Drive-thru tax assistance program helps local family achieve a financial dream
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United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County

Drive-thru tax assistance program helps local family achieve a financial dream

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June 15, 2020

United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County supports programs that help local families achieve their financial goals. 

For Raymond, a local firefighter and father of four, tax season used to be stressful. 

“I would pay $400 to get my taxes done,” said Raymond. “I knew I wasn’t getting the best service.” 

A friend told Raymond about La Casa de Esperanza in Waukesha. La Casa hosts a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program supported by United Way. Through VITA, individuals and families below a certain income can get their taxes done for free by IRS-trained volunteers. 

But by the time Raymond was ready to make his 2020 appointment, COVID-19 hit Wisconsin. La Casa didn’t skip a beat: housed in a former bank building, they adapted so people could use the drive-thru window to safely get their taxes done. 

“It was easy,” said Raymond. “We dropped off our paperwork at the drive-thru window, then the volunteer tax preparer called us to talk through everything.” 

La Casa VITA volunteer tax preparers are trained to make sure everyone that visits gets the most out of their refund. This includes the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the Child Tax Credit (CTC), which can add up to thousands of dollars.

For Raymond and his family, their 2020 refund is going to help them achieve a long-held dream: purchasing a home.

“My kids want a yard to play in,” said Raymond. “It’s time for me to get my family a home. This refund is going to help make that happen.” 

Donations to United Way support local people like Raymond achieve their financial goals. Donate today and learn more about our work in Financial Stability. 

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