Notes from Nate:
THE BEST DEAL IN TOWN
Sitting nervously in my very first 12-step meeting, I heard the host say, "We have no dues or fees, but we do have expenses, and we are self-supporting through our own contributions." He then dropped a dollar in a basket and passed it to the man on his left. I reached for my wallet.
When the basket got to me, I ceremoniously dropped in a $10 bill. The man on my left reached into the basket, counted out $9, and handed them back to me. Smiling, he whispered, "It's a buck a meeting. Best deal in town."
That was nearly 30 years ago. The standard contribution today is $3, but it's still the best deal in town. And because everyone contributes, every major 12-step organization can hire a few employees to support its many volunteers.
When we started the Samson Society in 2004, we didn't bother passing a basket. There were only 12 of us, and we met at the church for free. But as Samson grew, expenses started to accumulate - a website, retreats, phone bills. I covered most of them myself for the first dozen years. Then in 2018, we launched the online meetings, and Samson exploded. Suddenly we needed staff.
Fortunately, another brother stepped in to cover expenses for the first year, and a few more eventually joined him. We would make an appeal at the end of each annual retreat, and a few more contributions would come in - just enough to pay the bills. In those days, the expenses of the entire fellwoship were covered by roughly 10% of its members.
Believe it or not, the ratio still holds. Of the 3,027 members registered on the new app, exactly 205 have taken the step of becoming Supporting Members. For 20 years, the same 10% has carried this fellowship on its shoulders.
And the cost of today's Supporting Membership? Brace yourself - it's $7.95 a month. That's what keeps the lights on: the app, the online meeting infrastructure, the small staff who answer your emails and keep the groups running.
If Samson has helped you, or someone you love, please consider joining the 300. You can become a member today by clicking the button below.
$7.95 a month. Still the best deal in town.
To everyone who already gives: thank you. You are the reason this works.
Nate Larkin
Samson Society Founder
Become a Sustaining Member
Financial Update
Dear Friend of Samson House:
Thank you. Every prayer, every gift, and every encouraging word you have sent over these first four months of 2026 has helped carry this work forward. You are a real part of what God is doing through Samson House, and we want you to see clearly how your generosity has been at work.
This update is meant to be simple and honest - not an accounting lecture. Below you'll find what it costs to keep things going each month, what came in, where we stand year-to-date, and a few ways you can continue to walk with us.
The Big Picture: Year-to-Date
Here is the four-month snapshot at a glance. "Need" is what it actually cost to operate; "Received" is what came in from all of you.
Through April, donations have covered 69.5% of what it costs to run Samson House. That means for every $1.00 we needed, your generosity provided $0.69 - leaving a gap of about $0.31 on every dollar.
Month-By-Month Picture
The bars below show what came in (teal) next to what it cost to operate (gold) for each month. The red dashed line is the average monthly need.
Why There's a Gap Right Now
On average, it costs about $34,116 a month to keep things running, and donations have been averaging around $23,707 - leaving roughly $10,409short most months.
A meaningful piece of that shortfall is timing, not loss. About $39,002.50 of our spending so far this year went towards retreats - venues, food, deposits, materials. Those costs land before retreat registration income comes in, so the books show a gap in the months when bills are paid even though registrations help close it later. February and April look especially steep on the chart for exactly that reason.
The rest of the gap is the day-to-day cost of doing the work: people, facilities, the app and website, and the small line items that add up.
How You Can Help
There are two simple ways to walk with us financially. Both matter, and they cover different parts of the work:
Become a Supporting Member - $8/Month
Supporting members give $8 a month through the app. Yes, members get access to some extra content, but please don't sign up just for the perks. The real reason we ask is that those monthly subscriptions are what keep the app and website running. Hosting, software, payment processing, and the tools that let us reach people online are funded by Supporting Members. If you've been blessed by anything we've put out there, this is the most direct way to keep it online.
Give to the Rest of the Work
Supporting Members dollars keep the digital doors open. Everything else - staff, facilities, retreats, outreach, the everyday work - is funded by one-time and recurring donations from people like you. Any amount helps close the monthly gap. Recurring monthly giving (at any level) is especially helpful because it lets us plan ahead instead of guessing.
Our Mission & A Prayer
Samson House exists to walk alongside the people God brings to us - through hospitality, programs, retreats, and the every day work that makes hard seasons survivable. Every gift, every subscription, and every prayer is a vote of confidence in that work.
"Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans."
Proverbs 16:3
Will you pray with us? Pray for the people we serve, for the staff who give their days to this work, and that the Lord would continue to provide what is needed - month-by-month, dollar-by-dollar, prayer-by-prayer.
If you would like to be a part of our support team, click the button below:
Donate
We've got a lot of great opportunities coming up to hang out with your brothers coming up.
We have a weekend in Italy with our European men, a walk in England at the end of June, a "story work" canoeing trip in Missouri in July, and intensive with Jim Cress in Oklahoma in August, and of course our ANNUAL SUMMIT in October in Michigan. Don't miss out!
Click the link below to see the details for all upcoming events:
Learn More
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