Creating Assets, Savings & Hope "CA$H"
VOLUNTEERS
CA$H is looking for people to join its team of volunteers providing low-income working families making less than $50,000 a year with free tax preparation help. Southern Tier CA$H (Creating Assets, Savings and Hope) is a coalition of community partners, led by United Way of the Southern Tier. We are looking for volunteers to serve in all areas of Chemung and Steuben counties, including Bath, Big Flats, Canisteo, Corning, Elmira, Hornell, Horseheads, Spencer and VanEtten.
Volunteering is easy. Basic math skills are all it takes; no accounting experience is needed. The time commitment is up to you and there are multiple locations in Chemung and Steuben counties. Training is provided through a variety of options.
Questions: email cash@uwst.org.
WHAT TO EXPECT AS A VOLUNTEER
For scheduling purposes, tax session “shifts” are usually 3-4 hour periods in the afternoons, evenings or Saturday mornings. Preparers are asked to work at least one session per week. During the month of February there is a high demand for extra preparers. Working at least one additional shift during that time would be welcome and appreciated. In prior years, many sites cut back on their hours and/or days of operation by mid-March.
Each CA$H site creates its tax appointment schedule based on the availability of volunteer preparers. Volunteers schedule their hours about a week or two in advance. Tax appointments are then booked based on the site’s appointment schedule. Volunteers should notify their site coordinators of changes in their availability in a timely manner. Donated time (volunteer hours) is tracked for use as gift-in-kind service for grant dollar matching as appropriate.
If there is a special volunteer need, a general e-mail is sent to the larger geographic area asking if anyone can fill the needed time slot.
The site coordinator is responsible for designating a person to oversee the site management for each shift. There will also be someone designated as the onsite tax consultant for that shift. (Some days it may be the same person.) In addition, there is a tax resource person available by phone.
Specific instructions and a site tour will be given at site orientation.
During the season, input for improvement is always welcome. At the end of season, volunteers are asked to be part of the evaluation process. There will also be a volunteer recognition event.
Additional Information
Each year, an estimated 15-25 percent of households do not access tax credits they deserve, resulting in millions of dollars lost in the Southern Tier. When hard-working families do not file for their Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), that is money lost to them — and to the local economy. Volunteer tax preparers help these families electronically file their return for free!
CA$H utilizes the services of trained volunteers to assist people in electronically filing their returns, delivering service to those taxpayers who most need tax assistance and cannot afford the services of paid preparers. Clients sign their own tax returns and are personally responsible for providing accurate information to the CA$H volunteers. The Volunteer Protection Act of 1997 protects volunteers from liability for returns prepared within their scope of IRS certification.
