Building Economic Futures for Americans with Disabilities

Real Economic Impact Tour

Boise, Idaho

Contact Information:

If you, your business, or organization are interested in becoming a part of the Disability Initiative Workgroup, please contact Judy Stengel of the National Disability Institute at jstengel@nd-inc.org.

If you are already a member of the Disability Initiative Workgroup and have questions regarding the IRS participation, then please contact Tax Specialist Vicki Wonacott at Victoria.Wonacott@irs.gov.

Disability Initiative Workgroup Members

Goodwill and Easter Seals

Easter Seals and Goodwill (ESGW) - Northern Rocky Mountain is a partner with the Coalition for Economic Improvement (CEI) has opened a VITA site for the 2007 filing season in their office. ESGW continues to educate their clients about the Earned Income Tax Credit and about the benefits of filing their tax return. The site at ESGW is the 3rd site developed by the CEI and allows ESGW hands-on knowledge that their clients are taking full advantage of the tax credits when filing their tax return. This is the third year the staff at ESGW office has participated in return preparation and tax education for the community. In the past the staff has volunteered at the coalitions free income tax preparation site in their community as tax preparers and interpreters.

The ARC

A plan was made at the beginning of the 2007 filing season to have ARC day at the Coalition site located in Boise. The Director of The ARC in Boise is having discussions with her staff about developing such a day for their clients. Plans are being made to open the site, outside the set hours, to prepare returns specifically for the clients of the ARC services. The Director has forwarded the EITC, TETR, and site information listed with the Idaho CareLine to the 30 member association of service providers of which she is a member. The ARC Director is very busy, but is still being recruited to participate as a partner with the Coalition for Economic Improvement.

Independent Living -LINC/Twin Falls

Three of the LINC office staff members in the Twin Falls office have successfully completed the IRS Basic tax law training and are preparing returns for their clients. This is an appointment only site which allows the LINC staff to accommodate the clients that they are currently serving. This office continues to provide their clients with IRS information which addresses tax credits and the telephone excise tax refund as a benefit of filing their tax return. This office is hopeful that their participation in the free tax preparation process will encourage other Idaho LINC offices to join them in the coming filing seasons.

United Way

United Way of Treasure Valley has been an active participant of the Coalition for Economic Improvement in many ways. A staff member is currently chairing the coalition meetings, directing committee activities, soliciting for funds, scheduling outreach presentations, recruiting new coalition members and preparing for the coming filing season activities. The current focus is on recruiting and outreach presentations which are being delivered to organizations that assist the disabled.

Mayors Office - Office on Disability

The Boise City Housing and Community Development Director has been very supportive by providing low-income household with information about EITC, TETR and directing them to the free tax preparation site information provided by the Idaho 211 CareLine. The Director has also agreed to be the city’s representative as a partner in the Coalition for Economic Improvement. The city has provided the free tax preparation site in the Boise area for the 2006 and 2007 filing seasons.

Community Action Partnership Association of Idaho

Tax information on EITC, TETR and Free Return preparation services was sent to the Director of the CAP agencies for Idaho. This information was forwarded to all CAP Agencies in Idaho. The El-Ada-Owyhee CAP office is getting this information to their clients by including this information in the food boxes they give out each month.

Salvation Army Boise Office

The Salvation Army(SA) Captain in Boise has assigned their Public Affairs Officer the duty of representing the SA at the Coalition for Economic Improvement meetings. The SA also provides the EITC publications, TETR information and directs their clients to the free tax prep site information available through the Idaho 211 CareLine. This written information is given out in the food boxes provided by the SA and is given to those individuals taking advantage of the SA housing. The SA will also have a free tax preparation site in their Boise office. SA is using donated computers and printers to support the site and they have solicited volunteer tax preparers from their cadre of SA volunteers.

Idaho Department of Health & Welfare

The Public Affairs Officer is providing the EITC & TETR information to all H&W counselors in Idaho. They also have the information necessary to direct clients to the Idaho CareLine to find the free tax preparation site nearest their location.

Idaho Department of Vocational Rehabilitation

The Fiscal Operations Manager and the Senior Financial Specialist are providing the EITC & TETR information to all the Vocational Rehabilitation counselors in Idaho. They also have the information necessary to direct clients to the Idaho CareLine to find the free tax preparation site nearest their location.

Terry Riley Health Clinic

The clinic’s Director will provide the EITC & TETR information to all the clients using the Terry Riley Health Clinic services. They also direct their clients to the Idaho CareLine so they can find the free tax preparation site nearest their location.