Salvation Army Tax Clinic Ensures Clients Don’t Miss Out on Benefits

For those facing financial challenges, accessing government benefits through annual tax filing can provide much-needed additional income.

While filing taxes may seem routine for some, the cost of professional help can be too high for others. For this reason, The Salvation Army in Lindsay, Ont., offers a free clinic throughout March and April, where volunteers trained by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) assist participants with completing their tax returns.

“We ask participants to come to us with their documents and they sit down with our volunteers to go through everything. It usually does not take more than half an hour to go through a pretty typical one year of tax filing,” says Lieutenant Jeremy Avery of The Salvation Army in Lindsay. “Our volunteers are great! They are gracious and patient.”

Growing Need

The clinic has become an important resource in the Kawartha Lakes region (which Lindsay is part of). In 2025, the city received 806 requests for financial stability support, an increase from the previous year, showing a growing need.

Michelle Corley, the human services manager for the City of Kawartha Lakes, highlights the benefits of filing taxes for residents dealing with financial insecurity.

“I think The Salvation Army plays an incredibly important role, because filing taxes is a gateway to so many different income supports,” Michelle explains. “Programs such as the Canada Child Benefit, GST/HST credits, the Ontario Trillium Benefit, are all tied directly to tax filing and for many of those low-income residents, those benefits can represent thousands of dollars each year that can help pay for things like rent, groceries, children’s needs or transportation.”

As part of her role, Michelle oversees local housing and homelessness programs. During intake assessments for financial assistance, her team regularly asks clients if they have filed their taxes.

She believes that sometimes, filing a return can help address immediate financial needs.

Removing Barriers

This is where The Salvation Army comes into play. For those who want to access benefits but don’t know how to, the tax clinic helps them overcome these barriers.

“I think programs like The Salvation Army’s tax clinic are a great example of how community partners can make a real difference in people’s lives,” Michelle says.

According to Lt. Avery, this program is particularly effective because it operates out of the same location as other services, such as the food bank.

“Many of the people who can benefit from the tax clinic already access other areas that we assist with, so we are already directly tapped into that need. We can connect those who are in a position of food insecurity with our tax program,” Lt. Avery adds.

Looking Ahead

Currently, The Salvation Army is the only organization offering a free tax clinic in the Kawartha Lakes region. As demand grows every year, Lt. Avery says they are always looking for additional volunteers to help support the service.

The Salvation Army’s tax clinic serves individuals earning up to $40,000, or $55,000 for couples.

By Juan Romero