Nearly $23 million was returned in refunds and credits to nearly 14,000 Arizona taxpayers who participated in the free Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program sponsored by United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona.
VITA offers access to IRS-certified volunteers who assist eligible individuals and families with preparation of their tax returns.
This year, VITA locations across Tucson, which were open until mid-March, were forced to close due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
But new options, including a new online GetYourRefund website, provided in partnership with Code for America, allowed taxpayers to take advantage of the free service in a virtual setting.
The VITA program this year completed 13,894 returns, resulting in nearly $23 million in refunds and credits, including $10.3 million in earned income tax credits.
The GetYourRefund program generated approximately $28 million in refunds, credits, and economic impact payments across 16 states, keeping VITA services available in the face of COVID-19.
VITA is an annual community initiative led by United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona, in collaboration with Catholic Community Services and United Way of Northern Arizona. Together, the collaborative is the largest tax preparer in the state of Arizona, serving nine of Arizona’s 15 counties.
“We were encouraged by what we were able to accomplish this year with our VITA program,” said Tony Penn, president and chief executive officer of United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona. “These are robust numbers, in spite of the pandemic, and point to the fact that our United Way staff and volunteers were able to quickly pivot and adapt to this unique environment, continuing to provide needed assistance that helps local families on a path to financial stability.”
