NEWS RELEASE

Contact: Naomi Adler, President & CEO

845-358-8929 ext. 10 or 845-304-1754 (cell)

United Way of Rockland County Seeks Volunteers for CASH program

Nyack, NY, November 21 – The United Way of Rockland County is seeking volunteers to assist with its CASH program (Creating Assets, Savings and Hope). No prior experience is necessary.

Opportunities are available for:

· Tax preparers

· Greeters/site managers

· Translators (particularly those fluent in Spanish or Yiddish)

· Electronic filers (at the UWRC office during the day).

United Way and the IRS provide free training prior to the end of January. Volunteer shifts are once a week for three hours a week. The program will run from the end of January until the end of tax season in April. The most pressing need is for volunteers to work evening shifts on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday between 6 – 9pm.

The CASH program provides free tax preparation by IRS-certified volunteers to low-income working residents who qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) as well as other tax credits that may be available to them, by filing their federal and state tax returns so that every dollar to which they are entitled can be used to pay for basic needs. This program is different from other Tax-aide or VITA programs as CASH volunteers are focused solely providing tax preparation assistance to those families with a household income of $40,000 or less a year (or singles making $12,400 or less).

This is the third year that United Way of Rockland County is spearheading the CASH effort. In 2007, 55 United Way CASH volunteers helped recoup $307,962 in refunds ($184,839 in EITC) for Rocklanders. The United Way’s CASH program underscores its commitment to help Rockland residents protect and meet their basic needs at a time when the gap between take home wages and essential expenses is growing rapidly.

Individuals can learn if they are eligible for the CASH program and schedule an appointment at one of three CASH sites in Spring Valley, Nyack or Haverstraw by calling United Way’s 211 helpline. Anyone in the Hudson Valley can dial 211 for more information about this and many other Health and Human Services programs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Interested volunteers are welcome to call Naomi Adler, President & CEO of United Way of Rockland County at 845-358-8929 or send an e-mail to rocklandcash@gmail.com.