It’s probably not often that one draws “inspiration” from reading an IRS tax manual like the voluminous VITA 4012 Volunteer Resource Guide. Yet, that is exactly what Takima Robinson experienced searching through what she describes as the ‘Tax Bible’ while preparing someone else’s tax return and noticed the section on Inmate Income. She soon reached out to her IRS contact to learn more. “And I’m like, ‘we can do taxes for folks, incarcerated? And he’s like, ‘Yeah.’”
“Well, we never knew that. So, I’m like, ‘Okay, so how can we bring this service to these individuals, and not only that, but how can we do it in a way that is going to be beneficial to them once they come home, right?’
Robinson asked that question for more personal reasons: Her uncle had recently been released from a New York prison in 2018 after serving 25 years. “Because of parole restrictions, he was unable to transfer to Connecticut and had few if any resources. He tried to get a job, tried to get services, and could not. So, what did he do? He reverted back to what he knew, the streets, and ended up going back to prison in 2019, and eventually died there in 2021.”
Now the Chief Program Officer at Advancing CT Together (ACT), formerly known as Connecticut Association for Human Services (CAHS), Robinson has made advocating for others her life’s work. She successfully worked on bringing the Earned Income Tax Credit to Connecticut and drafted a white paper compiling the available programs, resources and services available for returning citizens—those formerly incarcerated individuals who are navigating the challenges of reentering society.
Her efforts have since forged a successful partnership between Community Partners in Action (CPA) and ACT in 2021 to fill that critical gap. Along with the generous support of United Way of Greater Waterbury and Thomaston Savings Bank, the organizations today offer a series of robust Healthy Banking workshops at CPA’s Waterbury Reentry Welcome Center (WRWC) to assist returning citizens by addressing one of the most persistent barriers to successful reintegration: financial instability. Our Hartford Reentry Welcome Center also offers participants similar programming.
Dwight Davis, ACT’s Returning Citizens Program Manager, shares that at one of the first workshop’s a man who had just been released from state prison that same day, walked straight into the WRWC and into the Healthy Banking workshop. “This was literally his first day of freedom, as he had just been released to a halfway house and came looking for services after being inside for 34 years.”
“All he had was his Department of Correction identification card and social security card. Now, if he had gone to a regular bank, he would not be able to open an account. However, this program can provide certain conveniences, and he ended opening up his first bank account in 34 years. He couldn’t believe it. And for me, it was both awesome and emotional to witness.”
Davis adds that today there are many programs and resources for returning citizens to take advantage of to navigate their reentry journey. “There are so many organizations, services and groups aiding justice impacted individuals as opposed to years ago. We all want to give people a ‘second chance.’ Now, with our combined financial literacy piece, we’re all helping to create a meaningful collaboration.”