Mathis Family Values Delight, Inspire
Recognition Event Audience Oletha Mathis and her son, Jaguars Cornerback Rashean Mathis,
have been there. Just like many of the clients helped by the Real$ense Prosperity
Campaign during the past six years, single mother Oletha Mathis had to pinch
many pennies in order to raise her four children right. But raise them right she
did! “My house was where all the kids congregated and I wanted it that way,
even if it cost the money to feed them that I had put aside to pay the next utility
bill,” she told an appreciative audience of about 160-plus at the 6th Annual
Real$ense Volunteer Recognition Event at Dave and Busters on May 1, 2009.
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Family Touts Customer Service Experience on Tax Blitz Day  Latoya and Warren White of St. Nicholas came to Tax Blitz Day (April 15,
2009) with their 3-year old daughter, Gabriella, fast asleep in her stroller. “We
knew we’d be paying this year, so we waited until the last minute,” said Latoya.
“We’re very pleased with the service we received here.We came last year, too.”
Warren added: “It’s a good service. This year, we started a telecommunication
business, so we’ll probably have to use our CPA for taxes from now on. In the
meantime, though, we have high praise for that program.We got in and got out
real quickly this year – it was a timesaver for us. Gabriella slept through the entire
process and didn’t wake up until we were on our way out the door.”
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First-time Real$ense Tax Client, “Last Minute Lamont”  “Last Minute Lamont” Hilliard of Orange Park was restless in the wee hours of April 15, knowing it was tax
day, knowing he owed money, and knowing he had been putting off doing his taxes for too long. Lamont had been
lamenting to himself … owing money was bad
enough … he certainly didn’t want to pay for tax
preparation, too. Laying in bed and listlessly watching
television at 5:45 a.m., Lamont suddenly laid eyes on
the ad for the Real$ense Prosperity Campaign’s Tax
Blitz Day. File for free? Were they serious? He called
the United Way 2-1-1 Number and, sure enough, it
was true. “That was the first time I’d ever heard of
Real$ense,” he declared. “That ad was a last-minute
lifesaver!” Grinning from ear to ear, “Last Minute
Lamont,” arrived at the tax site just as the sun was
rising, and, in a very short time, his taxes were done.
“The people there were so friendly. They made it
easy,” he said. “Now that I know about Real$ense,
I’ll be back next year for sure!”
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Tax Blitz Client Gets New Bank Account VITA Volunteer, Kathryn Meek (a corporate tax accountant with FCCJ South Campus) was on hand early on Tax Blitz Day at Gateway WorkSource to help Jamie Jackson of North Jacksonville file his first tax return. When Kathryn informed him that he had a hefty refund coming, she asked him if he wanted that refund directly deposited in his checking account. Jamie, an employee with the Jacksonville International Airport, informed her that he didn’t have a bank account, but had been cashing his paycheck at a check cashing place near work. He was thrilled to discover that he could open a bank account that same day by filling out an application with Nestor Vargas of Regions Bank. “You’re doing everything right to start providing for a solid future,” Kathryn told Jamie as she introduced him to Nestor Vargas. Later, shaking hands with Jamie as they completed the paperwork to open a new bank account and have his refund directly deposited in it, Vargas grinned. “Today,” he said, “I’ve seen the real face of Real$ense. It’s Jamie Jackson.” |
Real$ense Turns Refund Anticipation Loan Nightmare Into Happy Ending  Avery Evans, an apartment security guard on Jacksonville’s
Northside came in on Tax Blitz Day because he had received an extra
W-2 and needed to file an amended tax return. He brought in the
papers he had received from the place where he had filed his income
taxes early … waaaaay early. When AARP Tax-Aide Barbara Rodon
looked through his papers for a tax return, she did not find one.
Instead, what she did find was appalling. “Avery had paid over
$1,000 to file for a tax refund anticipation loan in December,” she
said, “and he had not been given a copy of his tax return.” So much
for Avery’s hard-earned cash! By the time Barbara Rodon and Jeff
Winkler got off the phone with the foxy folks who had fleeced Avery, they had his tax return ready to be picked up,
and, with the FREE help of Real$ense, Avery’s sad tax story had a happy ending. “We amended his return and he
ended up with an additional $2400,” said Rodon. “And it didn’t cost him a thing!” After 35 years with the IRS,
Rodon retired in July of 2003 and became an AARP TaxAide in August of 2003. “I do it because I want to give back
to people in this community,” she said. “That’s what we’re here for – to help keep the money in the hands of the
taxpayers who need it so badly.” As for Avery, he says he has learned his lesson. “I was bamboozled,” he said.
“But I’ll be smart next year and I’ll know where to go to get my taxes done. The people at Real$ense really care.”
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 Volunteer SpotlightCaptain Mike McHugh, CLU, ChFC, Captain, U.S. Navy, Retired, spent thirty years in service to his country as a submarine officer. Then he had a nine year second career as Vice President and Marketing Manager for Navy Mutual Aid Association, a small Veteran’s Life Insurance Organization. As required by his position, he achieved the professional designations of Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) and Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) from the American College. Over the years, he provided hundreds of presentations on survivor benefits, life insurance, and personal financial management to military members and their families. >> more 
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