An Inspirational Legacy: Miriam P. Raines

Supporting and uplifting the women of Charlotte County was Miriam P. Raines wish for her legacy when she established it with Gulf Coast Community Foundation. Through the Miriam P. Raines Charitable fund, she does just that.

Every dollar counts for a family of seven. Filing taxes on your own can be difficult and often too costly, especially for women and families struggling to make ends meet. For these families living at or below the poverty level, the cost of traditional tax filing often prevents them from receiving a possibly life-changing Earned Income Tax Credit. 

Last year, United Way of Charlotte County (UWCC) received support from the Miriam P. Raines Charitable Fund to provide Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed (ALICE) women and mothers the opportunity to increase their financial security. Partnering with Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, or VITA, United Way of Charlotte County was able to provide women with free tax preparation to increase Earned Income Tax Credits which are designed to assist low-income, working families with children, to realize their full tax credit. UWCC used the Family Services Center as a tax preparation site for its VITA program in 2022 and had great success. This partnership brought 31 volunteers and over 2,500 hours of their time to service the women of Charlotte County.

We learned the story of a mother of seven in Charlotte County. She could not afford the cost of traditional tax preparation. Through this partnership, she was able to have her taxes prepared at no cost to her, and through utilizing the child tax credits found with VITA, she learned that she would be receiving a refund of over $22,000. In that moment, a family of seven’s lives were changed, and Miriam’s legacy was shining through.  

“We are grateful to UWCC and Miriam P. Raines for making it possible for qualifying women across Charlotte County to have access to free tax preparation. The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) can provide immediate stabilization for families raising children, struggling to make ends meet. Thank you to UWCC for bringing this support to parents who not be aware of the opportunity,” shared Jennifer Johnston, Director of Community Leadership with Gulf Coast Community Foundation.

“We aim to save our residents money through the elimination of any tax preparation fees that they might have to pay elsewhere. And we aim to put more money back into their pockets by having IRS-certified tax preparers ensure each client receives all credits and deductions he or she qualifies for. This year, our clients got back 114% more dollars in Earned Income Tax Credits alone,” said Angie Matthiessen, Executive Director of United Way Charlotte County. The total Earned Income Tax Credit dollars across all Charlotte County VITA sites was $91,904 in 2021, compared to $196,653 in 2022. “That is money they can now use for groceries, gasoline and more.”

Partnering with organizations like United Way of Charlotte County, and receiving the trust of generous, community-loving philanthropists like Miriam Raines, brings Gulf Coast closer to our vision: thriving communities with opportunities for all.