Views from the Northwest Bronx

UNHP assisted 1,422 households file their taxes for free this year. 2016 was our 9th tax season and one of the great privileges of offering this service has been able to work with people over the years. Meet three of our returning clients, Nicole, Elle and Patricia.

UNHP's Free Tax Preparation Program is in its 9th season and still growing and improving thanks to new partners, increased volunteer efforts and enhanced on-site services.

March Madness at UNHP means a busy schedule of free financial services for senior citizens, including four mobile free tax preparation days at low-income senior residences and a Homeowner Resource Fair with foreclosure prevention services for at-risk older homeowners in our community.

UNHP’s Bronx Free Tax Preparation Program filed taxes for 1,501 people with 1,725 filed returns, trained 84 student volunteers, and delivered $1.9 million dollars of fee-free refunds back to the Bronx.

The UNHP Free Tax Preparation Program depends on the generosity of our college student volunteers. Students from Fordham University, Manhattan College and Lehman College take a 15 hour on-line training as well as an 8 hour in person training before they begin working with tax filers. Meet Maimouna, one of our 80 student volunteers, who have trained for the UNHP program in 2015.

Our blog has been a little quiet in 2015 and no we have not been hibernating – we have been so busy preserving distressed multifamily housing and delivering a wide range of financial services in the Northwest Bronx that we have not had time to brag about it!

UNHP's 2014 Free Tax Preparation Program was a resounding success! UNHP and our partners Ariva and Fordham Bedford Community Services helped clients receive $1.7 million in fee-free refunds, and access our wide range of financial education programs. Over 80 VITA trained student volunteers from Fordham University and Manhattan College provided the tax power for our program. As UNHP's 2014 tax season draws to a close, we reflect on the privilege of meeting and assisting over 1,400 residents in our community.

UNHP had the opportunity to file taxes for some long-time Bronx residents, who shared a slice of their life history and good humor.

Veronica and Mavis were both in a despairing frame of mind about their financial struggles. One woman facing eviction and the other worried about how she was going to pay her tax bill, came to UNHP to file their taxes for free and breathed a sigh of relief with the results.

In addition to our tax days held at the Northwest Bronx Resource Center at Refuge House, UNHP takes our free tax prep program on the road to accommodate Bronx seniors living in local partner senior housing developments. The senior or HUD 202 Housing offers affordable, independent-living rental units for low income senior citizens. UNHP partners with Rose Hill Apartments, Serviam Gardens, Edison Arms and Msgr. Fiorentino Apartments.