United Way of Santa Barbara County and the office of Supervisor Laura Capps on April 12 celebrated the return of Mega Tax Day, an initiative of United Way’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program to help community members file their taxes for free.

Volunteers joined community partners in offering tax preparation and filing services to families ahead of the April 15 filing deadline. The event, sponsored by Capps’ office and partners at U.S. Bank, included a community resource fair and budgeting workshop at Franklin Elementary School.

The event welcomed partners Santa Barbara Foodbank, Women’s Economic Ventures, Listos, Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara, and Santa Barbara County Department of Social Services.

The event was supported by some 20 volunteers from the VITA program and provided services to 85 individuals, providing tax return assistance, filing services, or referrals to local families onsite.

Representatives from local agencies who attended were District 1 Councilmember Wendy Santamaria; Capps, chair, Santa Barbara Board of Supervisors; Hilda Maldonado, superintendent, Santa Barbara Unified School District); Steve Ortiz, president/CEO, United Way of Santa Barbara County; Wendy Sims-Moten, executive eirector, First 5 SBC; and First District Supervisor Roy Lee.

“Each year, we hear stories of families who use their refund to cover outstanding bills, get ahead on rent or utility payments, or save for future retirement or education for their children,” Ortiz said at the event. “This annual boost to a family’s budget is key to the ability to build or maintain a strong financial foundation.”

“Programs like VITA are more than just a service, they’re a powerful tool for economic mobility,” said Capps. “By helping families claim every dollar they’re owed, we’re investing in brighter futures, stronger communities, and a pathway out of poverty for families across Santa Barbara County.”

The VITA program annually serves thousands of households in Santa Barbara County, returning an average of $2 million in tax refunds to the community.

The program falls within United Way’s Financial Empowerment initiative, which connects students, individuals and families with data-driven, community-based programming to strengthen financial foundations.

The initiative also includes United Way’s Resiliency Grants program and efforts by the organization to advance community initiatives in childcare.