Visitation House MinistriesInc

What it reported doing in 2024

Transitional Housing & Education Program: Visitation House Ministries Transitional Housing and Education Programs have historically offered resources, services, and opportunities for economically vulnerable women and their children. Through its programs, Visitation House Ministries focuses on the cycle of poverty resulting from limited education, which in turn limits opportunities for earning a living wage and leads to homelessness and family disintegration.For nearly 40 years the Transitional Housing component of VHM offered a two-year residential program by providing stability for homeless single mothers with young children and assisting them in gaining the education and skills needed to move from homelessness into permanent housing and sustainable economic independence. All families received intensive (weekly/daily) support services, including case management and referrals, life skills training, counseling, educational tutoring and academic advisement. In 2024, Visitation House Ministries provided transitional housing, education and comprehensive support services for five (5) homeless families consisting of five (5) adults and nine (9) children for a total of 3,251 days in residence. The transitional housing program was designed to bring about transformational change. Our goal has never been limited to providing social services and subsidized housing, but to offer the support necessary to help women make changes in their lives that will move them towards self-sufficiency. It challenges their internal motivation - believing that further education and a better job are not impossible dreams - and then offers them the resources and encouragement to achieve those dreams. Each mom pursued a distinctive education goal, particular to her level of education attainment. During the Spring and Fall semesters of 2024, three program participants attended San Antonio College (SAC), one worked towards earning her GED, and one participant graduated from the Goodwill Career Academy as a Medical Assistant. These women are first-generation students. Three participants maintained part-time employment while in school. The women attending SAC received grants that covered their tuition and books. Program participants who have income made minimal rent payments up to 30% of their part-time earnings less deductions for the number of children they had. Three participants were able to pay the highly subsidized rent and utilities. Two participants were under the support of our programming while working towards their certifications or looking for employment. When participants were able to pay for utilities, the bill was placed in their name, allowing them to develop budgeting skills and build credit. Visitation House Ministries, through its donors, supplied the families with hygiene and cleaning products that they could not purchase with their SNAP benefits. Program participants received weekly case management and referrals to other resources as necessary and weekly virtual individual counseling. Medicaid covered the childrens healthcare needs and the case manager referred the adults to area clinics that accept uninsured patients. Participants also received assistance with health-related costs such as eye and dental care. A key element of Visitation House programming was the Children Enrichment Program. Over 38 years of professional experience has taught us that the children will be the change agents to break generational cycles of poverty and/or homelessness. The goal of this program is to address and mitigate factors that place children at risk of poor academic outcomes. These factors include migration from school to school and high rates of absenteeism due to financial barriers, residential instability and family violence. The after-school coordinator was a paid intern earning a degree in Psychology. The latter carried out the daily work of providing academic, inspirational and motivational support for the children. We were also able to welcome volunt

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 83.6%; rating input score 84
• Program expense ratio: 75.8%; rating input score 76
• Fundraising efficiency: $5.33 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 23; 23rd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: Limited
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: Limited
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 90.9%; rating input score 91; 25th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 5 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 62
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Fail
  • Document-retention policy: Fail
  • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 19.3%; rating input score 73; 73rd percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 8.45; rating input score 87; 87th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 80; 80th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 15.6%; rating input score 24; 24th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 2% per year; rating input score 100; 40th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 4.2% per year; rating input score 100; 48th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 7.4% per year; rating input score 100; 57th percentile among comparable filings