Did you know that nearly half of Ariva clients earn less than $10,000 yearly? Seeing a client smile after you get them a $5,000 tax refund is an incredibly special feeling! When you volunteer with us here at Ariva, you help low-income New Yorkers get every dollar they are due in refunds and tax credits, which in turn helps them support their families, pay down debt, save for the future, and become financially independent.
More than 150 people volunteer or intern with us each year preparing free tax returns for close to 12,000 hard-working New Yorkers. It’s a vibrant, bustling community made up of people who enjoy being part of an enthusiastic, generous, and committed team. Our program is not only the perfect opportunity to feel good about doing good, but you’ll also grow your personal and professional networks, learn valuable tax preparation skills that will serve you for a lifetime, earn college credits, and even receive free personal tax preparation from our staff of experts.
We welcome people from all ages and from all walks of life. Whether you’re a college student seeking real-life business experience (especially in the finance, accounting, and social work fields), a seasoned professional making a career transition or seeking new skills, or a senior looking to give back to your community, our comprehensive training will prepare you for success. It also requires no previous knowledge—you only need a willingness to learn and the desire to help others build financial literacy—and we’ll be there to guide you every step of the way. Truly anyone can do this!
In addition, all of our locations are easily accessible by NYC public transportation, and we’ve adapted both our volunteer training curriculum and tax preparation protocols with state-recommended Covid-19 precautions in mind in order to keep our staff and community safe and healthy. Not only that, but we also have morning, evening, and weekend hours available and can work around your schedule, as well as make sure that you volunteer at your preferred location so that your work with us fits easily into your lifestyle.
Our volunteer and internship programs are so rewarding that many folks return year after year. Bob Swanton, one of our volunteers from past seasons, shares that, “No other financial center empowers clients like Ariva does, helping people instill confidence in themselves. Giving you the resource so you can do it yourself is different from someone else solving the problem for you. We help people stand on their own two feet.” And Linda McLaughlin, who has been volunteering with us for 10 years, says, “I love the other volunteers! People at Ariva are great. They are also FUN. They have events just for the volunteers at the end of the season.”
Ready to become part of this incredible community? Fill out this quick form, and we’ll be in touch with more information and next steps. We can’t wait to meet you!