Project SCOUT

 

During the 2023 tax season, Project SCOUT served nearly 2,000 people in Santa Cruz and San Benito counties at 14 free tax preparation sites during the tax season. As a grantee in Golden State Opportunity’s Community Connect program, they hope to reach even more people this coming tax season.

A program of the Seniors Council of Santa Cruz and San Benito Counties founded in 1968, Project SCOUT focuses heavily on reaching seniors who need free tax preparation. This year, they also heavily focused on reaching people looking to apply for or renew their Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN).

“We want to create a more equal playing field for everyone in our community,” said Eduardo Santana, Program Director of Project SCOUT. “I’ve seen so many of our clients who have been victims of predatory tax preparers in the past and we just want them to know that we are someone they can trust to help them. Many people would rather not get the help they are entitled to and deserve because they don’t have that trust in an organization to help them. Providing an avenue where people know us and trust what we do is massively important.”

Santana said that Project SCOUT’s work with GSO as a Community Connect partner over the past few years has been essential to meeting this goal. This past tax season, they were able to host two of GSO’s signature Tacos & Taxes events in their area, connecting with new clients and further expanding their reach.

“As a small nonprofit, we’ve been able to grow, do what we do and reach more communities because of this funding,” he added. “Tacos & Taxes has been great for the communities we serve as well and given us that exposure, allowing the community at large to learn more about that Project SCOUT is doing ”

In addition to free tax prep, Project SCOUT also connects clients with CalFresh and other state programs for which they may qualify.

“Whether it’s working with a farmworker who is doing their taxes for the first time or a client who we signed up for CalFresh, at the end of that appointment they see that this assistance will better their life. They know they will be respected and treated with dignity when they come to us.”

Learn more about Project SCOUT and the work they do.