United Way Announces the Opening of the VITA Program and Ribbon Cutting

United Way of Rutherford and Cannon Counties announces the opening of the VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) program for the upcoming tax season, February 1 – April 13, 2024.

The United Way VITA program is an IRS-supported tax preparation service, through which trained volunteers prepare taxes at no cost for qualifying individuals and families. The VITA program, along with My Free Taxes, connects community members with eligible credits such as the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). The EITC is a benefit for working people with at least one dependent and can mean more resources for essential needs such as reliable transportation, housing, and food.

The ribbon cutting for the 2024 VITA season is on Friday, January 26, 2024, at 11 AM located at Patterson Park Community Center. Beth Gill, Senior Tax Consultant with the Internal Revenue Service, will be in attendance. You can find more information about the ribbon cutting on the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce website.

According to Debbie Curtis, United Way’s VITA program coordinator, the program “is a wonderful example of how your local United Way works to improve the financial stability of everyone in our community, by helping to keep money in taxpayer pockets.

“We can offer this free service to qualified families and individuals through the assistance of very committed volunteers,” Curtis added.

During United Way’s 2023 Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, more than 1,400 tax returns were completed, resulting in a $1.8 million investment through tax refunds, as well as $480,000 in reduced tax prep fees, for a total economic impact of over $2.2 million in Rutherford and Cannon counties. Through combined efforts with My Free Taxes, a free online filing service, the economic impact of the VITA program has consistently increased each year.

Since the VITA program’s inception in 2012, more than $15 million has been invested back into Rutherford and Cannon counties through tax refunds.

This year in-person appointments will be available at the Boys & Girls Club of Smyrna and Patterson Park Community Center. Additional mobile VITA sites will be available in Cannon County, Bedford County, Motlow’s Smyrna Campus, and the MTSU Jones College of Business.

Online appointments will be available for scheduling on January 20. For more information, visit yourlocaluw.org/vita.