Safety Wins — 2025–2026

• Safety and Training Sub-Committee formally established
• Driver training program developed and rolled out
• Updated vehicle operation protocols implemented
• Facility upgrades completed to enhance volunteer and client safety
• Enhanced emergency response procedures established for Code Blue operations

Safety Challenges

• More complex and dispersed camp environments requiring additional scouting and hazard mitigation
• Increased behavioral-health-related encounters during outreach
• Greater wear on vehicles due to expanded mission mileage and winter conditions
• Higher training demand as volunteer numbers increased
• Additional safety requirements associated with operating as a Code Blue warming center

A Focus on Safety

Ensuring the safety of our teams remains a top priority at The Sub Zero Mission. This year, we worked on several projects aimed at improving safety measures and addressing the unique challenges faced during outreach missions.

Annual Training

Training is important. Important for the safety of the team. It is important for those that we serve.  That reality makes preparation critical. We expanded our training scope, sharpened our protocols, and made sure every volunteer who stepped into the field was ready for what they would face. Key training topics included:

• De-escalation Techniques: This year we took de-escalation a step further by introducing live scenario-based training. A volunteer poses as an individual experiencing homelessness and simulates threatening or unpredictable encounters, giving our teams repeated hands-on practice in how to respond, de-escalate, and protect themselves and others in real time. Volunteers cycle through the exercise multiple times, building both skill and composure under pressure.
• Camp Approach: Teaching strategies for safely engaging with individuals in their environments, including heightened awareness protocols for extreme cold conditions.
• Sub Zero Mission Vehicle Training: Covering the general functions of vehicles, differences between our fleet, operational best practices, and service window operations.
• Cold Weather Training: With one of the harshest winters in recent memory, preparing teams to recognize and respond to the dangers of freezing conditions was more essential than ever.
• First Aid Essentials: Including puncture wound treatment and identifying signs of hypothermia and frostbite.

100 Day Meeting

This season, the 100 Day Meeting set a noticeably different tone from years past. Rather than playing catch-up before the season began, our outreach team came together early, and the difference was clear from the start. Operations moved more smoothly, the team was better prepared, and the energy in the room reflected it. During the meeting, leadership took time to check in with every team member not just on readiness, but on how everyone was doing personally. Across the board, spirits were high. The team came in focused, mentally sharp, and genuinely excited for the season ahead. It was one of the strongest pre-season gatherings we’ve had.

Recon & Field Safety Program

In October 2025, the Sub Zero Mission formally established a recon team — a major step forward in proactive field safety. Rather than deploying our full team into unknown environments, the recon team scouts areas in advance, identifies hazards, and gathers intelligence before The Blue Coat Missionaries are deployed.

Code Blue Shelter Safety Enhancements

This year, the Sub Zero Mission took on the role of code blue shelter, requiring a set of specific safety enhancements to ensure the building was compliant, secure, and safe for overnight clients and staff. Three key improvements were made in direct response to this expanded role:

• Safety Cage — The garage maintenance area was enclosed with a security cage to lock down tools and hazardous materials, protecting both clients and the garage ops team.
• Fire Pull Handles — Installed throughout the garage following fire inspection requirements for overnight shelter occupancy. The mission passed inspection and was cleared for overnight code blue operations.
• Fire Watch Protocol — A fire watch was implemented and maintained any time clients were staying overnight during code blue activations.

These improvements reflect the mission’s commitment to maintaining the highest standards of safety as it expands its role in serving the community.

Looking Ahead

FY2025–2026 has been the most structured and comprehensive safety year in the Sub Zero Mission’s history. From the establishment of the Safety and Training Sub-Committee to the launch of a formal driver training program, and from targeted facility upgrades to the creation of a dedicated recon capability — every initiative this year was designed with one purpose: to make sure every volunteer and every client goes home safe.

Safety is not a department at the Sub Zero Mission. It is our culture. The work completed this year builds a foundation that will continue to strengthen with every season.

Some seasons test you. This one redefined us.

To understand what the 2025/2026 outreach season meant for Sub Zero Mission, you have to understand what it walked into. Northeast Ohio hadn’t seen a winter like this in nearly 50 years. Temperatures plunged to levels not recorded since 1977. The cold wasn’t just uncomfortable; it was dangerous, relentless, and indiscriminate. For the people living outside, it was a matter of survival. For us, it was a call to action unlike any we had faced before.

