Earn it! Keep it! $ave it!

All five Elev8 campuses in Oakland hosted free tax clinics for parents and community members this semester.

Bilingual family advocates, Safe Passages staff, and a group of volunteers trained in tax preparation walk people through a complicated tax filing process at the clinics. The free service saved money for 35 families who might otherwise have paid outside vendors to prepare their taxes.

The clinics were open to households that have a household income of less than $52,000. Elev8 staff screened parents to see if they qualified for the Earned Income Tax Credit, which could mean a refund of up to $4800.

Jason Wallace, Elev8 Oakland Site Coordinator, said the tax clinics were an important tool for family engagement, and about 60 community members were served.

“The clinics help to make the school a community. Parents who have a good experience trust their child’s school and return for other events. They feel there are services on the campus that enrich their lives—and people present who care about them,” said Wallace.

The clinics were open to all Elev8 families, which included Oakland residents who have undocumented immigration status, yet pay their taxes monthly. By filing a W7 form at the tax clinic, these families became eligible for tax returns—crucial in this difficult economic climate.  Wallace said, “it is a privilege to hold the trust of families who are otherwise weary of authority due to their immigration status. We know that we are building community.”

Maria King, a long time West Oakland resident, who is an administrative assistant and a mother of three got her taxes done at the tax clinic. “The clinic was very helpful to me because they were very knowledgeable of their work, friendly people and looked at every area which was beneficial to me," King said. Participants also had an opportunity to learn about other financial services. Representatives from Bank On Oakland were available to provide information on setting up bank accounts and managing personal finances.

Update on April 15th: The Elev8 Oakland Tax Clinics collected $83,095 for the community in tax returns!

Contact Jason Wallace for more details on the program.