VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – The Community Foundation and United Way of Volusia-Flagler Counties (CF UWVFC) began offering free VITA tax preparation in 2005, making this the 20th year providing these services to Flagler and Volusia Counties. Several current VITA volunteers have over 20 years of volunteer experience providing tax preparation. Since the first year providing VITA over 44,000 tax returns have been prepared resulting in over $50 Million in refunds coming back to our community.

As the 2024-2025 tax season ends, the VITA program (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) provided by CF UWVFC has completed $1,78,9736 in tax refunds. In total, the VITA program transmitted over 2,100 federal returns.

“I’ve been doing this for about 14 years,” says Michelle Bennett, VITA site coordinator at Grace Episcopal Church in Port Orange. “We deal with a lot of older people, and they look forward to it every year. They’re comfortable with us. And they can’t afford to go to a tax service to do their taxes.”

The success of the program would not occur without the amazing support of our 100+ VITA Volunteers who have together dedicated over 5,100 hours to serve the community.

“When I came to this area, I came from D.C. and I was already involved with VITA through the Internal Revenue Service where I worked,” says Heyward Evans, VITA tax preparer for 36 years and volunteer at the Dickerson Community Center in Daytona Beach. “It makes me feel good that they don’t have to pay anyone to do it. They just come, bring information, we prepare the returns, and they’re being helped. I just enjoy it.”

Doris Eckert and Linda Dierstein

CF UWVFC is dedicated to supporting the ALICE (Asset Limited Income Constraint Employed) populations through initiatives like the VITA program. These efforts aim to assist individuals who, despite working diligently, face the risk of falling into poverty due to unforeseen circumstances. The VITA program can give those individuals a break and potentially ensure a refund back into their hands to pay for loans or in their savings account.

“The VITA program and our VITA volunteers do more than just taxes. They’re supporting people in their time of need,” says Courtney Edgcomb, President and CEO of the Community Foundation and United Way of Volusia-Flagler Counties. “They’re helping them sort through some of life’s biggest obstacles, and they’re providing a listening ear for people when they need it the most. We can’t do any of this without our VITA volunteers.”

Dickerson Center- Heyward Evans, Launa Taylor, Gwendolyn Coy, Jeanette Merritt, and Tyrone Norwood

Thank you to the following Site Locations and their amazing volunteers:

Flagler County:

  • Flagler County Public Library

Volusia County:

  • Four Towns YMCA

  • Bethune Cookman University

  • John H. Dickerson Center

  • Grace Episcopal Church

  • Stetson University Lynn Business Center

  • Fifth Third Bank Community Room

  • Daytona State College New Smyrna Beach

Are you interested in joining the VITA team? Contact us at VITA@uwvfc.org or visit our website unitedwayvfc.com/VITA to learn more.

Grace Episcopal- Paul Weiss and Michelle Bennett

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The Community Foundation and United Way of Volusia-Flagler Counties are dedicated to building a united foundation in the community by helping those in need. In 2023-2024 CF UWVFC invested $2.6 Million in 105 nonprofits serving Flagler and Volusia Counties and had a total impact of nearly $9 Million on the community. For more information, please visit the website www.UnitedWayVFC.org or call 2-1-1 (386-253-0564) if you or someone you know needs help or wants to learn how to Give, Advocate, or Volunteer.

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