Coming off the momentum of 2024/2025, we knew this season would demand more. Encampments had grown more entrenched across our service area. Populations were harder to locate, harder to reach, and carrying heavier burdens. But nothing fully prepares a team for the kind of winter that arrives and refuses to let go. Week after week, the forecast stayed frozen. The calls kept coming. And we kept going.

Preparing for the Season

We didn’t walk into this winter unprepared. Over the summer and fall, our team made deliberate decisions to strengthen how we operate at every level.

One of the most significant additions was the formation of our Recon Team. Equipped with our truck “Fury,” an ATV side-by-side, and a drone named “Snow Flake”, the Recon Team was deployed a full week ahead of scheduled missions. They moved through areas in daylight, located camps, photographed sites for pre-mission briefings, and mapped points of entry and egress, including trail routes the full team would use when deploying at night. This changed everything. Missions became safer, more targeted, and more effective because we knew exactly what we were walking into before we ever left headquarters.

We also restructured how we scheduled missions across the season:

• Long-distance missions were moved to Saturdays to protect weekday operational capacity and reduce team fatigue.
• Rest days were intentionally built into the schedule, giving the team recovery time and allowing for vehicle maintenance between deployments.
• Squad structure was reinforced with clear, empowered leadership at every level — squad leaders who owned their teams and made decisions in the field.
• Partner agency relationships were formalized, growing to 12 active SZM partner agencies across the region.

The most experienced guides in our network were enlisted for complex missions in new cities and high-risk environments.

We planned for 32 missions across our full footprint: from Erie, PA, and Conneaut to Lorain in our regular rotation, with out-of-town trips reaching Columbus, Dayton, Cincinnati, and Buffalo. Others would be added as conditions demanded.

And then winter arrived. And it did not leave.

In the middle of the coldest winter Northeast Ohio had seen in nearly 50 years, The Sub Zero Mission did something it had never done before.

For years, operating our own warming center had been a goal, something we worked toward, planned for, and ran into obstacles trying to achieve. We had worked all summer with partner teams and Lake County to navigate the process. There were zoning challenges to work through, Ohio Revised Code requirements, Conditional Use applications to file, fire inspections to pass, and hearings to attend. The Township Trustees worked to expedite the process wherever they could, and we are grateful for that. The Township Fire Department conducted our inspection with urgency, recognizing that the coldest stretch of the season was already upon us — and passed us with no discrepancies.

Then, on January 17, 2026, our headquarters opened its doors as an officially approved Code Blue Warming Center for Lake County. For 19 consecutive nights, through some of the most brutal temperatures this region has recorded in a lifetime, our doors stayed open. Everyone who needed a warm, safe place had one.

The numbers tell part of the story:

• 255 unique individuals were served across the 19-night operation.
• 95 volunteers were deployed to staff the center across 9 volunteer shifts.
• Average nightly attendance was 13 guests, with a single night high of 23.

But the numbers alone don’t capture what it felt like watching our headquarters transform. To see cots set up in a space we had built together. To see people come in out of the cold, sit down, and exhale. To know that on those 19 nights, no one in our care had to wonder whether they would make it to morning.

The Blue Coat Missionaries are the heart of our Mission. These are the men and women who leave their warm homes on the coldest nights of the year, walk into the dark, and bring something back with them: warmth, dignity, and the simple but powerful message that someone sees you and someone cares. In a winter like this one, that message carried more weight than ever.

Every room in our headquarters features an image of The Blue Coat Missionary, a symbolic figure that embodies everything this organization represents. This character carries:

• A sword, representing the fight against death, the struggles our homeless veterans face, and our relentless advocacy to help them find permanent homes.
• A lantern, symbolizing the light we carry into camps and the path we help illuminate back to safety, stability, and home.

The blue coat is not given. It is earned. To wear one, a team member must complete at least 10 outreach missions or make equivalent contributions to the cause. Our ranks include prior military personnel, first responders, and specialists whose experience and skills make every Mission more effective and every person we serve safer.

This season’s standout was Chris Huber, who completed 15 missions—the most of any team member—reflecting the kind of commitment this organization is built on. Squad 2 led all units in overall consistency throughout the season. Squad leaders Joe Walker (Squad 1), Jacob Bennett (Squad 2), and Mike Gregal (Squad 3) each provided the steady, mission-focused leadership that allowed us to operate at scale without losing our footing.

We set the bar high. We cleared it in the hardest possible conditions.

