Dean Chandra Subramaniam,
California State University, Northridge
I am proud of the unwavering dedication the David Nazarian College of Business and Economics’ CSUN Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Clinic has shown to our community and its low-income taxpayers during these unprecedented times.
The challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic tested us in ways we never imagined. The CSUN VITA Clinic was forced to stop providing face-to-face tax preparation services, but they did not relent and quickly transitioned to an IRS-approved virtual model to accommodate the many low-income taxpayers that needed their assistance. The clinic returned in full force this year, operating both in person and remotely, depending on the taxpayer’s needs. This dual modality allowed student volunteers to provide low-income taxpayers with access to their services seven days per week throughout the entire tax season.
This year, 238 students volunteered more than 28,000 total hours to serve over 7,300 low-income taxpayers at eight locations in Los Angeles County. Even more impressive, the clinic helped taxpayers claim over $8.8 million in tax refunds and more than $2.6 million in earned income tax credits, and saved taxpayers almost $1.2 million in tax preparation fees. This is an average savings of $1,700 per taxpayer in the Valley. With such volume, the CSUN VITA Clinic is the largest provider of VITA services in the country.
I am grateful to our donors and supporters, whose gifts are vital to the success of the CSUN VITA Clinic. Through contributions from our generous donors, Harvey and Harriet Bookstein, and a multi-year visionary grant from Wells Fargo Bank — as well as gifts from CIT, City National Bank, and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power — the CSUN VITA Clinic has been able to continue to expand and provide greater education and assistance to its volunteers and taxpaying clients.
Finally, I want to congratulate Dr. Rafi Efrat and the entire VITA team! Your commitment to the service of our community is truly inspiring, and I look forward to supporting and witnessing the continued growth and expansion of this crucial initiative.