FARMINGTON – Western Maine CA$H is a community collaboration that helps working families in Western Maine make the most of the money they have earned. The program provides IRS-trained volunteers to prepare tax returns at no cost for low and moderate income workers.

In addition, community partners and volunteers help to provide education and linkage with opportunities to improve financial stability. It may include helping someone open a bank account or providing information on topics ranging from predatory lending to home ownership.

Volunteers are needed to help in all areas. Training will be provided. and the program will be held at the University of Maine at Farmington campus.

The time commitment will include the training, 16 to 20 hours for tax preparation and four hours for other positions. The agency asks that volunteers then commit at least 16 to 24 hours of volunteering time for the tax preparation, 8 to 12 for greeters and coaches.

Many options are available for training, including on-line, books provided by the IRS, and classes given by IRS-trained volunteers. The tax preparation program will run from late January through the end of March 2009.

Volunteer positions include:

Greeters to welcome clients to the tax preparation site and ensure they have all of their paperwork.

Coaches to help clients review their financial information and suggest other services that support financial stability and empowerment.

Tax preparers to work with filers to complete and file their tax forms.

Outreach to help spread the word about services by hanging posters or distributing brochures at work, church, child care.

Last year volunteers served 133 households with a total of $334,968 in total tax refunds and credits.

For more information, contact Janet Smith, Women, Work and Community, at 778-2757 or [email protected].

Western Maine CA$H members include the Internal Revenue Service, University of Maine at Farmington, Women, Work and Community, United Way, Casey Family Services, Annie E. Casey Foundation, Western Maine Community Action Program, Coastal Enterprises Inc., Healthy Community Coalition, Community Concepts, Franklin County Adult Education and Bangor Savings Bank.