Our Mission and Impact
Our Why
Our How
Our Impact
How We Work
CASH offers two major programs, along with a variety of additional resources for our clients.
Free tax preparation (VITA)
(Also known as the Volunteer Low Income Tax Assistance program or VITA.)
CASH offers free tax return preparation services to low income workers including those eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit [EITC] to ensure they collect all credits for which they are eligible. By providing this service, CASH helps low-income workers avoid expensive paid preparer fees which can amount to hundreds of dollars. Clients are also protected from paid preparers who encourage clients to purchase expensive financial products, and predators who engage in theft of refunds and identities.
CASH uses the “tax return moment” as an opportunity to connect clients with a wide variety of resources that can improve families’ financial wellbeing, such as on-site contact with representatives from partner organizations who address savings programs, health care, financial literacy, public benefits, legal services, and job counseling services.
Resources
CASH utilizes the income tax prep moment to connect clients to resources such as financial coaching, banking, health care, benefits and legal representation.
Our sites
CASH operations two types of sites:
- Super Site: Includes volunteers and staff, open 6 days a week by appointment only. Our goal is to complete 5,000 tax returns.
- Agency partner sites: Includes volunteers and staff from partner agencies. Variable schedules based on Agency ability. Partner sites primarily serve employees of their agency.
Our History
CASH has operated VITA sites within Monroe County since 2003. Before CASH, more than a dozen organizations acted independently to produce approximately 1,000 tax returns.
In 2002, the United Way of Greater Rochester brought these organizations together and CASH was created. Since 2003, CASH volunteers have prepared more 155,000 returns returning $253M in total tax refunds; $122M of those refunds include EITC benefits. We have saved low income families over $38M in tax preparation filing fees and opened over 4,900 bank/prepaid card accounts and encouraged families to save $325,000.
CASH serves approximately 25% of Monroe County’s EITC claimants and 6% of taxpayers with an income of less than $50,000. The County’s low-income households are concentrated in the City of Rochester, where more than 30% of residents have income below the poverty level.
Since 2004, CASH has partnered with local banks and credit unions to open bank accounts on site. CASH began offering clients the option of opening a prepaid card account in 2009. The impact on the direct deposit rate was significant, rising from 59% in 2008 to 81% in 2016.
