KRISTV.com
CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS | CONTINUOUS NEWS COVERAGE
Powered by
Local News
It's Your Money: Goodwill Industries of South Texas
Posted: Feb 1, 2013 4:43 PM by Jessica Holley - jholley@kristv.com
Updated: Feb 1, 2013 5:43 PM
CORPUS CHRISTI - We continue with our look into how the federal government is spending your tax money dollars. Last year, $750,000 tax dollars went to Goodwill Industries of South Texas.
In 2012 the Department of Defense paid almost three quarter of a million dollars to Goodwill Industries of South Texas to fund wages, supplies, and transportation for 13 contracted employees at Corpus Christi Army Depot. Those 13 employees are part of the federal AbilityOne program, which provides competitive jobs to people with disabilities. Those Goodwill employees jobs are key at CCAD.
Through our federal government's AbilityOne program, more than 40,000 Americans who are blind or with other disabilities have been provided the opportunity to work. And it's nonprofits like Goodwill Industries of South Texas that is creating those jobs. Using $750,000 of your tax dollars, Goodwill employs 13 workers out at CCAD.
"We typically pay the salaries if we had a government civilian here in place doing that particular job basically all we've done is taken a percentage of our jobs provided that work statement to Goodwill and they provide the labor for us," Curtis Titus, Division Chief for Administrative Support at CCAD.
Since 2006 goodwill has contracted employees to sort official Army mail coming in and out of the Depot. And over the years the number of mail room employees have increased to the now 10 working today.
"We are giving opportunities to those with disabilities that probably would have never got this type of job training or the opportunity to work in the job market," says Titus.
And it's jobs like building pallets, that play a vital role inside the world's largest helicopter repair facility at CCAD. Inside the warehouse thousands of these pallets are stacked 17 stories high, holding an assortment of helicopter parts.
"Even though it's just a pallet, it becomes a vital component of the mission here at CCAD because without those pallets we wouldn't be able to transport parts the way that we are supposed to," says Leonard Cantu, Support Branch Chief, CCAD.
The money from the contract between Goodwill and CCAD is paid for by the Department of Defense. And that 750-thousand dollars helps to open up more opportunities for people with disabilities.
"That money is going back and helping our community be more well rounded and taking care of the people that need opportunity not bringing in people from outside the community to fill positions," says Titus.
So instead of government civilians filling those positions, Goodwill is matching able people with disabilities to fill the same role.
Video On Demand
Submit News
Do you have a tip, information about a breaking news story, or a story idea for 6 Investigates? Contact the KRIS 6 News Desk at 361-884-6666 or send us an email.
Most Popular
KRISTV.COM is Social!
Click the icons above to receive News, Weather, and Sports alerts from KRISTV.COM!
Inside KRISTV.COM
 |
Photo Central Look at photos and videos and share them! |
 |
Desktop Weather Current forecast, hurricane info, and much more! |
 |
KRISTV.COM Mobile Website Get KRISTV.com on your mobile or PDA! |
 |
KRISTV.COM Mobile Apps Get our mobile apps on your mobile or PDA! |
 |
Texas Lottery See the latest winning numbers! |
 |
6 News Team Read about your favorite KRIS-TV personalities! |
 |
FCC Online Public File FCC Public File of Records, Reports, and more |
Comments