SPIN Names 2018 Volunteer of the Year: Stephanie Hopkins

In honor of National Volunteer Week, we want to congratulate SPIN’s 2018 Volunteer of the Year, Stephanie Hopkins, director of Christian Service at Mater Dei High School.

For over 12 years, she has gone above and beyond to come alongside SPIN in support of our community, including frequently bringing students to volunteer for SPIN. From hosting school food drives and hygiene drives, to adopting families for the holidays, to weekly sack meal preparation and distribution, SPIN can count on Stephanie and the Mater Dei students to provide much-needed items and assistance for homeless individuals and families in Orange County.

Stephanie is a model of what it means to give back, and countless homeless families have benefitted from her commitment to serving our community. We are thrilled to name her our 2018 Volunteer of the Year. Thank you, Stephanie!

Homeless Families Count Census Reveals 189 O.C. Families Struggling with Housing

Thanks to everyone who helped during the Homeless Families Count three-day census. From May 23-25, SPIN joined with several other local nonprofits for this family assessment week to capture information on those struggling with housing across Orange County. Working together, we identified 189 families who were either homeless or in need of housing assistance. This information allows us to get to know these families, identify their needs, and work to improve services and resources to support these families and help them move toward stable housing. According to the information gathered, the average homeless family had two children, many with children age 6 or younger.

Read more about the results of the census in the Orange County Register article.

SPIN Joins United Way's FACE 2024 Plan

SPIN was one of five agencies selected as part of United Way's FACE 2024 community action plan. The goal: to reduce the number of homeless and housing-insecure children by half by 2024. By combining our efforts on behalf of Orange County's children in need, we can make this happen! Currently, 26,000 school-age children are homeless or considered housing-insecure. Click on the link below for additional details about the FACE 2024 campaign and how you can help us reach this goal. 

Learn more about FACE 2024 

"I was living in a shelter with my 9-year-old son. Through Serving People in Need (SPIN), I got the help I needed to pay for move-in costs. They also connected me to SparkPointOC where I was able to get a great job. Today I am managing my budget and working to complete my associate's degree." – Elena