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United Way Stanislaus faced a challenge familiar to many Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites: the need for volunteers to operate their program with limited capacity and a quick turnaround. Amidst this uncertainty, an opportunity arose when their president and CEO Keristofer Seryani received an email from Tera Coleman, a former CPA turned teacher and volleyball coach at Downey High School, seeking volunteer opportunities for her students.
That email resulted in more than 200 community members in Modesto receiving help from Downey High School students to prepare and file their returns. The students, part of the school’s marketing career and technical education class and Future Business Leaders of America group, were trained to prepare tax returns through the IRS VITA certification program and with the guidance of an experienced VITA staff member from United Way Merced, providing them with valuable hands-on experience. The students began assisting with tax preparation on February 15.
The VITA site, located just half a mile from Downey High School, quickly became a hub of activity. Students came to the VITA site during class time as part of their class requirements. They worked flexible hours—Wednesdays from 2 pm to 5 or 6 pm, with five volunteers handling 20-23 returns per session. Other volunteers covered shifts on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Four community college students were also recruited into the program, which helped keep the site staffed at all times. Students carpooled or were picked up and dropped off by staff. Student volunteers wore United Way shirts on campus, participated in media interviews and ads aired on TV, and promoted the program on their social media accounts, significantly increasing its visibility and appeal.
Jonathan Towell, United Way Merced’s Chief Financial Officer, an experienced and certified VITA site coordinator and tax preparer, was present every day during the first week, modeling tax return processing for tax preparers, quality reviewers, and site coordinators. All students were trained to receive advanced certification. They were also trained on providing referrals to community members asking for additional financial resources during their free tax prep appointment. Students were given 211 goodie bags that contained information on resources and were instructed on which resources to print out when rent relief assistance was needed. Returns were thoroughly processed. Keristofer and Tera provided quality review over every return and made sure a feedback loop was maintained constantly with students throughout the season.
The students’ involvement had a profound impact on the community. Within two months, they had processed over 200 returns, far surpassing their initial goal of 50 returns. One high school volunteer remarked, “It was just really rewarding to see that we could help so many people in our community.”
Keristofer noted, “For two months, life was VITA for these students. They were part of something bigger, and they knew it.”
The students’ enthusiasm and commitment were evident, and their involvement brought fresh energy and perspectives to the program. Students not only learned about taxes but also shared their newfound knowledge with their families. Some students helped their families self-file using the free self-filing software provided by MyFreeTaxes.org. Other parents came to the VITA site to get their taxes done. Parents were thrilled to see their children involved in such a meaningful project.
The success of this partnership has inspired United Way Stanislaus to expand their high school VITA program. They plan to start recruitment as soon as the school year begins, reaching out to other high schools and formalizing the application process. They envision creating a cohort experience, combining virtual and in-person sessions, and offering more role-playing and shadowing opportunities. This partnership is an example of the profound impact VITA has on the community. It’s more than just providing free tax assistance to those in need. It’s about providing the tools for communities to access and share knowledge and economic opportunities.
Join us in making a difference! Become a volunteer and help empower our community. Text "VOLUNTEER" to 211-211 to sign up today.