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Nellie's Shelter Nellie'sNellie's Nellie’s Women’s Hostels Inc. 08/09 Annual Report Shelter • Education • Advocacy Nellie’s Mission & Vision To operate programs & services for women & children who have & are experiencing oppression such as violence, poverty & homelessness. Nellie’s is a community based feminist organization operating within an anti-racist, anti-oppression framework. We are committed to social change through education & advocacy, to achieve social justice for all women & their children. Nellies Supporting all women and children in reclaiming control of their lives. • Shelter Nellie’s provides emergency shelter and protection for all women and children. The ultimate goal is to secure long-term, independent and affordable housing. • Education Nellie’s provides essential programs to inform all women and children about their rights and responsibilities, and the services to which they are entitled. • Advocacy Nellie’s provides the resources for all women and children to have their voices heard. We are committed to effecting change, including removing barriers and improving the conditions that affect women’s lives. 2 I 2008/2009 Nellie’s Annual Report Nellie’s Boardd off DirectorsDDirDireDiirerectoectocctt 2008/2009 EShl Executive Members at Large Carol Allain, President Ashley Artopoulo Marcia Beck, Vice-President Tanna Brodbar Emma Horgan, Secretary Zahra Mohamed Mary Byberg, Treasurer Kathy Rampersad Lynda Roy Sherece Taffe 2008/2009 Nellie’s Annual Report I 3 Staff, Studentsennntsntts & VolunteersVoVol EShl Volunteers Staff Students ~Never doubt that a small group of committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.~ Margaret Mead 4 I 2008/2009 Nellie’s Annual Report Report from the Vice President It is my pleasure to report on the activities of Nellie’s The Social Justice Committee has completed a Board of Directors and Board Committees. This number of critical projects furthering social justice. report covers the fiscal period between January A recent example is Nellie’s comprehensive and and December 2008 and the three month period unabashedly feminist position paper on women between January 2009 and March 2009. All of this and mental health. The Social Justice Committee is leaves us well prepared for our new fiscal year gearing up for continued outreach and advocacy running from April 2009 until March 2010. work. Nellie’s position papers are proving to be valuable to our larger community. A number of other Nellie’s Board of Directors has been busy with organizations have consulted the work of the Social numerous issues and projects. First, however, we Justice Committee as they search for best practices in all wish a heartfelt farewell to Safia Ahmed and feminist AR/AO policy development. Sherece Taffe, our two cherished co-chairs who have completed their three term commitment to The Finance Committee ensures the continued Nellie’s Board. Their leadership and guidance has financial stability of Nellie’s as a corporation. Each inspired our work at Nellie’s. We wish them well with month, members of the Finance Committee ensure their future endeavours. that all Board members have the opportunity to appreciate Nellie’s financial situation. Over the We also wish to officially welcome Ashley Artopoulos, past year, the Financial Committee has overseen a Tanna Brodbar, Zahra Mohamed, and Kathy number of changes recommended in our Strategic Rampersad to our Board. Each of these women is Plan including the change of our financial year as sharing her own valuable perspective, experience recommended in our by-laws amendments at the 2008 and passion in all of her work at Nellie’s. We are Annual General Members meeting. This committee excited to continue working with these talented ensures that the Board receives timely and accurate women. financial reports. Nellie’s Board ensures that Nellie’s operates in The Executive Committee is responsible for the annual compliance with all of our federal, provincial, performance appraisal for the work of the Executive municipal and other requirements. We are grateful Director. This committee also meets to address issues to the City of Toronto, the United Way, the Ministry of Governance as well as urgent issues brought to the of Community & Social Services, and to our funders committee’s attention for action. and donors for their support in these efforts. Nellie’s Board also oversees a number of committees and Members of Nellie’s Board and Board Committees each of these has headed important and interesting continue to work hard to ensure that all of Nellie’s projects. efforts reflect its mission and vision. To accomplish the latest in a meaningful way, we are working on the Our Fundraising Committee members demonstrated developing stages of Nellie’s Strategic