Our tax program is back! See our changes in light of covid-19

In the last 15 years, Food Bank’s FREE citywide tax assistance program has put more than $1 billion back into the pockets of low-income New Yorkers. While we are excited to resume this vital service this year, our top priority remains the health and safety of our volunteers and clients. To ensure all CDC guidelines are met, we plan to offer two models of tax filing services for Tax Season 2021: 1) CONTACTLESS IN-PERSON – working onsite alongside other volunteers to file returns dropped off in advance by clients; and 2) VIRTUAL – serving remotely from your personal computer to file returns submitted virtually by clients.

Benefits of Becoming a Volunteer Tax Preparer with Food Bank

We rely on dedicated volunteers to support this impactful anti-poverty work. Whether you have professional financial experience, are studying in a related field, or are excited to gain new skills, we want YOUR help this tax season! Food Bank provides free training and basic IRS tax certification to allow volunteers of all professional backgrounds to get involved.

As a Volunteer Tax Preparer, you’ll have the chance to:

  • Return an average of $35,000 in refunds to low-income New Yorkers.
  • Obtain FREE basic IRS tax certification and transferrable financial skills.
  • Build relationships with fellow tax volunteers at weekly sessions from January – April.
  • Receive an invite to our Volunteer Appreciation Party at the end of the tax season.

How Do I Get Started

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register for a Virtual Tax Prep Info Session

We invite all new and returning volunteers to attend this virtual kickoff event to learn more about the VITA program and meet with the Food Bank Tax Team and fellow volunteers who served in past years. Guests/friends also welcome! Register for the info session date that works best for you and we’ll send you the Zoom link to attend. 

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Complete Online IRS Tax training

Work through the training modules at your convenience. We estimate you’ll need between 10-15 hours to complete them all — which you can take straight through or break up in increments that work for you! Once you’ve completed the training modules, you must complete these three Link & Learn exams on the IRS website: 1) Volunteer Standards of Conduct Exam, 2) Intake/Interview and Quality Review Exam, 3) Basic Exam.

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Send us your passing test results

Email your passing test results to us at taxvolunteer@foodbanknyc.org prior to your orientation.

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Attend orientation and start your service

Soon we will announce dates to attend an orientation. At that time, you’ll have the chance to select where and how you would like to volunteer (contactless in-person or virtual) and begin serving the last week of January.