2024 ANNUAL REPORT
MISSION
The Presbyterian Home for Children, recognizing the changing needs of children with their caregivers and young adults who are transitioning to adulthood, provides a faith-based safe haven through programs that nurture, educate, and equip them to become the fully functioning persons whom God created them to be. Mission Statement as adopted by the PHFC Board of Trustees on February 1, 2016
OUR MISSION & VISION: A Foundation for Growth
For over 157 years, the Presbyterian Home for Children has remained steadfast in its commitment to provide a faith-based safe haven for at-risk children, families, and young adults. As the needs of the communities we serve evolve, so too does our vision for the future of both on and off campus programs and outreach efforts for children living in areas of need.
With Secure Dwellings, long-term transitional housing with full wrap around program supports for children and their female caregivers as a core ministry based in Talladega, PHFC continues to expand programs that provide stability and hope. With every step forward, we remain guided by our mission: to nurture, educate, and equip those we serve so they may become the fully functioning individuals God created them to be.
157+ YEARS
The Presbyterian Home for Children serves as a beacon of hope and transformation, where every child, caregiver, and young adult in our care finds safety, support, and the opportunity to thrive. We envision a world where every individual we serve is empowered to reach their full potential, grounded in faith, and equipped to build a brighter, self-sufficient future. - Vision Statement as adopted by the PHFC Board of Trustees on October 8, 2024
MESSAGE FROM LEADERSHIP
Dear Friends and Supporters,
Fiscal year 2023-2024 was a year of transformation and expansion. We celebrated the accreditation and lasting impact of Ascension Leadership Academy while focusing on strengthening and growing our programs for at-risk children and families.
Through strategic planning and infrastructure investments in Secure Dwellings and Union Village, we continue to provide refuge and a pathway to hope for those in need.
Our commitment to operational excellence remains steadfast, reflected in our continued 4-Star Charity Navigator top rating, Gold Seal of Transparency, and progress in the EAGLE reaccreditation process. None of this would be possible without your unwavering support. As we move forward, we invite you to join us in this journey of hope and transformation.
In gratitude,
Doug Marshall President & CEO
STORIES OF TRANSFORMATION AND PLACE TO HEAL AND THRIVE
At the Home, every family’s journey is unique, but they all share a common thread—seeking stability, safety, and hope. This year, the Secure Dwellings program doubled our capacity for safe housing and critical support for families facing homelessness. While numbers tell part of the story, the true impact is felt in the voices of those whose lives have been changed.
For Diana, the challenges of financial hardship led to nights spent moving between relatives' homes. She and her 4-year-old son found refuge at PHFC, where they could begin rebuilding. “I want to get all my kids back together in one spot,” she shared. “I need time to get myself together. I’m starting to get a little sleep again.”
Bizzy credits PHFC with giving her sons a foundation of love and security.
“PHFC gave my boys a place to call home, and for that, I will always be grateful,” she said. “They’ve grown into such compassionate, respectful young men.”
For Temika, who had found herself sleeping in her car with her young children, life before PHFC was one of constantly facing the unknown. “I tried to stay in safe places, but we were exposed to the elements, gunshots, and just unsavory people,” she recalled. “I couldn’t sleep most nights. I’d sit in the driver’s seat and keep an eye out.”
That changed when PHFC opened its doors to her family. “To God be the glory, you had a space for us,” Temika said. “This campus is so safe and secure and quiet and peaceful, and the atmosphere is just—you can feel the presence of God here.” Today, her children are thriving, and she’s rebuilding their future with the help of PHFC’s dedicated staff. “They keep us going with love. We love it, and we appreciate it very much.”
Thanks to your support, families like Dinah’s, Bizzy’s, and Temika’s have been given the chance to heal, grow, and move forward with hope.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH UPDATES
Union Village: Fighting Housing Insecurity
Union Village, our permanent supportive housing community in partnership with AIDB for individuals who are deaf, blind, deafblind, or multi-disabled, also saw remarkable growth with additional infrastructure investments underway. Thanks to generous grants and partnerships, six new tiny cottages were added in 2023, increasing our capacity to serve this unique population. The project, supported by community partners like Regions Foundation, The Holle Family Foundation, Presbyterian Women in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Inc., the congregation of Shades Valley Presbyterian Church, KODA Technologies, Inc., The Caring Foundation, and the City of Talladega, ensures residents have access to wrap-around services, job coaching, and independent living support. While we are sad when churches close their doors, we are grateful to help their legacy live on when they donate to us just as Second Presbyterian Church of Birmingham did this fiscal year. Two tiny cottages named for Second Presbyterian are currently under construction and nearing completion.
