Volunteers Help Bring $4.68 Million Back to Montco

There’s an extra $4,680,084 circulating around the Montgomery County economy.

Did you get a piece of that?

You did if you had your taxes prepared through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. That seven-digit figure is the total dollar amount of tax refunds the program brought to Montgomery County residents.  

On April 26, community organizations and volunteers came together at the William Penn Inn in Ambler to celebrate their part in VITA.

For the past 10 years, community organizations throughout the county have come together each tax season to form the Montgomery County Tax Coalition (MCTC). MCTC enables the VITA program to help residents making less than $49,000 file their taxes for free with the help of trained volunteers.

“VITA has proven to be a viable way to move families into economic stability,” said Rick Beaton, the executive director of Community Action Development Commission of Montgomery County (CADCOM) and Abington resident.

Beaton explained that the people utilizing the free services of VITA might otherwise spend $200 or more to have their taxes figured and submitted to the IRS.

CADCOM, based in Norristown, has been involved with the VITA program since its beginnings in Montgomery County in 2001.  

“It has grown every year since then,” said Beaton, “I just want to keep it growing.”

MCTC was able to run 15 sites this past tax season where qualifying taxpayers were able to come receive free tax assistance. Sites were located throughout the county, including Pottstown, Blue Bell, Lansdale, Willow Grove and other areas.

East Norriton resident Ken Haubert was one of 215 MCTC volunteers this past tax season.

“We bring money back into the local economy,” said Haubert of why he enjoyed being a VITA volunteer. “We take care of the most needy people,” he added.

He recalled helping one woman, an immigrant from a nation in Central Africa, who had paid over $200 to have her taxes done the year before. Haubert said her tax calculations were very simple, but because she was still new to the U.S., she didn’t understand the American tax system.

“They exploited this woman who was a refugee,” he said of the company that charged her hundreds the year before.

VITA allowed this woman to get her entire refund for free.

Marian Demeisak has volunteered with VITA for the past four years in both Lansdale and Willow Grove.

This year, she served as a volunteer coordinator for the 20 volunteers at VITA sites in the Willow Grove Community Development Corporation and the First Baptist Church of Crestmont.   

“I got involved with VITA because I was a tax preparer for years,” said Demeisak, a Hatboro resident.

As a tax preparer, she had also seen how those with the most financial need often had little understanding of the tax system.

As a volunteer coordinator, Demeisak would help the volunteer preparers, and also review their work before it was submitted to the IRS.

“All the volunteers had to be certified,” said Demeisak.

VITA volunteers are certified by the IRS by attending free classes held at Temple Ambler and Montgomery County Community College campuses in the fall. Volunteers could also use Link and Learn, an online IRS tool, to become familiar with the tax code.

Sueli Vieira, a Wyndmoor resident, was one of the volunteers Demeisak supervised.

Besides having a desire to give back to the community, learning about taxes was Vieira’s motivation to become a VITA volunteer.

“When you volunteer, you have to get certified, so it’s a great opportunity to learn about taxes,” said Vieira.

A web designer, Vieira said she learned a lot.  

“(Marian Demeisak) knew I wanted to learn, so she would give me the hardest ones,” said Vieira.

The first-time volunteer garnered other benefits that some found hard to grasp.

“My friends couldn’t believe it when I said I was having a great time doing taxes,” said Vieira.  

Volunteers like Vieira were honored at the dinner at the William Penn Inn.

“I am very proud of my volunteers,” said Sharon Mashintonio, the assistant director of the Lansdale Community Housing Services and volunteer coordinator for Lansdale site.

Deborah Soto Vega, a volunteer coordinator at the Norristown location, praised the college students who came out to volunteer. She said that each year, a number of Bryn Mwar College students serve as VITA volunteers.

“I give them credit, I just supervise them,” said Soto Vega.

Students from Temple Ambler, Penn State Abington and Montgomery County Community College also volunteered at various locations.

While the MCTC and VITA have accomplished their work for this tax season, those interested in volunteering next tax season can contact CADCOM project coordinator Michele Burgh at 610-277-6363, ext. 166, or mburgh@cadcom.org.

Visit www.mctaxcoalition.com for more information.

MCTC is comprised of CADCOM, the Willow Grove Community Development Corporation, United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania, North Penn United Way, Community Housing Services, Family Services of Pottstown and Chestnut Hill College.