Campaign for Working Families

Established in 2003, the Campaign for Working Families (CWF) was created to help working families and individuals achieve economic empowerment by providing free tax preparation, resource building and asset development. CWF serves as a resource center for their clients and facilitates increased financial stability and asset accumulation for families by connecting them to valuable tax credits, quality financial services, savings options, wealth building resources and public benefits.

CWF is an IRS certified Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) provider and operates community based tax sites in Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey, offering e-file, direct deposit, public benefits applications, as well as access to pre-paid debit cards and savings products to help clients save money. CWF' services allow families to maximize federal and state tax credits, including the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC).

The Campaign for Working Families, Inc. is committed to economically empowering working families and individuals by providing free tax preparation, determining eligibility for the Earned Income Tax Credit, and collaborating with community partners to provide awareness and access to public benefits, financial education, resource building and asset development. Every working individual is empowered to achieve financial well-being paved by a dedicated team of staff and volunteers so that they can plan for a stable, secure future, and can participate fully in civic and community life.

The tax operation is the cornerstone of the Campaign for Working Families (CWF). Our extensive outreach to underserved communities enables us to reach large numbers of households that would not be receiving these benefits to assist them in saving significant amounts of money while providing access to additional resources that can supplement their household incomes and help them build assets. It is our goal to divert consumers from the predatory practices of paid preparers. This work includes designing the marketing strategies for approaching customers in the waiting room, which incorporate principles of behavioral economics in their design. Systems to make savings a default, rather than an extra option have been created for tax sites. The prepaid debit card works well for those excluded from bank accounts, especially people paying high fees for check cashing and money transfer services.

Our target population are working families, individuals and small business owners (within VITA scope) residing in the Empowerment Zones with family incomes less than $80,000, single individuals with incomes under $50,000, and small business with income less than $150,000. Special emphasis is placed on outreach to those who qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit (households supporting children and earning under $57,000/year or single individuals earning less than $20,000/year) and Child Tax Credits.

During the 2019 tax season, CWF prepared over 32,594 federal and 23,227 State tax returns and that generated refunds exceeding $45.5 million. CWF directly managed 35 VITA sites in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, 18 sites in Philadelphia (including 3 year-round super sites); 2 sites in Montgomery County and 1 site in Delaware County. During the past tax season, we worked with community partners and churches to strengthen our Mobile Tax Team, a program that enables us to provide services deeper in underserved communities. CWF also managed 14 sites in New Jersey, including 2 sites in Atlantic County, 4 sites in Burlington County, 3 sites in Camden County, 4 sites in Cape May County, and 1 site in Cumberland County.

CWF recruits and trains 700-800 volunteers each year to assist staff to serve 48,943 individuals that received $12.8 million in Earned Income Tax Credits (EITC) as well as other economic benefits including Child Tax Credits. In addition, the following capabilities make it possible to reach individuals that cannot travel to a tax site to obtain the same benefits as follows:

Mobile Tax Operation- Campaign for Working Families Mobile Team brings tax preparation, asset development and financial education to businesses, unions, churches and other organizations in the Greater Philadelphia region. Our team sets up one day or multi-day sessions for a host site’s clients, staff and employees at the host site’s location.

Assisted Self Tax-Preparation-Tools such as, TAXFREEDOM assists individuals with self-tax preparation. Individuals with computer skills can learn to complete their own tax return with the assistance of a CWF IRS-certified representative. This is an empowering step toward moving individuals away from for profit tax preparers and toward self-sufficiency. Virtual Tax Prep Free online tax preparation utilizes our secure web portal at GetYourRefund.org and will allow filers to upload their tax information, speak to our IRS certified tax preparers, and get help filing your taxes online for FREE.

Financial Literacy & Education Services- Every CWF client has access to a suite of additional services designed to increase their financial well-being. CWF has built an automatic public benefits screening into its tax filing process. All clients who opt-in to this service during intake, are assessed and included in a bi-weekly report that is reviewed for eligibility in up to 21 different public benefits. Those found likely eligible are then contacted and invited to schedule an application appointment with a Resource Specialist. Clients who want to be screened for public benefits right away can use Benefits Launch (vita.benefitslaunch.org), a custom-built web application that screens for public benefit eligibility and then refers clients to their choice of phone, in-person or self-directed assistance.

Financial Services and Savings Products- CWF continuously strives to build wealth in our constituents’ households. All customers at our tax sites have the opportunity to learn about, and apply for financial services and savings products such as savings bonds and credit counseling as they get their taxes prepared. These products include:
Savings Account with no-fee debit card
Free credit counseling sessions
Matched savings program (IDA and CSA)
Monthly financial wellness community workshops that includes budgeting, saving for education/home and
income tax basics.
Advocacy and organizing to connect larger policy goals to the individuals and families that they impact.

Since CWF started providing free tax preparation in 2003, the year-over-year continued progress for CWF has empowered more individuals each year to obtain economic stability and better plan for their futures. Since 2003, CWF has enabled almost $500,000,000 in client refunds and saved almost $70 million in tax preparation fees for those in need of assistance. The most recent tax season that has been completed produced the following results for those filing their 2019 taxes in 2020:

Total individuals served- 48,943 and received $12.8 million in Earned Income Tax Credits (EITC)
Average adjusted gross income for those served $22,994 (44% of them earned under $15,000 per year.)
846 IRS-trained volunteers completed and filed 32,594 federal and 23,227 state tax returns.

The need also increases each year as the impact of the pandemic has pushed more individuals and families into poverty. There are another 38,000 eligible residents that are still not receiving CWF services and EITC and other benefits that we will strive to reach each year.

During the 2019 tax season, CWF prepared over 32,594 federal and 23,227 State tax returns and that generated refunds exceeding $45.5 million. CWF directly managed 35 VITA sites in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, 18 sites in Philadelphia (including 3 year-round super sites); 2 sites in Montgomery County and 1 site in Delaware County. During the past tax season, we worked with community partners and churches to strengthen our Mobile Tax Team, a program that enables us to provide services deeper in underserved communities. CWF also managed 14 sites in New Jersey, including 2 sites in Atlantic County, 4 sites in Burlington County, 3 sites in Camden County, 4 sites in Cape May County, and 1 site in Cumberland County.