small change that - jackson emcsmall change that changes lives. 2009 jackson emc annual report 2 ......

2009 jackson emc annual report1

2009 jackson emc

foundation annual report

Small Change

that

Changes Lives

2009 jackson emc annual report 2

A Message from Randall Pugh and Sherry Rogers

The past year has been challenging for

many people, including many of the

individuals and families throughout the

10 northeast Georgia counties Jackson

EMC serves. It seems now, more than ever,

people are in need; and because of our

members’ generous support through their

Operation Round Up contributions, the

Jackson EMC Foundation has been able to

extend much needed help to so many

organizations and individuals.

We are both grateful and proud that even in

this economy 90 percent of Jackson EMC

members continue to contribute to Operation

Round Up, a program which rounds up

members’ bills a few cents and puts that “spare

change” to work through the Jackson EMC

Foundation. While members who participate

probably don’t even miss those pennies each

month, their spare change combined with the

contributions of fellow Jackson EMC members

adds up to a significant amount. These funds, in

turn, are given back as local grants to support

worthy programs of charitable organizations and

to help individuals cope with hardship.

Awarded for a specific purpose, each Operation

Round Up application is reviewed carefully by

the Foundation’s Board of Directors to ensure

members’ donations are used responsibly to

benefit people in our local communities. In 2009,

the Jackson EMC Foundation Board awarded

124 grants—93 to charitable organizations and

31 to individuals—and whether those grants were

made to individuals or to organizations, the

results were the same—people were helped.

Within these pages, we chose a few grant

recipients to spotlight, to put a face on the types

of assistance Operation Round Up provides so

you can see how small change can change lives.

We continually find it amazing how many people

Operation Round Up is helping. The monies


benefit all types of individuals, from young to

old, and often provide basic provisions such

as clothing, food and medical care. In many

cases, individuals would not be able to receive

the services and provisions they need without

the help Operation Round Up provides the

organizations that serve them.

As we enter the next year of Operation Round

Up, we know there will still be numerous people

throughout our community who will need

the help our members’ contribution provides.

We hope our members are proud of the impact

their spare change is making in the lives of

others. Their support truly demonstrates how

small acts of kindness and generosity can make

a big difference.

We are both grateful and proud that even

in this economy 90 percent of Jackson

EMC members continue to contribute to

Operation Round Up, a program which

“rounds up” members’ bills a few cents

and puts that “spare change” to work

through the Jackson EMC Foundation.

Randall Pugh,

President & CEO

Sherry Rogers,

Jackson EMC Foundation Board Chairman


Discovering you’re expecting

should be a joyous occasion;

however, if you’re a young

mother with limited resources

and support, that joyous oc-

casion can be clouded with

fear and uncertainty. For the

women of Barrow and sur-

rounding counties, Come Alive

Ministries, a local faith-based,

non-profit pregnancy care center,

helps meet the emotional and

physical needs of those facing

pregnancy through confidential

one-on-one support.

“We consider ourselves a commu-

nity outreach program, offering

a wide variety of services in a

caring, non-judgmental environ-

ment,” says Dee Toliver, admin-

istrator for Come Alive. “Unfor-

tunately, as our local population

increases, we see a growing

need for our services.” Tolliver

adds that many of those in need

of Come Alive’s services are

young women facing unplanned

pregnancies, and who are often

unmarried and isolated.

With the $15,000 grant received

from Operation Round-Up, Come

Alive is expanding their educa-

tion and outreach programs, in-

cluding updating their education

materials on pregnancy, prenatal

care, child birthing, child care

and parenting. They are also

purchasing items for their Hope

Program, which offers cribs, car

seats, diapers, wipes and other

materials to assist mothers until

their child is four years old.

“When I found out I was preg-

nant with my first child, we didn’t

know what we were going to do—

neither I nor my husband knew

anything about taking care of a

baby or being a parent,” says Jen-

nifer Wingfield, a Winder-area

mom of three girls. “Come Alive

helped us so much—through the

education sessions, we learned so

many things we would have never

known, and I know it has helped

us be better parents.”

