Against the Grain, Inc.

Transcription

1 Against the Grain, Inc. General Information Contact Information Nonprofit Against the Grain, Inc. Address P.O. Box 809 Franklin, TN Phone (615) Web Site Web Site Facebook Facebook Twitter Twitter At A Glance Year of Incorporation Program 1

2 Mission & Impact Statements Mission The mission of AtG is to educate and empower men and women who have a history of abuse, addiction or negative cycles to achieve and experience their unique, God-given potential Background In March of 2003, Rob and Meredith Kendall developed a relationship with a third generation single mother, raising her children in poverty. As a 23 year old single mother of three, she was repeating the same pattern that her mother and grandmother had displayed; she dropped out of high school when she got pregnant, she had no job, no marketable skills, she continued to have more children and relied on the government and the benevolence of others for her income. She was tired of this cycle and was willing to work hard to break free, but she didn't know where to begin. The Kendall's recruited a group of friends and they began providing resources for her to obtain the skills and confidence necessary to gain employment and begin to independently support her family. As she increased in her abilities, a group of her friends asked for the same support and the vision of Against the Grain became clear. With nine mothers and 28 children to train, Against the Grain developed the 180 Program to meet the needs articulated by the women. AtG is a leader in life-recovery services providing training to over 1,000 clients per year in Middle Tennessee in jails, halfway houses, recovery centers, shelters and churches. AtG reaches into the dark corners of society and provides hope for individuals struggling to overcome the effects of abuse, addictions and negative choices to experience and achieve a life full of dignity, value and purpose. AtG's collaborative partners include - Williamson County Sheriff's Office, Davidson County Sheriffs Office, Corrections Corporation of America, Franklin Housing Authority, Metro Development Housing Authority, 21st District Judicial Drug Court, Next Right Step, as well as several churches and transitional homes. Impact Accomplishments 1. AtG partnered with Williamson County Jail to test the effectiveness of The 180 Program on recidivism. 76% of the 2012 graduates of The 180 Program did not return to jail in the three-year tracking period. 2. AtG has continued the expansion of services with new sites at Woodland Hills Youth Development Center and Youth Encouragement Services. The 180 Program is now available at 14 locations in Middle Tennessee each week. 3. The 180 program has continued to expand regionally and around the country with 90+ sites in 17 states. 4. A partnership program has been developed making the training and equipping of other organizations more cost effective. Goals 1. Continue to expand services through the new partnerships with DCSO and CCA by providing additional training and services at other locations. 2. Establish 50 additional partner sites in This goal may be easily surpassed as AtG has developed relationships with other organizations with regional and national impact. 3. Provide additional training in jails and prisons through the Victim Awareness/Victim Impact Programs. 4. To take the Teen Leadership Curriculum into other county High Schools. 2

3 Needs Finances - the largest limiting factor to providing services and the continued expansion of AtG and The 180 Program. Each participant receives a training manual, 16 hours of classroom training and follow-up services. AtG does not charge clients for these services. Volunteers - The continued expansion of services, additional trainers are needed to facilitate classes. This need includes funds to provide training, certifications and oversight of volunteers. Volunteers To be accountability partners to men and women going through the program. This is a 1 hour per week commitment. Training and oversight are provided. Leaders - To fill roles on the Board of Directors and committees. Van or small SUV - This vehicle is used to travel to and from training sites, regionally to train and equip partner sites and provide transportation to clients to and from classes. Other ways to donate, support, or volunteer Against the Grain accepts one-time donations through the company website where options to join as a monthly partner are also available. Checks can be mailed to the P.O. Box and in-kind donations are also needed (legal, accounting and marketing). AtG provides Benchmark Bags as incentives to participants that are enrolled in The 180 Program as they completed phases and progress in their Individual Life Plan. Suggested items include bus passes, gift cards, toiletries, cleaning supplies and personal items. Service Categories Primary Organization Category Human Services / Family Services Secondary Organization Category Religion- Related / Religious Printing, Publishing Tertiary Organization Category Religion- Related / Christianity Areas of Service Areas Served TN - Davidson TN - Dickson TN - Hickman TN - Maury TN - Rutherford TN - Williamson TN - Coffee TN - Wilson AtG provides training in Williamson, Davidson and Rutherford Counties to residents in Jails, Re-entry Homes, Recovery Centers and homeless shelters. The 180 Program is available throughout the State through partnerships with churches and NPOs. CEO Statement 3

