Bank of Utah Volunteers work with Cottages of Hope to net Local Families $920,000 in Tax Refunds

OGDEN, Utah, March 1, 2010 – Nothing bites more for cash-strapped families than having to come up with additional money for income taxes. That’s why Bank of Utah volunteers have been providing free income tax preparation and advice for low-income families through Ogden’s Cottages of Hope. The locally-owned bank reported completing nearly 455 tax returns and generating $920,000 in total tax refunds, thus far this season.

“We have a great team of 26 people from our bank staff, including everyone from mortgage loan specialists to trust officers, who regularly volunteer at Cottages of Hope,” said Scott Parkinson, Bank of Utah’s senior vice president of retail banking. “Together they have put in nearly 651 hours screening individuals and preparing taxes. We hope our services are providing a lift for community members who may be struggling financially.”

Bank of Utah and Cottages of Hope estimate that they have saved their patrons nearly $80,000 total or an average of $180 per tax return.

Bank of Utah employees also volunteer their time teaching financial literacy classes at Cottages of Hope. The local nonprofit agency focused on helping Ogden residents work toward achieving greater levels of financial stability, recently opened a new “one-stop” resource and referral center. Cottages of Hope, Inc. is located at 2724 South Washington, Ogden, Utah. Call (801)393-4011, e-mail info@cottagesofhope.org.