Come Alive Ministries: Giving Hope, One Life at a Time


How well a child reads is

more important to their

academic achievement than

their family income. With

that research result in mind, the

Madison County Rotary stepped

up to create a Literacy Program

that gives local children the tools

they need early in life to carry

them successfully through their

school years.

“Our Literacy Program started

because a member, who is also a

principal, asked for volunteers

to help students with low reading

scores,” says Jerry Countant,

Rotary Club Services Chair.

“From that request, the program

grew exponentially, reaching

more than 500 children in our

community in five years.”

A $15,000 grant from the

Jackson EMC Foundation has

allowed the Rotary to continue

to support their four-phase

Literacy Program, which is

designed to improve the reading

readiness and efficiency of

Madison County elementary

students. An ambitious under-

taking, the program purchases

and mails an age-appropriate

book each month to any Madi-

son County child registered for

the program from the time they

are born through five years of

age. The program also purchases

dictionaries for the County’s fifth

graders as well as other publica-

tions relevant to the students’

educational goals.

“I was drawn to this program

because, as a child, I was un-

able to read until the 10th grade

due to a learning disability,” says

Will Mauldin, a Comer-area

retiree and Rotary volunteer,

known to the students of Comer

Elementary as “Grandpa Will.” “A

wonderful teacher took time with

me, and that’s what I hope to do

for the children in this program—

help them succeed at reading so

they can succeed in life.”

Rotary Club Literacy Program: Investing in the Capital of Children

2009 jackson emc annual report7 7


At the same time the

economy was tumbling, the

Community Helping Place

(CHP) was expanding its

services, not knowing that

the need for help among area

residents would escalate.

Focused on reducing hunger and

improving the health of Lumpkin

County’s uninsured and working

poor, the non-profit found the

$15,000 Jackson EMC Founda-

tion grant for its Client Assistance

Program meant more than ever.

“We’re seeing a huge increase in

the demand for our services,” says

Brenda Cook, executive director

for Community Helping Place in

Dahlonega. “Several area plant

closings and layoffs have hit the

Lumpkin County area especially

hard, leaving many residents with

no health insurance and facing

hardships.”

The Client Assistance Program

offers food, baby supplies and

emergency assistance for rent

and medications, and in October

2008 was expanded to include

a free medical clinic. Offered

two afternoons each week, the

clinic provides acute and primary

care to those without medical

insurance who fall below the fed-

eral poverty guidelines. Already,

the clinic has served more than

400 patients.

“Our goal is to restore our

patients’ health and, at the same

time, educate them on the ben-

efits of a healthy lifestyle,” says

Paula Payne, CHP Clinic direc-

tor. “In the short period since the

clinic opened, many lives have

been impacted, from an elderly

man who suffered from Type I

diabetes but had not seen a doc-

tor for several years, to a young

boy who couldn’t play soccer be-

cause of asthma and his mother

couldn’t afford the doctor’s visits

and medications.”

Community Helping Place: Reaching Out to Those in Need


As the Beetles song goes,

getting by is easier with a

little help from your friends.

That’s why two years ago

Flowery Branch High School

(FBHS) launched Parachute

Packers, a one-on-one student

mentoring program aimed

at reducing the drop-out rate

among at-risk students.

Partnering FBHS sophomores

and juniors with at-risk Davis

Middle School eighth graders, the

program encourages the students

to build relationships through

ice-breakers, shadowing oppor-

tunities and other activities. It

will be funded in the 2009-2010

school year by a $2,500 Jackson

EMC Foundation grant.

FBHS graduation coach Stefanie

Gibbs notes that while the middle

school students may be struggling

academically, the program is

not focused on tutoring. “Para-

chute Packers is aimed at giving

students the tools they need for

success by preparing them for the

transition from middle to high

school,” says Gibbs. “This type of

program may be that one thing

these students need to help them

stay in school.”

