The 2023 operating budget is $1,188,589.00 (excluding the Preschool), which represents an increase of $88,173.00 or 8% over 2022. The bulk the increase is related to Facilities and Staffing. It’s costing us more to heat, cool, and maintain our property and buy supplies for our programs and ministries. Even more critically, we must ensure that we increase earnings for our incredibly gifted and faithful staff to be compensated with a livable wage given the higher than usual pace of inflation and cost of living in our area.