small beginnings
ANNUAL REPORT
LE T T E R
FROM
TH E
president Last year, Directors Foundation contributed over $1 million to non-profit organizations, investing in our local community, national charities, and Christian ministries that are reaching people around the world. When I think about all that we have accomplished so far, I’m reminded of the power of small beginnings. Four years ago, our first mission project was to an orphanage in Aruba, to help with building a greenhouse and general improvements. In 2016, we helped build a church in Cancun, Mexico, and participated in several community outreach projects. Then, in 2017 and 2018, Directors Foundation hosted mission trips in Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic in which we built an entire house for a family in 3 days! In 2019, our plan is to build TWO homes in 3 days for two deserving families in Mexico. What’s more, these trips have inspired others to come together through churches and various ministries, and even municipalities, to build additional homes for other families in these communities. Another example of “small beginnings” is happening here in Abilene, TX, a town of approximately 120,000 people. Many years ago, God placed within me a dream for a state-of-the-art sports complex to be
built in Abilene. I am a firm believer that youth sports, when done right, can be a powerful vehicle for teaching kids how to grow as leaders and develop Christian character, integrity, and respect. Well, one setback after another ensued for over 12 years, but perseverance and fortitude prevailed, and we broke ground on the new Dodge Jones Youth Sports Center in September last year. What started out as a dream – very “small beginnings” – has now become THE flagship community project. We rejoice and partner with the Lord on the work beginning and continuing to this day.
Kris Seale President and CEO Directors Foundation
mission STAT E M ENT
Directors Foundation’s mission is to be the best, most-respected partner to like-minded non-profit organizations in order to promote the cause of Christ and be His hands and feet in a lost and hurting world. We invite you to join us by giving a meaningful gift in memory of a loved one, in honor of a role model or mentor, and in the spirit of helping those in need.
B OA R D 1
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M E M B E RS 2
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Kris Seale
Te r r i Banniste r Executive Vice President of Learning and Development - FDLIC
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Addiso n Te mpleton Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer - FDLIC
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To dd Car lso n Executive Vice President of Sales & Chief Sales Officer - FDLIC
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Lisa Davidso n Principal and Chief Operating Officer - Parkway Advisors
5 M ar k France DIG Board Member
President & CEO DIG
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6 Te r r y Gro ban Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer - DIG 7 Ro be r t H amil DIG Board Member 8 T he ro n H o lladay President and Chief Executive Officer - Parkway Advisors
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9 Paul Love lace Executive Vice President of Corporate Development - FDLIC 1 0 Dawso n Ro dr iguez Executive Vice President & Chief Information Security Officer - DIG
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1 1 J ef f Stewar t Executive Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer - FDLIC 1 2 Pat Bax te r Volunteer 1 3 N ade ne Smit h Executive Director of Directors Foundation - FDLIC
MI SSI O N
P ROJEC T
highlights
In 2017, we partnered with Vital Seed Ministries and Youth with a Mission (YWAM) to help one family have a home and make a lasting difference in their neighborhood. The partnership worked so well, we did it again in 2018! Vital Seed Ministries, along with a pastor and a YWAM representative, met with the mayor of the municipality where we would be traveling. They explained to her that they wanted to change the rampant poverty epidemic in her community, and they were going to do it by building homes for families; one at a time. At first, she couldn’t grasp the magnitude or the impact that a home of their own has on a family. But when she came and saw the new home built for the Luciano family and experienced the house dedication ceremony, she could see it! She turned to Steve Samaniego of Vital Seed Ministries and said, “I get it. Now, when are you coming to build the next home?” He said, “If you build a community park in this neighborhood for all the children running around, God will bring volunteers to build another home.” She promised to build the park, and the following December, another home was built. Juan Pablo Luciano and his family (wife and 7 children) were chosen to receive a home through an application process with their local church. When they applied, they were homeless, looking for a rental property. In that part of the Dominican Republic, a concrete foundation, electricity, and solidly constructed walls are all considered luxuries when looking for a place to live. A month before our group arrived to build the Luciano home, Homes for Hope cleared the ground and poured a concrete slab in preparation for the house build. Also,
a large group of neighbors joined us on the build and helped us complete the project in record time. In addition to the build itself, other side events happened. Street ministry took place during the day, and other needs were met through acts of generosity (like a young neighbor receiving a brand-new wheelchair!). Spending time with missionaries from the various ministries was definitely one of the highlights of the trip! Who could forget the two young mothers who volunteered and blessed mama Luciano with a diaper bag full of clothes? Or the singing and praying at church the night before the build? Bibles were distributed to neighbors. The family was so surprised when they were taken grocery and clothes shopping. And let’s not forget the looks on the Luciano children’s faces when the bunk beds were delivered by a generous volunteer. We have so many testimonies from volunteers – testimonies about this build being the most impactful part of their vacation. If you were to see the area where the Luciano family lived, you would have thought, “There is so much poverty. Can we really make a difference with just one house build that affects 9 people?” The answer is yes. Because we put our time and resources into this community, the mayor, a local church, two international mission organizations, and many neighbors joined together 8 months later to build yet another home for a local family in need. The “small beginnings” are growing, one person at a time, one dollar at a time. All the glory goes to Jesus Christ, who gives us the ideas, manpower, relationships, and funding to accomplish HIS work.
