United Way of Greater Lafayette (UWGL) is proud to announce a $60,000 investment from Purdue Federal Credit Union in support of its Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. This generous gift will help ensure that low- to moderate-income individuals and families across Greater Lafayette continue to have access to free, high-quality tax preparation services.
UWGL’s VITA program serves more than 2,200 households annually through offices in Lafayette and Crawfordsville, helping community members in the Greater Lafayette region file accurate tax returns, avoid costly preparation fees, and access critical tax credits such as the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit. These services allow families to keep more of their hard-earned money in their pockets while strengthening their financial stability.
“Purdue Federal Credit Union understands that financial security starts with access,” said Dave Bathe, CEO of United Way of Greater Lafayette. “This investment ensures that families and individuals in our community can receive trusted, free tax preparation services and claim the credits they are eligible for—dollars that can be used for rent, groceries, utilities, and other essentials. At a time when many households are feeling financial strain, this support makes a real and lasting difference.”
The upcoming tax season will mark the 16th year of UWGL’s VITA program. After many years in which the community had multiple free tax preparation options, UWGL’s VITA program now remains the only free VITA provider in the Greater Lafayette area. With growing demand for services, the program is actively working to build capacity to meet community need through volunteer recruitment, expanded appointments, and enhanced outreach. Eligible households can also prepare their own taxes for free using myfreetaxes.com.
“Purdue Federal Credit Union’s commitment helps us not only sustain this vital program, but strengthen it for the future,” Bath added. “Together, we are ensuring that our neighbors have access to the resources they need to achieve greater financial stability.”
UWGL’s VITA program is powered by trained volunteers and IRS-certified tax preparers and is available to qualifying households at no cost. Appointments for the upcoming tax season will start in January.
For more information about United Way’s VITA program or to learn how to volunteer, visit www.uwlafayette.org/mytaxes/.