The high school mentors help

the middle school students with

advice, including helping them

select classes and providing

general information about high

school activities, while counselors

and graduation coaches monitor

the students’ grades, behavior

and involvement. However, the

most significant outcomes from

the program have been how the

students grow and learn from the

experience.

“I enjoy working with the younger

kids because I remember when I

was in middle school; talking to

high school students was scary,”

says Alex Espinosa, a rising FBHS

senior and Parachute Packer

mentor. “It’s important to have

someone to talk to, to answer

your questions and to relate to. It

really helps you enter high school

with more confidence.”

Parachute Packers: Helping Kids Transition with Confidence


Sight is a gift many people

take for granted; however, if

your vision is impaired and

you don’t have the resources

to seek assistance, the

impact to your life can be

devastating. The $10,000

Jackson EMC Foundation grant

to the Athens Vision Clinic, a

service of the Georgia Lions

Lighthouse Foundation, is

providing welcome relief to area

residents who cannot afford

needed vision care.

Using donated space at the Mercy

Health Clinic, the Vision Clinic

helps restore sight for uninsured

and low-income residents in

Clarke and surrounding counties

with Lighthouse medical equip-

ment, volunteer physicians, and

funding for vision screenings,

prescription eyeglasses and

certain surgical procedures.

“We’ve definitely seen an increase

in assistance requests due to the

economy,” says Christina Lennon,

executive director for the Athens

Vision Clinic. Lennon adds that

in addition to providing vision

screening and correction, the

Vision Clinic also educates

diabetic and hypertensive

patients about their health issues’

effect on their vision. “About half

of our patients are diabetic or

have high blood pressure, and we

want to provide the vision help

they need, but also address the

underlying problems,” she notes.

“This program is such a blessing,”

says James Heide, a patient of the

Vision Clinic. “I’d been unable to

have my eyes examined for more

than eight years because I

couldn’t afford the cost of the

screening and the glasses, but I’m

looking forward to being able to

see clearly again.”

Athens Vision Clinic: Seeing is Believing


In every community there are

children who lack the scho-

lastic support they need to

succeed in school. The Boys

& Girls Club of Jackson

County hopes to enhance the

academic achievements of

area students by using a

$15,000 Jackson EMC Foun-

dation grant to fund its

Power Hour homework help

and tutoring program.

“Power Hour provides Boys &

Girls Club members with a

structured time and place for

after-school learning, where Club

staff and volunteers can help

students complete homework

assignments and other school

projects,” says Michael Williams,

executive director of the Boys &

Girls Club of Jackson County.

“The program provides needed

guidance and support to students

by assisting them with tasks such

as research, and helping them

identify problem areas and work

to overcome them.”

The Power Hour program has

been in place in Jackson County

for approximately five years. Club

staff and volunteers, including

retired teachers, University of

Georgia students and local high

school seniors, assist students

from kindergarten through 12th

grade. The program also offers

tutoring assistance for club

members who need more tar-

geted assistance. In addition to

improved grades and test scores,

Power Hour students also develop

organizational, time manage-

ment and other behavioral skills.

Tyree, Brianna and Raisa Swift,

15-year-old triplets, can testify to

the powerful benefits of the

Power Hour. “It has helped me a

lot—I focus better, pay attention

more and have learned how to

listen better,” says Tyree. “I’ve

improved my grades in biology

and math, and I’ve learned how

to have a positive attitude,” adds

Raisa. “I feel like being here has

helped me learn how to be more

successful in school and in life.”

Boys & Girls Club of Jackson County: Providing After-School Academic Guidance


Imagine being a new

mother unable to afford even

the basics your newborn

needed—clothes, booties, a

blanket. The volunteers who

started Tiny Stitches didn’t want

new moms to worry about these

necessities, so they started an

organization to make

layettes for mothers who have

little or nothing for their new-

borns. A $10,000 Jackson EMC

Foundation grant is helping the

Suwanee-based organization

purchase needed supplies such

as fabric, yarn and notions.

