Column: The Crowd: SPIN provides help for O.C.’s growing homeless population

Homelessness in Orange County — while certainly more visible and widespread than ever before — remains largely a crisis for “other” people to handle.

The majority population fortunate enough to have a roof overhead and food in the pantry shake their heads in frustration over how to turn around the growing population of desperate lives. Government agencies and nonprofit charitable organizations are coming to grips with the situation, day-by-day, one case at a time.

One government agency in O.C. is charged with the task of doing a census of the homeless population every two years.

Agents scour streets, freeway underpasses, riverbeds and abandoned buildings looking for people to provide an accurate assessment of the extent of homelessness in the county.

To a large extent, what they encounter are mostly men. Where are the women? They too are in trouble. They are seen on the streets wandering. Why are they not found for census purposes?

Jean Wegener, executive director of Serving People In Need (SPIN), a Costa Mesa-based nonprofit that finds its purpose in placing homeless families with children in permanent housing, explained: “They are hiding. They do not want to be counted or located. Many homeless women in the O.C. are mothers with children. Many homeless women in the O.C. are mothers with children living in their cars. They fear losing their children if discovered by government agencies that will step in on behalf of child welfare.”

During an interview in Wegener’s modest SPIN office with her associate and development director Kim Frazier, the woman who has been at the helm of SPIN for the past 26 years expressed her serious concern.

“Clearly the situation today is much worse,” Wegener said. “At SPIN, we face two challenges in 2017. First, raising sufficient funds to secure housing for low income and homeless people and second, finding affordable housing in Orange County.”

Wegener and Frazier have been dealing with both issues for years.

Wegener added: “Today the average move-in cost for a clean, decent, safe 2-bedroom apartment is upwards of $5,000 for first month’s rent and security deposit.”

SPIN’s housing program, labeled GAPP or Guided Assistance To Permanent Placement, encompasses more than simply finding the apartment. Credit counseling, budgeting, job placement and training, wardrobe assistance, family counseling and more is involved to ensure that those placed will be able to maintain housing and become self-sufficient.

Said Frazier “And 98% of SPIN’s clients in 2016 were successful and have become self-sufficient.”

This is a remarkable record given the challenges.

“We are proud of our clients,” Wegener said.

Wegener is especially worried because the homeless population increasingly consists of families with children and many of these families are single mothers, with no support.

“When I started at SPIN in 1991, most of the families in need were traditional families with mother, father and kids,” Wegener said. “Today they are mostly single female head of household with children. Most are living in their car.”

Frazier reports that SPIN will see up to a dozen such families each week in need of help. Multiple calls come in daily.

“Try to imagine living in a car with children,” Wegener said. “The mother tries to find a place to park close to the children’s school. Often, she doesn’t have enough money to buy gas to move the car around. The child goes to school tired, smelly, wrinkled clothes, no homework done, and must act like everything is okay. This is heartbreaking.”

In 2016, SPIN helped 407 individuals — 153 adults and 254 children — in its housing program.

“A good goal would be 450 families with children assisted in 2017,” offered Wegener.

It comes down to money. No surprise. 75% of SPIN’s funding comes from multiple grants and 25% from community fundraising.

A major segment of SPIN’s annual fundraising effort comes from its annual fall dinner.

For more than three decades on the Orange Coast, the organization has thrown one of the premiere wine-pairing dinners for its sponsors and friends.

Coming up Sept. 23, SPIN’s board of directors invites the community to join them for their 2017 celebration, set to unfold at Big Canyon Country Club in Newport Beach. A requested donation of $300 per person purchases a seat at a SPIN table.

The presenting sponsor of the evening is Lugano Diamonds, donors of elegant ruby and diamond drop earrings being offered as the opportunity prize of the night. Valued at $10,000, the ticket to win requests a $100 donation.

“We have very positive news to share with our friends this year,” Wegener said. “SPIN has partnered with the Melinda Hoag Smith Center for Healthy Living in association with Hoag Memorial Presbyterian Hospital to provide a link to housing for homeless and low-income families with children. This is a wonderful opportunity to help more families in our community.”

To attend the Lugano Reception and/or the Big Canyon Annual Dinner, contact Kim Frazier at (714) 751-1101, ext. 19, or email KimF@SPINOC.org.

B.W. COOK is editor of the Bay Window, the official publication of the Balboa Bay Club in Newport Beach.