AGENCIES AND/OR PROGRAMS SUPPORTED BY D I R EC TO RS FO U N DAT I O N I N 2018 Abilene Police Department Foundation Abilene Youth Sports Authority Alzheimer’s Association Ben Richey Boys Ranch Big Brothers Big Sisters Camp Courage Children’s Grief Connection Court Appointed Special Advocates Disabilities Resources Inc. Fellowship of Christian Athletes Food Bank of West Central Texas Global Samaritan Hendrick Home for Children Hendrick Hospice Care
High School and University projects India Christian Missions Kids Club at the Park Kiwanis Love and Care Ministries Messianic Jewish Missions New Horizons Pregnancy Counseling Services Project Graduation events Prison Ministries Texas Tech School of Nursing The Head for the Cure Various Mission Projects Young Life
2018 GOALS MET AND 2019 GOALS ACCOUNTABILITY • The board of Directors Foundation continues to meet quarterly to offer oversight of the organization. This will continue in the new year. • An annual report will be published for 2018 activities and accounting of Directors Foundation. • We continue to remain accountable to our partner charities by spotlighting and promoting their services. PARTNERSHIP • An ongoing goal is continuing to get to know those in leadership in each non-profit supported. This is ongoing and ever-changing as leadership changes within the charities. • Key constituents of the Foundation are continuing to be educated and given opportunities to support the Foundation. The Giving Tree Campaign was again launched. Memorial gifting and mission trip support have all been events/activities solicited by the Foundation with over $10,000 raised. Marketing of these giving opportunities will continue in 2019. • Courses were written and are currently offered on DIG University about philanthropy and giving. The goal is to publicize them in 2019 to Funeral Directors Life employees. SERVICE • The Dominican Republic mission trip was highly successful, and another mission trip is slated for Mexico in March 2019. We’re hoping to provide an opportunity for two families to receive homes!
M O N E Y L A ST
T H I S
E X P E N D E D
Y EA R
Y EA R
TOTA L
TOTA L
$372,279
$1,375,204
E V E R Y
N U M B E R H A S A N A M E . E V E R Y N A M E H A S
a st or y
E V E R Y
S T O R Y M AT T E R S T O G O D.
PREGNANCY RESOURCES OF ABILENE Of the 56 women who received counseling, 33 chose life for their unborn child.
22 5 LOVE AND CARE MINISTRIES 225 people received a shower and encouragement, heard the word of God, and/or received food daily.
HENDRICK HOSPICE CARE 20 children attended a 6-week grief program and over 55 uninsured/underinsured
HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE received financial help to participate in 18 local and international missions on 5 continents.
patients and families received financial support.
KIDS CLUB
MOTHERS OF
404 kids received summer
PRESCHOOL CHILDREN
programming that centered
sponsored moms so they
around Jesus, fun,
A DESERVING FAMILY
and fellowship.
received a home built by volunteers in the Dominican Republic.
could realize their potential as mothers, women, and leaders in relationship with Jesus.
ABILENE POLICE FOUNDATION provided for spouse and family needs after an officer’s death.
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care packages were given to prisoners at Christmas time.
CHILDREN’S GRIEF CONNECTION Two camps helped over 40 families grieve the death of a loved one.
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GLOBAL SAMARITAN BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS
mentoring relationships were made possible.
COURT APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCATES (CASA) 110 volunteer advocates served 206 children in foster care.
Water purification systems were purchased to provide universally fresh water during catastrophic conditions like hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, poverty, drought or famines.
DODGE
JONES
Y O U T H S P O R T S C E N T E R
Abilene Youth Sports Authority (AYSA) was started in 2004 with a vision to “do sports the right way.” So, how do you do sports the right way? Brandon Osborne, Executive Director of AYSA, explains: “You teach kids the fundamentals of sports and how their effort and attitude and character is just as important as their athletic skill. Showing integrity on and off the court; playing hard and being competitive but being the first to offer your hand to help a player up; winning graciously and losing just as graciously; encouraging teammates and celebrating their successes instead of focusing on ‘how I looked and played.’ These are all examples of doing sports the right way because at the end of the day, a game is just a game. But how you played the game is how you will be remembered. At AYSA, we believe strongly that participating in sports teaches you about life.” Funeral Directors Life Insurance Company (FDLIC) allowed AYSA to set up an office in their building and then gave AYSA incredible resources that most non-
Former Executive Director of AYSA, Jon Smith.
DIG President and CEO Kris Seale breaks ground at the Dodge Jones Youth Sports Center with the Jacob Martin architecture team.
profits don’t have access to in their lifetime, much less their first year of operation! “It’s because of Kris Seale’s generosity that AYSA has been so successful,” said Brandon. “We’ve had many successes in our mission to do sports the right way, and Funeral Directors Life and Directors Foundation have been the key to it all.” Along with those successes, there have been many missed opportunities to grow sports in Abilene, TX, and the reason is because there are not enough adequate indoor facilities. Approximately 4,500 kids in Abilene, ages 4-16, participate in organized youth sports. However, Abilene currently operates its youth sports programming out of 1940’s era-facilities where the available number and quality of the courts is embarrassing! What does that mean? Approximately 15,500 children are NOT IN THE GAME. “Having a facility where our local kids can practice and play and where we can host indoor sporting tournaments in a first-class facility has always been a dream of mine,” said Kris Seale, AYSA Board Chairman. “More facilities equal more programs, which equals more opportunities for kids to get in the game!” So, fast forward to February 2019. Kris, former Executive Director, Jon Smith, Brandon, and the AYSA Board have raised $11.4 million dollars so the Dodge
Jones Youth Sports Center could be built! In September 2018, the groundbreaking ceremony took place, and the building will be completed in the later part of 2019. “This project would not have been possible without the financial support of Directors Foundation, other generous donors, the City of Abilene, Jon Smith, and Kris Seale’s leadership and vision. It’s such a pleasure to be involved in a life-changing project for the youth in and around our city,” said Brandon. Directors Foundation Executive Director Nadene Smith and daughter, Tucker, participate in the groundbreaking ceremony on behalf of beloved husband and father, Jon Smith, former Executive Director of AYSA.
“There are dif ferent kinds of gifts , but the same Spirit distributes them.� - 1 Corinthians 12:4