Celebrating a Season of Service at the Tacos & Taxes Appreciation Lunch
June 1, 2026
On Tuesday, May 19, Golden State Opportunity gathered lawmakers, staff, and community partners in Sacramento for our annual Tacos & Taxes Appreciation Lunch celebrating the partnerships that turn policy into real impact in communities across California. Together, legislators and local organizations helped bring state investments like the California Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC) directly into neighborhoods through events offering free tax preparation, free tacos, trusted community resources, and most importantly, a powerful opportunity for families to put money back in their pockets.
Together, legislators, local organizations, volunteers, and outreach teams helped turn this year’s Tacos & Taxes season into one of our biggest yet. Through collaboration with lawmakers and trusted community partners, GSO hosted 27 events statewide connecting thousands of working families and individuals to free tax filing services, valuable tax credits, and local resources.
This season alone, more than 2,500 federal and state tax returns were filed through Tacos & Taxes events, with many locations serving between 70 and 250 people in a single day. But the impact stretched far beyond a single event series. Together with our statewide network of grantees and community partners, Golden State Opportunity helped Californians file more than 58,000 tax returns and secure over $48 million in refunds and credits.
That’s millions of dollars going back into household budgets for rent, groceries, childcare, transportation, savings, and long-term financial stability.
Tacos & Taxes continues to be a cornerstone of GSO’s outreach and education efforts around the California Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC) and other refundable tax credits — helping ensure Californians receive the money they’ve earned while building stronger connections to community services and support.
“Every refund represents a family with a little more breathing room — money for groceries, rent, childcare, or savings,” said Amy Everitt, President of GSO. “What makes Tacos & Taxes special is that it brings government, community organizations, and neighbors together in a way that feels welcoming, joyful, and impactful. These partnerships are helping thousands of Californians access resources they deserve.”
Awards
Asm. Patrick Ahrens
The “A”-Team Award
Sen. Jesse ArreguĂn
King of Collaboration Award
Asm. Dr. Jasmeet Bains
The Stellar Staff Award
Asm. Steve Bennett
The Trusted Support Award
Asm. Isaac Bryan
The Refunds & Rave Reviews Award
Sen. Christopher Cabaldon
The Turkey & Taxpayer Champion Award
Asm. Juan Carillo
The New Frontier Award
Asm. Leticia Castillo
The VITA Trailblazer Award
Sen. Maria Elena Durazo
The Momentum Builder Award
Asm. Mike Fong
The Bridge Builder Award
Asm. Jesse Gabriel
The “First Bite” Partnership Award
Asm. Mike Gipson
The Taco ‘Bout Synergy Award
Asm. Jeff Gonzalez
The “It Takes a Village” Award
Sen. Lena A. Gonzalez
The Power of Partnership Award
Asm. Mark González
The “Power of ‘We’ Award”
Asm. Gregg Hart
The Spec-Taco-Lar Outreach Award
Sen. Monique LimĂłn
The Extra-Helping Award
Sen. Jerry McNerney
The Media MVP Award
Sen. Caroline Menjivar
The Cultural Innovator Award
Asm. Stephanie Nguyen
The Spec-Taco-Lar Community Engagement Award
Asm. Diane Papan
The Listening Matters Award
Asm. James C. Ramos
The Most “Resource”-ful Award
Sen. Eloise GĂłmez Reyes
The Consistency Award
Sen. Laura Richardson
The Spirit of Collaboration Award
Speaker Robert Rivas
The Library of Opportunity Award
Asm. Michelle Rodriguez
The Momentum Award
Asm. Pilar Schiavo
The “People Showed Up for Pilar” Award
Sen. Aisha Wahab
The Inspiring Initiative Award
Sen. Scott Wiener
The Genuine Article Award