“Not everybody can afford a certified tax preparer,” said Abraham Adu-Mills, who helped people fill out their taxes for free earlier this month as part of N.C. A&T State University’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.
The doctoral student studying engineering recalls paying $600 to get his own taxes done. “It was expensive,” said Adu-Mills, who observed that many international students don’t understand how to file their taxes.
“They ended up consulting other people and other agencies that led them to file wrongly,” Adu-Mills, 30, said. “At the end of the day … the law comes after you, regardless of whether you’re able to afford (a certified tax preparer) or not.”
About a dozen university students and staff volunteered for the VITA program, participating in three days of tax preparation training. They offered free tax help to students and community members on five days over three weekends in March. The March 14 session at the Student Center was exclusively for students, while the remaining sessions at Mount Olivet AME Zion Church were open to anyone.
Tamisha Gilliam of Asheboro was among those they helped. She hadn’t planned to get her taxes done in Greensboro. However, back-to-back winter storms in February caused many people to reschedule their times at her usual tax place, leaving Gilliam without an appointment.
“I just was blown this way, with the storm,” she said with a chuckle. “But it was a good blow. The people are very friendly here.”
Lee Bell, who works in the student center at A&T, said a death in his family caused him to forget to schedule an appointment to get his taxes done. When Bell remembered, his tax preparer was already booked. The Greensboro Public Library referred him to A&T’s VITA program.
“I don’t get anything anyway. It’s just something I need to do,” said Bell, 57, of filing taxes.
VITA site coordinator Jasmine Barrett was happy with the turnout, which was a mix of scheduled appointments and walk-ins. “We got people in back-to-back,” said Barrett, who is studying for a Master of Business Administration. Seventy-five people received tax help through the program, including about 20 students, she said.
Devona Dixon, Ph.D.
Devona Dixon, Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, said this is the second year A&T has hosted the VITA program. It began as a partnership with the University of Georgia — Athens and its establishment is the goal of a USDA Higher Education Challenge Grant.
“It lets us serve the Greensboro community in a very practical way, allowing residents to receive free, accurate tax preparation while ensuring they claim valuable credits, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit, that can make a meaningful difference for working families,” Dixon said.
“Our goal is to ensure this program becomes a lasting resource that benefits both the university and the community for years to come,” she said.
And the student volunteers benefit from the learning experience as well, said Rosa Purcell, Ph.D. ’70, who worked on behalf of the church to host the community sessions. “It’s a good opportunity for them,” said Purcell, a former A&T associate professor and who chaired the FCS department before her retirement.
David Amoateng-Mensah, who is pursuing a doctorate in mechanical engineering, said it was his second year volunteering for the program.
“I like numbers,” he said, “and I also get to learn how the tax system works.” In Ghana, where he grew up, the 27-year-old said all taxes are paid when something is purchased.
Beyond the learning experience, Amoateng-Mensah said, “I see this as an opportunity to give back to society using my skills and expertise.”
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