How Free Tax Help is Changing Lives at Our Resource Center

Every month, the Community Resource Center becomes a place of clarity and hope for guests facing complicated tax issues, thanks to our partnership with the West Michigan Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic, a program of Legal Aid of Western Michigan.

Thomas, a qualified tax expert and tax attorney, brings his expertise directly to the people who need it most. “Every month I come to this resource center, and I hold a tax clinic,” he explained. “That’s where I make myself available to the community to come in if they might have some type of tax issue, they have questions about, or maybe need help with.”

For many of our guests, taxes are the last thing on their minds as they navigate housing, food, childcare, and medical needs. But unresolved tax issues can hold people back from refunds that could change their situation overnight. Thomas has seen it firsthand.

I CAN HELP PEOPLE FIND YEARS THEY DIDN’T FILE A RETURN, AND THERE’S A REFUND JUST SITTING THERE. IF YOU’RE HOMELESS AND HAVE NO MONEY, AND YOU CAN GET $1,000 OR $2,000 IN YOUR POCKET, THAT’S HUGE!”

Guests often walk in unsure where to start, only to learn their situation can be resolved, and even redeemed. Some face identity theft, rejected electronic filings, or IRS-related barriers. Others simply need reassurance or answers to basic questions. Thomas is there for all of it.

“People sometimes have limited access to free tax attorneys,” he said. “I actually feel thankful that I have the ability to come here and help all these folks, because there are so many people who can benefit from these services and they have nowhere else to go.”

His work doesn’t just solve problems, it opens doors. One guest’s tax refund never came, but with the clinic’s help and a call to the IRS he got it within days to use for rent. Others regained access to needed benefits or avoided being targeted by predatory preparers because of the educational presentations Thomas offers onsite.

To Thomas, the impact is simple and profound: “It’s the right thing to do. I feel a sense of satisfaction from knowing that my humble abilities are enough to ease the suffering of some people.”

We are grateful for partners like the Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic who come alongside our guests with compassion, expertise, and a commitment to remove barriers. Together, we’re making sure no one has to face challenges alone, not even taxes.

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