Navicent Health – in partnership with Central Georgia Regional Credit Union (CGRCU), Mercer University and United Way of Central Georgia – will offer Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) for qualified Navicent Health employees. Navicent Health is the first corporation in central Georgia to offer the VITA service for its staff.

VITA is part of a nationwide Internal Revenue Service (IRS) program. The program is made possible through partnerships with CGRCU, Mercer University and United Way of Central Georgia.

IRS-certified and trained volunteers, including Mercer University accounting students who will gain real world experience in a business setting, will prepare basic tax returns. Volunteers are trained to help working families identify special tax credits for which they qualify, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit and Credit for the Elderly. 

“Filing taxes with the VITA program is free, easy and fast. Our volunteers will prepare taxes in a friendly and professional manner. We submit state and federal taxes electronically, and people will generally receive their refund within seven to ten days,” said Latisa Steele, VITA representative.   

Navicent Health will begin offering its onsite VITA center this February. A VITA Kickoff Tax Preparation Fair  will be held onSaturday, February 7 from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. at Medical Center, Navicent Health (777 Hemlock Street in Macon) . Qualified employees may stop by to have their taxes prepared for free while they wait. This is not a public event, but media are cordially invited to attend. 

VITA Kickoff Fair Interview Opportunities:

· Navicent Health Human Resources representatives

· Consenting Navicent Health employees

· CGRCU leaders and volunteers

· Mercer University faculty

· Mercer University student volunteers

VITA Kickoff Fair Photo / B-Roll Opportunities

· Tax preparation in progress

“Our employees are so incredibly dedicated to Navicent Health and the work that we are doing here. Now, we have this wonderful opportunity to do something for them. We are grateful to the VITA program, as well as our community partners, for supporting our employees in such a wonderful and useful way,” said Dr. Ninfa M. Saunders, President and CEO of Navicent Health.