For more than ten years, Mary Dill has been a familiar and trusted presence at Urban Edge’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Tax Center. She’s been a part of the volunteer team, led by Urban Edge staffer, Leneva Penton, that has helped the program expand to more than 600 tax filers annually.
Her commitment to helping others navigate tax season stretches back even further – nearly four decades. Dill first began volunteering in the 1980s through the Community Tax Aid of Boston. Since then, she has witnessed firsthand how the tax system has evolved. While paper forms have given way to digital filing, the core need for accessible, trustworthy support has remained constant.
“My father instilled in us kids the importance of volunteering,” Dill reflects. “He was orphaned at 15, and he knew that people go through hard times. It’s important to help out.”
That ethos has guided her work year after year. For Dill, volunteering is not only about giving back, it’s also about staying engaged and grounded in community, “Another reason to volunteer is that it helps me understand my own taxes,” she says with a laugh. “And hey, I can add, and I don’t ski… what else am I going to do in the winter?”
At Urban Edge, Dill works alongside a dedicated team of volunteers to help low- and moderate-income households – generally those earning $70,000 or less – file their taxes accurately and at no cost. For many clients, this service makes a meaningful financial difference, ensuring access to critical benefits like the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), which can significantly boost household income.
Over time, Dill has also seen how economic shifts have made tax filing more complex – particularly with the rise of gig work. “The gig economy has made taxes much more complicated for people,” she explains. “There’s record keeping they’re not familiar with – like tracking mileage or understanding what counts as a business expense.”
“Another challenge for our clients is reconciling premium tax credits used to purchase health insurance on the marketplace,” she continues. “Unfortunately, many clients find they owe money at year end due a mismatch between the credits they took and the credits their actual income allowed.
That’s where volunteers like Dill make an essential difference, helping clients navigate unfamiliar systems with clarity and confidence so they can receive the full benefit of their work.
Urban Edge’s VITA Tax Center is made possible through the support of partners including United Way and the Boston Tax Help Coalition, whose investment ensures this vital service remains accessible to the community.
As tax codes evolve and financial realities shift, one thing remains constant: the impact of a knowledgeable, compassionate volunteer sitting across the table. For clients at Urban Edge, volunteers like Mary and her peers are more than tax preparers – they are steady, trusted guides through one of the most important financial moments of the year.