• Miles Traveled: Goal 3,500 / Actual: 2,500
• Warming Items Delivered: Goal 30,000 / Actual: 36,496
• Donated Volunteer Hours: Goal 800 / Actual: 928

Statistics from the Season:

• 45+ volunteers contributed 928 hours across 26 missions.
• Served 20 cities across Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York.
• Delivered 36,496 warming items to those in need.
  • Hats: 7,047 | Coats: 1,318 | Boots: 767 | Gloves: 4,719 | Sleeping Bags: 808
    Tents: 223 | Socks: 13,692 | Survival Coats: 10 | Warming Center Stays: 255
• Served 2,501 homeless individuals.
• Engaged 12 active SZM partner agencies.
• Identified and referred 19 veterans through HVRP.
• Operated a Code Blue Warming Center for 19 consecutive nights, serving 255 unique guests.
• No missions were canceled due to safety, personnel, or vehicle issues. The season ran cleanly, deliberately, and with purpose, start to finish.

Looking Ahead

What this season proved, above everything else, is that Sub Zero Mission does not stand still.

We served more people, in more cities, through more channels than we ever have. We opened a warming center in the coldest winter in nearly 50 years and kept it running for 19 nights. We launched a Recon Team that made every Mission safer. We deepened our partnerships, strengthened our squads, and closed the season without a single Mission lost to a preventable setback.

As we look ahead, our attention turns to what comes next: activating volunteers who have not yet deployed, growing our partner agency network toward 15 or more active relationships, expanding the HVRP’s reach into new veteran populations, and formalizing the warming center as a permanent, fully operational piece of what Sub Zero Mission does every winter.

The cold will come again. It always does. But so will we.

Outreach keeps people alive. Re-empowerment restores a future.

For many, homelessness is not simply the absence of housing. A significant portion of the unsheltered population includes Veterans. Many struggle silently with post-traumatic stress, depression, substance dependency, or bureaucratic fatigue. Some have attempted to navigate the system before and walked away overwhelmed. Others no longer believe help is available to them.

Finding a veteran in a tent, under a bridge, or in a wooded encampment is only the beginning.

The real work starts after the introduction.

This is why the Homeless Veteran Re-Empowerment Program (HVRP) was created.

The Work Behind the Launch

The program officially launched on Veterans Day of 2024, symbolically aligning our next chapter with a day that honors service.

But the launch was not just symbolic. It was structured.

More than 18 months of planning preceded implementation, including:

• Policy development
• Legal consultation
• Partner alignment
• Training refinement
• Process mapping
• Data tracking system creation

The goal was clear: not temporary placement, but long-term stability.

The Hardest Part: Locating and Convincing

The reality of this work must be clearly understood.

Veterans experiencing homelessness are not standing in line asking for assistance.

They are in wooded areas, industrial corridors, underpasses, side streets, abandoned lots, and other highly transient environments. They relocate frequently. They distrust systems. They protect their autonomy.

• Some refuse the VA outright.
• Some fear shelters.
• Some are actively struggling with addiction.
• Some are managing untreated trauma.
• Some are exhausted.

Our first responsibility is to find them.

Our second responsibility is to build trust.

Only then can we ask the question that matters most:

Are you ready?

If the answer is yes, the real work begins. If the answer is no, we do not disappear. We remain.

Program Approach: The HVRP Model

The Homeless Veteran Re-Empowerment Program operates through a three-phase engagement model:

Phase One: Outreach & Identification

Veterans are identified through direct field outreach, encampment engagement, and community referrals.

Phase Two: Stabilization Connection

Veterans are connected to shelters, VA services, treatment providers, and housing partners, including 2100 Lakeside and community-based organizations.

Phase Three: Long-Term Engagement

Veterans are enrolled in HVRP or placed into ongoing Constant Contact tracking to ensure continuity of care beyond initial engagement.

Long-Term Engagement & Constant Contact Tracking

Not every veteran is immediately ready for housing or services. Some require time, repeated contact, or gradual re-engagement before they are able or willing to take the next step.

To ensure these individuals are not lost in the system, HVRP utilizes a structured follow-up model through Constant Contact tracking.

This system allows the team to maintain ongoing visibility into veterans who are not yet fully engaged in services but remain active in outreach and follow-up. It ensures that contact is not a single interaction, but a sustained process over time.

Constant Contact tracking serves as an operational safeguard, ensuring veterans remain accounted for across outreach cycles, follow-up periods, and re-engagement opportunities.

