- March 28, 2025
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Twenty years ago, Ormond Beach Tonya Dowling heard an advertisement on the radio asking for volunteers to help with the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, operated under United Way of Volusia and Flagler Counties.
As an accountant, Dowling thought it would be a fun opportunity.
"I enjoy the clients, of course, but the group that I work with, the other volunteers are fantastic," Dowling said. "I enjoyed that what we do helps people so much. A lot of taxpayers wouldn't be able to get their taxes filed if it weren't for our program."
VITA offers free tax preparation services. Volunteers are all certified through the Internal Revenue Service and trained to help families identify eligibility for tax credits.
The Observer recently sat down with this longtime volunteer, who spoke about how VITA works and how residents can benefit from the program.
What would you say is the ideal person that VITA aims to serve?
I believe the IRS started the program to make sure that taxpayers who are eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit could receive it.
Taxes can be complicated if you don't know what you're doing.
I think they really were just trying to make sure that earned income credit that was available was taken advantage of.
You mentioned that you really enjoy volunteering with the program. What about it calls to you?
It's a puzzle. Every return is different. Everyone's situation is different. I like the social aspect of it for myself, and I actually enjoy doing tax returns too.
I think just working together as a group on something that's actually beneficial for other people, It's not just working on a project that just benefits that company.
I've had clients that I've been preparing their tax returns for 20 years. I've watched their kids grow up.
Can you tell me of a time while you were volunteering that really sticks out in your mind?
This was quite a few years ago — I had a woman who came in. She'd never filed her tax return before on her own. She was married, her husband left her, and she was living in a shelter with her three kids, and with that Earned Income Credit that I was talking about earlier, she got enough money back that she was able to put a deposit down and get into an apartment, and she was just so excited and relieved.
What's something unexpected about the program?
I would say that it's actually free of charge. A lot of times people are like, "So what do we owe you?" It's like, "No, no, this is free."
This is a free service and it's run by volunteers.
What do you think motivates all of you volunteers to keep doing it year after year?
In my group, at least, we've worked together for so long that we just enjoy working together and it feels really good to help out your neighbors.
Florida taxpayers have until May 1 to file their tax returns. For more information on VITA, visit unitedwayvfc.org/taxappointment, or call 211.
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