Mennonite Central Committee Great Lakes 2014/2015 Annual Report
From our Executive Director We thank you for helping us feed the hungry and meet the basic human needs of many around the globe. We are grateful to all of you who have given your resources, time, money, creativity and energy through meat canning, volunteering at thrift shops, relief sales, material resources and board service. Your generosity has allowed MCC to fully meet our budget and international commitment to our partners I around the world. At the end of 2013, the United Nations estimated that about 51 million people around the world had been forced to leave their homes by conflict. Today in Syria alone, 7.6 million people have been internally displaced and over 3.3 million are seeking refuge in neighboring countries. MCC and our partners continue to collaborate to meet the basic needs of these people who are scared, hungry, cold and unsure about their futures. As Gordon Epp-Fransen, MCC Representative for Iran, Iraq and Jordan, said, It is a privilege, a conflicted privilege to meet and visit with refugee families who are so destitute and then go back to our plenty. Our lives are know what it is to be poor or to have plenty, and I have lived under all kinds of conditions. I know what it means to be full or to be hungry, to have too much or too little, Christ gives me the strength to face anything. - Philippians 4:12-13 not worth more than theirs, and so we do need to step into their lives when we can and then make sure their stories are told. We pray that Christ may grant strength to those living in refugee camps. And we pray for our supporters who embrace the responsibilities and blessings that come with giving. Zenebe Abebe, Executive Director, MCC Great Lakes Board members Milton Borntrager (Chair) Jessica Camacho Philip Dick (Secretary) Joan Gerig Sabrina Gipson (Vice Chair) Rachel Kauffman Brenda Meyer Haroldo Sérgio Martins Nunes Sara Obri Willis Sommer (Treasurer) Cynthia Weisel Freeman Yoder (term ended Feb. 2015) Howard Yoder (term began Feb. 2015) Find us at mcc.org/greatlakes and on Facebook Member-at-large Member-at-large Illinois Mennonite Conference Member-at-large African-American Mennonite Association Ohio Mennonite Conference Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference Iglesia Menonita Hispana Member-at-large Central District Conference Brethren in Christ Conservative Mennonite Conference Conservative Mennonite Conference
MCC Great Lakes Regional Staff (listed left to right) Les Gustafson-Zook Zenebe Abebe Virgil Troyer Joy Liechty Yoder Joe Christophel Eric Kurtz Amber Falcón Nadine Zook Miller Jennifer Steiner Jorge Vielman Krista Dutt Matthew Tschetter Roberta Miller Yoder Constituent Relations Coordinator Executive Director Material Resource Coordinator (Kidron) Thrift Shops Coordinator Donor Relations Coordinator Assistant Director Human Resources Coordinator Material Resource Coordinator (Goshen) Communications Coordinator Peace & Justice Coordinator Chicago Program/Iliinois Church Relations Donor Relations Associate (Ohio) Executive Assistant/Accountant MCC Great Lakes Appalachia Staff (listed left to right) Jackie Joseph Charlene & Keith Barr Nicole & Steven Erickson Colettia Estep Dove & Carl Leinbach Joan & Phil Steininger MCC Appalachia Bookkeeper MCC Appalachia Program Coordinators SWAP Harlan Location Coordinators MCC Appalachia Administrative Assistant SWAP Elkhorn Location Coordinators SWAP Hindman Location Coordinators
MATERIAL RESOURCES A multi-generational group of volunteers from Lee Heights Community Church in Cleveland, Ohio, spent a day this winter volunteering at the MCC Connections Material Resource Center in Kidron. Connecting locally and around the world Multi-generational group from Ohio volunteers together Volunteers groups are the lifeline of the two Material Resource Centers in the Great Lakes region. On many evenings, Sunday School groups, families or small groups volunteer their time to help sort and pack donated material resources. Forty-one people from Lee Heights Community Church in Cleveland, Ohio, volunteered at the MCC Connections Material Resource Center in Kidron on February 7. The group consisted of people of all ages, working together to check and pack kits, tape pencils, roll towels, prepare blankets and bale used clothing for recycling. More information about material resources mcc.org/kits Despite the noise of lids being pounded on buckets and the baler pressing clothing, the volunteers visited, joked with each other and had a great time. - Virgil Troyer, MCC Connections Material Resource Coordinator Find us at mcc.org/greatlakes and on Facebook 2014-15 donations School Kits 21,560 kits ($131,732) Hygiene Kits 5,950 kits ($32,725) Relief Kits 1,281 kits ($53,802) Infant Care Kits 576 kits ($16,790) Sewing Kits 240 kits ($8,251) Blankets & Comforters 2,277 blankets ($45,950) TOTAL estimated value of donations $289,250 Volunteer hours 3,912 2
