Lisa Sunday, United Way of Chautauqua County Director of Finance, prepares taxes for a local resident as part of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program. More volunteers are needed to meet the demand for free tax preparation.

United Way of Chautauqua County is calling on community members to sign on now to volunteer during the coming tax season, helping not only prepare taxes for local residents but also oversee sites and serve as translators.

Each year, United Way facilitates the federal Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, training volunteers to provide free tax preparation for qualifying residents.

Signing on now is necessary as United Way is beginning the steps of coordinating tax preparation sites throughout the county. The number of volunteers directly impacts how many sites can be staffed as well as the availability of appointments at each site.

Without fail, the requests for free tax preparation here in Chautauqua County outpaces available appointments each year. The program’s success hinges on dedicated volunteers who prepare tax returns, assist with intake, and provide critical translation services.

Last year, volunteers logged a total of 1,504 hours of service with United Way. More than 1,300 households across the county were assisted, with volunteers preparing 1,231 federal and 1,264 state tax returns. More than $1.5 million in tax refunds were returned to local working families and seniors, saving more than $325,000 in tax preparation fees.

“It’s a rare volunteer experience where you sit down with someone and in 45-60 minutes almost always make their lives better for that year and in that moment,” said Amy Rohler, UWCHQ Executive Director. “Our volunteers love providing that kind of concrete and practical assistance.”

Training for tax preparation will begin soon, making now the time to sign up. Volunteers need no prior experience; all training and IRS certification are provided. Beyond preparing taxes, site support volunteers are needed for intake, welcoming clients and helping with paperwork. Additionally, translators, especially those fluent in Spanish, are much needed in order to help as many families as possible this coming year.

“The key to VITA’s success is our incredible volunteers,” said Joe Kwiatkowski, countywide VITA coordinator. “With each new volunteer, we can open more sites, schedule more appointments, and bring more money back to local families. It’s a meaningful way to make a real difference.”

Volunteer opportunities will be available in Dunkirk, Jamestown, Mayville, Sinclairville and potentially other locations. Volunteers will be needed between January and April on Saturdays, weekday evenings and some weekday afternoons.

Interested volunteers can reach out to United Way of Chautauqua County by: Calling 716-483-1561; Texting “UWVITA” to 41444; Emailing volunteer@UnitedWayCHQ.org

The program will operate at community sites throughout Chautauqua County starting in late January. All scheduling of appointments will be handled by 211 Western New York, a free service funded in part by United Way of Chautauqua County.