SANFORD, Fla. — Seventeen employees at the Goldsboro Community Center were not paid during their most recent pay period, as the facility struggles to stay open.
- Goldsboro Community Center struggling with funds
- Did not have the funds to put on a fundraiser a few months ago
- 5K fun run happening June 1
The Goldsboro Community Center and Rescue Outreach Mission on Old 13th Street in Sanford is unable to pay employees, which according to their Executive Director Rosalyn Thomas was inevitable.
“I was looking at our cash flow analysis and just trying to figure out, like where might there be some shortfalls in terms of our budgeting,” Thomas explained. “It looked like the spring was going to be that time.”
She says time and money has caught up to the mission for several reasons.
The rescue mission tries to host a fundraiser during the first quarter of every year. They were unable to do one this year because they did not have the funds to put one on.
According to Thomas, if the mission had the fundraiser, the group would have taken a loss.
Also, incoming donations this year have been minimal.
According to Thomas, the Rescue Outreach Mission relies on bringing in a half a million dollars each year from fundraisers and donations. So far this year they have yet to reach 20 percent of that goal, raising less than a $100,000 so far in 2019.
“Sometimes I think, [we are] coming to the point where we are asking for help, and I think right now we need help,” Thomas said.
A line of credit is supposed to come through later this week, and the executive director says employees will not only be paid for their current pay period, but for back pay as well. Thomas says she feels bad that employees had to go through this, but also hopes more than anything it does not happen again for everyone’s sake.
“The mission isn’t going anywhere,” Thomas said firmly. “We are going to be here in the community, and we really, really need the help of all of our community members here to help us continue to do this.”
The Rescue Outreach mission runs on about a $750,000 budget each year. The United Way and Seminole County contribute about a quarter million dollars annually. If you would like to help the rescue outreach mission, you can run in their Rescue Run 5K on June 1, where they hope to raise a total of $20,000.