အရှေ့တောင် အော်စတင်ရှိ ယုံကြည်စိတ်ချရသော အခွန်အစီအစဉ်
ဖေဖော်ဝါရီ ၁၀၊ ၂၀၂၆
Longtime volunteers help residents navigate the filing process–free of charge.
AUSTIN—It wasn’t surprising when Mario Rodriguez showed up on the first day tax preparation services were available for Travis County residents at the Central Health Southeast Health & Wellness Center.
He had been here the previous two years, too.
“It fits all the boxes,” the 64-year-old Austin native said.
The free tax service program launched on Feb. 2 through Foundation Communities’ Prosper Center Tax Help and runs through April 14. Eligible Travis County residents can receive free tax filing from an IRS-certified tax preparer.
“We’re very aware that taxes can be terrifying for some folks,” said Leti Valadez, a manager who oversees the Foundation Communities program. “Some folks will get a refund. Some will have to pay a balance due. But they are always in good hands. Many of our volunteers and our staff are returners, so they have years of experience to him you get through the process.”
The Foundation Communities Prosper Center Tax Help program, which began at Central Health in 2016, is scheduled for Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Rodriguez keeps coming back, he says, because of the experience he receives. “It’s reliable,” he said. “And it works.”
Tax Service That’s Reliable
Rodriguez also takes advantage of other free community services at the Southeast Health & Wellness Center and was formerly enrolled with the Medical Access Program (MAP), a health care option for Travis County residents with low income. Rodriguez, who now works in maintenance at SpaceX in Bastrop, said he’s received a hernia replacement, dental work, and knee surgery through health care coverage provided by MAP.
While he is no longer enrolled with MAP, Rodriguez says the services he received during a time of need were crucial to his overall health.
“They helped me with my hernia, with my teeth and now they’re helping me with my taxes,” he said. “So, I’m thinking ‘Man, why wouldn’t I come here?’”
Oswaldo Sanchez and Josue Silva Puosso, a married couple who recently moved to Austin from Los Angeles, said they found out about the public tax service after researching tax help online.
“There were a lot of good reviews,” Sanchez said.
“When I came into this role, I really wanted to make sure that people saw stability with this tax service program,” said Priscilla Ceballos, a staff member with Foundation Communities. “And so that was my main goal.”
A handful of residents shuttled inside the doors of the tax preparation room throughout the day. Valadez says the program can handle about 20 appointments a day, but that the team also does its best to serve walk-ins. Rodriguez was one of them.
Making An Impact
Foundation Communities holds similar services across Central Texas and in Williamson County, reaching an upwards of 17,000 people each year as it relies on scores of volunteers with IRS-certifications to prepare taxes. College students from The University of Texas also earn college credit for work with the program. Nathan Palomera, a 22-year-old studying management information systems, is an IRS-certified preparer and worked with Travis County residents on Feb. 2.
“It sounded like a really good opportunity to help people,” he said.
Toward the end of the first day, Luther Jackson walked out with a smile on his face.
He learned about the tax service from his mother, who had been coming to Southeast Health & Wellness Center since 2016.
“I kept asking around and people kept saying, ‘Go over here off Montopolis Drive,’” he said. “They take care of you in a fast manner. They make everything understandable. And they’re patient with you.”