“Our volunteers make tote

bags and fill them with a 35-

item handmade layette, includ-

ing an afghan, receiving

blankets, nightgowns, bibs,

undershirt, booties and burp

cloths,” says Tiny Stitches

President Jill Stubler. “In our

10-year history, we’ve donated

more than 4,000 layettes.”

Items for newborn boys and girls

are lovingly stitched by about

125 volunteers. Their work is

anonymously donated through

social workers and nurses at

area hospitals, health depart-

ments and other facilities in nine

counties throughout northeast

Georgia. Tiny Stitches also

supplies burial ensembles for

bereaved parents by request.

The staff distributing the layettes

says the gift makes an incredible

impact.

“These layettes go to parents

who have nothing—they have no

extra money and are in desperate

situations. When they receive

the tote filled with handmade

items, they are so grateful and

excited,” says Janet Ballew,

Fannin County Health Depart-

ment Medicaid coordinator. “It

makes me feel good to be able

to give a needy family this

generous gift made with love.”

Tiny Stitches: Helping New Moms in Need


Every parent wants to

provide a safe, nurturing

home for his or her child.

Caring for a special needs child

creates additional challenges

in achieving that goal, as Brian

and Lisa Page found with the

premature birth of their oldest

daughter, Nikki.

“After she was born, Nikki had

a lot of complications,” says Lisa.

“She was eventually diagnosed

with infantile spasm disease and

cerebral palsy. While we went

through a lot of ups and downs,

Brian and I were determined to

do whatever it took to give her

the best life possible.”

As Nikki grew into an adoles-

cent, the Pages realized they

needed help to give her some of

the freedom other children

her age enjoyed. The family of

five lived in a double-wide trailer

without handicap access,

which created challenges when

caring for and transporting

Nikki. The Pages began looking

Individual: Helping a Family with Special Needs

into creating a space which

could accommodate Nikki’s

care needs and give her a sense

of independence.

“We talked to several builders,

and they said they could build a

permanent addition, which we

could later attach to when we

build a home,” says Brian. So

with financial help from several

sources, including a $3,500

grant from the Jackson EMC

Foundation, and volunteer labor,

the now 17-year-old Nikki has a

beautiful new addition with a

fully handicap accessible bed-

room and bath, complete with a

roll-in shower, as well as an

exterior wheelchair ramp.

“We were overwhelmed with the

outpouring of support for this

project,” says Lisa. “Being a

parent of a handicapped child

can be overwhelming, and I

cannot express what a difference

this addition will make in our

lives and, most of all, in Nikki’s.”


Jackson EMC Foundation, Inc. Jefferson, Georgia

Support

Contributions

Interest

Program Service Expenses

Community Assistance

Family and Individual Assistance

Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets

Net Assets, Beginning

Net Assets, Ending

2009 2008

$1,027,405 $1,037,056

6,030 9,538

1,033,435 1,046,594

943,568 923,025

84,089 143,688

1,027,657 1,066,713

5,778 (20,119)

286,221 306,340

$ 291,999 $ 286,221

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AS OF MAY 31, 2009 AND 2008 AND REPORT OF

INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS


SCHEDULE OF COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE FOR THE YEAR

ENDED MAY 31, 2009

Jackson EMC Foundation, Inc.

