United Way of Santa Barbara County’s Financial Empowerment Partnership is kicking off tax filing season with a ribbon cutting ceremony opening the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) site at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 3, 201, at United Way of Santa Barbara County, which is located 320 East Gutierrez Street in Santa Barbara.
Santa Barbara County families and individuals be on-site to receive free tax assistance. The ceremony marks the opening of seven VITA sites that will be staffed with trained, experienced, IRS-certified volunteers who provide free income tax return preparation and E-Filing for those with 2015 incomes under $62,000.
“With the beginning of tax season, we are pleased to open our VITA sites to Santa Barbara County families,” said Paul Didier, United Way of Santa Barbara County president and CEO. “Our trained, experienced and IRS-certified volunteers are prepared to offer free tax assistance to those families who need it most.”
In 2015, United Way of Santa Barbara County’s Financial Empowerment Partnership prepared approximately 3,100 returns that produced $4.3 million dollars in refunds for local residents.
There are seven VITA sites in the South County this year with various weekday, evening and weekend hours.
» United Way (320 East Gutierrez Street, Santa Barbara)
» Dons Net Cafe/Santa Barbara High School (700 East Anapamu Street, Santa Barbara)
» Goleta Valley Community Center (5679 Hollister Avenue, Goleta)
» Franklin Neighborhood Center (1136 Montecito Street, Santa Barbara)
» Police Activities League (1235 Chapala Street, Santa Barbara)
» UC Santa Barbara (Click here for detailed locations and times)
» Santa Ynez High School (2975 East Highway 246 Room E-1, Santa Ynez)
For more information and a comprehensive list of VITA sites and operating hours, please visit www.unitedwaysb.org/vita.
— Flannery Hill is a publicist representing United Way of Santa Barbara County.