Advocacy Archives

By: Justin Taylor, Stakeholder Engagement Manager at Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont

At Goodwill, we approach our work with three core values in mind: be bold, listen actively, and build a village. Community partnerships are crucial for us to create pathways for individuals to achieve their goals and improve their lives.

Second Chance Month serves as a powerful reminder of the barriers faced by individuals impacted by the justice system—and the incredible opportunities that second chances can provide. Each April, we recognize the challenges of reentry and reaffirm our commitment to fostering equitable opportunities for success, which is why we partner with the Center for Community Transitions (CCT).

CCT aims to strengthen our community by helping justice-impacted individuals find healthier and more productive ways of living. The Center’s flagship program, LifeWorks!, is designed to support individuals in obtaining and retaining employment.

Together with CCT, Goodwill is committed to helping its participants break down barriers and overcome obstacles. We recognize that it takes a village to achieve this. The collaborative environment at the Goodwill Opportunity Center allows both organizations, along with other partners, to ensure that everyone who walks through the doors has access to wrap-around services tailored to their individual needs.

“We believe in creating pathways for individuals to achieve their goals and improve their lives. Our partnership with the Center for Community Transitions exemplifies this commitment,” said Carola Cardenas, Director of Workforce Partnerships and Outreach for Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont. “Together, we provide essential support and resources to help justice-impacted individuals find healthier and more productive ways of living. This collaboration not only strengthens our community but also empowers individuals to pursue their passions and build a brighter future for themselves and their families.”

The community plays an integral role in supporting second chances for formerly incarcerated individuals by staying open-minded, limiting biases, and fostering inclusive environments. Employers can also support second chance initiatives by reviewing and expanding their second chance hiring policies. Companies that are already second-chance employers should success stories to raise awareness.

“We are all interconnected, each a unique part of humanity. Take your time before judging others, as everyone makes mistakes. Remember, any of us could easily find ourselves in someone else’s situation with just one decision,” said Sherina Richard, Program Director of LifeWorks! at the Center for Community Transitions.

Richard also encourages individuals and organizations to join the Center and its staff when they attend Second Chance Advocacy Day. “It is a time for all who believe in second chances to come together to speak to our lawmakers and lobby for second chance rights. This year, Advocacy Day will be held on May 6, 2025, in Raleigh, NC,” she said.

Goodwill’s partnership with CCT is a testament to the transformative power of collective action. As we celebrate Second Chance Month, we honor the important work being done to support justice-impacted individuals across our community. To learn more about CCT, visit www.centerforcommunitytransitions.org.

At Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont, Second Chance Month serves as a powerful reminder of the barriers faced by individuals impacted by the justice system—and the incredible opportunities that second chances can provide. Each April, we recognize the challenges of reentry and reaffirm our commitment to fostering equitable opportunities for success, like we did for Mark.

Before Mark began working at Goodwill in 2016, he was looking for a chance to start a career, but his road to stability was far from easy.

“I moved from California in 2008. But before that, I had been in prison for 12 years,” Mark shared. “Coming here was a fresh start. But when [companies] saw my record, nobody wanted to give me a fresh start.”

The overwhelming majority of incarcerated individuals face similar obstacles upon their return to society. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, 650,000 people are released from federal and state prisons annually, confronting significant challenges to employment, housing, education and community reintegration.

Mark owned a cleaning company, but inconsistent income led him to Goodwill for help with his job search. What started as a visit for resume assistance quickly turned into a career journey.

“I went to Goodwill for resume help, but then I started working in the stores,” he said. “The store manager told me the first day, ‘You should be in management.’ Six months to a year later, she promoted me to Shift Manager and then Assistant Manager.”

For Mark, Goodwill provided much-needed stability after years of setbacks.

“It helped me mentally and financially, because mentally, I was beaten up. Everybody was telling me no. In the eight years that I’ve been here, I’ve barely missed a day. Goodwill saw my record, and they still gave me a chance. So, I’m going to make good on the chance they took with me.”

Goodwill actively seeks to advance policy solutions that support justice-impacted individuals. Through fair-chance hiring practices, community-based support, and partnerships with organizations focused on holistic reentry programs proven to reduce recidivism, strengthen families, and create safer communities, we strive to provide people like Mark with a pathway toward success.

“Each year we partner with area reentry experts to determine best practices,” said Chip Bryan, Director of Talent Acquisition for Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont. “As a result, we are able to offer more second chances to justice-involved individuals, helping them get a new lease on life and prevent recidivism, thus continuing to strengthen our community.”

