Wheeler Mission Ministries 
The information on this page was last updated 2/15/2022. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]
Summary
Wheeler Mission provides emergency shelter and long-term, residential programming for individuals and families facing homelessness and/or addiction. Our innovative, results-driven programs aim to address the deeper, root causes that lead men and women to homelessness. Wheeler has become the largest and most diverse ministry of its kind in the state of Indiana.
Contact information
Mailing address:
Wheeler Mission Ministries
205 E. New York St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Website: wheelermission.org
Phone: (317) 635-3575
Email: [email protected]
Organization details
EIN: 350888771
CEO/President: Rick A. Alvis
Chairman: Jim Fountain
Board size: 18
Founder: William V. Wheeler
Ruling year: 1942
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 05/31
Member of ECFA: Yes
Member of ECFA since: 1987
Purpose
To see every man, woman, and child we serve equipped to be productive citizens who enjoy lasting success in Christ.
Mission statement
To provide Christ-centered programs and services to the homeless and those in need.
Statement of faith
This statement of our faith below shall keep each of us grounded in Biblical truth so that we can lead others to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ and correctly disciple them.
The following declarations are statements of fundamental doctrines with which all who serve Wheeler Mission, Inc. should be in agreement:
We believe in the Scripture of the Old and New Testaments as verbally inspired by God, and inerrant in the original writings, and that they are of supreme and final authority in faith and life.
Ps. 1; John 1:1, 14; Rom. 2:11-22; 1 Thess. 2:13; II Tim. 3:16-17; II Peter 2:20-21; 1 John 2:1-5
We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Gen. 1:1-2, 26; Matt. 16:16-17; Matt. 28:18-19; John 1:1, 14; Acts 5:3-4; I Cor. 2:9-11; Phil. 2:5-11; Heb. 1:1-14
We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten by the Holy Spirit, and born of the Virgin Mary and is true God and true man.
Is. 7:14; Matt. 1:18-20; John 3:17; Gal. 4:4; Phil. 2:5-11; I Tim. 2:5-6
We believe that man was created in the image of God; that he sinned, and thereby incurred, not only physical death, but also that spiritual death which is separation from God; and that all human beings are born with a sinful nature, and in the case of those who reach moral responsibility become sinners in thought, word and deed.
Gen. 1: 26-27; Gen. 3:1-19; Ps. 51:5; Is. 43:7; Is. 64:6; Rom. 3:23; Rom. 5:12; I Thess. 5:23; Heb. 4:12
We believe that the Lord Jesus died for our sins according to the Scriptures, as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice; and that all who believe in Him are justified on the grounds of His shed blood.
Rom. 5:8; Rom. 8:12-17; Phil. 2:9-11; Heb. 9:13-28; I John 2:2
We believe in the resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord, in His ascension into heaven, and in His present life there for us, as a High Priest and Advocate.
John 1:29-36, 10:11-15; John 3:16-17; Rom. 3:25, 10:3; Rom. 5:10-11; Rom. 8:32-35; II Cor. 5:21; Phil. 2:5-11; Heb. 2:17
We believe in "that blessed hope," the personal and imminent return of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Dan. 2:44; Matt. 24:30-31; Matt. 24:36-44; John 5:28-30; Acts 1:9; I Cor. 15:50-57; I Thess. 4:13-17
We believe that all who receive by faith the Lord Jesus Christ are born again of the Holy Spirit and thereby become children of God
John 3:1-16; Rom. 8:15; II Cor. 5:17; Eph. 1:3-14
We believe that Jesus Christ will personally and visibly return in glory to raise the dead and bring salvation and judgment to completion. God will fully manifest His kingdom when He establishes a new heaven and new earth, in which He will be glorified forever and exclude all evil, suffering and death.
Ps. 1:5; Matt 12:36; Rom. 4:10; Rom. 6:5; 1 Cor. 4:5, 3:13-14; II Cor. 5:10; I Thess. 4:13-17; I Tim. 3:6; Heb. 9:27; Jude 1:6; Rev. 20:5-6
Donor confidence score
Transparency grade
A
To understand our transparency grade, click here.
