Page 18 - 2017 Year End Summary

CHALLENGES IN 2017

2017 presented several challenges that needed to be addressed.
There were issues in the areas of organization, finance, and safety that needed to be examined
and modified to fit the growth of the organization.

1) A new location was needed for fall of 2017.
• Thornydale Family Church was no longer available.
• We had outgrown the building and needed alternative space.
• Over 50 properties were considered.
• Only the Christina Taylor Green Educational Facility located on the St Odilia’s Parish
property was within budget and was also the most ideal property.
• We subsequently agreed to lease the facility for $4000 per month. This was
inclusive of utilities and made the space available for all our events.

2) Misinformation about donations and 501 C3 status. There was a great deal of
misinformation circulating about our donation based educational structure. We spent
many hours in 2017 educating people about the truth behind our structure.
Facts:

• We do not charge for our classes.
• We have suggested donations that help us run. People should donate to the general
fund to support our mission.

• It is possible for people to attend without contributing anything.
• We do not charge for our classes because we do not want to become a school.
• If we are a school, we must follow state and national guidelines that apply to schools.
Those can be restrictive, and, at times, lead us to teach children in ways they do not
learn best, or are against Christian principles. They also take away the parent’s role
as educational leader.
• We are 501 C3 nonprofit organization.
• Our 501 C3 status does not affect our educational mission. It also has no impact on
whether we charge for classes or not.
Operating as a nonprofit allows us to maintain freedom in education. We are supported
by AFHE and HSLDA. Should we begin to charge for classes, we become a school, and
as such we are required to follow state standards in education. The 501 C3 status was
put in place to assist our families in donating to a charitable entity. No one can pay for
any goods or services and receive a tax deductible donation credit on their taxes.

3) Budget shortfalls. The year 2017 brought in a large volume of new students but there was
not a significant increase in revenue.