Hillary Kane is the Director of Philadelphia Higher Education Network for Neighborhood Development (PHENND). PHENND helps colleges and communities connect to share resources to improve the lives of students and neighbors. In 2004, PHENND help start DelCoAD.
What did you learn in college? Did you learn any practical skills such as how to balance your checkbook or how to shop for a loan? How about how to do your taxes? Probably not.
Unfortunately, most colleges focus strictly on academics and to a lesser extent other soft skills such as leadership development. And while both of these things are hugely important, we all know that in the game of life, it takes more than smarts and leadership to accomplish your goals. You also need some basic household skills.
Enter Delaware County Asset Development’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program. While VITA is primarily aimed at helping low- and moderate-income families get free tax preparation services, it has also become a great teaching tool for many local college students. For the past seven years, students from area colleges, such as Swarthmore College and Widener University, have been learning some important life skills all in the name of service to their community.
Each winter, students are recruited as volunteer tax preparers for DelCoAD’s massive free tax prep initiative. Typically, 75-80 students volunteer and in the process, they learn all about basic tax law and how to prepare an income tax return. The students are certified by the IRS and then through the Spring Semester (which coincides nicely with tax season), they volunteer to help people do their taxes at one of nine sites throughout Delaware County.
Last year, students along with other volunteers from the community, provided free tax services to 1800 filers who collectively received over $2.5 million in refunds. This year’s numbers will be revealed at our End of the Season Celebration, Monday, April 25th at Swarthmore College. For more information, visit www.delcoad.org .
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