Starting next week, Liberty Tax in Picayune will begin accepting donations to help the local SPCA.

To entice residents to participate, the tax preparation business is offering $25 off this year’s tax services if customers will bring in one of several items to benefit the local animal shelter. 

Jenny West, Liberty Tax consultant and marketing coordinator, said this program will start on Feb. 1 and run until Feb. 15. In order to participate customers can bring in cleaning products, high efficiency detergent, paper towels, paper plates, toilet paper, cat toys, any type of cat litter and dry or wet cat or dog food. The shelter is also in need of new blankets and towels, West said.

Dog toys and rawhide bones will not be accepted as part of this program.

Any of these items will qualify the customer for $25 off their tax preparation services at Liberty Tax in Picayune, West said. 

Alternately customers can use the “refer a friend” program to have Liberty Tax donate $50 to the PRCSPCA. Liberty Tax Service Owner Trudi Barr said in order to participate in this program all a customer has to do is stop by the animal shelter during the same time period and pick up a refer a friend coupon. When customers bring that coupon into the business and pay full price for tax preparation, Liberty Tax will donate $50 to the shelter. Barr said the “refer a friend” program typically provides a $50 bill to an existing customer when they refer a new customer to the business. Barr felt that by modifying the program in this way, it would provide a great opportunity to help the local shelter.

“If we’re willing do that for people, why not turn it into a donation for them,” Barr said about the shelter.

Barr said the company has always had a refer a friend program, but this is the first time it is being used to benefit the local animal shelter. 

“The shelter needs a lot of help,” West said.

“It’s great the businesses in town want to partner with us so we can help the homeless pets in the community,” said Rhonda Furby, PRCSPCA director of community outreach.

Barr said the business has a couple of other events planned, including a food drive for a local food bank and an special offer to provide police officers and firefighters with reduced rate tax preparation services.