Weekend Backpack Program: Fighting Food Insecurity
We launched a Weekend Backpack Outreach in Wilcox County, one of Alabama’s poorest counties. This initiative provides 40 children with weekly, shelf-stable meals and snacks, including cereal, fruit, milk, and microwavable pastas, ensuring they have nutritious food over the weekend when school meals are unavailable.
Community Partnerships: Expanding Our Reach Through Faith and Support
Partnerships are essential to fulfilling our mission. This year, we have strengthened our relationships with churches, corporate donors, and community organizations to ensure long-term sustainability and greater
PROGRAM UPDATES: EXPANDING OUR REACH, STRENGTHENING OUR MISSION
In response to the rising need for safe, stable housing, the Home has invested in our campus to expand the Secure Dwellings program and offer additional transitional housing to give more homeless children and their female caregivers the opportunity to rebuild their lives in a nurturing environment. Additional infrastructure investments to improve these residences are underway.
Beyond housing, we continue to empower individuals through education, life skills training, and family preservation. The Transition to Adult Living (TAL) providing increased support and resources to young women needing a safe and stable home. Through expanded career guidance, case management, and financial literacy training, TAL is equipping participants with the skills they need to achieve long-term independence.
SEVEN COUNTIES are served by our FAMILY BRIDGES program.
Meanwhile, Family Bridges serves families in seven counties across Alabama. This program helps families in crisis by offering intensive in-home interventions designed to strengthen parenting skills, promote child safety, and prevent family separation. By working with families directly in their homes, Family Bridges ensures that more children can remain in loving, stable environments while their caregivers receive the support and tools they need to thrive.
These program expansions reflect PHFC’s commitment to meeting the evolving needs of Alabama’s most vulnerable populations, breaking cycles of homelessness and crisis, and providing lasting pathways to stability, self-sufficiency, and hope.
Ascension Leadership Academy: A Year of Educational Achievement
Ascension Leadership Academy (ALA) has continued to make a lasting impact on students facing educational and housing instability. With a commitment to providing a personalized education, ALA celebrated several milestones, including the success of our graduating students.
With 90% of ALA students continuing to higher education-helping to close the opportunity gap for our vulnerable youth —we remain dedicated to providing a pathway to brighter futures.
Introducing Caminos®: Serving Unaccompanied Minors
90% of ALA students continue to higher education
In 2024, PHFC joined Caminos® as a subrecipient of a federal grant with the Office of Refugee Resettlement, ensuring that unaccompanied children placed with sponsor families in Alabama are living in safe, stable environments. This initiative aligns with our longstanding mission of providing vulnerable children with safety, education, and hope for the future. Through home studies and post-release services, we are helping protect children from abuse, exploitation and trafficking while transitioning Caminos® is a registered trademark of Everstand. All rights reserved.
A New Covenant with the Synod of Living Waters
A milestone achievement in 2024 was PHFC’s approval to join the Synod of Living Waters in a covenant relationship that expands support within the PC-USA for the Home into Tennessee, Mississippi, and Kentucky. This partnership aligns with our mission to serve at-risk children and families from anywhere in need and offer a safe, faith-based environment where they can heal and thrive.
The Home is now working alongside the Synod to educate churches about the challenges facing children and families today, while remaining responsible stewards of the resources entrusted to us.
"As the Home has done in our 157-year history, we will recognize the changing needs of children and families, respond to the call of Christ to be agents of reconciliation, and provide a ministry of comprehensive programs and services." Doug Marshall
VOLUNTEER & DONOR RECOGNITION: The Heart of Our Mission
At the Presbyterian Home for Children, our mission is made possible by the dedication of our volunteers and the generosity of our donors.
This year, we were blessed with 600 volunteer sessions, totaling 1,965 hours of service—a labor of love valued at $29,475 in saved costs. These volunteers, from Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee, became true ambassadors of PHFC, leaving a lasting impact on our campus and community.
A group connected with the Extension Office and East Central Alabama Cooperative through Auburn University even created a sensory
1,965 HOURS 2024 VOLUNTEERS By The Numbers $29,475
Strengthening Corporate and Community Support
PHFC’s work would not be possible without the generous support of corporate donors and local organizations who share our commitment to serving vulnerable populations. This year, key partners like Alabama Power, Spire, Calhoun Presbyterian Apartments Foundation, and the City of Talladega have played a crucial role in supporting our programs, ensuring the families and children we serve have safe housing, essential resources, and life-changing opportunities.
$567K
By The Numbers $572K $400K $145K
By forging new relationships and strengthening existing ones, we continue to build a foundation of faith, generosity, and community support that will carry our mission forward for generations to come.
Sustaining Our Mission Through Generosity and Growth
The Presbyterian Home for Children experienced tremendous generosity this fiscal year, with increased grant funding, strong church partnerships, and dedicated individual donors making a lasting impact. We had a strong year of grant funding that allowed us to strengthen and expand our programs and provide deferred maintenance resources for campus and additional construction funds for Union Village. Our faith-based partners remained a cornerstone of our mission, with more than $572,000 donated from churches to support the children and families we serve.
