[TrudyM]

Originally Posted by Pegamyheart

. Additionally, it was reported that disabled employees' wages were substantially below minimum wage through a special waiver. Does anyone have more information about any of this? I want to make sure I donate my things only to charitable organizations. Please help.

quote from wikipedia---Goodwill Industries International Inc. is an American nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that provides job training, employment placement services, and other community-based programs for people who have disabilities. In addition, Goodwill Industries may hire veterans, individuals that lack education or job experience, or face employment challenges. Goodwill is funded by a massive network of retail thrift stores which operate as nonprofits as well. Goodwill's answer to its profit status is "As a unique hybrid called a social enterprise, we defy traditional distinctions. Instead of a single bottom line of profit, we hold ourselves accountable to a triple bottom line of people, planet, and performance."

A lot of the people that work at Goodwill are part of their job training and therefore may receive very little wages.
An example is the one that was in Fort Myers when I lived there in 1973 took old donated furniture that had a good frame and taught unemployed people how to refurbish and recover them. The result was they had a lot of vinyal covered furniture that all matched and people who had learned a trade. When I was first out of college my first apartment was full of the stuff.