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MARQUETTE -- The United Way of Marquette County is inviting community members interested in making a direct difference for local households to attend a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance informational session at 4:30 p.m. Thursday at MARESA, 321 E. Ohio St., in Marquette.
The informational session is intended for prospective volunteers and others interested in learning more about the VITA program. It is not a tax-preparation event for individuals seeking assistance with their own tax returns.
VITA provides free tax preparation for qualifying households, older adults and people with disabilities. IRS-certified volunteers prepare and electronically file returns while helping taxpayers identify credits for which they may qualify, including the Earned Income Tax Credit, education credits and child care credits.
During the most recent tax season, United Way of Marquette County’s VITA program served more than 250 households, filing 250 federal returns and 254 state returns. Those returns generated approximately $399,000 in federal and state refunds for local residents, in addition to helping households access valuable tax credits such as the Homestead Property Tax Credit and Home Heating Credit.
"VITA is about much more than preparing a tax return," said Andrew Rickauer, executive director of United Way of Marquette County. "For many households, a tax refund can mean catching up on bills, making a needed car repair, paying for groceries or putting a little money aside. Volunteers can make a very tangible difference for someone in just a few hours."
United Way is looking for community members interested in helping during the upcoming tax season. Previous tax preparation experience is not required. Volunteers receive training and certification before assisting taxpayers, and there are opportunities for people with different experience levels and interests.

The Thursday session will give prospective volunteers an opportunity to learn how VITA works, what volunteer roles are available, what training and certification involve, and what kind of time commitment volunteers can expect. Attending the session does not obligate participants to volunteer.
United Way of Marquette County has been working to expand VITA access throughout the region, including services in Marquette, Gwinn/Sawyer and Munising, helping address the transportation, distance and technology barriers that can make accessing free tax preparation particularly difficult in rural communities.
Those interested in attending can RSVP to kandersonmqt@gmail.com.