Enhancing the health, education, and social well-being of low-income and underserved people in the greater Houston metropolitan area through its many health care programs, training programs and community service programs, including the provision of safe, decent and affordable housing for low-income families.

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program 2025

***Volunteer registration period for the 2025 VITA program with VN TeamWork is from Monday, 10/21/2024 to Friday, 12/06/2024 at 11:59 PM***

History of VITA:

The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program originated from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in 1969 as a result of an increased emphasis on taxpayer education programs due to the Tax Reform Act of 1969.

In 1970, its first year of operation nationwide, 104,000 taxpayers were assisted by approximately 7,500 volunteers. In 1994, nearly 1.6 million taxpayers were assisted by 51,091 volunteers at 8,626 sites. In 2001, over 2 million taxpayers were assisted by 44,203 volunteers at 8,564 sites. This increase is a result of the tremendous support of the program by volunteers. In Houston, over 6,000 taxpayers are assisted by over 600 volunteers at 40 sites. VN TeamWork (VNTW) has collaborated with the VITA program since 1996. Each year, over 90 VNTW volunteers at multiple sites assist over 3,000 taxpayers.

 

VNTW Collaborates with the IRS and VITA:

The Vietnamese-American community takes great pride in the accomplishments that we have made over the last three decades. However, we take even greater pride in the fact that we have always strived to give back to our society and encouraged others to take an active role in the social fabric of our adopted homeland. Toward that goal, for the 29th straight year, VNTW collaborates with the IRS to participate in the VITA Program to assist low-income, elderly, physically challenged, and non-English speaking taxpayers in filing their federal income tax returns free of charge.

 

Phase 1: Training (dates and times are subject to change)

Refresher Course: Returning volunteers are required to complete a minimum of 8 hours of classroom instruction to learn the new tax laws. The training date for returning volunteers is on December 14, 2024 (8 am – 5 pm @ VN TeamWork Center). Returning volunteers must certify to the Advanced certification level, at a minimum.  The deadline to submit the IRS Link & Learn Certificate is  January 3, 2025. If a volunteer does not pass the IRS Link & Learn test at the advanced level, he or she will be required to re-take the basic training courses in January.

Basic Course: New volunteers are required to complete a minimum of 24 hours of classroom instruction to learn the new tax laws and electronic filing (eFile). The first training, focusing on tax laws, will be on January 4, 2025. In depth training and case solving will be on January 11 and 18, 2025. New volunteers must take and pass the test in the classroom on January 25, 2025. The passing score is 80.

All basic training sessions will be from 8 am to 5 pm, at:

VN TeamWork Center (11210 Bellaire Blvd. Suite 118, Houston, TX 77072)

 

Site Kick-Off Party:

All volunteers are required to participate in the mandatory Site Kick-Off Party. The party is on Sunday, February 2, 2025 (10 am – 1 pm @ Golden Bamboo Village III, 6628 Synott Rd. Houston, TX 77083). If the volunteer cannot attend on this date, he or she is required to complete extra 10 hours at the site.

 

Phase 2: On-Site Volunteering:

All certified volunteers MUST have at least 25 hours of practice experience at their sites prior to certification as a volunteer of the VNTW-VITA program.

From February 8 to April 15 2025, certified volunteers will assist taxpayers in eFiling at the following sites (subject to change):

 

*PLEASE NOTE* We aim to close our sites at the hours indicated below. Please allow ample time (1 hour or more) for tax preparation. For example, with a site closing at 2pm, we may stop accepting clients at 1pm due to capacity. Thank you for your understanding.

 

VN TEAMWORK CENTER / TRUNG TÂM HIỆP LỰC (Southwest)

10:00 A.M. – 2:00 P.M. Monday – Saturday (February 8 – April 15, 2025) – Walk-ins only

Starting April 16: call 281-495-8936 to make an appointment, NO walk-ins will be accepted)

11210 Bellaire Blvd., Suite 118 @ Boone Rd.

Houston, TX 77072

 

PARKER WILLIAMS LIBRARY / THƯ VIỆN PARKER WILLIAMS (Southeast)

10:00 A.M. – 2:00 P.M. on Saturdays (February 8 – April 12, 2025)

10851 Scarsdale Blvd. @ Scarsdale Plaza

Houston, TX 77089

 

*NEW* GOLDEN BAMBOO VILLAGE III / LÀNG TRE III (Southwest)

10:00 A.M. – 2:00 P.M. on Saturdays (February 8 – April 12, 2025)

6628 Synott Rd.

Houston, TX 77083

 

VIETNAM TEMPLE / CHÙA VIỆT NAM (Southwest)

10:00 A.M. – 2:00 P.M. on Sundays (February 9 – April 13, 2025)

10002 Synott Rd.

Sugar Land, TX 77478

 

GOLDEN BAMBOO VILLAGE II / LÀNG TRE II (Northwest)

10:00 A.M. – 2:00 P.M. on Saturdays (February 8 – April 12, 2025)

10:00 A.M. – 2:00 P.M. on Sundays (February 9 – March 9, 2025)

8125 Mills Rd.

Houston, TX 77064

 

QUANG DUC TEMPLE / CHÙA QUANG ĐỨC (Northwest)

11:00 A.M. – 4:00 P.M. on Sundays (February 9 – April 13, 2025)

17703 French Rd.

Houston, TX 77084

 

PORT ARTHUR LIBRARY (Port Arthur)

10:00 A.M. – 2:00 P.M. on Saturdays (February 8 – April 12, 2025)

4615 9th Ave.

Port Arthur, TX 77642

For directions, call 409-985-8838

 

Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon:

The Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon is on Sunday, May 11, 2025 from 10 am to 1 pm. Each certified volunteer will receive a Recognition Certificate on that date, if he or she attends all the training classes, passes the test, and completes the required service hours. New volunteers will receive the refund of their deposits, if they meet all the requirements.

 

Click here to sign up as a volunteer for VN Teamwork’s VITA 2025 program!