Not every veteran engages on the first attempt, but consistency creates the opportunity for the next one.

“This year, we were honored to be awarded the SSG Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant. This funding strengthens the work already underway through our Homeless Veteran Re-Empowerment Program and allows us to reach veterans who may be struggling in silence. HVRP is built on relationship — maintaining consistent contact, building trust, and supporting veterans as they regain stability through housing and connection to critical resources. While we are not the VA and do not provide clinical services, we play an essential role in reconnecting veterans to the care and support available through the VA and our community partners. I am incredibly proud of our staff and volunteers who work tirelessly every day to serve those who served. This grant expands our ability to provide hope, stability, and a path forward.”

— Lisa Sprowls, HVRP Program Manager

 

Veteran Success Story (Program Impact Example)

One Veteran, “Matthew”, currently enrolled in HVRP, has made significant progress toward stability through coordinated program support.

Matthew’s Story

Matthew had a career. A home. A life that looked, from the outside, like stability. Then, piece by piece, it came apart.

A landlord who refused VA benefits. A car has already been sold. A series of events that, individually, might have been manageable but together, moved faster than he could respond. Within months, a man who had served this country found himself with nowhere to go.

Project Hope made a call. Sub Zero Mission answered.

Today, Matthew is not on the streets. He is back in the field, not as someone who was helped, but as someone who helps. He walks alongside veterans who are living what he lived. He knows the look. He knows the resistance. And he knows what it means that someone didn’t walk away.

Housing

Placed in a sober living facility, providing a stable and supportive environment during a critical period of recovery.

Employment

Secured part-time employment with The Sub Zero Mission itself, building work history, daily structure, and financial stability in an environment that understands his journey.

VA Engagement

• VA claims submitted with program assistance.
• Enrolled in VA healthcare, ensuring access to medical and mental health services

Transportation

HVRP provided transportation to every appointment — medical, employment, and service-related removing one of the most persistent barriers to sustained engagement.

Skill Development

Participates in daily program planning focused on life skills, personal accountability, structure, and goal setting.

Leadership

Has begun contributing to a Veteran Engagement Project within the organization — turning his own experience into something that will help the next veteran who walks through the door.

This progress reflects sustained engagement over time, not a single intervention.

Outreach Efforts

HVRP’s reach this season extended across multiple pathways: street outreach, community referrals, and self-referrals from veterans who had somehow heard that people were willing to help.

Veterans Contacted

• 40 homeless veterans were reached through direct Mission contact, community referrals, and self-referrals

Housing Outcomes

• 8 veterans successfully obtained housing

Treatment Engagement

• 1 veteran voluntarily entered a rehabilitation program, a step that required trust built over time

Eligibility Barriers

• 6 individuals identified as Reservists or National Guard members, ineligible for certain VA benefits, were each referred to alternative community resources to ensure they still received assistance

Non-Responsive Veterans

• 12 veterans did not return calls. Their information was submitted to the VA to ensure they remain on the radar for future outreach, because not answering does not mean the need is gone.

Active Engagement

• 15 veterans are currently active in the ongoing Constant Contact communication

Each interaction represents a coordinated effort between outreach teams, Veteran Operations, housing partners, and treatment providers.

Continued Support for Previously Assisted Veterans

Support does not end at placement.

One veteran served in a prior year, Army Al, continues to demonstrate stability:

• Currently sheltered
• Receiving ongoing VA medical care
• Remains engaged with supportive services

His stability reflects sustained, relationship-based follow-up over time.

Infrastructure That Enables the Work: Meet Waldo

Transportation is one of the most consistent and quietly devastating barriers facing veterans in our program. A missed ride means a missed appointment. A missed appointment means a delayed claim. A delayed claim means another month without benefits and another month closer to the edge.

This year, LakeTran made a generous donation that changed that equation: a transport van that the team has named Waldo. Waldo now carries veterans to medical appointments, VA visits, job sites, and program engagements. He shows up—every time. For veterans without a car, without a license, without the funds for a rideshare, Waldo is not just transportation. It is the difference between access and isolation.

Staffing Update

We recognize Maryellen, who served as a vital support for the Constant contact for the HVRP program. Maryellen has since retired. We extend our sincere appreciation for her service and dedication to supporting veterans through this mission and wish her the very best in retirement.

Program Expansion: SSG Fox Suicide Prevention Grant

The Sub Zero Mission was awarded the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant.