Financial efficiency ratings
Sector: Rescue Missions/Homeless Shelters
| Category | Rating | Overall rank | Sector rank |
| Overall efficiency rating | | 941 of 1033 | 148 of 161 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 725 of 1035 | 124 of 161 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 814 of 1035 | 128 of 161 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 859 of 1033 | 141 of 161 |
Click here to read Wheeler Mission Ministries' response to our ratings
Financial ratios
| Funding ratios | Sector median | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts = Fundraising expense / Total contributions | 9% | 14% | 16% | 15% | 25% | 26% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 8% | 12% | 15% | 13% | 20% | 22% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 91% | 84% | 91% | 92% | 81% | 83% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 10% | 23% | 22% | 25% | 22% | 23% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 9% | 16% | 9% | 8% | 19% | 17% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 80% | 71% | 71% | 69% | 72% | 73% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 87% | 53% | 66% | 54% | 90% | 94% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 69% | 38% | 47% | 37% | 65% | 68% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 13% | 47% | 34% | 46% | 10% | 6% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 11% | 24% | 19% | 36% | 6% | 3% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 9% | 6% | 7% | 6% | 5% | 4% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 0.55 | 0.25 | 0.33 | 0.40 | 0.50 | 0.47 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 2.97 | 3.76 | 5.37 | 6.96 | 5.15 | 4.85 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 1.74 | 0.95 | 1.75 | 2.82 | 2.57 | 2.26 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 14.30 | 21.36 | 14.60 | 10.70 | 9.00 | 7.49 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.07 | 0.05 | 0.07 | 0.09 | 0.11 | 0.13 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 5.79 | 12.00 | 6.39 | 3.86 | 4.15 | 4.61 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 9% | 6% | 10% | 5% | 6% | 6% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 2% | 0% | 5% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 150% | 371% | 275% | 234% | 189% | 202% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
| Cash | $5,930,526 | $5,040,054 | $1,569,136 | $494,893 | $1,222,440 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $971,380 | $747,538 | $538,007 | $373,175 | $442,470 |
| Short-term investments | $9,484,233 | $3,065,154 | $3,231,009 | $3,975,182 | $3,207,823 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $16,386,139 | $8,852,746 | $5,338,152 | $4,843,250 | $4,872,733 |
| Long-term investments | $10,474,365 | $9,037,017 | $4,968,460 | $4,951,460 | $4,820,184 |
| Fixed assets | $9,595,082 | $9,044,122 | $12,943,972 | $11,381,004 | $10,844,184 |
| Other long-term assets | $25,098,614 | $20,611,620 | $13,894,182 | $3,773,009 | $3,109,845 |
| Total long-term assets | $45,168,061 | $38,692,759 | $31,806,614 | $20,105,473 | $18,774,213 |
| Total assets | $61,554,200 | $47,545,505 | $37,144,766 | $24,948,723 | $23,646,946 |
| Liabilities | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $767,247 | $606,462 | $498,821 | $538,330 | $650,534 |
| Other current liabilities | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current liabilities | $767,247 | $606,462 | $498,821 | $538,330 | $650,534 |
| Debt | $0 | $2,531,300 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $2,801,343 | $1,841,248 | $1,515,594 | $925,809 | $814,290 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $2,801,343 | $4,372,548 | $1,515,594 | $925,809 | $814,290 |
| Total liabilities | $3,568,590 | $4,979,010 | $2,014,415 | $1,464,139 | $1,464,824 |
| Net assets | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
| Without donor restrictions | $29,847,200 | $23,687,338 | $20,233,909 | $20,657,202 | $20,028,616 |
| With donor restrictions | $28,138,410 | $18,879,157 | $14,896,442 | $2,827,382 | $2,153,506 |
| Net assets | $57,985,610 | $42,566,495 | $35,130,351 | $23,484,584 | $22,182,122 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
| Total contributions | $24,736,477 | $21,417,353 | $25,504,717 | $11,309,444 | $9,809,875 |
| Program service revenue | $3,017,187 | $1,702,513 | $2,191,887 | $1,706,237 | $1,369,023 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | $1,838,645 | $707,234 | $595,300 | $488,799 | $154,894 |