Plan for the their skill and dedication in accomplishing the most years 2010-2012. successful Jazz-it-Up Fundraising Gala yet in May 2008. In addition to this event starring Jackie Richardson, Thanks go out to all of the volunteers, the dedicated the Fundraising Committee supported a number of staff and donors for your contributions! other fundraising events for Nellie’s. Members of this committee have helped to fabulously redesign all of Nellie’s fundraising packages. The Nominating Committee has been busy at work recruiting and training new volunteers for the Board and for our committees. Members have put to use new and revitalized interviews, job descriptions and expectations of Board and other volunteers. Members of the Nominating Committee have overseen Board Training, including our annual retreat where the Board addresses governance issues in depth. Marcia Beck 2008/2009 Nellie’s Annual Report I 5 Reportportort fromommmt thethh TreasurerTrere I am pleased to report on the financial For the year ended December 31, 2008, Nellie’s position of Nellie’s for the fiscal year January 1, relied on government funding for 71% of its total 2008-December 31, 2008 and January 1 – March revenue. This is a 1% decrease over 2007. Our core 31, 2009. government funders are the Ministry of Community and Social Services and the City of Toronto. We You may wonder why we are reporting two are grateful for their continued support. financial periods. The Board of Nellie’s made the recommendation to change the fiscal year to The United Way of Greater Toronto supports the align with the fiscal year of our largest funder – the organization and in particular Nellie’s Community Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services Support and Outreach Program. Their support (MCSS). This recommendation was approved accounts for 11% of Nellie’s revenues. by the membership at the 2008 Annual General Members Meeting. As such, our new fiscal period Fundraised revenues represented 13% of total will be April 1 – March 31. We believe this will income, with an increase of $43,218 in 2008. provide Nellie’s with a better and more accurate financial picture throughout the year, and will In terms of costs of the organization: staffing costs also assist with minimizing the time and resources increased by 1% in 2008 to 70% of total costs, necessary for accounting given the different fiscal administration costs of 10% of total expenses year-ends. increased by less than 1% from 2007, client and program expenses accounted for 12% of total Nellie’s has made tremendous strides in improving expenses, down less than 1% from 2007 and their financial situation over the past 15 months. property occupancy costs accounted for 8% of While the possibility exists every year that we may total costs in 2008, down 1% from 2007. wind up with a deficit since the gap between the costs of providing services and the funding On behalf of the Board, we would like to take received to maintain the services is ever-widening, this opportunity to thank our incredible staff, our the collective efforts of Nellie’s Board, staff and generous funders and donors and our amazing volunteers has made a difference. First we were volunteers for their continued support of Nellie’s. successful in having ten of our City ‘shelter’ beds uploaded, meaning the beds have become ‘Violence Against Women’ beds and are funded by the MCSS, which provides a more generous per diem. Second, our fundraising revenues have grown through several successful events and the continued support of our amazing donors. Third, a more focused approach to fundraising has freed time for the Manager of Development and the Executive Director to nurture relationships with a variety of third parties and has resulted in increased revenues through foundations and other philanthropic organizations. We ended the December 31, 2008 year with an excess of revenue over expenses of $37,607. Mary Byberg 6 I 2008/2009 Nellie’s Annual Report Statementtemementt ofof OperationsOpeper Women’s Hostels Incorporated • Statement of Operations • Jan. 01, 2008 to Dec. 31, 2008 REVENUE Fees for service $378,517 Federal government mortgage subsidy $25,073 Government grants $936,484 Donations $210,020 United Way funding $227,242 Grants from foundations $82,160 Fundraising events $25,386 Interest and other $7,941 $1,892,823 EXPENSES Property $149,981 Administration $188,515 Staffing $1,253,826 Clients $208,554 $1,800,876 Excess of Revenue over Expenses (Expenses over revenue) from Operations $91,947 Income from amortization of deferred revenue $11,784 Other revenue - grants $51,000 Repairs and maintenance on capital assets ($51,000) Amortization of capital assets ($64,609) Excess of (expenses over revenue) from capital assets ($52,825) Outlays from
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