IRS Announces 2010 VITA Grant Recipients
Mercer Alliance received one of the IRS VITA grant in partnership with City of Trenton, Senior tax sites, Boys & Girls Club of Mercer County, Crisis Ministry of Trenton and Princeton, Mercer County Hispanic Association and North Clinton Neighborhood Center to
better serve the low-wage workers of Mercer County with free tax site opportunities and assistance.
The Internal Revenue Service announced for the second year in a row that it has awarded nearly $8 million in matching grants to support its Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program. Under the VITA Grant Program, the IRS awarded matching grants to 147 organizations that will offer free tax preparation services during the 2010 filing season. Our VITA partners assist taxpayers in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. There was a strong response to the 2010 VITA grant program with 360 organizations submitting applications requesting more than $30 million in matching funds, similar to the prior year. VITA partners are organizations that provide free federal tax return preparation and electronic filing to low and moderate income individuals.
For tax year 2009, individuals and families with an adjusted gross income of $49,000 or lower are eligible for assistance.
Free Tax Sites Helped Mercer County Citizens to receive Over $ 4 1 .5 million in Earned Income Tax Credit s for 2008 tax year.
This represents a $9 million dollar or 28% increase since 2004 tax year when Mercer Alliance joined with Greater Trenton EITC and Asset Building Coalition to promote EITC through outreach/marketing, free tax sites and asset building classes. The best stories are those of the families that have been helped. This year one of our sites was able to help one family receive a combined Federal and State refund of $8,700.
A new resource to help the Hearing Impaired: Tax Tips: Earned Income Tax Credit - January 2010 (ASL, Captions & Voice Over)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vh9JcMXMr0#watch-main-area
Call 211 for Free tax preparation sites in New Jersey or go to www.earnedincometaxcredit.org for Mercer County sites.
Expungement Workshops
New eligibility requirements for expungements of criminal and juvenile delinquency records will go into effect next month. Even if individuals have previously been unable to clear their criminal records, these new laws may help them.
Thursday, March 4, 2010 at 6:00 p.m. at the Ewing Township Council Room, 2 Jake Garzio Drive, Ewing, NJ.
or
Friday, March 12, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. at the Trenton Housing Authority Community Room, 875 New Willow Street, Trenton, NJ.
NOTE these are new dates due to the weather. If you preregistered for this event, your registration will carry over to the next corresponding date. New registrants, please call the Office of Senator Shirley Turner at 609-530-3277.
Project Homeless Connect – Thursday, July 8, 2010
On Thursday, July 8, 2010 the Trenton/Mercer Continuum of Care (CoC) will conduct
our bi-annual one-day event, Project Homeless Connect. We are seeking volunteers to help set-up, to serve food, pass out items, and act as guides and survey takers. We are seeking donations of new socks, sneakers, boots and personal care items. To volunteer or donate please contact: Tarry Truitt, ttruitt@merceralliance.org or at (609) 844-1008.
|
