Low-income residents flood agency for assistance with tax returns.
Aaron Hummel
Issue date: 4/10/08 Section: News
six to eight hours a week, said helping residents with their tax
returns can be emotionally draining because many of them come from
difficult social situations.
"You have to ask really personal questions," she said. "They sort of
have to disclose so much personal information that they start to tell
you about their personal lives."
Hughes mostly assists single mothers and people with disabilities, she
said. Nearly all of them are unemployed.
"It's really hard when someone is expecting to get a lot of money from
returns and then they hear that they don't," she said.
But both Hughes and Hutchins agree that volunteering for VITA is worth
the effort.
"I think that [Hillsdale] students - they're sort of isolated from the
community and they could reach out more," Hughes said. "I just think
if you're capable, you should do something to help other people, and I
think it would be good character building to interact with the town. I
mean, it's challenging, you're using your brain helping people."
Students interested in volunteering for VITA next year should contact
junior Kevin Meyers, who coordinates volunteerism at the Community
Action Agency through the GOAL program. Reach Meyers at
kmeyers@hillsdale.edu.
returns can be emotionally draining because many of them come from
difficult social situations.
"You have to ask really personal questions," she said. "They sort of
have to disclose so much personal information that they start to tell
you about their personal lives."
Hughes mostly assists single mothers and people with disabilities, she
said. Nearly all of them are unemployed.
"It's really hard when someone is expecting to get a lot of money from
returns and then they hear that they don't," she said.
But both Hughes and Hutchins agree that volunteering for VITA is worth
the effort.
"I think that [Hillsdale] students - they're sort of isolated from the
community and they could reach out more," Hughes said. "I just think
if you're capable, you should do something to help other people, and I
think it would be good character building to interact with the town. I
mean, it's challenging, you're using your brain helping people."
Students interested in volunteering for VITA next year should contact
junior Kevin Meyers, who coordinates volunteerism at the Community
Action Agency through the GOAL program. Reach Meyers at
kmeyers@hillsdale.edu.
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