By Michelle Hines
SPiN Café saw another year of tremendous growth in 2022. This is both good news and challenging. The good news is that our community, including our supporters, community churches and funders, has become more and more involved with SPiN Café. The challenge is that we are seeing increasing numbers of homeless and low-income (working poor) individuals in our community.
Here are our guest numbers for the past three years:
At SPiN Cafe, we rely on everyday support from individuals and businesses in our community. We need supplies for our guests, we need your volunteer time, and we always appreciate your financial support!
DOLLARS:
Donations welcome via PayPal on our website: https://www.spincafeoh.org/donate/
Or by mail to Spin Cafe, PO Box 2438, Oak Harbor, Washington 98277
Persistence pays off, once again. It took a couple of years, but it was dogged persistence,it was relentless, and it was confident, knowing there will be good days ahead.
SPiN Executive Director Michele Chapman has announced that, on March 15, SPiN and St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church will once again welcome guests for dinner.
Evening meals will be served from 4:30 – 5:30 PM on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays in the St. Stephen’s parish hall, 555 SE Regatta Drive in Oak Harbor.
Volunteers will be needed. Volunteer information is available by clicking here.
Continue reading “SPiN dinners return”We knew something good was coming.
We knew it when Harry Anderson smiled and took the mic at a recent SPiN event. His powerful words from that night are copied below. But first, a little context.
Harry writes the “Rockin’ a Hard Place” column for our local Whidbey News Times, a regular gift to readers that lifts up our unique island community with gentle humor and plain spoken truth.
But Harry got a little spicy that night.
Harry has volunteered for SPiN since the early years of the original location on Bayshore. Serving meals to SPiN guests got him hooked. He’s been a supporter with his time and dollars ever since.
The last 6 months have been a blessing not only to the guests that come to SPiN, but also to those of us who serve. We re-opened our doors on February 3, 2021 at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church adding the Day Shelter to our Sack Lunch program. The Day Shelter is open from 6:30 am to 5:30 pm Monday through Friday and provides a safe, dry place for people to rest, access wi-fi, get beverages, snacks and lunch. Many of our guests arrive first thing in the morning from The Haven, some come to us on the transit bus or on foot, and some by private vehicle.
Continue reading “SPiN Cafe: a vital resource!”