Goodwill’s mission is to build pathways that help individuals pursue the lives they want to achieve. As a proud second-chance employer, we remain steadfast in creating equitable access to career opportunities for all.

Mark’s journey through Goodwill exemplifies this mission—and he takes pride in sharing his story with others.

“[Goodwill] can help you get where you want to be, or at least take that first step,” he stated. “When I’m cashiering and a customer asks what rounding up at the register goes to, I get the opportunity to explain to them that I came through the program that you’re donating to. So, it makes an impact.”

Throughout his journey, Mark has formed meaningful connections that have inspired him along the way.

“I’ve met a lot of good people through Goodwill,” he said. “I enjoy the people I work with; we’re like a big family. Most of us have been working together since I started, and some of them [worked here] before me. I was their peer and now I’m their manager, but they respect that, and I appreciate it. Everybody here has been so helpful. It made me believe in the Goodwill experience.”

Mark’s story is a testament to the transformative power of second chances. As we celebrate Second Chances Month, we honor his perseverance and the important work being done to support justice-impacted individuals across our community.

Overview

The “Great Resignation” of 2021 brought public awareness to the challenges that employees and employers face when it comes to workforce retention in the modern world. One cause of workforce turnover is when low-wage employees face a benefits cliff. A benefits cliff occurs when “an increase in someone’s pay triggers a greater loss in public assistance” (Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont, n.d.). Often, pay raises are not sufficient to make up for this loss and families are left without the means necessary for their basic needs like housing, food, and childcare.

Fear of losing public benefits (such as subsidized childcare or income-based housing) can trigger a resignation or keep individuals from accepting more work hours, pay raises, or promotions (Roll, 2018; Ruder & Terry, 2024).

In response to the benefits cliffs issue, the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta designed the CLIFF tools (Atlanta Fed, n.d.-b; Ruder & Terry, 2024). CLIFF stands for Career Ladder Identifier and Financial Forecaster. The tools provide useful information to low-wage earners and those facing benefits cliffs so that they can make informed financial and career decisions.

The Benefit Cliff Employer Pilot program (the Pilot program) was developed in response to the growing awareness among employers of the detrimental effects of the benefits cliff for low-wage earners, their families, and employers themselves. The Pilot program examines the financial implications of wage increases and seeks innovative solutions to lessen the impact of the benefits cliff on economic growth and mobility for lower-wage earners. The Pilot took place between 2023 and 2024 across four employer sites: Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont (GISP), Goodwill of North Georgia (GNG), Atrium Health (Atrium), and the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta (Atlanta Federal Reserve). Participating employers developed activities to implement the CLIFF tools among employees and job seekers. Three sites conducted one-on-one CLIFF coaching sessions with employers and job seekers. These sessions utilized the CLIFF tools most applicable to participants and provided information and resources to lessen the impacts of the benefits cliff. All Pilot sites used the CLIFF tools developed by the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta to guide counseling and education efforts.

The UNC Charlotte Urban Institute conducted a program evaluation to document the pilot activities and outcomes among the four employer sites. The evaluation also highlights the benefit-cliff experience and areas where employers can provide support. The key findings and recommendations from the evaluation are shared below.

Findings

A total of 172 employees and job seekers participated in at least one CLIFF coaching session as part of the Pilot. Most were female without dependents and employed full-time. Participants’ incomes were below the Living Income Standard (NC Budget & Tax Center) (median income was $33,397).

Around 40% of employees and job seekers had personally experienced the benefits cliff due to annual pay raises, promotions, or employment changes. The benefits most commonly impacted were SNAP/WIC (i.e., food stamps), rental assistance (e.g., housing choice vouchers, income-based public housing), earned income tax credits (EITC), and healthcare assistance (e.g., Medicaid, subsidies).
Despite losing public assistance benefits and gaining higher expenses, most participants would still accept a promotion or raise. Participants valued self-sufficiency and income over public assistance.
Certain lower-wage workers are falling through the cracks. The evaluation found that most Pilot participants have incomes that are lower than what they need to meet basic needs yet are often just above the limits to qualify for public assistance programs. In the Pilot, those most often in this circumstance were full-time employees. This implies that benefits cliff interventions are most critical when low-wage employees are considering a pay raise, promotion, or increase in hours.

What support did participants receive from the Pilot?

