2. The legacy started in 1973. Those first ministers
and parishioners may not have realized it then, but
their first steps in fighting local poverty laid the
foundation for who we are now, 40 years later.
Our mission: Manchester Area Conference of
Churches, Inc., provides food, clothing,
shelter and advocacy for the unmet basic
needs of people in our community.
7 DAYS A WEEK
365 DAYS A YEAR
3. Hopelessness is the feeling that every-
thing is wrong and nothing will turn out
well.
Not having your basic needs met day
after day can make you feel hopeless. Not
being able to provide for your loved ones
can make you feel hopeless. Providing
basic needs day after day can seem
hopeless. Giving to an organization that
provides basic needs year after year can
make you feel hopeless. Just thinking that
everything is wrong and nothing will turn
out well is exhausting.
An unknown author penned, “When the
world says give up, hope whispers‘Try it
one more time.’”It is that one more try
that MACC Charities encourages people
in emergency situations to do. The belief
in one more try is a must for staff and
volunteers. One more try encourages
people to change their approach to
problems and when they experience
success, a new path is discovered.
Hope is the foundation of change. When
the basic needs of food, clothing and
shelter are met, hope is renewed and one
more try is thinkable. MACC Charities is in
the business of changing lives. Thank you
for believing in the possible.
It is about the basics.
Beth Stafford
Executive Director/CEO
It is an enormous privilege to be in ministry with you through
MACC Charities. When I moved to Manchester nine years ago
to serve as pastor of a local Lutheran church, the stories about
MACC seemed too good to be true. How could it be that, right
here in Manchester, we could be blessed with a social service
agency with a generous heart, sound financial footing, keen
insights into human nature, an ear to the ground for match-
ing needs and resources, and a deep and abiding faith in
God’s guidance and wisdom? The stories were true. They still
are.
Under the direction of CEO Beth Stafford and her gifted staff
and army of volunteers, the people of Manchester have
formed strong partnerships between congregations and
town government, and between the resource-abundant and
the resource-poor. Prayers grow legs at MACC, as the longing
of all people for shelter and clothing, food and health become
reality.
COO Sarah Melquist often reminds us,“MACC is a hand up,
not a hand out.” The staff, member congregations, financial
benefactors and volunteers at MACC share a common
purpose—to relieve suffering by advocating and equipping
others for an abundant life. We are under no illusion that
poverty will be extinguished. We are, however, committed to
helping those in our care to break the cycle of dependence
and failure that haunts so many. There will always be a need
for emergency food, clothing and shelter. But we do no one a
favor by keeping them in that state of crisis. We feed and we
teach. We clothe and we encourage. We shelter
and we shove. MACC’s goal is not only to
respond, but to empower.
On behalf of the Board of Directors of
MACC Charities, I thank you for your
commitment to the mighty task in which
we are engaged. God is at work among us,
making miracles every day.
Gratefully,
JoAnn A. Post
Pastor, Concordia Lutheran Church
President, MACC Charities Board of Directors
“Once you choose
hope, anything
is possible.”
-Christopher Reeves
4. 587total number of people
who stayed in shelter
38,197total meals served through our
community kitchen
NUMBERS
2012-2013
1,000+total number of people assisted by
our Church MouseThrift Shoppe
950total people assisted by
our advocacy department
1,313average number of people served monthly through food pantry
38member churches from Bolton, Manchester,
SouthWindsor, Glastonbury, and Storrs
5. STORYEvery year, many of MACC’s member churches and other groups
participate in the Seasonal Sharing Program. These groups sponsor
families who have been approved to receive food and a gift basket
during the holidays. It is a tangible way to help our neighbors at this
special time of year. The nature of this program often yields stories like
the following:
Just before Christmas 2013, a two-year-old boy was unexpectedly left
in his grandmother’s care, with only the clothes he was wearing. Prior
to his arrival, this family had already been assigned to a Seasonal
Sharing partner. When the family informed the program coordinator
of their recent addition, the child was graciously accepted and the
family was blessed with numerous gifts, clothes and toys. They also
gave the grandmother, who was disabled, a $100 gift certificate to get
whatever else her grandson might need.
A story of desperation and abandonment turned into one of hope
and support. The annual Seasonal Sharing Program continues to be
one of the most beloved and anticipated ways our community can
spread joy throughout the year.
FINANCES235,102
135,781
966,871
1,368,689
Revenue
Program
Development
Administration
The economy has changed the way MACC does business for the past few
years and Fiscal Year 2013 was no exception to this trend. Demand for
basic needs continues to rise as the number of staff declines. This may
sound negative, but that is not the intention. It is the reality of the world in
which we do business. MACC is embracing the challenge in creative ways-
not to weather the storm, but to set our sails to the winds of change.
