The Grace College School of Business is preparing for its 11th year of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program.
The program, which provides free tax preparation to the elderly, disabled and lower-income individuals filing a basic tax return, will run Jan. 27 through the end of March.
Since 2010, the William P. Gordon Institute for Enterprise Development at the Grace College School of Business and United Way of Kosciusko County have sponsored the IRS-endorsed VITA program in the county. The program has brought $2.6 million in refunds to Kosciusko County residents since its inception, according to a news release from Grace.
“We do this first and foremost to help the community. VITA provides a valuable service to individual families in Kosciusko County, and it funnels that money back into our local economy,” said Dr. Al Grossnickle, associate professor of business at Grace College and director of the William P. Gordon Institute of Enterprise Development.
Volunteers, including Grace College business students and professors and certified public accountants, make the service possible in Kosciusko County.
“Last year, we had approximately 65 volunteers, and we filed nearly 350 tax returns. We could not do it without our volunteers,” said Grossnickle.
When Grossnickle took over the program in 2012, he saw an opportunity for students in the federal income tax class to put their learning into practice. Each student enrolled in the course is now required to volunteer with VITA for 20 hours. Additionally, all business students are able to earn applied learning credits through volunteering. Overall, the VITA program has proven to be a prime learning experience for student volunteers, the release states.
“I participate in the VITA tax program because it is a wonderful opportunity for me to use the skills I have acquired in my field of study to serve the people in my community,” said Gracie Long, second-year VITA volunteer and student leadership team head. “It has taught me the importance of adaptability, organization, and gracious communication, which will be fundamental to my future endeavors.”
VITA appointments can be made via phone call at 574-372-5160. Leave a voicemail and a VITA volunteer will return the call. Appointments can also be made via email at vitataxes@grace.edu and can be scheduled for Monday through Thursday, noon to 5 p.m. at the Manahan Orthopaedic Capital Center, 610 Wooster Roard, Winona Lake, and Saturdays 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Ivy Tech, 2545 Silveus Crossing, Warsaw.
