Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Bryan Sickbert, 866-822-8224 ext. 2253 or sickberb@chhsm.org

CHHSM ADOPTS FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY PLAN

CLEVELAND, April 21, 2009-- Faced with a projected 14% shortfall in 2009 revenue precipitated by the economic recession, the Executive Committee of the CHHSM Board of Directors has implemented a Financial Sustainability Plan to insure that CHHSM can continue serve the health and human service ministries of the United Church of Christ.

The plan reduces budgeted expenditures for the remainder of 2009 by 11%, or $111,500.00. Sixty percent of the reductions are in administrative and other non-personnel budget lines. The remaining reductions are personnel-related and are achieved through salary and benefit reductions and the phasing out of the Vice President for Operations position by the end of 2009.

The goal of the Financial Sustainability plan is to minimize negative impact on CHHSM members and to continue and expand services that provide programmatic and economic benefit to our UCC ministries. The Executive Committee chose not to invade reserves, and thus realize investment losses, to make up for reductions in current revenue.

"Clearly CHHSM's leadership has had to make painful decisions in light of these financial realities," said President and CEO Bryan Sickbert. "The eventual elimination of the Vice President for Operations position is the most painful because it means we will lose our long-time staff member and friend Shirley Nelson."

Mike Brennan, CHHSM Board Chair observed that "the reach of this economic downturn is extensive and it has impacted all CHHSM ministries. We need to make wise but difficult decisions now that will sustain the viability of CHHSM's work far into the future."

CHHSM--the Council for Health and Human Service Ministries of the United Church of Christ-- is comprised of 75 corporate members, all affiliated with the United Church of Christ, that operate 357 facilities and programs providing health care, services to children, services to people with disabilities, and services to the aging. To learn more about CHHSM, or to find a CHHSM member anywhere in the United States, visit www.chhsm.org.

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