4 We all know people who are hurting, struggling to overcome the negative cycles of abuse, addiction or poverty. They may be our friends, neighbors or even family. We all want to help; we all want to see them have victory. Unfortunately, the wrong type of help only deepens their struggles and continues the heartache. It can be a frustrating cycle. The good news is AtG provides hope and healing to hundreds in Middle Tennessee. These are people who are ready to make sustainable changes and begin to create new legacies for their family. The 180 Program provides the pathway for change. The 180 Program is perfect for settings where participants are in transition and living in residential facilities, such as jails, re-entry homes and rehab centers. The program is written as an individual study which allows the participant to continue the work on their own if released before the program has been completed. AtG is currently offering the 180 Program to male and female inmates at the Williamson County Jail, four jails in Davidson County, Franklin Housing Authority, 21 st Judicial Drug Court and through partnerships with churches and other non-profit organizations around the country. The 180 Program is taught in both large group settings or as a one-on-one study. Each participant goes through the 180 Programs core curriculum, but AtG provides a holistic approach. With the help of an accountability partner, each students needs are assessed, identifying the root causes of the struggles and an Individual Life Plan is developed to help them overcome their specific challenges. This comprehensive approach is much more demanding but results in a sustainable plan for independence. AtG has some amazing opportunities ahead. Through new partnerships in Middle Tennessee, around the country and even internationally, the potential of the 180 Program will have a world-changing impact. AtG has become a resource for other organization by providing curriculum, training and support to other service organizations, increasing AtG s reach around the world. 4

5 Programs Programs 180 Description The 180 Program provides tools to help people overcome their past and engage in society with a new set of tools. Budgeting, Parenting, Job's Readiness and the New Beginnings Group Study are classes offered through The 180 Program. The New Beginnings Group Study is taught in jails, halfway houses, homeless shelters, recovery centers and Crisis Pregnancy Centers throughout Middle Tennessee and is for people who are struggling to overcome the pain from their past. The abuse that has never been talked about or the voices from their childhood telling them that they will never be good enough. They are lost, They are full of doubt. They are searching for hope. The first two weeks focus on the people, words and events that influenced their lives and molded their inner most thoughts and feelings Wees 3-6 helps them discover their purpose in life and equips them to overcome the negative influences that have held them down. Weeks 7-8 lay a foundation for moving forward with hope. Budget 123,970 Category Population Served Short Term Success Long term Success Program Success Monitored By Human Services, General/Other Human Services, General/Other Offenders/Ex-Offenders, Poor,Economically Disadvantaged,Indigent, Unemployed, Underemployed, Dislocated Short-term success is measured by the daily lives of the women enrolled. They get up every morning and work to independently provide for their families and reduce their reliance upon the government, to gain a higher education and set a new example for their children. Success does not happen overnight and takes years to overcome the lifestyle they have been taught since they were young. The long-term success of the 180 program is measured by the lives that are changed. The women enrolled in the program have family legacies that are marred with bad choices, little education and reliance upon the government. These women are learning a new set of skills which empowers them to handle the challenges of life with confidence and success. They will lead their families and community to build new legacies marked by wise choices, higher education and self-sufficiency. Their children will grow to become successful leaders and examples in their commuinty. AtG uses the following metrics to track the success of the program; employment, length of employment, income, reduction in government assistance and self-confidence to overcome the challenges of life with confidence and success. The women update their profiles on a quarterly basis. Examples of successes are - upon enrollment on 18% of the mothers are employed, after 6 months, 95% of the women are employed. 5

6 Examples of Program Success Overcoming years of poor choices, little education and reliance upon society do not happen overnight. It takes years to make signficant changes. Example 1-23 year old Single mother of 3 with a 9th grade education, no job and receiving full government benefits. Joins 180 program in Today - graduate of Career Institute, Director of Medical Facility, no reliance upon government to provide for her needs. She is on track for her goal of owning her own home by the end of Example 2-21 year old single mother of 1 with no transportation, no job, longest job ever held was 6 weeks and received full government benefits. Joined 180 program in Today - AtG helped her get her own car, she has been on the same job since February of 2008 and no longer receives government benefits. She has a dream of opening her own daycare center. Renewing the Mind Network Description RTMN provides training and curriculum to churches and partner NPOs, equipping them to provide Biblical solutions to real-life struggles. Training includes: Breaking the Broken - Debunking the Myth of Social Justice, The Poverty Mindset, The Recovery Mindset, and The 180 Program. Budget 53,780 Category Population Served Short Term Success Long term Success Religion, General/Other Christianity Offenders/Ex-Offenders, Poor,Economically Disadvantaged,Indigent, Unemployed, Underemployed, Dislocated Churches and partner NPOs will know how to help those who are hurting in their own communities. RTMN continues to expand by equipping partner churches and NPOs to make sustainable changes by healing what is broken in the heart, family and community. There are currently 78 RTMN sites in 13 States. CEO Comments In Ruby K. Paynes groundbreaking work A Framework for Understanding Poverty she states that the two key ingredients to break negative generational cycles are education and relationships. AtG provides both of these elements. Participants are given the ability to identify, understand and overcome the thoughts feelings, behaviors and patterns that have held them in the negatives cycles. They then gain the tools to overcome those hurdles with confidence and success. Each student works with an accountability partner to provide the relationship and accountability to apply and follow through with the newly learned skills. 6

