November 16, 2011 (Ames) - Governor Terry Branstad and the Iowa Council of Foundation, presented United Way of Central Iowa the Outstanding Volunteer or Service Program Award during the 2011 Iowa Nonprofit Summit, held November 15 and 16 in Ames.
United Way was honored for its Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program. VITA is a successful, proven strategy that mobilizes and trains volunteers to provide free tax service to lower income individuals and their families. The Program assists these taxpayers who are struggling to make ends meet by saving them the cost of tax preparation and helping them claim all tax credits for which they are eligible. In the 2011 tax season, VITA helped nearly 2,900 lower-income taxpayers receive $4.3 million in tax refunds and credits.
"Today's awardees are making a difference in the lives of Iowans in so many ways," said Governor Branstad. "The non-profit organizations that we have in Iowa play an essential role in our communities, and it is an honor to be able to highlight some of that work with these awards."
The Iowa Nonprofit Summit was hosted by the following collaborative partners: Iowa Campus Compact, Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, Iowa Council of Foundations (including the Iowa Community Foundations Initiative), United Ways of Iowa, Grant Enterprise Management, Larned A. Waterman Iowa Nonprofit Resource Center, Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service, and Volunteer Centers of Iowa.