Employed and unemployed participants came to CLIFF coaching sessions with different needs. Most unemployed and low-wage earners were interested in learning about employment opportunities or career changes that would improve their income. In contrast, employees who had recently received a pay raise or knew they would receive a raise soon came to the sessions to better understand how increased income would impact their public assistance benefits and review a long-term financial trajectory.
CLIFF coaching sessions provided a menu of resources to meet these needs. Ninety percent of participants had a plan or next step at the end of their CLIFF coaching session. Services provided at coaching sessions included financial budgeting, learning about eligible public assistance programs, improved financial literacy and planning, and exploring career opportunities.
Housing and health insurance are areas where support is most needed for participants experiencing increased income.

Recommendations for Implementing the CLIFF Program in the Workplace

The pilot program evaluation highlights strategies that employers can use to implement the CLIFF tools in the workplace. Some key strategies include:

Invest in ample training. Training facilitators (i.e. coaches) is important to guarantee efficient use of the CLIFF tools. Employers should ensure that facilitators who will be using the tools with employees are well trained and informed, not only on the CLIFF tools and outputs but also on community resources and ethics (informed consent, confidentiality).
Establish trust with employees first. To do so, consider implementing programs internally where relationships already exist. It is also important for coaches to share the benefits and to be transparent about how personal information is being used and protected before asking personal questions.
Provide a self-assessment alternative with optional assistance. This option allows maximum flexibility and confidentiality for employees who are uncomfortable disclosing their personal information to a coach.
Understand employee needs and goals to know which tool is right. Atlanta Fed provides a suite of CLIFF tools. Employers should use their established relationships with employees to first discuss employees’ needs and goals and then use this information to decide which CLIFF tool(s) are most appropriate and useful for the employee, department, or organization as a whole.
Use the tools when they are most needed. There are certain situations when employees may be more vulnerable to, or most impacted by, the benefits cliff. These include when a person changes jobs, when a child ages out of benefits, and when an employee gets a raise.

Additional Opportunities for Employers

Beyond the CLIFF Tool, employers can take other actions to eliminate the benefits cliff problem among their workforces. Examples include aligning wages with the Living Income Standard (NC Budget & Tax Center), allowing flexible working times and spaces, providing advance pay for emergencies, and advocating for policies that would mitigate the impact of benefits cliffs on workers. For a list of other alternatives for employer, visit benefitscliffcommunitylab.org.

Get More Information

Read the full evaluation at this link.

At Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont, we deeply value Black History Month as a time to celebrate and honor the significant contributions of Black Americans. This Black History Month, we stand with many others in recognizing the past, present and future achievements of Black Americans. Their contributions have been instrumental in shaping America into what it is today.

We also honor the vital role Black Americans play in the workforce. Their diverse perspectives, talents, and leadership are essential to driving innovation and growth. Recognizing and supporting Black Americans in the workforce is crucial for fostering a more inclusive and dynamic work environment, which ultimately strengthens workforce development.

Goodwill remains unwavering in its commitment to ensuring that everyone and everything matters. We are dedicated to serving all people with excellence.

Stay tuned throughout the month as we highlight the achievements of team members, program participants, and community partners who inspire us every day.

Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont is excited to announce that the Goodwill Opportunity Campus, located at 5301 Wilkinson Boulevard, is serving as an early voting site this election season. This marks the first time that Goodwill will play this role in expanding voting access for the West Charlotte community, helping strengthen civic engagement in the area.

EXPANDING ACCESS TO VOTING

In partnership with the Mecklenburg County Board of Elections, the Goodwill Opportunity Campus will provide a convenient location for residents to cast their votes. Early voting begins on Thursday, October 17 and runs through Saturday, November 2, offering a wide window for voters to make their voices heard.

EARLY VOTING HOURS:

The early voting site at the Goodwill Opportunity Campus will be open during the following hours from October 17 – November 2:

Monday – Friday: 8:00 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Saturday: 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Sunday: 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

The goal is to provide flexibility for voters who may have varying schedules, ensuring as many community members as possible can take advantage of early voting.

WHY THIS MATTERS

Opening the Goodwill Opportunity Campus as an early voting site is part of Goodwill’s broader mission to serve the community beyond our well-known job training and employment services. By making voting more accessible to West Charlotte residents, Goodwill is helping foster a more engaged and informed community. It’s one more way Goodwill supports the area’s growth and well-being.

For more information on how to participate in early voting, visit the Mecklenburg County Board of Elections website.

Black Philanthropy Month (BPM), established in 2011 by Dr. Jacqueline Copeland-Carson of Pan-African Women’s Philanthropy Network with recognition by the United Nations, is celebrated globally every August to elevate African-descent giving and funding equity. Since its founding, millions of people and organizations across the globe have celebrated every August as a month of celebration and renewal of giving to and by African-descent communities.

At Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont, it’s our mission to build pathways that help people pursue the life they want to achieve. Success isn’t achieved alone, which is why we encourage partnership and collaboration to help our team and the people we serve in achieving their goals. As a nonprofit, we rely on donations and shopping at our retail stores to fund our mission, in addition to corporate and philanthropic donations. 

Nick and Regina Wharton, longtime donors of Goodwill, share why giving is important and why they choose to support Goodwill.

Q: Why is it important to give?

Regina: “Giving helps to put you at the center of what community stands for — no one makes it on their own.  As my mother would often say, no matter how much you think you have somebody has more. And no matter how little you think you have somebody has less. Keep life in perspective and give what you can to our community to make a difference.” 

Nick: “I believe in strategic partnerships based on authentic collaboration with organizations doing extraordinary work in the community.”

Q: Why is it important to give to Goodwill?

Regina: “Simply stated Goodwill does good work! I was honored to serve on the board for Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont, so I gained a lot of knowledge about Goodwill and the difference the organization makes in our community.  It also meant a lot for us to honor my father who worked in the trades as an elevator repair person and business owner.  It’s a reminder that we come from a family that has benefited from what Goodwill stands for.”

Nick: “I think it’s so important that those who have give to organizations that are making a difference. A lot of organizations are involved in the movement to change the economic trajectory of the city. Goodwill is among the organizations making an extraordinary impact on jobs in the city.”

Q: How important is it to be leaders as Black philanthropists?

Regina: “To whom much is given, much is required!  We have been blessed to be a blessing to others.  We give as much as we can, and we have raised responsible adults that also give. Knowing we have been a role model for them matters to us. Give what you can and collectively it makes a difference.”

Q: Where does your sense of community come from?

Nick: “My mother raised three sons in a tough working-class community in Jamaica, Queens, NYC. I benefitted from rich community support systems that nurtured my growth and development. My entire career as a nonprofit executive and in the corporate arena has been providing economic opportunities to those left behind. These experiences have hard wired a desire to see people change their lives in communities that embrace and nurture change.

Q: How can someone’s involvement help others in the community?

Regina: “Involvement is all about building awareness!  A lot of times you don’t know what’s going on behind the scenes unless you get involved. Once you get involved you will find out the many ways you can make a difference with your time and treasure.  I take every opportunity I can to mention the Goodwill Opportunity Campus — where it’s located, the good work that’s happening with programs & services, and what’s behind the retail stores!”  

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If you would like to help fund Goodwill’s programs and services that we offer to the community free of charge, consider dropping off your gently used donations at one of our locations or making a financial contribution.

Nick and Regina Wharton, longtime donors of Goodwill, share why giving is important and why they choose to support Goodwill.

Q: Why is it important to give?

Nick: “I believe in strategic partnerships based on authentic collaboration with organizations doing extraordinary work in the community.”

Q: Why is it important to give to Goodwill?

Q: How important is it to be leaders as Black philanthropists?

Q: Where does your sense of community come from?

Q: How can someone’s involvement help others in the community?

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Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont (GISP) is announcing its participation in the newly formed “Beyond the Cliff” Coalition. This Coalition is a first-of-its-kind national collaborative of nonprofits, state and local governments, and collaborative stakeholders focused on helping families achieve economic prosperity and specifically eliminating the benefits cliff. The benefits cliff describes the experience that millions of low-income families face when they increase earnings only to face an abrupt loss in public assistance which leaves them worse off financially.

While GISP is a leading workforce development nonprofit and works hard to create access to promising careers for individuals, the organization is aware of the challenges many team members face, and is working to address those obstacles for its team and community through an effort called the Benefits Cliff Community Lab.

GISP already leads a regional coalition of organizations advocating for policies that address benefits cliffs and aid workers in career progression and businesses in hiring and retaining talent. The coalition aims to change the narrative and provide solutions for individuals and families seeking prosperity. They also provide employers with resources on evidence-based practices, programs, and policies designed to mitigate the impact of the benefits cliff and drive upward economic mobility.

“Goodwill is committed to building pathways that help people pursue the life they want to achieve, and that includes our own team members. As we continue to increase wages for our team members, we are committed to finding solutions to address the impact of benefits cliffs and remove as many obstacles as possible so they can prosper and thrive,” said Chris Jackson, President & CEO, Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont.

Recently, GISP, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, Freedom Communities and Atrium Health presented to the Joint Legislative Economic Development and Global Engagement Committee at the North Carolina General Assembly about addressing the benefits cliff. Together they shared about the importance of addressing the benefits cliffs and the positive impact it can have for North Carolina workers and their families – and for businesses. They proposed the committee establish a legislative task force to come up with solutions to the benefits cliff.

