# Five ways to help your community claim the Earned Income Tax Credit
**URL:** https://discourse.codeforamerica.org/t/five-ways-to-help-your-community-claim-the-earned-income-tax-credit/689
**Category:** Projects
**Created:** [January 30, 2020, 1:07am UTC](https://discourse.codeforamerica.org/t/five-ways-to-help-your-community-claim-the-earned-income-tax-credit/689 "2020-01-30T01:07:54Z")
**Posts on this page:** 2
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@tdooner](https://discourse.codeforamerica.org/u/tdooner)
#### Post date: [January 30, 2020, 1:07am UTC](https://discourse.codeforamerica.org/t/five-ways-to-help-your-community-claim-the-earned-income-tax-credit/689/1 "2020-01-30T01:07:54Z")
On Monday evening, Brigade leaders and members attended an [EITC Information Workshop](https://discourse.codeforamerica.org/t/january-27-2020-eitc-information-session/687) to learn about the importance of the Earned Income Tax Credit (and associated credits), and how to get involved in a nationwide collaboration to help in your own community. We wanted to make sure you have access to the following five (count 'em, FIVE) actions you can take to engage with this effort:
**1. Stay Connected: Join the Slack channel**
Join the #cfa-vita-folks channel in the Code for America Slack. If you’re not already a member of the CfA Slack, you can join by filling out this form: [slack.codeforamerica.org](http://slack.codeforamerica.org). Join there and tell us what you’re thinking about this work. What are you interested in? What are you working on? What can we help with?
**2. Doodle: Join the EITC working group**
Let’s get a meeting scheduled to periodically check in with each other. We will use this time to share project updates, come up with ideas for how we can get involved, and collaborate.
Fill out this Doodle to join the working group:
> **[Expired Group Poll - Create a New Poll or Contact the Owner](https://doodle.com/poll/xk7hd83py6722r3q)**
>
> The Group Poll you're trying to access isn’t up-to-date and has been archived
**3. Share the Workshop recording & slide deck with your Brigade Members**
We just posted them to [the Discourse thread](https://discourse.codeforamerica.org/t/january-27-2020-eitc-information-session/687) for the Workshop.
Check it out here:
> [@January 27, 2020: EITC Information Session](https://discourse.codeforamerica.org/t/january-27-2020-eitc-information-session/687):
>
> The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is one of the best tools for helping low-wage and unemployed workers find and keep living wage jobs, a flexible cash benefit claimed through filing your taxes. Improving access to this benefit could increase economic mobility at scale, but those who need this support most are often missing out. One fifth of eligible low-income workers miss out on this opportunity. In the 2020 tax season, Code for America is piloting technology and processes to help make free,…
Please share these with anyone at your Brigade who’s interested in engaging on this effort.
**4. Engage With Your Local VITA site**
You can use our product to find your nearest VITA site: [VitaTaxHelp.org](http://VitaTaxHelp.org). From there, you can investigate getting involved as a VITA volunteer. If you fall within the VITA program requirements, you might also consider scheduling an appointment with your local VITA site to get a firsthand perspective of the experience.
**5. Get VITA certified**
To participate in VITA or to directly help clients claim their refunds, you will need to be an IRS-certified volunteer. You can learn more about the verification process, and get started, by creating an account on the VITA/TCE Central website: [Link & Learn - Home](https://www.linklearncertification.com/d/)
Okay, that’s it for now. Once again, thank you all for your interest in this important project!
---
### Author:  [@Mari](https://discourse.codeforamerica.org/u/Mari)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2023, 7:04am UTC](https://discourse.codeforamerica.org/t/five-ways-to-help-your-community-claim-the-earned-income-tax-credit/689/2 "2023-07-01T07:04:41Z")