For over 25 years the Hispanic Internal Revenue Employees (HIRE) of South Florida has served the Spanish-speaking community with free tax preparation through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.
This tax season, 5 volunteers dedicated their Saturdays to helping the community, processing over 200 tax returns (electronic and some paper returns). Volunteers also assist Spanish, Portuguese, and Creole-speaking taxpayers with routine questions on obtaining an ITIN and earned income credit. This year’s most frequently asked questions were on how to treat stimulus payments and how to compute the correct additional child tax credit.
As with last filing season, precautions were taken to ensure preparers and taxpayers could socially distance – however ‘café cubano y pastelitos’ continued to forge the strong relationship between HIRE and the community that’s characterized our site for over 20 years.
HIRE of South Florida in motion
Meet the Crew
Gianimyr Fantauzzi serves as the Alternate Site Coordinator and is currently an acting group manager in one of the Miami Collection groups. Being the site coordinator helps develop leadership skills.
Idalia Blandon, CPA, volunteers to come and learn about taxpayer issues up front, and to stay up to date with changes in the tax law. Idalia says that volunteering at a VITA site gives her 14 credits towards her CPA license!
Heidi Rodriguez, revenue agent also comes to give back and help the community. “I love to come out to volunteer because I have a lot of fun helping taxpayers. I do it because the people that come to the site are grateful for our services and bless us after we help them.”
Manny Cuervo, former stakeholder liaison and dear friend to many, stresses that tax season is the highlight of the year. The camaraderie and the excitement of tax updates keeps him coming back.
Pictured from left to right are Gianimyr, Idalia, Heidi and Manny
Herbert Rodriguez, permanent GM in South Florida and currently an acting territory manager, is the site’s coordinator and its head coach. Rain or shine Herb works with his local church and with the City of Doral, FL to enhance the taxpayer experience and ensure that taxpayers get the services they need.