Immigrant entrepreneurs are helping fuel St. Louis’ economy. They are refreshing previously neglected inner-city neighborhoods and contributing to our community’s tax base. We help them with technical assistance, loan funds, and interpretation and translation.

Small Business Center
Income Tax Assistance
Individual Development Accounts (IDA)
Locate Immigrant Businesses

Income Tax Assistance

We provide income tax assistance without charge for immigrants. Working with trained tax volunteers, we offer interpretation and translation assistance as needed. More than 90% of our income tax returns are electronically filed to guarantee a fast refund. Annually, services are offered throughout the tax season. Dates: February - April

Registration: All tax assistance is provided on a first-come, first-served basis, by appointment only.

Our goal is to provide fast, high quality, free tax assistance to low to moderate income immigrant families. Low income Americans living in the neighborhood surrounding the Institute’s facility on S. Grand Blvd. are also welcome. Annual tax refunds bring hundreds of thousands of dollars of additional buying power to St. Louis.

Who is eligible? Immigrant filers.

Services are FREE! They are underwritten by a variety of private and public sources.

What our participants say:

“I saved money. I can pay my bills and maybe keep a little for later. The company down the street wanted me to pay $200 to do my taxes. Why would I do that?” (Participant from Nigeria)

We help immigrants and refugees get a firmer financial footing in America by helping them open a matched savings account. Proceeds from the account can be used to purchase a first home, buy an automobile, enroll in post-secondary education, or open a small business. In addition to helping qualified participants acquire such assets by matching their savings, we provide financial literacy and asset-specific training and related services. We provide one-on-one technical assistance to develop a savings plan, overcome challenges with credit or the ability to meet monthly savings goals, enhance the development of personal financial management skills, and problem-solve in emergency situations.

Hours: Monday – Friday, 9 am – 5 pm. And by appointment

Our goal is to help low income immigrants and refugees move out of poverty by helping them acquire assets which will appreciate and serve as wealth-builders. In the past nine years, our clients have successfully saved to achieve more than $25 million in loans leveraged through savings and purchase of assets. Housing purchases are stabilizing neighborhoods, business start-ups are creating a strong tax base for the St. Louis region, and immigrant families are building personal wealth.

Who is eligible? IDA participants must be currently employed, work-authorized immigrants and be at least 16 years old. There are strict maximum income and asset guidelines for program eligibility as well.

Services are FREE! They are underwritten by a variety of private and public sources.

What our clients say:

“The IDA program helped me feel part of the United States. I learned things that I will use the rest of my life and that will help me have a better life.” (Client from Afghanistan)

Contact Information
Julie Mauchenheimer (mauchenheimerj@iistl.org) ext. 135 
speaks: Bahasa Inonesian

Niloufar Safariyeganeh (safariyeganehn@iistl.org) ext. 140 
speaks: Farsi/Dari, Russian, and Turkish

Jasmina Jakupovic (jakupovisj@iistl.org) ext. 146 
speaks: Bosnian (Croatian, Serbian) and German

Mohamed Amin Mohamed (mohamedm@iistl.org) ext. 136 
speaks: Somali

Nha Nguyen (nguyenn@iistl.org) ext. 132 
speaks: Vietnamese

Erica Fendler (fendlere@iistl.org) ext. 133