Facts and Figures

During 2010, Mission Teaching Foundation was able to continue to provide ongoing education for all the students in the program and, in addition, to start other students on their way to their career goals. The recession has hurt our income, but most of our sponsors have continued to maintain their support despite the hard times.

When we accept an applicant into our program, we implicitly intend to fund that student’s education as far as her or his abilities and motivation will take her/him. Most of our sponsors are similarly committed to their student for the long term. It sometimes happens, however, that we lose sponsors through attrition due to change of circumstances, unemployment, death, or simply loss of interest. When students lose their sponsors we attempt to find new sponsors for them. In the meantime, we fund the education of the student out of our general fund. That is why we work hard to have a nest egg set aside for the future. We hope never to have to tell students that they must leave school because they have lost their sponsors and we have no funding available to continue their education. Some students now entering our program will still be in school for years to come, as they work to attain advanced degrees and higher professions. We want to be able to support them as far as their abilities can take them. Thanks to your generosity, we expect that to be possible.

The figures below show the income and expenses of Mission Teaching Foundation for the year 2010. We are seeing a gradual decrease in new sponsorships and other donations. This is a worrisome trend, and we ask our generous sponsors and donors to see if they can be even more generous.

But it isn’t all about money. We ask you to continue to remember your students and their families in your prayers. They never forget how they benefit from your generosity. At the same time, they are reminded of the goodness and kindness, both material and spiritually, of their sponsors. We at MTF don’t forget you either. Thank you for all your support and encouragement.

The year 2009 was a difficult one for most people and also for Mission Teaching Foundation. The financial crisis of the past two years has reduced the income for MTF, as it has reduced the income of most of our sponsors and donors. Nevertheless, we have been able to continue all of our work, including the central mission of our organization -- which is educating young people in Chiapas, Mexico. We have resisted the temptation to cut back on the number of students we support. They count on us, and we find it hard to say no to them.

The figures below show the income and expenditures of Mission Teaching Foundation for the past year. Donations have been decreasing since Fr. Riebe became unable to continue making personal appeals in parishes around the country. And although we have held on to most of our sponsors, we have lost some through attrition. We join our students and their parents in expressing our tremendous gratitude to the sponsors who have stood with us year after year. They are as determined as we are to see every student finish their education.

We ask all our friends to join us in praying for the sponsors, donors and other supporters who have gone before us in the Lord. One long-time friend of MTF from Minnesota recently passed away and left half of his estate to the endowment fund. He has left a beautiful legacy.

Every effort has been made to reduce expenses. Our operation is run on a bare-bones basis, and that is the way we want to keep it. Everything we do is based on the economic and social teachings of the Catholic Church.

2008

Facts and Figures The year 2008 was a year of considerable success for Mission Teaching Foundation despite the worldwide financial crisis.  We were able to continue all of our projects including educating many young people in Chiapas.  We raised $348,937, mostly from cash donations, church appeals and sponsorships.  Although the negative financial climate has hurt the foundation’s income in all categories, we have not cut back on our education program, as that is always our top priority.  We never forget that we have made a commitment to our students that we will continue to provide an education for them.  Encouraged by our promises, they are making many sacrifices to finish their education.  Instead of providing badly needed income for their parents and siblings these young people are staying in school because we have promised to see them through to the end of their education.  They know that their future will be brighter thanks to the donations collected by Mission Teaching Foundation. To make ends meet we withdrew some funds from our endowment in 2008.  We expect to replace these monies by the end of 2009, and we hope to add to the endowment—year by year--so that some day we will be able continue our education program in perpetuity.  We trust that our donors and sponsors will not forget the students who are relying on their help.  We have kept our administrative expenses and fundraising costs very low.  Well over 80 cents of every dollar went to the education of the students in our program. The funds spent for other purposes went in large part to paying management and fundraising costs such as postage, printing, taxes and utilities.

MTF Annual Financial Report for 2008         

2007