This expansion allows SZM to:

• Conduct proactive suicide prevention outreach
• Identify early indicators of risk
• Expand engagement beyond unsheltered veterans
• Strengthen connection to VA and mental health resources
• Build earlier intervention pathways before crisis escalation

This significantly broadens the organization’s capacity to support veterans across the community.

Community Engagement

Josh Cole, a new team member, represented The Sub Zero Mission at Cleveland State University’s Veteran Center, presenting on HVRP and suicide prevention initiatives to CSU Viking Vets.

This outreach strengthens early intervention pathways for transitioning service members and student veterans, ensuring awareness of support systems before a crisis develops.

Future Program Development: Transition Assistance Program (TAP/RACK)

Military Veterans know, every great shot starts with a perfectly seated round. When a round fails to chamber correctly, we use an acronym called TAP/RACK to get it straight and send it down range.

At The Sub Zero Mission, we work hard to find homeless Veterans, get them out of that situation, and eventually into homes. We believe that many of these Veterans end up under bridges and in the woods because they did not transition to civilian life. They were not “chambered” properly. So we have repurposed the acronym and made it our own!

TAP

Transition
Assistance
Program

RACK

Relocation
Acclimation
Community/Comradery
Knowledge

Our goal is to identify who is leaving the service with plans to return to Lake County. We will help them register their DD-214 with the county, enroll them in the VA, introduce them to the VSO, The Sub Zero Mission, pay for lifetime memberships at the VFW or other Veteran focused organizations, help them access their GI Bill, enroll in classes, assist in resume building and match their skillsets to civilian job roles, help with employment, and home purchase using their VA loan, and add them to a Constant Contact list to help keep them on track.

Properly sent down range, we expect to find them in jobs, homes, unions, and board rooms, not in the woods, or worse, lost to suicide.

The Sub Zero Mission continues to develop its Transition Assistance Program, designed to support service members transitioning from military service into civilian life.

Focus areas include:

• Early connection to community resources
• Employment and skill development
• Mental health awareness
• Peer support
• Prevention of isolation during transition

This initiative is designed to intervene earlier in the instability lifecycle, before homelessness occurs.

Closing Perspective

Supporting veterans requires a coordinated ecosystem of care. No single organization can meet every need a veteran faces as they move from crisis to stability. The Sub Zero Mission’s role is to be the bridge, the consistent, trusted presence that connects veterans to the VA, to community partners, to housing, to employment, to one another.

The work is not linear. The wins are not always visible. But they are real. This year, there were 40 conversations. They are now 8 veterans with a roof over their heads. They are Army Al, still holding. There is Matthew, paying it forward. 15 people haven’t given up, because we haven’t given up on them.

It is through the strength of partnerships, the dedication of organizations working together, and the shared commitment to serve those who served our country that progress becomes possible.

At The Sub Zero Mission, we recognize that diversity is essential to our success. By embracing a variety of perspectives, we enhance our ability to connect with and support those experiencing homelessness.

This year, we intentionally revisited and strengthened our Diversity Policy to ensure we continue fostering an inclusive environment. While we maintain gender parity, we acknowledge gaps in ethnic diversity within the organization and the Board. Given that 54% of those we serve are African American, we are committed to organic growth and proactive efforts to address this underrepresentation.

Our Diversity Policy ensures:

• Equal opportunity in recruitment, hiring, training, and promotion, free from discrimination based on any protected characteristic.
• Inclusive decision-making to promote diversity at every level of the organization.

We’re proud of the steps we’ve taken and look forward to growing a team as diverse as the communities we serve.

Over the years, The Sub Zero Mission has grown from a small group of friends using their personal vehicles to deliver warming items into a thriving organization with a profound impact. Since 2018, we’ve expanded our capacity by acquiring a fleet of 5 vehicles, acquiring ownership of our headquarters, and, most recently, adding a 3,600-square-foot garage to further support our operations.

Why Fundraising Matters

To sustain and grow this vital Mission, fundraising is a cornerstone of our efforts. As a donation-driven organization, we rely heavily on the generosity of our supporters to cover critical expenses. For the 2025/2026 Outreach and Delivery Season, our budget of $625,000 supported key areas such as:

• Vehicle maintenance and fleet expansion
• Launch of the Homeless Veteran Re-Empowerment Program
• Building projects and upkeep, including our new garage
• Training and safety programs
• Employee salaries for the dedicated team driving our Mission forward

Your contributions make this work possible, directly enabling us to provide life-saving support to those who need it most. Together, we can ensure that nobody freezes to death in America.

