Did you know that many Americans can keep more of their money at tax time by getting free tax preparation from IRS-certified volunteer preparers? The IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and the AARP Foundation Tax-Aide programs provide free preparation — without upcharges or hidden fees — and serve taxpayers using rigorous IRS preparation standards and certified tax preparers. 

NeighborWorks America released new impact data showing just how much of a difference the organization and its network are making in the field of affordable housing and community development. While the data reflects nationwide housing trends — including a limited inventory of homes and higher home prices — it also shows an increase in the number of homeowners preserved and an increase in the number of rental homes in the network.

Erika Leos, financial program wellness manager for Foundation Communities, feels deeply for the clients who come to her organization with debts accrued from payday loans. The high-interest loans appeal to people who need that last bit of money to help them pay rent or get food on the table.

Given the scope and intersections of many of the issues that our communities face, partnerships serve as one way to combine resources and share strengths. Both the 2008 foreclosure crisis and the impact from COVID-19 have continued to demonstrate the complex links among housing, health, economic well-being and educational outcomes.

Kristina Aguilar's expertise was working on interior walls. DeJeaun Biggle liked the heavy lifting and tarring the foundation. But painting trim? "Tedious," he says. The neighbors worked together  to build their homes – and each other's – as a part of NeighborWorks Great Falls' Owner-Built Homes Program, which began in 2005  through USDA's Mutual Self-Help Program.

There's a growing divide between those who can access services digitally – like education, work and health care -- and those who can't. The issue is top-of-the-mind for housing practitioners, who often work with the very individuals that the divide is hurting the most. Some NeighborWorks network organizations are already working on solutions, such as setting up hotspots and working WiFi into their future projects.