Program areas at Campaign for Working Families
Elevating financial empowerment, the Campaign for Working Families (cwf) provided free tax preparation services through its volunteer income tax assistance (vita) initiative. Operating across 24 community-based locations in philadelphia (17 sites) and southern new jersey (7 sites), along with offering virtual tax preparation services, cwf processed over 43,000 federal and state tax returns (24,264 federal and 19,516 state) in the fiscal year 2023. Demonstrating commitment during the extended tax season (may to october), cwf maintained six active sites and continued its virtual tax preparation services. Furthermore, cwf's collaboration with leading local organizationscommunity legal services, benefits data trust, and clarifiextended cwf's mission to connect taxpayers with a broad spectrum of essential resources, including public benefits, financial advice, and legal assistance. This strategic partnership enabled the screening and referral of over 2,700 individuals for comprehensive support and services.
Championing professional and community development for two decades, cwf has been at the forefront of providing irs certifications to a diverse group of students, professionals, and community members. Recognized by the department of education, these certifications have been instrumental in fostering career advancement by aiding students in securing internships and employment opportunities, assisting professionals such as lawyers and accountants in obtaining continuing education (ceu) credits for licensure and credential maintenance, and empowering community members with vital financial knowledge to achieve their personal goals. In the 2023 tax season, cwf conducted over 60 tax trainings, irs certifying over 374 volunteers. This initiative mobilized more than 350 dedicated volunteers who contributed over 16,000 hours to deliver free tax preparation services, injecting over $32 million directly into the lives of hardworking individuals and Families, thereby enriching the community's economic well-being.