The Team Behind the Season

The FY2025 season was powered by a growing family of Bears, squad leaders, day-team volunteers, and community partners. This year, Sub Zero Mission’s battery team was recognized with the Beacon Award, a moment that captured the spirit of everything this organization stands for.

Led by Director of Events and Fundraising Nick Ajdinovich and supported by The Arsenal planning group, the team executed more than 70 events, coordinated 5 Bears Squads, and kept 82 volunteers engaged from the first summer festival through the final winter outreach Mission.

A Message from our Director of Events and Fundraising

Fundraising for Our Goals

We are thrilled to have two new employees, Monica Stark and Jacquie Zepeda, join us this year, along with several new volunteers on our day team. These additions not only help support but also helped to achieve the Events and Fundraising goal this year. They have worked diligently to help grow within the existing partnerships established but also helped to create new community partnerships.

Kudos to our internal planning team, “The Arsenal,” to ensure excellence and quality in our events. 

Let’s not forget our amazing volunteer team called the “Bears”, 82 dedicated and motivated volunteers who show up to “have fun and get it done!” Our Bear’s team does it all! 

Special thanks to the Bears Teams and Squad Leaders!”

— Nick Ajdinovich, Director of Events and Fundraising

Our Impact

This expansion has enabled us to make a greater difference. In the 2025/2026 season, we delivered OVER 36,000 warming items to individuals across 23 cities. Our outreach and delivery efforts are essential to our Mission to serve those in need.

The Events and Fundraising Team (aka “The Bears”) had a very successful FY25. Our team grew to 82 volunteers, contributing 2,292 hours of service. This allowed us to conduct seven Major Fundraisers: Bowl for the Mission, a Motorcycle Run, a Reverse Raffle, a Golf Outing, a 5K Race, participation in the Painesville Party in the Park, and the Deerassic Classic.

Contributors and sponsors continue to be a big part of our fundraising efforts. We received over $59,000 from VFW/American Legion/Eagles chapters and $205,000 in various grants. We received over 110 auction items and many event sponsorships, which we used in our fundraisers to help offset event costs. The total value of these contributions was over $490,000.

MAJOR EVENTS

Event	Date	Revenue
Reverse Raffle	May 3, 2025	$22,191
Bike Run	June 22, 2025	$10,990
Deerasic	August 1, 2025	$14,442
HCAR Rifle Raffle	August 30, 2025	$11,250
Golf Outing	September 13, 2025	$14,456
Stay Alive 5K	November 9, 2025	$6,827
Parker Mentor / Wickliffe	November 13, 2025	$26,281
Furniture Warehouse	December 30, 2025	$5,000
Flexjet	February 11, 2026	$11,144
Party in the Park	Jul 18–20, 2025	$9,525

The Arc of the Season

Every fundraising season has a rhythm. It starts with seed work, early events, brand awareness, and community touchpoints. Then momentum builds. By late summer, SZM had established a cadence of back-to-back events across Northeast Ohio, and by November, the machine was running at full capacity.

Spring planted the seeds. The Reverse Raffle in May delivered $22,191 – the first major spike of the season,  proving that ticketed signature events have extraordinary ceiling potential when executed well. 140 tickets. One night. One room full of people who believed.

Summer built the foundation. The Bike Run (275 riders, $10,990), Deerasic ($14,442), and the Golf Outing (33 teams, $14,456) formed a powerful mid-season trio. These events didn’t just raise money; they built community and deepened the brand across Northeast Ohio.

Fall brought the harvest. November alone generated $37,761 — more than a quarter of the full-year total anchored by the landmark Parker Mentor/Wickliffe corporate drive ($26,281), the Stay Alive 5K ($6,827), and St. James Church’s $868 collection.

November alone accounted for more than a quarter of the season’s total revenue, a testament to the power of community urgency as winter approaches.

Signature Events: Where the Season Was Won

Certain events carry the season. They require the most planning, draw the largest audiences, and deliver outsized results. In FY2025, a handful of marquee events accounted for the majority of total revenue.

Annual Bike Run — $10,990 + 275 Riders

June 22, 2025. 275 motorcyclists rolled out for Sub Zero Mission. An additional 82 shop vouchers were redeemed later in the season, amplifying the impact well beyond the event itself. Bike stop hosts Leroy VFW, Chardon Tavern, Paradise Bay, GOTL Brewing Company, Mr. Lee’s, and The SHOP made the day possible.