| Other revenue | ($269,789) | ($383,054) | ($461,537) | $407,730 | $422,527 |
| Total other revenue | $4,586,043 | $2,026,693 | $2,325,650 | $2,602,766 | $1,946,444 |
| Total revenue | $29,322,520 | $23,444,046 | $27,830,367 | $13,912,210 | $11,756,319 |
| Expenses | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
| Program services | $11,058,728 | $11,012,076 | $10,385,965 | $9,012,928 | $8,001,123 |
| Management and general | $978,856 | $1,049,778 | $942,602 | $660,137 | $426,209 |
| Fundraising | $3,585,605 | $3,417,782 | $3,709,496 | $2,782,212 | $2,569,639 |
| Total expenses | $15,623,189 | $15,479,636 | $15,038,063 | $12,455,277 | $10,996,971 |
| Change in net assets | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
| Surplus (deficit) | $13,699,331 | $7,964,410 | $12,792,304 | $1,456,933 | $759,348 |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | $13,699,331 | $7,964,410 | $12,792,304 | $1,456,933 | $759,348 |
Compensation
| Name | Title | Compensation |
| Alvis Richard A | President/CEO | $210,984 |
| Breisch Fritz | CFO | $121,633 |
Compensation data as of: 5/31/2021
Response from ministry
Due to God's generous provision, Wheeler Mission is grateful to have a strong balance sheet. This has allowed us to significantly expand our services to our neighbors experiencing homelessness and meet their growing needs. Since 2015 the nights of shelter provided by Wheeler Mission has more than doubled. This requires additional buildings, staff and resources which have increased our program expenses. These expenses will continue to rise over the next several years as new facilities become fully available.
Capital campaigns are effective methods of raising significant funding in a specific time period for the purpose of expanding services and programming capacity. In late 2018, we launched a capital campaign to effectively triple our capacity to meet the growing need for services in central Indiana for women and, specifically, women with children experiencing homelessness. This contributes to the significant increase in net assets with donors restrictions between 2018 and 2019.
Furthermore, at that same time - but unrelated to the capital campaign - we received a generous gift to establish a permanently restricted endowment for the sustainability of Wheeler Mission.
We believe an emphasis on raising our star rating will sacrifice the financial flexibility our ministry currently needs and, ultimately, have an inverse relationship on our ability to meet the growing needs of our community. Financial flexibility has become critical in ensuring we do not have a need to pursue - or become dependent on - funding sources that may threaten our commitment to sharing the gospel in our program and service delivery.
The information below was provided to MinistryWatch by the ministry itself. It was last updated 2/15/2022. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]
History
1893 - The Mission is founded under the name Door of Hope. It's led by a hardware salesman, William V. Wheeler, who volunteers his time.
1908 - William Wheeler dies, and organization is renamed in his honor.
1929 - Present building built at 245 North Delaware Street.
1959 - Wheeler's own camp (later named Camp Hunt) opens.
1990 - Rick Alvis becomes President/CEO
1991 - Wheeler begins to transform the Dearborn Hotel at 3208 East Michigan Street into a youth and family center, named the John D. Hughes Community Center, after its chief benefactor.
2001 - Wheeler and The Care Center merge.
2002 - Wheeler purchases the building adjacent to the men's shelter at 205 East New York Street.
2006 - Wheeler merges with Lighthouse Mission to enhance the programs offered to homeless men (later renamed Shelter for Men).
2009 - The Care Center moves to the Community Center at 3208 East Michigan Street and is renamed to Center for Women & Children.
2015 - Expansion of Shelter for Men to meet the growing demand for emergency shelter in Indianapolis
2021 - Expansion of Center for Women & Children to meet the growing demand for shelter and services for women, and women with children, experiencing homelessness in Indianapolis
Program accomplishments
Served an average of 872 meals to an average of 736 guests each day throughout the 2021 calendar year.
Served 10,832 unduplicated individuals at a Wheeler Mission site in 2021.
485 guests completed a Wheeler Mission program in 2021.
325 individuals secured stable housing upon exiting a Wheeler Mission program in 2021.