Dear Friends,

It's tax time! And this year's unprecedented 100-city Real Economic Impact Tour kicked off January 19, in Great Falls, MT. Great Falls is a brand-new city on the tour and our first Montana member-city... welcome Great Falls!

In our collective quest to promote awareness about taxpayers with disabilities, area members from the IRS, Rural Dynamics Inc., disability groups, and volunteers from Tax Help Montana met at the Great Falls Library, as reported by local television outlet KRTV (thanks KRTV!).

"This is a population that may not have a filing requirement, but the average return back is about $187 if they come in and they qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit." Said Rural Dynamics Asset Development Director, Karen Heisler.

In addition, Ms. Heisler, along with L'Tanya Brooks (Acting Area 4 Director, IRS SPEC), and Terry Donohoue (Denver Territory Manager, IRS SPEC), starred in our debut "Best Practices From the Field" vlog, produced by REI Tour National Program Director Michael Roush.

To find out more about the National Disability Institute's 2010 REI Tour stops in your city or how you can get involved in similar workgroup meetings within your community which bring disability and asset building partners together, click here.

Johnette Hartnett, Julie Garcia, Michelle Gilliard, Lee Davenport, Laura Scherler at the MyFreeTaxes.com kick-off event

Also of note, the REI Tour has again partnered with Walmart, One Economy & the United Way to bring you MyFreeTaxes.com. Free. Easy. Tax filing online. To help get the word out, a special MyFreeTaxes.com Van will be touring the country with the goal of demystify tax filing fears by teaching taxpayers how to file their own taxes. Find out more here.

Most importantly, remember: tax knowledge is freedom. We're so very proud to be working with all of you and we look forward to seeing you on the tour!

--- The National Disability Institute's Real Economic Impact Tour Team