Annual Reverse Raffle — $22,191

140 tickets. $22,191. The Reverse Raffle remains one of SZM’s most reliable and highest-yielding events.

Annual Golf Outing — $14,456

33 teams took to the course.

HCAR Rifle Raffle — $11,250

450 of 500 tickets sold.

Stay Alive 5K — $6,827 + 243 Runners

243 runners bundled up and showed up for the 2025 Stay Alive 5K & 1M Run. Every mile, every step, and every donation fueled outreach and kept veterans and homeless neighbors warm through the coldest nights.

Parker Mentor / Wickliffe — $26,281

The single biggest revenue event of the season came from a corporate collection drive, a reminder that deep, trusted relationships with partners like Parker Hannifin can move the needle in ways no public event can replicate.

CLOSING

The People Behind the Numbers

Revenue tells one part of the story. Participation tells another. Behind every dollar raised is a person who chose to show up, who registered, who rode, who ran, who bought a ticket, and believed.

Revenue Breakdown: How the Season Was Built

FY2025-2026 $212,000 was generated through four primary channels: corporate partnerships, signature ticketed events, community fundraisers, and collection drives. No single source dominated as a sign of a healthy, diversified fundraising portfolio.

Corporate partnerships led by Parker Hannifin, Flexjet, Penske Automotive, and the Furniture Warehouse contributed more than $40,000 to the season’s total. These relationships deliver consistency and scale that community events alone cannot match.

Meanwhile, grassroots collection drives from Buckeye Elementary’s 1,496 pairs of socks to the Drive-Through Drop-Off remind us that the Mission’s reach extends far beyond formal fundraising.

FY2025–2026 was a fundraising season defined by community, consistency, and momentum. From signature events to corporate partnerships to grassroots collection drives, every dollar raised reflects the trust this community has placed in our Mission. As we look ahead, that foundation positions Sub Zero Mission to serve more people, reach more cities, and continue proving that nobody should freeze to death in America.

Our mission has always been built on people, people who believe that every Veteran deserves to be seen, supported, and never forgotten. This year, five remarkable individuals answered that call. They came with purpose. They came ready to serve. And they have already left their mark on this family and the veterans we fight for every day.

To build a cohesive and enthusiastic team culture, we implemented several initiatives, including:

• Feedback Through Surveys: Actively listening to team members’ thoughts and suggestions.
• Addressing Turnover: Identifying and addressing underlying causes to enhance team stability.
• Branded Tees: A visible symbol of team pride and belonging.
• Volunteer Gatherings: Hosting parties to celebrate and appreciate our volunteers.
• Food Before Missions: Providing meals to fuel our volunteers.
• Covering Training Costs: Investing in team development.
• Gift Cards and Random Acts of Appreciation: Small gestures to show gratitude for their hard work.

Community Partnerships & Regional Collaboration

Sub Zero Mission’s reach is amplified by a network of partners who share the Mission. These relationships, built over years of trust and collaboration, extend our capacity, deepen our intelligence, and ensure that no community is left without a connection to warmth and resources. The strength of these partnerships is best expressed by the partners themselves.

Accreditations

• FOUR-STAR rating — Charity Navigator
• PLATINUM / GOLD SEAL — GuideStar / Candid
• Accreditation — BBB Wise Giving Alliance (meets all 20 standards)

2026 Beacon Award — Eastern Lake County Chamber of Commerce

On January 15, 2026, The Sub Zero Mission was honored with the Beacon Award from the Eastern Lake County Chamber of Commerce, an award reserved for organizations that demonstrate uncommon accomplishment. The presentation took place at the Painesville Elks Lodge.

“Try holding your meetings outside on one of the coldest Northeast Ohio days — with no coat on, and you will understand exactly why we do what we do.”

— Al “Sarge” Raddatz, accepting the Beacon Award

WKYC Media Coverage

The Sub Zero Mission received significant television news coverage this season through two separate WKYC segments, reaching audiences across Northeast Ohio.

• Warming Center Feature: WKYC covered our Code Blue Warming Center operations. The post generated 538 reactions on social media.
• General Outreach Coverage: A second WKYC segment featured Nick Ajdinovich and highlighted the distribution of more than 20,000 warming items throughout the season.

