While I was working on my Master’s Degree 25 years ago, I read an article called “What Sport Are We Playing?”, which was written by one of the professors. He used different sports to illustrate the challenges organizations face as they grow. They don’t just get bigger, they get more complex. When you play golf, […]
Some of you have probably noticed that Peace House Community has not made an official statement about the immigration enforcement activities going on in the Twin Cities at the moment. We debated making a statement, in the end we didn’t for a few reasons. First, we did not want to draw attention to ourselves early
For better or worse, Peace House Community keeps setting records for the number of community members we host. Through the end of October, we hosted almost 10% more members this year than we did in 2024. Even more impressive (or depressing, depending on how you look at it), we’re hosting 300% more members than we
In the 1980s, I enjoyed watching WKRP in Cincinnati. The writers did a great job of mixing silly humor with serious topics. In one episode, Mr. and Mrs. Carlson discovered that they were going to have a baby. Being an older couple, they debated whether they were up to the challenges of raising another child.
I’m about to do the thing that fundraising experts say I shouldn’t – thank our supporters and ask for more gifts at the same time. To start, I and everyone at PHC are tremendously thankful for all the support we receive. Everything good that happens at PHC happens because of caring supporters. No matter how
2024 was quite a ride for Peace House Community. We started the year projecting a $100,000 deficit, and contemplating having to close PHC’s doors permanently. However, thanks to the amazing generosity of many people and organizations, we ended the year with a $40,000 surplus. But even as we celebrated the continuation of our work, we
I recently got to chat with the Associate Director of the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits about the state of nonprofit organizations in Minnesota. Kari is a self-professed data geek, and we discussed the fact that over 75% of nonprofits in Minnesota are currently reporting some level of financial distress, with many actively planning to close
This will be the least enjoyable Director’s Corner I’ve written since I joined PHC. As always, I want to thank all our supporters for making everything at PHC possible, but I also need to let you know about our current financial struggles. Coming out of covid, PHC was financially comfortable. We had a balanced budget
Welcome to 2024! On behalf of Peace House Community and its members, volunteers, and staff, we wish you a peaceful year. We also want to thank you for getting us through 2023. Well, we didn’t just get through it; in some ways we thrived. Way back in the second half of 2022, PHC’s Board of
As you may have heard, in late September a car went through the dining room wall of the Opportunity Center, which is a service building about three blocks from Peace House Community. Fortunately, the building didn’t suffer any critical damage, and it re-opened fully within two days. For those two days, though, PHC was busy.