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A Special Note to our Churches - Connie Maxwell is experiencing the same financial challenges today that almost all non-profits, charity organizations and ministries are. It is made even more difficult when there is a greater need to serve additional children at the same time that income is reduced.. Our expenses must be cut because of reduced income while hurting children and families need us even more.
Unlike ministries that charge a tuition or a fee for their services, Connie Maxwell usually gets no, or very little, revenue when a child comes into our program. Children can’t pay for our services and parents from broken homes can’t or don’t pay, so the funds have to be available from others to provide the “scholarships” that allow boys and girls to live here. We get about 12% of our income each year from the SC Baptist Convention and another 10% from churches that put us in their budgets or take up offerings for us. The remainder primarily comes from individual gifts, investment income, and about 5% from state reimbursements. We receive no federal funds, no special mission offerings such as from the Janie Chapman Offering for State Missions, nor do we get any money from the Southern Baptist Convention.
Connie Maxwell celebrated its 117th anniversary on May 22, 2009 and over these many years we have invested estate gifts in an endowment that at times has provided almost 40% of our annual budget. During this tragic drop of the stock market, however, portfolio values have plummeted and our funds have not been spared. This, of course, eliminates a great deal of the income that we depend on each year, and we are doing all we can to trim expenses without hurting our services to children. We are trying to meet these challenges without having layoffs, but we do have 8 staff positions that have become open through attrition that will not be filled now. We have frozen salaries and budgets to no more than current levels, and we are reducing expenses where we can. Our staff has been very cooperative to agree for everyone to sacrifice some during this time to keep a few from having to totally lose their jobs. The primary goal we want to meet is for our children not to suffer in any way. We pledge that their shelter, food, clothing, medical, educational and spiritual needs will be met in a proper way. The staff is being diligent to find ways to do this, and we’re being creative in new approaches to ministry, but we need the help of our friends and supporters more than ever. Our trust is in the One who has provided for boys and girls here for many years, and we’re sure He will continue to do so. We know that God will lead us through these challenging times, and we ask for your prayers and support as we make this journey together.
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