Contact: Jacob V. Stuart, President, Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce - Tel. 407.835.2517
Maria Urbino, Director, ExtraCredit Community Campaign – Tel. 407.835.2442 - Cell 407.765.7948

2006 ExtraCredit Community Campaign Launch
for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)

ORLANDO, FL (January 12, 2006) – The Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce and the ExtraCredit Campaign Coalition will launch The 2006 ExtraCredit – Earned Income Tax Credit Community Campaign, on Thursday, January 12, 2006, at 2:00 p.m., at Ana G. Mendez University in Terracota Business Park, on 5601 South Semoran Boulevard, Orlando, FL 32822.

Since 1975, the EITC has lifted more than 22 million working people out of poverty, more than any other federal aid program. One in four people qualify for this refundable income tax credit (EITC) and more than $15 million in EITC refunds have not been claimed in Orange County.

The ExtraCredit - Earned Income Tax Credit Community Campaign is a business led initiative sponsored by the Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce and funded by the Edyth Bush Foundation, the City of Orlando and Orange County Government. “Last year, our ExtraCredit Campaign became a national model for educating Central Florida Businesses and our community about EITC. Our goal for 2006 is to continue to ‘get the word out’ because this campaign is a ‘win’ for employers, employees, and our community,” says Jacob V. Stuart, President of the Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce.

The ExtraCredit Coalition also promotes 25 VITA Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Sites in Orange County where recipients who qualify can get help with their taxes. We are very proud to be a lead funder for the ExtraCredit Community Campaign and see that this year the Campaign is targeting the Hispanic and the Faith communities with special outreach. ExtraCredit is helping to build a strong and diverse Orange County,” says Rich Crotty, Mayor of Orange County.

The 2006 ExtraCredit Campaign is now offering telephone information services through a unique partnership with 211 Community Resources by dialing 2-1-1 or 407.839.HELP (4357). “ ExtraCredit is successful because it is the only EITC Prosperity Campaign in the nation that is led by business and a coalition of partners. The 211 - ExtraCredit partnership demonstrates that business and community partners working together is a key ingredient for prospering our community,” says Buddy Dyer, Mayor of Orlando.

“We want to thank Jacob Stuart, President of the Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce and the ExtraCredit Coalition partners and volunteers, because of your leadership and support, the ExtraCredit Community Campaign has become a national model. We also want to thank Ana G. Mendez University and Dr. Mendez for hosting our 2006 ExtraCredit Campaign launch and opening a premiere Hispanic VITA Site at the first Bilingual University Campus in the U.S. mainland,” says David Odahowski, President of the Edyth Bush Charitable Foundation, Inc.

Visit: www.orlando.org to find out more about ExtraCredit, a Tax Credit for Working Families.

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