Center for Community-Based Learning

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)

Of all of Wofford's community engagement, the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program likely provides the greatest, quantifiable community impact: more than $750,000 in economic impact each year since 2011.

VITA is part of a national effort to use volunteers (in our case, Wofford students) to prepare tax returns for working families - helping them access the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), which enjoys bi-partisan support and has been hailed as one of the greatest poverty-fighting tools we have, and other tax credits. Using volunteers also helps families avoid paying tax prep fees to businesses that pop up in low-income neighborhoods around tax time.

For their part, Wofford students:

  • Learn basic tax skills.
  • Deepen their understanding of a wide array of social systems re: education, employment, housing, healthcare, family stability, etc.
  • Develop empathy for people from other socio-economic statuses.
  • Build skills in collaborating across difference to achieve a civic aim.
  • And, it sure looks great on a resume!

Wofford’s VITA program was founded by the compassionate and talented Professor Jenny Johnson in Accounting in 2011. In 2017, the site moved to its current location at the Spartanburg Downtown Library headquarters.

If you’re interested in getting involved with VITA (doing taxes and/or just helping with logistics), please complete the student interest form here and note your interest in VITA in the last question.

Yes, I want to learn more about getting involved with VITA!