Advocate Helps Dozens of Families Ring in Healthier New Year
By Charlie Boyce, Vice President of Community Impact for Valley of the Sun United Way
Tax season may not be a time of the year many look forward to, but Raul Manzolo knows differently.
It’s a special time for Raul and his family; a time when he turns his focus to transforming lives.
Every tax season for now three years, the Glendale resident and owner of Manzolo Tax Services, turns off his OPEN light to spend time as an advocate.
His advocacy involves numbers – specifically, providing free tax work as part of his personal mission to change individual lives for the better. It’s a skill he was born with – a keen understanding of the work of numbers and tax law - figures and know-how that can impact people in a big way.
He uses those personal gifts and talent to provide vital assistance he knows may very well keep a family’s lights and heat on, pay the rent or medical bills, or create a child’s education fund. The changes he is looking to make can make the difference for many West Valley families he meets, including families who are working hard to raise happy and healthy children
His passion is to reach as many families and individuals as he can, and provide the next steps toward financial health that sparks other kinds of health, across families and across the entire community.
“To me, it’s a blessing to spend the holidays thinking of the families my wife and I will reach out to during this new year,” he said. “Last year, we worked alongside 60 other volunteers and helped local families claim more than $1 million in tax refunds. That’s a pretty big impact and we are excited to meet new families this year.”
February is his busiest time for providing Volunteer Income Tax Assistance services and outreach. But he doesn’t stop there – Manzolo also provides financial guidance and support. He encourages clients and others who qualify to visit VITA sites, and to avoid the hefty fees of expedited tax returns. Many families and individuals who earn $50,000 or less may also qualify for an Earned Income Tax Credit of up to about $5,800.
“Hardworking families who qualify for these tax credits can make a major difference in their lives, and in our entire economy, by visiting a VITA site - that makes me feel really good about the skill that I have and the impact my work has,” Raul said. “Everyone has a talent and knowledge, and it means the world to me to help neighbors who are looking to take that next step toward self sufficiency.”
He also uses his advocacy work as an educational opportunity for his own children, ages 9 to 19. Manzolo gained his love of tax law from family - his aunt. He saw the deeper challenge than just number crunching – in his ability to give back, and change lives by helping increase financial stability.
His goal is to reach as many people as he can, arming them with the knowledge, and the refunds which often go uncollected by those who need them most - so they can reach their dreams. This year, some of his clients have even returned to help others with their taxes.
He now teaches VITA volunteers how to prepare taxes and is a site coordinator at Estrella Mountain Community College in Avondale, helping them to help others – and to gain a marketable skill for their resume as well.
“They are paying it forward – they saw the difference this work made in their own lives, and they want to transform other lives too,” Raul explained.
Manzolo is a VITA volunteer, trainer and site coordinator for Valley of the Sun United Way. Visit vsuw.org/vita2013 to learn more about the regional VITA program, find the closest site, or sign up to become a VITA volunteer.