Brittany Birken, Community and Economic Development Director and Principal Adviser at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta*, studies the impact of benefit cliffs on individuals and communities and served in an advisory capacity in the formation of this collaborative. She said, “Bringing together these innovative efforts to address the benefits cliff has the potential to identify the solutions needed to increase family economic mobility, meet employers’ talent needs, and ensure that the economy is working for everyone.”

The Coalition is being led by Martha O’Bryan Center with funding support from Kresge Foundation. The inaugural members of the Coalition include:

Circles Salt Lake and Circles Central Florida, local chapters of Circles USA
Colorado Benefits Cliff Collaborative comprised of Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS), CrossPurpose, Innovate+Educate, Spur LLC, and TorchTech,
Episcopal Community Services of Philadelphia
Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont
Hennepin County Office of Workforce Development
Onondaga County Department of Social Services
Springfield WORKS
Tennessee Alliance for Economic Mobility, an initiative of Martha O’Bryan Center in partnership with Tennessee Department of Human Services
Vermont Department for Children and Families
Workforce Development Council of Seattle King County, and
additional partners to be announced at a later date.

In addition, the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta and Economic Mobility Pathways (EMPath) will serve in an advisory capacity.

“At Martha O’Bryan, we seek solutions to the root causes of poverty. We are very excited about leading this coalition focused on eliminating the benefits cliff. As an antipoverty organization, we believe families can rise out of poverty in one generation. We recognize that that has not been true in all places for all people. Solving this issue is an important step toward expanding the landscape of opportunity for all families,” Marsha Edwards CEO & President, Martha O Bryan Center.

Before Mark started working at Goodwill in 2016, he was looking for a chance to start a career but had some roadblocks in the way.

Mark owned a cleaning company, but the income was too inconsistent, so he came to Goodwill looking for some help with his job search.

As an Assistant Manager, Mark says that every day brings something different to his position.

“I like being flexible. I like the freedom and the opportunity to do a little bit of everything. I like talking and laughing with the customers and seeing people find a gem that they’ve been looking for,” he shared.

Finding a position at Goodwill helped Mark build a life with more stability.

In April, Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont recognizes Second Chance Month, a time to raise awareness of the challenges facing people with justice-involved backgrounds and to spotlight the important work being done by community-based organizations to empower second chance individuals to achieve career and life success. Mark is a demonstration of our mission, growing from a participant we served to a Goodwill team member.

“[Goodwill] can help you get where you want to be, or at least take that first step,” he stated. “When I’m cashiering and a customer asks what the round up goes to, I get the opportunity to explain to them that I came through the program that you’re donating to. So, it makes an impact.”

Throughout his journey here at Goodwill, Mark has found close friends, many that he considers family, that have also inspired him.

“I’ve met a lot of good people through Goodwill,” he said. “I enjoy the people I work with; we’re like a big family. Most of us have been working together since I started; and some of them [worked here] before me. I was their peer and now I’m their manager, but they respect that, and I appreciate it. Everybody here has been so helpful. It made me believe in the Goodwill experience.”

As employers seek to support the growth and development of their employees through clear career pathways, comprehensive benefits packages and/or wage increases, it is important for employers to be aware of some of the unintended consequences of some of these decisions. Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont is one of four employers piloting the CLIFF Employer Tool developed by the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.

The CLIFF Employer Tool is designed to analyze the financial implications of wage increases and seek innovative solutions to lessen the impact of the benefits cliff on economic growth and mobility for lower wage earners.

Goodwill has initiated the use of the tool through its Pathways Program. Pathways Career Navigators introduced the tool to 117 participants, with 25 actively utilizing it. These individuals engaged in thoughtful discussions, understanding the tool’s benefits, potential impact on benefits reduction, and insights into public assistance complexities, aiding their career and financial choices.

Feedback from participants underscored the CLIFF Employer Tool as a valuable resource for plotting career paths, financial planning and family expansion. Despite potential benefit reductions, participants expressed dedication to career growth, adjusting strategies to address possible financial challenges. Noteworthy was their comprehension of the balance between wage increases and reduced benefits, encompassing considerations like Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), SNAP, Medicaid, and increased housing costs.

The successful initial phase propels the Pathways team to extend the tool’s implementation to 30-45 more participants. The accomplishment highlights the tool’s potential in empowering individuals to make knowledgeable decisions about their careers and finances, skillfully navigating the intricacies of public benefits.