City of Rochester
News Release
(Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020) – Mayor Lovely A. Warren, Monroe County Executive Adam Bello, the United Way of Greater Rochester and members of the Rochester Monroe Anti-Poverty Initiative (RMAPI) came together today to urge the area’s low- to moderate-wage workers to take advantage of free tax-preparation services through the Empire Justice Center’s CASH program.
“Nobody who works for a living should live in poverty, or even close to the poverty line,” said Mayor Warren. “Through CASH, qualifying families and residents will be matched with committed volunteers who will help workers file their taxes for free, apply for tax credits, and learn how they can use their refunds to build lasting wealth. This is a critical service for our community, and I want to thank County Executive Adam Bello, RMAPI, and our other partners for their hard work and support of our working families.”
“When one out of every four residents in Monroe County’s suburban towns lives in poverty and a majority of Rochester’s schoolchildren do too, our governments and nonprofits must partner to find innovative ways to help citizens rise to build stronger financial futures,” said County Executive Bello. “By offering free tax preparation services and financial counseling, CASH helps our working families fulfill their potential and achieve their dreams. I want to thank CASH’s dedicated volunteers, Mayor Lovely Warren, RMAPI and all those who seek to help our working families succeed.”
“Tax season is a great time of year to start thinking about saving for the future,” said Berta Rivera, Director of CASH. “Here at CASH we are proud to offer high-quality, free tax preparation services and are excited to partner on this initiative that will offer so many families the opportunity to begin to build a strong financial future. “In addition to free services, CASH helps workers avoid the risk of working with predatory, for-profit tax-service providers who might push their clients toward expensive financial products or steal their refunds or identities.
CASH’s services are available to all qualifying residents of Monroe County from Feb. 10 to April 18 on the fourth floor of the Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County, located at 115 South Ave. To qualify, residents must have total income of less than $55,000 for households with children, and less than $25,000 for workers without children. For more information about CASH’s free tax preparation services, visit
empirejustice.org/cash-free-tax-program.
This year, in addition to CASH’s free tax preparation services, up to 800 eligible residents have the opportunity to enroll in the ROC Your Refund pilot program, which allows participants to receive a portion of their tax refund throughout the year rather than as a lump-sum payment. Participants will be paired with free, professional financial counseling and workshops, and receive help opening affordable bank accounts at Genesee Co-op Federal Credit Union.
The goal of the program -- developed as part of the city’s participation in the What Works Cities Economic Mobility initiative -- is to empower participants to save more money and build a stronger financial future. Select participants will also be eligible to receive a cash match on top of their savings.
To launch the new program, CASH will be hosting a special Roc Your Refund Taxathon event from Thursday, Jan. 30 to Sat, Feb 8. The Taxathon is by appointment only and space is limited. The event will be held at the CASH main site in the Central Library-Bausch & Lomb Building. To check eligibility and/or make an appointment, visit
cityofrochester.gov/rocyourrefund or call 585-900-1007. CASH’s regular free tax preparation services will resume the week of Feb.10.
The program will be evaluated as a randomized control trial in partnership with the Notre Dame University Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities, with the goal of better understanding the effects of the program on participant financial wellness. This rigorous evidence will help support policy and funding considerations in the future.
ROC Your Refund is supported by What Works Cities and Results for America, the Rochester Area Community Foundation, the ESL Foundation, and the United Way of Greater Rochester. The City of Rochester was selected in the summer of 2019 to participate in the What Works Cities Economic Mobility initiative. The 18-month program, supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Ballmer Group, aims to assist cities in identifying, piloting, and measuring the success of interventions to accelerate economic mobility for their residents.
To learn more about What Works Cities, visit
whatworkscities.bloomberg.org.
###
News Release: For more information, contact Press Officer Jessica Alaimo 428-7135.