3 2014-15 Great Lakes Meat Canning Kidron, OH 13,770 cans of turkey Middlefield, OH 8,429 cans of chicken Freeport, IL 9,615 cans of chicken 4,125 cans of turkey Goshen, IN 43,192 cans of turkey Montgomery, IN 12,421 cans of chicken Berne, IN 6,436 cans of turkey Berlin, OH 16,404 cans of turkey Spartansburg, PA 15,988 cans of turkey TOTAL cans of turkey 99,915 TOTAL cans of chicken 30,465 A true community effort Berne meat canning brings people together and spreads their blessings The MCC meat canning in Berne, Ind., is flourishing. In addition to the strong backing from First Mennonite Church where the canning takes place, two local Apostolic churches, an evangelical church and several Amish churches all support the program. They also have partnerships with two local high school FFA chapters and an alternative school to get young people involved. Support has been so good, in fact, that the Berne committee recently partnered It s with the canning committee in Goshen, Ind., to share some of their financial resources. This collaboration enables the Goshen site to take advantage of their broad volunteer base and enables Berne to spread their funds. More information about meat canning canning.mcc.org a good project, and everyone works together. Sometimes people just walk in because they see what s going on. - Jeff Lehman, Berne, Ind., meat canning committee chair Volunteers of all ages help with the MCC meat canning at First Mennonite Church in Berne, Ind. MEAT CANNING
RELIEF SALES A wide array of foods are popular at the Illinois Mennonite Relief Sale, including their famous strawberry cheesecakes and pies. The last strawberry cheesecake is auctioned to the highest bidder each year during the auction. Regional relief sale highlights Illinois Mennonite Relief Sale famous for cheesecakes As with each of the seven relief sales in the Great Lakes region, the Illinois Mennonite Relief Sale is well-known throughout the area. Of course one of the highlights is the wide array of food. The pancake and sausage breakfast, homemade pies, fish and barbeque chicken dinner and whole hog sausage are always big draws. But the strawberry cheesecakes are on a level all their own. They are so sought after, that the last cake is auctioned off to the highest bidder, sometimes bringing as much as $150 for MCC. According to Jess Slager, sale chair, it takes lots of volunteers to make the sale succesful. The local Apostolic church has joined with the Mennonite churches, and local businesses donate lots of supplies. More information about relief sales reliefsales.mcc.org Twenty years ago I decided to donate a week each year to the relief sale. I enjoy it, and it s a way to serve the Lord. - Jess Slager, Illinois Mennonite Relief Sale Chair Find us at mcc.org/greatlakes and on Facebook 2015 Great Lakes Relief Sales dates Illinois Menn. Relief Sale - Bloomington, IL March 20-21, 2015 Black Swamp Benefit - Wauseon, OH June 19-20, 2015 Northern Michigan Relief Sale - Mio, MI July 31-August 1, 2015 Ohio Menn. Relief Sale - Dalton, OH July 31-August 1, 2015 Daviess County Relief Sale - Odon, IN August 15, 2015 Arthur Menn. Relief Sale - Arthur, IL August 28-29, 2015 Michiana Menn. Relief Sale - Goshen, IN September 25-26, 2015 TOTAL funds to MCC $1,111,554 4
5 Arthur MCC Thrift Shop - Arthur, IL Care & Share Thrift Shop - Archbold, OH Country Closet - Plain City, OH Depot MCC Thrift Shops - Goshen, IN The Dove s Nest Thrift Shop - Fort Wayne, IN Et Cetera Ecke - Berne, IN Et Cetera Shop & Book ReViews - Bluffton, OH Eureka Et Cetera Shop - Eureka, IL Hartville Thrift Shoppe - Hartville, OH MCC Connections - Kidron, OH MCC Thrift Shop - West Liberty, OH Save & Serve Thrift Shop - Millersburg, OH Spare & Share Shoppe - Gridley, IL TOTAL funds to MCC $2,529,778 Thrift shops continue to grow New thrift shop in Arthur, Ill., is a community effort The Arthur MCC Thrift Shop in Arthur, Ill., is the newest thrift shop in the Great Lakes region, joining the 12 other shop locations raising funds for MCC. Nadine Miller, manager of the Arthur MCC Thrift Shop, was pleased to see the community rally together. A committee of volunteers raised money to purchase an existing store and then worked to renovate the building. They also secured pledges of volunteer hours from community members. After many months of hard work, I the thrift shop opened for business on November 12, 2014, with the official grand opening celebration several months later on January 30. The community continues to back the shop with donations, volunteers and business. More information about thrift shops thrift.mcc.org feel everyone has pulled together and worked really hard to get this shop up and running for the same common goal. - Nadine Miller, manager of the Arthur MCC Thrift Shop The Arthur MCC Thrift Shop held its grand opening in January 2015. THRIFT SHOPS