Individual donors are another strong source of giving of more than $400,000, and we are especially grateful to the three donors who included PHFC in their estate plans, ensuring our mission continues for generations.
Many supporters also gave vehicles, furniture, new mattresses, school supplies, and plants to enhance our programs and campus. 34 donors honored loved ones through 216 tribute gifts, raising over $60,000, while community and church partners hosted 19 fundraisers, contributing $12,000. The Christmas season remained our most generous time of year, with over $145,000 donated through holiday and year-end giving.
Renewing EAGLE Accreditation & Strengthening Our Impact
The Presbyterian Home for Children leadership team continues the process toward renewal of the prestigious Educational Assessment Guidelines Leading toward Excellence EAGLE Accreditation in 2025. Staff started during 2024 and will continue through 2025 putting together the challenging documentation to maintain EAGLE accreditation, which is the highest standard for a faith-based organization serving children, youth, and families to accomplish. We have had the status since 2017.
The accreditation process is a great way to regularly check our systems to ensure we are using the best practices out there to fulfill our mission and enhance our impact for those who need us most. We do that through a system called the Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) process. It is a structured, data-driven approach that enables us to identify opportunities for improvement, implement changes, and assess outcomes. This way, we create a culture of accountability, innovation, and excellence.
CQI includes a regular revisit to our three-year strategic plan to make sure we are on target to meet our goals, and it empowers us to proactively address challenges, optimize processes, and continue to deliver high-quality services to children and families in our programs.
“The Home wants to help as many children and families in need that we can...”
Doug Marshall
The process has already produced useful insights that are driving positive change within our organization. For example, a recent CQI discussion revealed an opportunity to open one of our renovated cottages on campus to help moms who have lost custody of their children to DHR gain the skills needed to get their children back through the Secure Dwellings program. Through this new service, the moms will live in the Robinson Cottage Family Unity Center. It’s a meaningful addition to the Home’s services that will impact moms and children in need – and it came out of the CQI process.
“The Home wants to help as many children and families in need that we can,” Marshall said. “A structured process like CQI and reaccreditation helps us work together to find gaps in services and determine how we can best fill those gaps and expand our impact to spread hope and healing to those who need us most.”
The Home leadership and staff have also updated operating manuals for all programs and departments that serve as a comprehensive guide for our policies, procedures, and best practices. It provides clear instructions and frameworks to ensure continued compliance with legal and ethical standards while promoting efficiency, transparency, and mission-driven decision-making. These manuals are reference tools for our entire staff to ensure consistency, accountability, and alignment with our mission.
All this work leads up to a campus visit by the reaccreditation peer review team in mid-September when leadership, staff and some of our clients will be interviewed by members of the team. The accreditation process sounds challenging, but the Home considers this an exciting time when we get to demonstrate through this regimented national process that we are among the country’s top experts providing the best programs and services to at-risk children and families entrusted in our care and deserve the EAGLE Accreditation.
WHERE YOUR SUPPORT GOES
To maintain transparency, we provide a breakdown of our revenue sources and program expenditures, ensuring that the majority of donations go directly to programs that change lives.
OPERATING EXPENSES
*The totals above are unaudited and generally reflect cash received and spent
FY 2024. A copy of the complete independent audited financials based on generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) is available upon request. **Without Donor Restrictions of $80,724 and Donor Restrictions of $398,579.
INCOME FROM DONATIONS & SUPPORT USE OF FUNDS
PRESBYTERIAN HOME FOR CHILDREN
Financial Overview: A Commitment to Excellence and Transparency
Financial integrity and transparency are at the heart of everything we do. Thanks to the generosity of our donors and careful stewardship of resources, we continue to provide vital programs and services to at-risk children and families across Alabama.
Top-Rated for the Fifth Consecutive Year
We are proud to be recognized as a Top-Rated Nonprofit by Great Nonprofits for the fifth year in a row, a designation based on first-hand experiences from those we serve, our volunteers, and our supporters.
Four-Star Charity Navigator Rating
Our dedication to financial efficiency, sustainability, and transparency has once again earned us a Four-Star Rating from Charity Navigator, an honor given to only one in four nonprofits. This designation assures donors that PHFC is a "Give with Confidence" charity, meaning contributions are used effectively and responsibly.
Clean Audit and Financial Transparency
PHFC received a clean audit opinion for FY 2024, affirming our strong governance and financial management practices. Led by PHFC Controller Sam Allison, the Audit Committee and the Finance Committee, our team continues to ensure accountability and fiscal responsibility in every dollar we receive and spend.