Must Ministries Inc

What it reported doing in 2024

See Schedule OFood Services: MUST Ministries provides comprehensive food assistance through programs designed to reach individuals and families who face the highest barriers to accessing nutritious meals. MUST's food programs include the MUST Mobile Pantry, which brings groceries, toiletries and fresh produce directly into neighborhoods; Neighborhood Pantries imbedded in schools, which ensures thousands of children and adults receive consistent, reliable support each month; MUST Client Services pantries in Marietta, Smyrna and Canton; Loaves and Fishes Kitchen in the MUST Hope House, which serves three meals a day; and the Senior Smiles food program, which provides monthly food boxes to seniors in need, right at their doors.Client ServicesMUST's Client Services locations provide comprehensive assistance for individuals and families with little to no income, offering food, housing support, workforce development, entrepreneurial training, clothing, hygiene items, healthcare access, case management and help with government and insurance applications. In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, MUST distributed more than 700,000 pounds of groceries to 22,000 people and provided 175,000 clothing items at no cost to more than 12,000 individuals through Client Services. Nearly 2,000 people participated in job readiness and industry training, and more than 700 secured employment, generating more than $25 million in annual personal income.Neighborhood PantryThe MUST Neighborhood Pantry program partners with public schools, churches and businesses to provide food and essential items to children and families who face significant transportation barriers. Operating 19 pantries across Cobb and Cherokee counties, the program serves students from 49 schools and supports more than 400 at-risk families each month. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, the Neighborhood Pantry distributed more than a quarter million pounds of food and toiletries to 7,000 clients, including more than 3,200 children.Mobile PantryThe MUST Mobile program delivers fresh, healthy food directly to low-income neighborhoods and food deserts where transportation challenges prevent families from accessing traditional food pantries. Each month, the program reaches 15 locations across five metropolitan counties, including schools, churches, apartment communities and the VA Clinic. In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, more than 12,000 clients received nearly 650,000 pounds of food and additional toiletries through this mobile distribution model.Seasonal Programs and Community OutreachMUST Ministries provides seasonal and holiday assistance to help stabilize families and support children, seniors and individuals facing financial hardship. The Summer Lunch program delivers weekday breakfast and lunch items to at-risk children during school breaks and, through partnerships with churches and community groups, distributed more than half a million meals to roughly 7,000 children across eight counties. MUST's Toy Shop served more than 7,500 children in three counties with Christmas gifts, clothing items and school supplies, while the holiday food program provided about 500 families with complete holiday meals and gift cards for a turkey or ham. The Senior Smiles program, which now includes hygiene items and other personal care essentials in addition to food, supports 250 seniors each month.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 93.7%; rating input score 94
• Program expense ratio: 87%; rating input score 87
• Fundraising efficiency: $13.91 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 48; 48th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 4 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 67
  • Compensation committee: Pass
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Pass
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 43rd percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 66th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 8 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 89
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -3.6%; rating input score 19; 19th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.49; rating input score 51; 51st percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.09; rating input score 75; 75th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 5.5%; rating input score 47; 47th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 14.3% per year; rating input score 100; 82nd percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 10.9% per year; rating input score 100; 77th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 12.1% per year; rating input score 100; 73rd percentile among comparable filings