Community Partners Archives

Tulalip Cares celebration includes SPiN

Posted on February 24, 2023February 24, 2023

Spin Cafe is grateful for grant funding from the Tulalip Tribes, through their Tulalip Cares Charitable Fund.

Tulalip Cares invites the groups they support to be honored at the Raising Hands celebration at the Tulalip Tribes Casino Center. It is tribal tradition to raise hands to applaud and give thanks to those who have given to the community. Since 1993, Tulalip Cares has donated $69.5 million to more than 400 charitable organizations.

SPiN awarded 3-year, $635,000 grant

Posted on February 12, 2023February 24, 2023

“Great news from SPiN Café,” the email began. That’s always worth an immediate look.

And great news it was.

SPiN Café Executive Director Michele Hines announced on February 5 to our partner churches that SPiN has been awarded a three-year grant from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) totaling just over $635,000. The grant is renewable annually after three years.

The funds will allow SPiN to lease our own location where we can serve our guests 7 days a week. We have not identified the place yet, but we’re searching for one that will allow laundry services and showers too, under one roof, fulfilling a vision that was born when SPiN was founded 11 years ago.

Our local Whidbey News Times covered the story on Wednesday, February 8.

A day at SPiN Cafe

Posted on October 4, 2022October 10, 2022

Have you ever wondered what we do here at Spin Cafe? What does Serving People in Need mean?

Upon opening at 6:30AM, people have started arriving by van from the Haven, with some folks already waiting on the porch for us to open the door. The morning staff person already has coffee ready, hot water on for tea or oatmeal, and cereal out for breakfast. There is a constant stream of people getting settled at their tables, washing up, and having breakfast. It is a busy time of the day for us.

A calm place, where humanity and dignity are respected, brings welcome relief.

By about 8:30, plans have been made for the day and many guests go about their business by catching the Island Transit or walking to Safeway, Walmart, Walgreens, the Garage of Blessings or other locations. Someone hops on a computer to check their email, social media or to look for information. At some point someone picks out a movie to watch.

Bright notes! …and challenges

Posted on September 16, 2022April 9, 2026

Treasurer’s report by Tom Saunders, SPiN Treasurer

The Board of Directors of SPiN Cafe are proud to say that we have a very strong balance sheet and have increased our budget from approximately $100,000 in 2021 to over $250,000 in 2022 which has allowed us to provide services to our guests that surpass our pre-pandemic levels.

This increase in services — we now open our day center 11 hours M-F, serve lunches on weekends, and employ an Executive Director and other paid staff, all while facing inflation in costs of serving our guests — has challenged us to find new financial resources. To date, we have met this financial challenge as a result of individual donations and public grants made available from the America Rescue Plan (ARPA). Our service levels today are also a result of great cooperation between SPiN and Island County Human Services as well as many other nonprofit local organizations. We are pleased with the direction we are heading and the support we currently have in our community.

We greatly appreciate our local donors and we continue to need your support more than ever.

City leaders splash for SPiN

Posted on May 3, 2022May 3, 2022

Holland Happening is an Oak Harbor tradition. In its sixth decade, the annual spring festival celebrates the town’s Dutch heritage along with the diverse cultures that call North Whidbey Island home.

2022’s event featured an extra fun dive into the deep end of fun. And fundraising.

According to SPiN board member Carol Wall, “we had a great response to our Dunk Tank at Holland Happening. The tank was a benefit effort for SPiN Cafe and the North Whidbey Sunrise Rotary Walk for Water project. These community leaders brought out lots of people to see them go into the dunk tank. It was a fun event and our two groups raised over $2,300.00 to split between us!”

Shane Hoffmire: “this will be a long cherished experience.”

Community leaders who took a bath for SPiN included City Council members Shane Hoffmire, Jim Woessner, Bryan Stucky, and Dan Evans, as well as New Leaf CEO Steve Jacobs and First United Methodist Pastor Dave Parker.