AUSTIN (KXAN) — A nonprofit aimed at connecting veterans and others to jobs has spent very little money doing so, according to 2018 tax filings.
The organization is The Digital Education and Work Initiative of Texas, or DEWIT.
Its Executive Director is Carrie Isaac, who is running for Texas House District 45. Her husband, former state representative Jason Isaac, is listed as an officer.
Naval Reserve Officer Nathan Kaspar told KXAN he received a mailer from Isaac’s campaign, touting her as the head of a nonprofit that helps disabled veterans find jobs.
Kaspar worked for years vetting nonprofits and charities aimed at helping veterans.
He says he only later learned this charity wasn’t being very charitable.
“I have never seen anything like it,” he said.
DEWIT’s 2018 filings show the organization took in $251,501.01 in revenue that year.
Filings show the nonprofit gave a $1200 stipend to two veterans, with $63,750 going to Isaac herself.
Kaspar says he spoke with Isaac over the phone, but still has a lot of questions about where the money is going.
“There are a lot of reasonable answers to these questions,” he said. “She said it was staff and SEED money. What was the fruit of that SEED money? What happened in 2019 that can justify all of this SEED money?”
SEED money, in this case, is the organization’s revenue it says it is using to get the organization off the ground.
KXAN tried reaching out to Carrie Isaac’s multiple times on Friday. DEWIT shares a number with Isaac’s campaign.
KXAN had to leave a voicemail.
On social media, she shared a post calling questions about the nonprofit as “fake news.”
KXAN later received a call from Jason Isaac, who said the nonprofit’s revenue was never meant to go directly to veterans or the companies DEWIT connects them with.
He said the revenue is intended to pay staff like Carrie Isaac, so the organization can get off the ground in the next few years.
The former state representative did say DEWIT has connected about two dozen veterans to work opportunities since its inception in 2017, like artificial intelligence company Alegion.
He said he couldn’t refer KXAN to any veterans or other organizations that have helped them, citing privacy and non-disclosure agreements.
While Isaac and his wife feel DEWIT is being unfairly targeted, Kaspar has another take.
“I would love to be wrong about it,” said Kaspar. “But you cannot stand on the backs of disabled veterans and run for office, and not expect to be fact-checked.”
Jason Isaac said his wife has stepped away from the charity as she campaigns for a Texas House seat.
He said DEWIT didn’t take in any additional revenue in 2019.
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