Fiscal cliff could affect charities

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Talk of the fiscal cliff has many in the charity world worried. Some of the proposals threatened tax write-offs and even jobs for many of those charity workers.

Several government investments were on the table as lawmakers mulled over different proposals. Goodwill Industries said these were some of the possibilities.

• Limiting or capping the charitable tax deduction.
• Cutting non-defense discretionary funding, including the resources that support job training, employment services and other supports that help people to find work and advance in careers.
• Reducing funding available for federal contracts, including the AbilityOne Program, the largest source of employment opportunities for people who are blind or have significant disabilities.

Such scenarios might mean a very different end of the year in the future.

• Related: House won't on 'cliff' deal until Tuesday

"This is our busiest time of the year," Geneva Culpepper, store manager at the Goodwill location off U.S. 183 and Research Blvd. in Austin. "This is what generates our revenue, support our mission and keep us all employed."

The last three days of December draw donors to Goodwill sites across Central Texas - people like Sonny Gonzales looking to unload a few things.

"I'm hoping somebody can find use out of the items we no longer need,” said Gonzales. “We're trying to clean up our office, and we had a few things we needed to get rid of."

Those drop-offs will eventually go to people looking for more affordable merchandise.

"Anything from knick knacks, furniture, clothes - clothes mostly," said Donnell Walker, retail supervisor. "It feels like everybody wants to come in at one time."

The end-of-the-year deadline is for tax deductions. The more you give here, the less you have to give the government. That means more staff at this time of year.

"Four guys normally,” said Culpepper. “We'll probably increase it to where there's 10 to 15 people working at our donation door."

That rush presents an opportunity many of these workers might not normally have. Some have criminal backgrounds, some live with disabilities, and some just “can't get jobs other places,”

“Goodwill will give them a job,” said Culpepper.

Goodwill helps 10,000 Central Texans find jobs each year. They receive around 2,000 donations a day. If you want to donate, there are more than 45 drop-off locations throughout the area.