Operations Program
The programs and projects offered by Mayan Families are possible through contributions made by caring people like you. Our day-to-work work requires financial support especially as we grow to better service the indigenous communities in our region. The Operations Program expenses, on average, account for 20% of our total annual budget. Contributions made to all other Programs are classified as restricted and used only to support those Programs. Contributions made to the Operations Program are classified as un-restricted and used where the need is greatest as well as covering expenses incurred by the Operations Program itself.
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What the Operations Program does
Staff
Our salaried staff is 100% indigenous. The staff provides a wide array of services, including delivery and installation of items brought to homes, tending to the needs of the sick and handicapped, purchasing donated family goods where the funds have been donated to do this, accompanying people to specialists and hospitals in distant locations, social case work, visiting homes to obtain status reports for sponsors, inventory control of merchandise purchased by donations, receiving and unpacking of truck shipments, distribution of clothing and other in-kind donations, preparing meals for the destitute who come to our headquarters seeking help, counseling and advice, record keeping, school visits, construction projects estimates and supervision, set up and take down special event facilities, clerical services, bill paying, packing and wrapping Christmas items (like tamale baskets), buildings and grounds support, photography, and much much more.
Transportation Costs
Mayan Families does not own or operate any motor vehicles at this time. The majority of the families we support live in remote villages. Going to those villages to deliver goods, perform social work tasks, obtain follow up status reports, etc. requires us to rent pickup trucks, vans, and sometimes boats. Rental rates are continuing to rise with the worldwide increase in fuel costs.
Communications Expenses
Due to the diversity of our work, our staff is generally spread out across remote villages on any given day. We equip them with cell phones to communicate progress reports, adjust work schedules and make management decisions from the field. Cell phone service providers in Guatemala are more costly than in many other countries and competitive choices are limited. In addition, Internet access is critical to our operations and represents a significant expense. It is our primary means of communicating with our network of volunteers and contributors. We require high bandwidth service in several locations for communications and website administration.
Cooked Meals
Contributions to our Food and Milk Program are used exclusively for family food supplies in the homes. But at our headquarters, we often provide hot meals to impoverished people who come unexpectedly to our door. The Operations Program also provides meals for volunteers who help with special projects and routine activities.
Program Supplements
We sometimes find benevolent Programs' funding to not be sufficient to meet their demands. In such cases, Operations Program funds are transferred to help the benevolent Programs forge ahead. We are able to do this through un-restricted donations which empower us to use their contributions responsibly.
Contract Services
We sometimes find ourselves in need of people with special skills and extra hands for hire. Contractual arrangements are sometimes made for specialized circumstances and paid for by this Program.
Miscellaneous Expenses
Funding through this Program is also used to pay for many other operating expenses. These include, but are not limited to, headquarters utilities, office and computer supplies, importation taxes, headquarters maintenance, trash removal (especially after special events), all petty cash expenses and more.
How You Can Support the Work of Mayan Families
Please select the Contribute button to support the Operations Program. Help us to keep the lights on and continue the work we do. All contributions of any amounts are very gratefully accepted.
Most Recent Headlines for the Operations
| Clothing Donations Received (05/15/2008 04:47 PM) |
| More Pictures of Your Donations Being Recieved (05/07/2008 08:23 AM) |
| Your Soccer Gear in Use! (05/06/2008 02:55 PM) |
| Your Donations Being Received! (05/06/2008 08:04 AM) |
| Robin and Your Donations (05/03/2008 02:13 PM) |