Finance Committee

• Monthly reconciliation process maintained
• Cost coding for all expenses
• Automated payroll systems
• CPA on the team ensuring proper financial management
• AP/AR clerk managing all transactions

Energizing Our Teams

• Feedback Through Surveys: Actively listening to team members’ thoughts and suggestions
• Branded Tees: A visible symbol of team pride and belonging
• Volunteer Gatherings: Events to celebrate and appreciate our volunteers
• Food Before Missions: Providing meals to fuel our teams
• Gift Cards and Random Acts of Appreciation: Small gestures with big impact

Marketing and Social Media Wins

We host a large number of events during the year. We have a professional brand that we want our supporters and would-be fans to see. Our supporters need to know what we need. All of this involves messaging. Messaging occurs in many ways.

At The Sub Zero Mission, we have a great group of people who perform our marketing and social media tasks. Our Marketing Director, James Hido, leads them.

According to James, “We achieved the final delivery of our new website subzeromission, which took approximately 800 hours to complete, and the final version is a better representation of the growth of the Mission. We have continued our seasonal digital ad campaigns for donations, Amazon Wish List, and overall branding efforts for the Mission.”

– James Hido, Director of Marketing

Here are some other marketing related statistics and information:

Social Media & Digital Outreach — FY2025

In 2025, Sub Zero Mission’s social media presence became a powerful engine for visibility, trust, and growth — reaching millions, engaging thousands, and attracting new supporters across every platform.

5.2M Total Facebook Views

298,222 Total Engagements

+142% Engagement Growth

82.8K Top Instagram Post

Facebook Performance — 2025

• 298,222 total engagements — +142.2% vs. prior year
• 5,218,835 total views — including 192,588 three-second views (+737%) and 4,413 one-minute views (+268%)
• 14,150 shares — strongest indicator of community amplification
• 64% of views came from non-followers — content is discoverable and shareable
• Engagement spikes in January and November aligned with winter outreach and veteran-focused content

Instagram Performance — 2025

• 45,135 total views (43,718 organic)
• 8,000 reach — +91.5% year-over-year
• 1,700 content interactions — +100% year-over-year
• Top post: Code Blue alert — 82,800 views
• Top post: CEO announcement — 33,400 views

LinkedIn

LinkedIn functions as Sub Zero Mission’s professional credibility engine — essential for grants, corporate partnerships, and sponsorships. Content themes include veteran empowerment, Mission updates, fundraising campaigns, team spotlights, and thought leadership on homelessness.

Cross-Platform Insights

• Mission-driven storytelling wins everywhere — real outreach updates and veteran stories drive the highest engagement.
• Non-followers are a huge growth engine — 64% of Facebook views came from people who don’t follow the page.
• Reels are underused but high-impact — 20% of Facebook views came from Reels despite limited posting.
• Instagram is no longer secondary — it’s a growth driver.
• LinkedIn strengthens professional credibility and donor pipeline.

The accomplishments highlighted in this section reflect an organization that holds itself to a high standard, financially, operationally, and culturally. Our four-star Charity Navigator rating, BBB accreditation, and GuideStar recognition are not just credentials; they are a promise to our donors, our board, and the people we serve that every resource entrusted to this Mission is used with integrity and purpose.

Years ago, a commanding officer shared a powerful lesson with me: “People are united by cause or colors.” In the Marine Corps, “colors” refers to the flags representing the United States, the Marine Corps, and each unit. These symbols serve as a rallying point, creating unity and purpose. Similarly, our team is united not only by our cause but also by our “colors”—the logos and shields that represent our individual teams.

In the early days, our team adopted a creed that resonates deeply with our values. I first encountered this creed in my professional reading during my service, and later, it appeared in a war film. Inspired by its meaning, I shared it with our Blue Coat Missionary team, and together, we embraced it. It has since become a defining expression of who we are and why we live by the principles we do.

“So live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart. Trouble no one about their religion; respect others in their view, and demand that they respect yours. Love your life, perfect your life, beautify all things in your life. Seek to make your life long and its purpose in the service of your people.

Prepare a noble death song for the day when you go over the great divide. Always give a word or a sign of salute when meeting or passing a friend, even a stranger, when in a lonely place. Show respect to all people and grovel to none. When you arise in the morning, give thanks for the food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason to give thanks, the fault lies only with yourself. Abuse no one and no thing, for abuse turns the wise ones to fools and robs the spirit of its vision.

When it comes to your time to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with the fear of death so that when their time comes, they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song and die like a hero going home.” -Chief Tecumseh