About VITA GMS

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) in partnership with Greater Mt Sinai Baptist Church (GMS) offers a reliable and trusted source for preparing tax returns. VITA GMS services are free. IRS manages the VITA program, but the VITA sites are operated by IRS partners such as ours and staffed by volunteers who want to make a difference in their communities. All VITA volunteers who prepare returns must take and pass tax law training that meets or exceeds IRS standards. VITA GMS is a multilingual site that provides essential tax preparation services and financial literacy workshops to working families.

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  • Empowering Communities Through Financial Literacy

    VITA GMS is committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive community that champions lifelong learning to tackle economic and social disparities. Our mission centers on enhancing financial well-being and literacy through comprehensive tax assistance and education.

    We believe empowering individuals and families with the knowledge and resources for adequate tax preparation is crucial in creating a more informed and resilient community. By providing access to essential information, we aim to equip our clients with the tools they need to navigate their financial landscapes confidently.

    Our dedication to continuous service improvement establishes VITA GMS as a vital support and educational resource in Compton and South Los Angeles. In addition to our tax assistance programs, we offer quality educational initiatives that help individuals develop essential skills for personal and financial independence.

    At VITA GMS, we are more than just a tax service; we are a partner in your journey toward financial empowerment and stability. Together, we can build a stronger, more informed community where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

  • Pamela Smith-Cressel, the VITA Site Manager, started the VITA program at Greater Mount Sinai Baptist Church 29 years ago. Since the VITA program’s inception, she has recruited and mentored all of her VITA Volunteers. Ms. Smith-Cressel’s passion for income tax preparation goes back 35 years, when she started as an Internal Revenue Service agent. From 1988 to 1990, she taught federal income tax preparation at Compton Community College. In 2022, she made the big leap and applied for 501(c) (3) charitable-nonprofit status for the VITA program, now registered as VITA GMS. As a collaborative member, the VITA partners learn from her vast experience as a VITA provider, tax knowledge, and passion to help others in her community. VITA GMS provides the client with financial responsibility, outreach events.

  • Empowering Our Community

    VITA GMS is dedicated to serving individuals and families in our community who are struggling by providing essential free tax services and financial literacy education. However, we can’t do this important work without your support!

    If you would like to assist us in our ongoing efforts, you can make a tax-deductible donation directly to VITA GMS by scanning the code on here. Your generosity will help us continue to empower our community and make a meaningful impact in the lives of those we serve.

    Thank you for your support!

Success Stories

  • This was a very busy month and various individuals had listened to the news regarding refunds not being claimed by the IRS. A mother and her children had been unhoused for three years and heard that she could file taxes for herself and her children to receive money. She was not aware that she needed to file taxes to receive funding from the government even though she had not worked. She was so excited after her taxes were filed and she received Child Tax Credit as well as stimulus recovery rebate monies. She and the children left our office crying and thankful for the tax service and education that we provided.

  • An individual contacted our office stating the Department of Social Service contacted her and informed her she needed to file taxes to receive Child Tax credit for prior year taxes. We were happy to assist the family by filing her prior year taxes and assisting her with her current year taxes.

  • There was a gentleman who had never filed taxes and was working as an independent contractor and was not familiar with paying estimated tax payments. After we completed his tax return we showed him how to make a payment arrangement with the Internal Revenue Service return and the Franchise Tax Board. In addition, we completed his estimated tax paperwork for the following year.  Although he had to pay he was excited that he will now be in a position to receive refunds the following year. He appreciated the time spent educating him about his taxes.

  • There was a person who was filing their taxes and was taking the standard deduction. We noticed the box was checked on their form 13614-C Intake/Interview the person checked mortgage interest and did not have the statement in the documents she had with her. We asked if we could review her mortgage statement and she stated she takes the standard deduction every year. After she pulled up the document on her smartphone we showed her how she could receive a larger refund if she claims her mortgage interest, property taxes, and other deductions. She was excited about her refund and appreciated the time and education.

  • We were contacted by an unhoused individual who needed money to secure housing. He stated he had not filed his taxes in two years. We were able to file his taxes and he received a refund he did not know he was entitled to receive.  He was so appreciative of our services and has now secured a place to live by turning in his prepared tax return.

  • There was an individual who came to our tax site with a letter from the Franchise Tax Board, her checks were being garnished because she had not filed taxes since 2016. We were able to sign her up with ID.me. This allowed us to access all her prior year wages and income statements. We then filed her taxes and she was able to send the returns to FTB and IRS to stop the wage garnishment.  The client was so happy we were able to assist.