Rafael Efrat, Director, CSUN VITA Clinic
I am delighted to report that despite the challenges posed by the global pandemic, the CSUN VITA Clinic has managed to continue to thrive by training over 220 student volunteers and serving almost 6,000 taxpayers. Our student volunteers and staff have demonstrated the highest level of resiliency and commitment to low-income taxpayers in our community during these difficult times. Over the past 50 years in operation, the CSUN VITA Clinic had to endure many unpredictable challenges. But none of those prior experiences truly prepared us for the monumental test of confronting a global pandemic, while striving to maintain access to vital services for so many low-income taxpayers who have come to rely on us each year.
The just-concluded tax season was dramatically different than any prior tax season. While in a typical year, the CSUN VITA Clinic operates faceto- face in a dozen sites throughout Los Angeles County, this season was done exclusively through virtual means. Students did not only have to complete training in a virtual environment, but they also had to master the technology needed to serve low-income taxpayers in a non-face-to face setting. I am very proud of our student volunteers and leadership team for adapting to this new environment with an exceptional level of collaboration and a sense of determination.
In particular, I would like to applaud the work of professor Lucy Nalbandian and the CSUN VITA Clinic co-coordinators, Cynthia Montes and Daisy Macias. With the help of their operation supervisors, Tejesh Goyal, Jose Oliva, May Tharaphy and Manuel Martinez, as well as the 17 lead supervisors, the CSUN VITA team once again led the way in serving the highest number of taxpayers among VITA clinics in Los Angeles County (among 112 clinics).
The transition into the virtual environment was not only logistically challenging, but also costly. However, with generous funding from Wells Fargo Bank, the CSUN VITA Clinic was able to launch this important virtual platform. Moreover, City National Bank provided us once again with valuable support to serve low-income taxpayers, such as the elderly, who have difficulties accessing technology. Similarly, with the increased need for financial coaching during the pandemic, Bank of Hope’s contribution this year helped us offer free virtual financial coaching throughout the tax season. We are also particularly grateful to the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power for providing taxpayers with information about financial relief and subsidies available for them. Finally, Harvey and Harriet Bookstein’s $750,000 endowment to support the clinic in perpetuity continued to provide merit scholarships for VITA student volunteers.