In my words…
"By 2004, I was a seasoned TAP volunteer, along with about eleven of my PrivateBank and Trust co-workers. As financial service providers, volunteering with TAP is a natural fit because it enables us to use our expertise to make a difference for people. Word of our positive experience with and enthusiasm for TAP quickly spread around the office. Each week, TAP tracked PrivateBank and Trust's contribution to the community; with these numbers we were able to demonstrate to our fellow co-workers that their specialized skills could directly impact lives. By tax season 2005, our hype and enthusiasm for TAP produced an overwhelmingly positive response-PrivateBank and Trust exceeded its goal of 25 volunteers by recruiting a tremendous 47 volunteers to lend their skills and time to assist hundreds of hardworking Chicago families."

TAP in action…
In addition to providing an important service for our low-income clients, the Tax Assistance Program offers tangible benefits to employees and companies. The structure of our Saturday sessions is conducive to team building, and the shared volunteer experience improves employee morale. Direct interaction with clients allows participants to enhance their customer relations and problems solving skills, while leadership opportunities are also available. According to a recent survey, corporate leaders also believe that employee participation in volunteer programs significantly increases the overall competitiveness of their firms in three areas: * 94% said that volunteerism improved the public image of their firms. * 93% said that volunteerism built employee teamwork. * 74% said that volunteerism improved employee productivity.

Real Results...
Each TAP volunteer helps clients obtain measurable and sizable tax refunds-refunds often amounting to as much as one-quarter to one-third of their total annual income. In just one Saturday, a typical volunteer serves five families and returns $6,500. Over the entire 2005 season, PrivateBank and Trust's 47 volunteers served 322 families, and made an economic impact of $694,363!