AARP Foundation Tax-Aide Seeks Illinois Volunteers for 2011 Season

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Aug 24, 2011, 11:10 ET

CHICAGO, Aug. 24, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- AARP Foundation Tax-Aide, the nation's largest free, volunteer-run tax preparation and assistance service, is seeking volunteers across the state to help Illinois taxpayers who are seeking assistance preparing and filing their 2011 tax returns.

Volunteers do not need to be an AARP member or retiree to participate. Tax-Aide is particularly in need of volunteers who are bilingual in English/Spanish to support the increasing number of Spanish-speaking taxpayers seeking assistance.

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide volunteers receive free tax training and are reimbursed on a limited basis for qualified program-related expenses. They help taxpayers at sites around the state, learning new skills while giving back to countless communities.

"Over the years, we've assisted thousands of people in preparing and filing their tax returns," said Bob Gallo, AARP Illinois State Director. "We could not do it without our volunteers, who make an indelible mark on the communities they help."

Last year, more than 1,148 Tax-Aide volunteers helped over 78,958 taxpayers at 251 sites across the state. They join the more than 35,000 Tax-Aide volunteers across the country, helping millions of taxpayers each year.

For more information on how you can join the AARP Foundation Tax-Aide team, visit our Web site at www.aarp.org/tavolunteer8 or call our toll-free number, 1-888-OUR-AARP (1-888-687-2277). Deadline for application is December 15, 2011.

Tax-Aide is a program of the AARP Foundation, offered in conjunction with the IRS.

AARP Foundation is AARP's affiliated charity. The Foundation is dedicated to serving vulnerable people 50 and older by creating solutions that help them secure the essentials and achieve their best life. AARP Foundation focuses on: hunger, housing, income and isolation as key mission areas. The Foundation envisions: 'a country free of poverty where no older person feels vulnerable.' Foundation programs are funded by grants, tax-deductible contributions and AARP. For more information about AARP Foundation, please log on to www.aarp.org/foundation.

SOURCE AARP Illinois