Ladder Up Ready to Return Thousands of Dollars to Low-Income Residents

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Jan 17, 2023, 14:47 ET

CHICAGO, Jan. 17, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Chicago-based nonprofit, Ladder Up, is again set to return hard-earned money to low-income and underserved residents in the city and suburbs in the form of free tax return filings.

The organization's annual Tax-a-Thon will take place on Saturday, February 4 from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm at Olive-Harvey College, 10001 S. Woodlawn Ave., Chicago. This event brings dozens of tax expert volunteers to provide free, high-quality tax filing services to individuals earning up to $32,000 a year and families earning up to $60,000 a year.

Executive Director Phyllis Cavallone-Jurek said Tax-a-Thon, as well as the several Tax Assistance Program (TAP) sites in operation January through April, serve a critical purpose.

"This event kicks off our tax season throughout all our 11 tax sites and brings about awareness of our services. Many of those we serve reside in underserved communities where trustworthy financial services are scarce," Cavallone-Jurek said. "This event allows us to bring awareness for individuals to fulfill this annual responsibility and promote our comprehensive financial services to the greater Chicagoland area."

The trained volunteer tax preparers at this event secure returns for people who are often marginalized by today's financial systems due to race, gender, and class identifications. They are less able to understand how to prepare an accurate tax return and are more at risk of costly mistakes.

The Ladder Up website provides a full list of documentation to bring to a tax filing session. Tax-a-Thon and the TAP sites are walk-in only, and sites close once capacity is reached. Face masks are required. Tax-a-Thon clients will receive gift bags and could win raffle prizes.

Founded in 1994, Ladder Up has served 750,000 clients and returned $1.42 billion to them. During the 2022 tax season, the nonprofit organization assisted over 15,000 individuals to secure over $21.8 million in refunds. Clients have previously reported they used their refund money to pay for everyday essentials such as food, bills, and gas.

Without Ladder Up's Tax-a-Thon, as well as the Tax Assistance Program sites that operate in several hard-to-reach Chicago neighborhoods and surrounding suburbs, clients pay hundreds of dollars for this service elsewhere and still do not receive their full refund. They continue to struggle to pay bills, reduce debt, and make upward progress on their own financial ladders.

Media Contact: Cat Donovan
Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Ladder Up