Stories of Impact

Meet Haly and Sujin: A Story of Support and Possibility

When Haly and Sujin turned to Free Tax Help, they didn’t expect a $3,000 refund—or how much it would change their outlook. Powered by UWBA and Tri-Val

Watch Their Story

Meet Maria

Meet Maria, a 7-year VITA volunteer at Tri-Valley Career Center, helping low-income residents file taxes and reduce financial stress.

Learn More About Maria's Experience

Meet Clayton

Meet Clayton, a dedicated Free Tax Help volunteer at Tri-Valley Career Center, offering free tax help to low-income Bay Area residents.

Meet Clayton, a dedicated FTH Volunteer

How Free Tax Help Changed Olivia and Lorely’s Filing Experience

Olivia and Lorely share how UWBA’s Free Tax Help provided the right guidance and made a difference in their tax filing experience.

Hear Olivia and Lorely’s Free Tax Help journey

Meet Liat

Explore Liat's transformative journey from long-term renter to an advocate for housing justice and stable living conditions.

Read Liat's Inspiring Journey Toward Housing Advocacy.

Meet Unathi

As Unathi prepared to complete her final college classes to receive an associate degree in 2021, she was introduced to a mandatory course that became pivotal to her journey in unexpected ways.

Read More About Unathi's Story

Meet Ryland

Ryland uses his personal experience with our services to advocate for broader access to resources for the Bay Area. It’s an experience that includes support that would be critical in helping him and his mother fight eviction during a housing crisis exacerbated by the pandemic.

Learn More About Ryland

Meet Manson

How do you turn fear into financial freedom? Manson shares his story of using Free Tax Help to uplift the Chinatown community.

Read Manson's Story

Meet Ellen

Explore Ellen's journey from fighting cancer and financial hardship to becoming a UWBA ambassador, highlighting the unseen struggles of seniors across the Bay Area.

Explore Ellen's journey

Meet Jamila

For many in the Bay Area, life's unexpected turns can mean the difference between stability and crisis.

Learn how her call to 211 Helpline provided aid to her neighbor during a power outage and identity theft crisis

Meet Lupe

When she was wrongfully evicted, Guadalupe reached out to UWBA community partner, East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy for help.

Learn About Lupe's Fight for Her Tenant Rights

Meet M.

M. shares his personal journey as a newcomer to the U.S. and the invaluable assistance he received from UWBA's SparkPoint program.

Read about M.'s Journey

Meet Devang

Meet Devang, from United Way Bay Area’s Emerging Leaders donor group, as he discusses his journey to making a positive impact on Bay Area communities.

Devang discusses his journey to making a positive impact

Meet Juan

Juan recounts his journey of finding hope now while overcoming the barriers of his past with the support of SparkPoint coaches.

Hear Juan Speak About His Experience

Meet Arya

Arya shares her experience with the UWBA Youth Opportunities Pathways (YOP) College Essay Workshop and how this helped her university prospects.

Hear Arya discuss her experience

Meet Sophia

Sophia shares how she used the UWBA Youth Opportunities Pathways College Essay workshop to apply for scholarships.

Hear Sophia Speak About This Experience

Meet Sui

Sui talks about her journey to financial stability with the help of SparkPoint & Free Tax Help.

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Meet Mario

Mario on the difference one phone call can make.

Meet Dan

Dan describes his time volunteering with the Free Tax Help program as eye-opening and rewarding.

Meet Elizabeth

Elizabeth talks about economic opportunities, community development, and the partnership between EBALDC and UWBA.

Meet Maria

“When I retired, I wanted to volunteer…I wanted to give back to the community,” said Maria. “I tried different organizations and what I liked about Un