The Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce joined US Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, Providence Mayor David Cicilline, Rhode Island General Treasurer Frank T. Caprio, and other local community and business leaders to kick off the Providence Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Campaign on Monday, January 26 at the John Hope Settlement House in Providence.

 

The EITC has become the nation's largest and most important anti-poverty program, offering an average of $1,950 per year to 22 million low income families nationwide. In 2008, $2.8 million was brought back through the Providence EITC/VITA Campaign, building financial security through free tax preparation and education. More than 2,100 federal tax returns were filed -- the highest number filed in three years and an increase of 26 percent from the previous year.

 

The Chamber is working with the John Hope Settlement House and a host of other community and business organizations to boost the impact of these tax credits by raising awareness to eligible families, offering free tax preparation, and encouraging recipients to utilize their credits for savings and building assets through ongoing financial literacy programs.

 

In addition, the Chamber is reaching out to its membership to volunteer to be a tax preparer at one of the eight free tax preparation sites of the Providence EITC Coalition. Volunteers will be trained and certified to prepare income taxes for the program.

 

For more information on the program or to become a volunteer please contact Richart Keller at 486-2677 or email richart.keller@verizon.net