A Step to Independence, Inc. $ 15,000

American Cancer Society 6,000

American Heart Association 15,000

American Red Cross-East Georgia Chapter 6,000

Annandale at Suwanee, Inc. 15,000

Ark of Jackson County, Inc. 15,000

Atlanta Union Mission 6,000

Barrow County Transition Council 8,000

Boy Scouts of Northeast Georgia 5,500

Boys and Girls Clubs of Jackson County 15,000

Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta 7,500

Bridge the Gap Ministries 5,000

Camp Koinonia 15,000

CASA-Piedmont, Inc. 6,129

Challenged Child and Friends, Inc. 15,000

Children’s Center for Hope and Healing 15,000

Christian Education Centers, Inc. 5,000

Citizens for a Better Auburn, Inc. 13,830

Come Alive Ministries of Barrow County 15,000

Community Helping Place 15,000

Computers for Youth 15,000

Cooperative Ministry-Lilburn 10,000

Cooperative Ministry-North Gwinnett 2,000

Creative Enterprises 10,600

Family Connection-Jackson County 15,000

Family Connection-Lumpkin County 10,000

Family Promise of Gwinnett County 15,000

Food Bank of Northeast Georgia, Inc. 10,000

Foster Children’s Foundation 1 5,000

Fragile Kids Foundation 15,000

Franklin Adoptive and Foster Parent Association 5,200

Friends of the Braselton West Jackson Library 5,000

Friends of the Pendergrass Library 2,000

Friends of the State Botanical Garden 7,275

Gainesville Care Center 2,550

Gainesville ProMusica Concert Series 4,000

Gainesville State College Foundation 15,000

Gainesville/Hall County Alliance for Literacy 10,000



Gateway House 8,200

Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation 10,000

Georgia Masonic Charities Foundation 6,000

Good Samaritan Ministries 15,000

Gwinnett Children’s Shelter, Inc. 15,000

Gwinnett Coalition for Health and Human Services 15,000

Gwinnett Community Clinic, Inc. 5,431

Gwinnett Student Leadership Team 12,000

Habitat for Humanity-Barrow County 15,000

Habitat for Humanity-Jackson County 15,000

Habitat for Humanity-Hall County 15,000

Harmony House Child Advocacy Center 3,000

Health Access Initiative 15,000

Health Department-Hall County 15,000

Hebron Community Health Center, Inc. 10,000

Hoop4Life, Inc. 10,000

Hope Clinic, Inc. 15,000

I Am, Inc. 14,940

Interfaith Hospitality Network of Athens 5,000

Jefferson First Baptist Church Food Pantry 2,500

Junior Achievement of Georgia - Gainesville 7,500

March of Dimes Foundation 5,000

Meet the Need Ministry, Inc. 15,000

Mentor Program-Clarke County 3,000

Mercy Health Center 8,400

Muscular Dystrophy Association 15,000

Northeast Georgia Youth Science and Tech Center 3,000

Newtown Florist Club 5,000

NOA’S Ark, Inc. 10,000

Northeast Atlanta Ballet Ensemble 5,000

Nuci’s Space 3,300

Parachute Packers Mentor Program 2,500

Parkwood Farms Therapy Center 15,000

Project Safe, Inc. 13,000

Rainbow Village 15,000

Reins of Life, Inc. 4,500


ENDED MAY 31, 2009



Rotary Club of Madison County 15,000

Saint David’s Community Church 15,000

Samaritan Stand Corporation 7,000

Sexual Assault Center of Northeast Georgia 3,000

Side by Side Brain Injury Clubhouse 5,040

Signs and Wonders, Inc. 15,000

South Hall Community Food Pantry 2,000

Special Olympics-Madison County 8,473

Spirit of Joy Food Bank 2,500

St. Vincent de Paul Society 20,000

Success by 6-United Way of Northeast Georgia 9,200

Teen Pregnancy Prevention, Inc. 15,000

Tiny Stitches, Inc. 10,000

Tree House, Inc. 10,000

UGA Cooperative Extension of Banks County 15,000

Women to the World, Inc. 9,000

YMCA-Georgia Mountains 15,000

YMCA-Winder Barrow Brad Akins 15,000

YMCA of Athens 7,500

YWCO of Athens 5,000

$943,568


ENDED MAY 31, 2009

P.O. Box 38

Jefferson, Georgia

30549-0038

www.jacksonemc.com

The Jackson EMCFoundation receives its

funding through Operation Round Up ®

E L E C T R I CJ A C K S O N

M E M B E R S H I PCORPORATION

O P E R AT I O N

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