“We’re in this together.”
It’s a simple phrase, but for many people filing their taxes at Free Tax Prep sites, it’s exactly what they need to hear.
During tax season, United Way of Greater Cincinnati volunteers sit down with neighbors they’ve never met before — reviewing paperwork, entering numbers and answering questions that might otherwise feel overwhelming.
Some clients arrive organized. Others bring folders filled with unopened envelopes. Many come with uncertainty about how much they might owe, how much they’re getting back or where to begin. Across the table, someone is there to help.
Through United Way of Greater Cincinnati’s Free Tax Prep program, hundreds of volunteers each year help people file their tax returns at no cost, making sure they get the refunds and credits they’ve earned.
“I always loved numbers and explaining them to people,” said volunteer Cheri Padgett.
A Fifth Third Bank employee with a background in public accounting, Cheri first volunteered as a tax preparer during her college years.
Today, she helps lead a group of Fifth Third colleagues who volunteer their time each tax season, using the same financial skills they rely on professionally to guide families across the community.
“It just checks so many of our boxes,” she said.
Cheri often meets people at moments of uncertainty — first-time filers, families trying to make sense of their finances, individuals unsure of what comes next. Her goal is not just to complete a return, but to replace fear with understanding.
“You’re in this together,” she said.
That kind of support mattered to clients like Shaya Jackson, who needed help a few years ago with three years of unfiled taxes. She wasn’t sure how she could afford getting caught up, or who to trust. A tax service quoted her hundreds of dollars per return. Then a coworker pointed her to United Way.
“I was greeted by a very nice, warm smile, someone that wanted to help me,” Shaya recalled. She expected her appointment to be quick and transactional.
Instead, longtime Free Tax Prep volunteer Mary Lepper reassured her, walking her through each step and pointing her to credits she didn’t know how to claim.
The resulting refund offered Shaya an opportunity to invest in stable housing for her family.
“It was our starting point,” she said. It was also a relief.
“The weight was off of my shoulder.”
Today, Shaya sits on the other side of the table. As a United Way employee and tax prep volunteer, she approaches clients the same way she was once greeted — with patience, reassurance and understanding.
“I was you before,” she tells them. She knows what it means to show up feeling overwhelmed and walk out lighter.
“That’s the biggest return,” she said.
