to help was the best part of my experience," Vanessa Vargas, a senior at Indiana University said about her role as a Free Community Tax Service volunteer site coordinator for United Way.
The Free Community Tax Service helps low- to moderate-income people file their taxes free and ensures they don't overlook credits that could give them larger tax refunds. As a site coordinator, Vanessa adhered to IRS policies and procedures, managed site volunteers, prepared state and federal returns, and performed quality reviews.
According to United Way Community Initiatives Director Jamie Kuzemka, Vanessa went above and beyond in her responsibilities. She volunteered additional hours to help other site coordinators and even helped a bilingual client complete the FAFSA financial aid form. She also is creating a volunteer database United Way will be able to use in future years.
"I had a semester-long project in my database management class, and I immediately thought of United Way as my project client. The database I've created will allow United Way to easily track volunteer availability and contact information, plus which sites they serve, languages they speak, and exams they have completed. It will be very thorough."
"I will be graduating in December and returning to my hometown. However, I hope to find a similar program so I can continue to serve the community."
If you're interested in being a Free Community Tax Service volunteer, please contact info@unitedwaysci.org.
