The City of Chicago says it’s offering free tax preparation help for eligible individuals at several sites throughout the city.

City officials also urge eligible residents to apply for the federal Earned Income Tax Credit. The idea is to help those who are struggling in the recession.

The Earned Income Tax Credit gives refunds up to about $5,600 to low-income working families. The cutoff income for the credit is just above $48,000 for families and for individuals it’s around $18,400.

Chicago has offered free tax preparations help for more than 10 years. Families who earned up to $50,000 last year and individuals who made up to $25,000 can get the help.

Last year the preparation sites returned more than $35 million to over 22,000 Chicago residents.