How Santa Clara County Got Over $135K to 45 Foster Youth in Need of Income During the Pandemic

This webinar shares the results of a pilot project with Santa Clara County Social Services Agency (SSA) and other local partners to increase foster youth utilization of the California Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC).

Through the pilot, current and former foster youth were assisted with completing their taxes through a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) site established at Santa Clara County’s Youth Hub, equipped to provide specialized tax filing assistance to foster youth. The 45 young adults who were assisted yielded tax returns collectively totaling over $135,000, including $38,700 through the Pandemic Recovery Rebate Credit. The average return was $2,822.

The webinar also marked the release of a report documenting the findings of the pilot, feature panelists from Santa Clara County SSA and provide recommendations along with information about JBAY’s expansion of this project in the fall.