Given Boston's new status as a "majority minority" city, the Coalition is increasing its efforts to reach out effectively to new immigrants. The EITC Campaign's Ambassador Program was created in 2005 to address the significant number of eligible immigrants who were not utilizing the full potential of the EITC. Eight community leaders act as "Ambassadors" for the EITC Campaign by doing outreach to Boston's new immigrant communities. Each Ambassador is fluent in English and one of seven languages: Hatian Creole, Portuguese, Somali, Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese, and Cape Verdian Creole. Ambassadors receive training in basic and wage tax law, tax preparation, and community organizing.

Ambassadors are involved at all levels of the EITC Campaign: they build new partnerships with immigrant leaders and organizations; they build leadership within their communities; they inform taxpayers about the EITC and free tax preparation at sites, ESOL classes, places of worship and community events; they recruit bilingual volunteers; and they provide site support at our tax sites. Perhaps most importantly, Ambassadors are mobilizing a base of tax and immigrant advocates, thereby helping Boston build a stronger immigrant coalition. For more information regarding the program, or to get involved, contact Maria Cabrera, Ambassador Program Coordinator, at mcabrera@mos.org, or call 617.918.5324.