Free Tax Service At Grace On The GrowEntering its 10th year, Grace College’s free tax service is reaching further and further into the community.
The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program is intended for individuals with a gross income of no more than $54,000 in income and is seeing the number of people seeking the service increase by nearly 20 percent in recent years.
The popularity of the program was evident Tuesday when United Way of Kosciusko County, which supports the service, began taking reservations on its 211 phone system at 8 a.m. The phone system quickly started backing up so much that the main United Way office began receiving calls inquiring if the 211 system was down.
Officials estimated the number of people waiting on the line was 35.
“That was all morning and it continued for most of the day,” said Darren Bickel, president of United Way who participated in a reception Wednesday at the Manahan Orthopaedic Capital Center to celebrate the program’s 10th year.
Bickel applauded Grace College’s willingness to connect with the community and those who need help.
“It matters in such a real way to people, and yesterday was a sign from our office that those people out there are saying I can’t wait,” he said.
Bickel was joined by Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer and Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce President Rob Parker and others
Grace College President Dr. Bill Katip also spoke and estimated that about 1,500 people have been assisted over the years, and that in the first nine years the service has helped bring back about $2.5 million in tax returns to the community.
“A lot of that would have stayed in Washington, D.C., and would not have come back to Kosciusko County and we are thrilled about it,” Katip said.
Thallemer spoke of the growing ties between the college and community.
He said he believes the program has become one that people rely on and is making “quite an impact on the community.”
The program operates under the William P. Gordon Institute for Enterprise Development at Grace College.
Alan Grossnickle, associate professor of business and director of the institute, said interest in this year’s program seems to be outpacing that seen in past years.
Grossnickle said they did more advertising this year and that might be a factor in the growing interest.
The program assisted about 344 people last year and expects that to rise after Ivy Tech officials encouraged students to use the service.
The program has an accuracy rate in the upper 90 percentile and has had perfect audits with the Internal
Revenue Service.
“I think the reputation is helping,” Grossnickle said.
The service relies on volunteers on campus and in the community. Those include CPAs, employees from numerous banks and other corporations as well as students from the college’s business school.
Volunteers will begin work on Monday. They’re available at Grace College during most weekdays.
On Saturdays, they are stationed at Ivy Tech from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Reservations are required.
Grossnickle works closely with two students, seniors Benjamin Hough and Mallory Disher, who help coordinate operations and oversee the students.
Hough is from Valparaiso and is an information systems major. Disher is from Nappanee and is a finance major. They said they enjoy being involved and find satisfaction in the work.
Many of the recipients have an adjusted gross income of $19,000, Hough said.
“Just having a refund of one to two thousand dollars can make a big difference in getting their kids things they need or maybe a new car,” Hough said.