7 Governance Board Chair Board Chair Rob Kendall Company Affiliation Against the Grain Term Mar 2015 to Dec Board Members Name Affiliation Status Mr. Chuck Abbott Gray Line Tenessee Voting Mr. A. Scott Hubbard McCann and Hubbard, Attorneys at Law Voting Mrs Sandy Jackson Retired Voting Mr. Rob Kendall Against the Grain Exofficio Mrs. Meredith Kendall Against the Grain Exofficio Mr. Andre Ragone Hospital Corporation of America Voting Mrs Charlottte Reeves Retired Voting Board Demographics - Ethnicity African American/Black 0 Asian American/Pacific Islander 0 Caucasian 7 Hispanic/Latino 0 Native American/American Indian 0 Other 0 Board Demographics - Gender Male 3 Female 4 Unspecified 0 Governance Board Term Lengths 3 Board Term Limits 3 Board Meeting Attendance % 85% Written Board Selection Criteria? Written Conflict of Interest Policy? Under Development Yes Percentage Making Monetary Contributions 100% 7

8 Percentage Making In-Kind Contributions 100% Constituency Includes Client Representation No Number of Full Board Meetings Annually 6 Standing Committees Development / Fund Raising Nominating Communications / Promotion / Publicity / Public Relations Finance Advisory Board / Advisory Council Strategic Planning / Strategic Direction Risk Management Provisions Accident & Injury Coverage Automobile Insurance Commercial General Insurance Commercial General Liability Directors & Officers Policy Professional Liability Special Event Liability CEO Comments AtG's Board of Directors is made up of a highly skilled group of community volunteers, business owners, lawyers and executives of Fortune 100 Companies. This broad range of experience and expertise provides a solid foundation to provide incredible services while keeping costs at a minimum. There are opportunities for individuals to become involved through the Board of Directors or Committee positions. Foundation Staff Comments Against the Grain is involved with two Chambers of Commerce as listed; Franklin Hispanic Chamber and Williamson County Franklin Chamber. 8

9 Management Executive Director/CEO Executive Director Mr. Rob Kendall Term Start Sept Experience Rob and Meredith Kendall are the co-founders of AtG and co-authors of The 180 Program. Rob and Meredith owned two successful businesses but felt empty with the continual pursuit of the American Dream. In 2002, Meredith challenged Rob to take a year off of work and "figure out what God wants to do with this family". That year led to a call to reach into the dark corners of society and provide services that restored people to a place of dignity, value and purpose. The Kendall's led AtG's Board of Directors for the fist four years of operation. Understanding the need for accountability, the Kendall''s stepped off the Board in 2007 and became ex-officio members. The Kendall's are still leading AtG and work full-time teaching in jails, halfway houses, homeless shelters and recovery centers. They also spend their time training and equipping the 45 partner sites in eight different states. Co-CEO Experience Former CEOs Name Term Mr Rob Kendall Mar Staff Full Time Staff 2 Part Time Staff 0 Volunteers 25 Contractors 0 Retention Rate 100% Plans & Policies Does the organization have a documented Fundraising Plan? Under Development Does the organization have an approved Strategic Plan? Yes Number of years Strategic Plan Considers 5 9