MACC has frozen job openings in direct service positions and filled the
vacancies with volunteer teams, saving thousands of dollars in salaries and
benefits costs to the organization. Over the past 10 years, MACC has
deliberately reduced staffing from 20+ employees to 14. The Board of
Directors and the management team decided MACC would do better by
paying a smaller staff living wages and providing good health coverage
than paying a larger staff less with possibly little to no health benefits.
MACC was founded on volunteerism and decided to look there for answers
to meet the challenges of our day.
MACC Charities is a good steward of the resources entrusted to it by the
community. Direct service has been, is and will continue to be where the
majority of our revenue is allocated. It is our intention to keep the correct
balance of staff, volunteers and finances in place to succeed at the work we
do to provide emergency basic needs to our neighbors in need.
6. Volunteer: Ellen Burgum
Position: Friday Shelter Floor
Time at MACC: 6 Months
“The homeless population is completely misunderstood. Now that I’ve been here a while, I’ve
learned that these people could be my son, my brother, my sister, my neighbor. I leave every Friday
night with such a peaceful feeling. I just love coming here and I love doing my part.”
Ellen’s pre-conceptions of working with the homeless population were shattered within a few short
weeks of volunteering at our shelter.“When I tell people I volunteer at a shelter, some think that I
spend my Friday nights breaking up fights or working with dangerous people. They couldn’t be more
wrong. I feel very safe here and many of the guys are true gentlemen.”
“I really like the shelter residents and I love that MACC offers a hand up, not a hand out. I wish I knew
about this years ago.”
VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT
To Volunteer:
www.macc-ct.org/volunteer
860-647-8003 x26
7. FACE NEED 2013The 2013 judges were Manchester
Mayor Leo Diana, Dr. Sandra Palmer,
Interim Dean of Academic Affairs at
Manchester Community College,
and Beth Stafford, Executive Direc-
tor/CEO of MACC Charities.
$11,000 was raised through the
support of sponsors, an art auction
and assorted donations on the
evening of the event. We welcomed
new supporters and volunteers and
increased our exposure in the
community.
A variety of committed community
businesses and individuals support-
ed this event. All of the art was sold
on the night of the event, with a
series of photographs exploring the
relationship between mental health
and poverty from a Manchester
High School student fetching the
highest bid.
Looking ahead, we will incorporate
more community groups and
schools in the creation of the art
and look forward to opening the
gallery doors to the community
again on November 13, 2014.
On November 7, 2013 our first-
annual Face the Need event
took place at the MCC Gallery
on Main in Manchester. The
inspiration for the fundraiser/-
friend-raiser was to engage our
community in a new way, by
combining art with mission in a
public place where people
could stop in and enjoy food,
music and student artwork.
Students from East Catholic
High School and Manchester
High School were asked to
create a piece of art in their
preferred medium based on
their interpretation of the“Face
of Need”in our community.
Submissions ranged from
painting and photography to
graphic arts. There was also a
student/faculty collaborative
pottery project with the theme
of“Love turns need into abun-
dance.”
Judges were asked to come
early and review the work,
rating each piece and compiling
their responses to reveal the
“Judge’s Choice”.
People’s Choice Award: “I’m Not Invisible” by Kaitlin Hollinger from
East Catholic High School
Judge’s Choice Award: “Matthew 25” by Grace Mazzarella
from East Catholic High School
Face the Need Premiere Sponsor:
8. Alex is a recent high school gradu-
ate. He had his own apartment and
job but when his workplace closed,
he was unable to afford rent and
quickly found himself homeless at
19 years old.
When asked what it was like to be
homeless, he shrugged and replied,
“It was scary, but you get used to it
pretty quick.”Fortuntely, he was
referred to the MACC Shelter where
the outreach worker connected him
with a jobs program that provided
training and a housing component
for people in that program.
“Coming to the shelter for the first
time was scary,”Alex recalled,“but I
felt at home...especially with the
staff and Shirley (MACC Shelter
House Manager). She’s like my
grandmother.”He paused to smile,
then continued, “The shelter was
clean and sober. I felt really respect-
ed and everyone was very helpful. It
was as if some of them understood
what I was going through.”
Looking forward, Alex plans to work
as an auto mechanic. He hopes to be
back on his feet soon with a job
working on American muscle cars.
STORY
“I felt respected and everyone was
very helpful. It was as if some of them
understood what I was going through.”
9. 466 Main St. P.O. Box 3804 Manchester, CT 06045-3804 | 860-647-8003 | www.macc-ct.org
2012-2013 brought to you by our generous sponsors.
For a full list of donors, please visit www.macc-ct.org.
When People Are Hungry, We Feed Them.
When They Need Clothing, We Provide It.
When They Are Homeless, We Shelter Them.
When They Need An Advocate, We Help Them.
