MANCHESTER, NH – Granite United Way’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program opened for free tax preparation sites with the help of a $50,000 contribution from Citizens Bank to support the program. A formal check presentation launched the program on January 25 at NeighborWorks Southern NH in Manchester. The day also marked the nationally recognized Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Day.
This free tax preparation program is available to Individuals and families with household incomes up to $66,000 annually. Taxes are prepared by IRS-certified volunteers who assist low-to-moderate income residents of the state to access the greatest amount of refunds. Both Granite United Way and Citizens Bank share a common goal of encouraging financial stability and recognize the importance of programs like VITA to families and individuals.
The EITC is a support for working people who don’t make a lot of money. According to the IRS, about 1-in-5 eligible New Hampshire residents fail to file for the EITC, leaving an estimated $37 million unclaimed.
“One of Granite United Way’s initiatives that delivers the greatest impact is the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. This program has helped to lift more than 16,000 New Hampshire residents out of poverty on average over the past three years,” said Patrick Tufts, President and CEO of Granite United Way. “The support from Citizens Bank is critical in providing this free service to thousands each year. We are proud to partner with them in this effort to build financial stability across our community.”
“Citizens Bank is proud to partner with the Granite United Way in supporting the 2019 VITA Program,” said Joe Carelli, President, Citizens Bank, New Hampshire and Vermont. “While our communities continue to be noted as one the best in the country to live, we know that there are still many people living at the margins financially; inhibiting their ability to save for a home, a car, or even further their education. By partnering on the VITA program and providing both financial and volunteer support, we can help to build a path to financial sustainability for many Granite State residents,” stated Carelli.
QUICK INFO: VITA sites are in Salem, Manchester, Concord, Laconia, Franklin, Gorham, Littleton and White River Junction and Windsor County (VT). Additional sites including the Seacoast area and Peterborough. A ‘virtual’ VITA site is also scheduled to open this year in Plymouth.
Scheduling an appointment is simple. Those interested can go to NHTaxHelp.org or call 2-1-1 and schedule their appointment.
“Our volunteers are the backbone of this program’s success. They dedicate thousands of hours to providing tax preparation,” said Tufts. “They not only provide free tax preparation for VITA clients, they help them access some of the tax credits they may not have been aware of.”
VITA Client Cassandra Tate knows first-hand how important the program can be.
“More people need to be aware of this program, and I often encourage everyone to look into it and take advantage of this service.” said Tate. “It was a simple call to 2-1-1 and I scheduled an appointment. I’ve used this program for a few years now and really appreciate the volunteers who help prepare the tax returns.”
Granite United Way also encourages self-filers with internet access and a household income up to $66,000 to take advantage of www.MyFreeTaxes.com. This provides access to filing software at no cost and a toll-free number to call for tax questions. It is sponsored by United Way Worldwide and H & R Block.
For more information on Granite United Way’s VITA program, contact Cary Gladstone, Senior Director of Asset Building Strategies at 603-625-6939 x 128.
The VITA program is a partnership with United Way, Citizens Bank, the IRS and AARP Foundation Tax Aide.
Granite United Way
Granite United Way is an experienced and trusted organization dedicated to leveraging the resources of investors and volunteers to create lasting change by addressing the underlying causes of our community’s most pressing needs. Granite United Way is committed to improving the lives of individuals and families by supporting programs in the areas of education, income and health. Granite United Way works with over 1,000 companies, 25,000 investors and thousands of volunteers every year to help communities learn, earn and be healthy. Granite United Way is highly rated by both GuideStar and Charity Navigator.Granite United Way serves the Central Region, Merrimack County, North Country, Northern Region, Southern Region (Manchester, Salem, Derry) and Upper Valley Regions of NH and VT as well as Windsor County, VT. For more information, visit www.graniteuw.org.
About Citizens Financial Group, Inc.
Citizens Financial Group, Inc. is one of the nation’s oldest and largest financial institutions, with $151.4 billion in assets as of September 30, 2017. Headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island, Citizens offers a broad range of retail and commercial banking products and services to individuals, small businesses, middle-market companies, large corporations and institutions. Citizens helps its customers reach their potential by listening to them and by understanding their needs in order to offer tailored advice, ideas and solutions. In Consumer Banking, Citizens provides an integrated experience that includes mobile and online banking, a 24/7 customer contact center and the convenience of approximately 3,200 ATMs and approximately 1,200 branches in 11 states in the New England, Mid-Atlantic and Midwest regions. Consumer Banking products and services include a full range of banking, lending, savings, wealth management and small business offerings. In Commercial Banking, Citizens offers corporate, institutional and not-for-profit clients a full range of wholesale banking products and services, including lending and deposits, capital markets, treasury services, foreign exchange and interest rate products and asset finance. More information is available at www.citizensbank.com or visit us on Twitter, LinkedIn or Facebook.