SWAP Volunteers from Aluminum Trailer Company in Nappanee, Ind., put a roof cap on Barney Combs trailer in Hindman, Ky. Combs was able to stay in his home thanks to MCC s SWAP program. Building hope in Appalachia SWAP s home repair program has 30-year history The roof of the house trailer where Barney Combs lived was leaking and the front door and flooring around it were rotted. Steps to the house were gone, as was the skirting. He had depleted his savings by purchasing and moving the trailer to his Hindman, Ky., home land, and his health prevented him from making repairs. The situation didn t look hopeful. But ten days after Sharing With Appalachia People (SWAP) staff visited Combs, SWAP received an unexpected financial gift that could be used in combination with a scheduled group of skilled volunteers. Two weeks later, all the necessary repairs had been made. Combs now has hope that he can live out his life on his family property. More information about SWAP swap.mcc.org Words cannot describe the look on his face or the choked sound of his voice as he told us we had been his last hope, and he never thought we would come back. - Joan Steininger, SWAP Hindman location coordinator 2014 SWAP volunteers Elkhorn, WV 19 groups 251 volunteers Harlan, KY 22 groups 395 volunteers Hindman, KY 16 groups 239 volunteers TOTAL groups 57 TOTAL volunteers 885 Summer staff (including SOOP and short-term volunteers) 18 Households served 81 Find us at mcc.org/greatlakes and on Facebook 6
7 2014-15 SALTers Laura Bowman Archbold, OH Ryan Hartman Delaware, OH Sara Klassen Goshen, IN Maureen Zach Oregon, WI Rachel Kelley Archbold, OH Ellen Roth Wauseon, OH Lauren Wade Columbus, OH Elizabeth Woodworth Goshen, IN Audrey Thill Paoli, IN Katie Van Zanen Grand Rapids, MI 2014-2015 IVEPers Nita Purwidaningsih from Indonesia Zambee Phonlavong from Laos Mbaidiro Taambaidjim from Chad PingPing Li from China Thengsu Ghagra from Bangladesh Timoteo Augusto from Mozambique Panha Ratha Som from Cambodia Lakhina So from Cambodia Great Lakes constituents serving around the world Special programs for young adult offer year-long experiences MCC is always looking for people to join our work of serving others in the name of Christ. There are many ways you can participate in MCC s mission; you can serve in your own community or on the other side of the world. We also have programs specifically for young adults. SALT (Serving and Learning Together) and IVEP IVEP (International Volunteer Exchange Program) offer year-long, cross-cultural service experiences. Summer Service and SWAP provide domestic service options. MCC is grateful for the service of the dedicated idividuals and families who are serving with MCC. More information about serving with MCC serve.mcc.org Mbaidiro Taambaidjim, from Chad, is participating in MCC s International Volunteer Exchange (IVEP) Program. He works at an Amish organic food cooperative in Wayne County, Ohio. is an excellent program that gives me the opportunity to learn, share about my country and meet other people from different countries and cultures. - Mbaidiro Taambaidjim, IVEP participant from Chad serving in Ohio INTERNATIONAL
2014-2015 Great Lakes Financial Report April 1, 2014 - March 31, 2015 Contribution Income from Great Lakes Constituents: $8,526,618 13% Relief Sales 5% Churches 3% Organizations 2% Foundations 1% Companies 30% Thrift Shops 18% Individuals 28% Estates* Contribution Dispersement MCC Great Lakes allocation $1,838,546 MCC U.S. allocation (for international programs and administration) $6,685,072 Total Great Lakes contributions $8,523,618 *MCC received an unusually large estate gift from a Great Lakes donor during this fiscal year. Therefore contributions reported for our region are higher than normal. MCC U.S. and MCC Great Lakes are exploring ways to be good stewards of these unexpected funds over the next several years. 8
9 2014-2015 Great Lakes Financial Report April 1, 2014 - March 31, 2015 Great Lakes Regional Expenses: $1,191,941 (preliminary and unaudited) 8% Other programs, including Peace & Justice 8% Material Resource Centers 18% Donor Relations 39% Appalachia 27% Regional Office Great Lakes Funding Sources Appalachia income $299,197 Other income $1,120 MCC Great Lakes allocation $1,838,546 Total funds available $2,138,863 Total expenses, FYE 2015 $1,191,941 Great Lakes reserve $946,922
Mennonite Central Committee Great Lakes WI MI MCC offices and program MCC program Thrift shops Relief sales Canning sites Material resources centers with recycling IL IN OH KY TN mcc.org/greatlakes 1013 Division Street, Goshen, IN 46528 574.534.4133 or toll-free 1.877.837.9390