10 When was Strategic Plan adopted? Mar 2011 In case of a change in leadership, is a Management Succession plan in place? No Does the organization have a Policies and Procedures Plan? No Does the organization have a Nondiscrimination Policy? Yes Does the organization have a Whistle Blower Policy? No Does the organization have a Document Destruction Policy? No Affiliations Affiliation Center for Nonprofit Management Excellence Network Year 2005 Senior Staff Mrs Meredith Kendall Title Operations Director Experience/Biography Mr Rob Kendall Title Executive Director Experience/Biography CEO Comments Have you even known someone who can't seem to make two smart decisions in a row? Their lives are marked with poor choices and emotional reactions that end in abuse, addictions and poverty. Against the Grain reaches into the dark corners of society and provides life-skills training through a Cognitive Behavior program. The 180 Program helps participants to identify, understand and overcome the thoughts, feelings, behavior and patterns that have caused their downward spiral and gives them hope to live productive lives with purpose, dignity and value. - Society spends billions of dollars annually to incarcerate people who are unable to live within the rules. - 65% of these inmates will return to jail within three years after release. - Graduates of The 180 Program show a recidivism rate of less than 10%. - More than 90% of graduates from The 180 Program stay out of jail for more than three years. They recover from their past, restore their lives and rebuild their families. 10

11 Foundation Comments Against the Grain is involved with two Chambers of Commerce as listed; Franklin Hispanic Chamber and Williamson County Franklin Chamber. 11

12 Financials Fiscal Year Fiscal Year Start Jan Fiscal Year End Dec Projected Revenue $214, Projected Expenses $209, Endowment Value $0.00 Endowment Spending Policy N/A Endowment Spending Percentage (if selected) 0% Detailed Financials Revenue and Expenses Fiscal Year Total Revenue $90,678 $98,514 $101,757 Total Expenses $97,154 $92,906 $99,589 Revenue Sources Fiscal Year Foundation and Corporation $32,564 $26,638 $16,000 Contributions Government Contributions $0 $0 $0 Federal $0 $0 $0 State $0 $0 $0 Local $0 $0 $0 Unspecified $0 $0 $0 Individual Contributions $58,114 $71,876 $85,757 Indirect Public Support $0 $0 $0 Earned Revenue $0 $0 $0 Investment Income, Net of Losses $0 $0 $0 Membership Dues $0 $0 $0 Special Events $0 $0 $0 Revenue In-Kind $0 $0 $0 Other $0 $0 $0 12

13 Expense Allocation Fiscal Year Program Expense $30,048 $30,956 $22,898 Administration Expense $66,995 $61,950 $75,895 Fundraising Expense $111 $0 $796 Payments to Affiliates $0 $0 $0 Total Revenue/Total Expenses Program Expense/Total Expenses 31% 33% 23% Fundraising Expense/Contributed Revenue 0% 0% 1% Assets and Liabilities Fiscal Year Total Assets $36,640 $43,116 $37,508 Current Assets $28,486 $43,116 $37,508 Long-Term Liabilities $0 $0 $0 Current Liabilities $0 $0 $0 Total Net Assets $36,640 $43,116 $37,508 Short Term Solvency Fiscal Year Current Ratio: Current Assets/Current Liabilities Long Term Solvency Fiscal Year Long-Term Liabilities/Total Assets 0% 0% 0% Top Funding Sources Fiscal Year Top Funding Source & Dollar Amount Contributions, Gifts & Grants $58,114 Contributions, Gifts & Grants $71,876 Contributions, Gifts, and Grants $85,757 Second Highest Funding Source & Dollar Amount Third Highest Funding Source & Dollar Amount Foundations and Corporations $32,564 Foundations and Corporations $26, Foundations and Corporations $16,000 Capital Campaign Is the organization currently conducting a Capital Campaign for an endowment or the purchase of a major asset? No Capital Campaign Goal $0.00 Capital Campaign Anticipated in Next 5 Years? No State Charitable Solicitations Permit TN Charitable Solicitations Registration Yes - Expires June 2017 Registration No 0 Organization Comments AtG has experienced exponential growth in the number of clients served and has developed a plan to meet the ever increasing needs. A formal plan is being finalized that will include 2 large fundraising events each year, grant writing, monthly partnerships, a large donor program and income from the sale of curriculum and training. AtG current spends 79.95% of all monies to program services and the remaining funds are used for overhead. 13

14 As AtG moves ahead with a 5 year budget plan, these numbers are expected to remain consistent. The formal 5 year budget and fundraising plan are being finalized and approved by the Board of Directors. GivingMatters.com Financial Comments Financial figures taken from the 990EZ. 990 prepared internally by the nonprofit. Schedule B removed to protect donor privacy. Comment provided by Elizabeth Madsen 7/21/16 Created Copyright 2017 The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee 14