OCCHC/SteppingUP

Olga came to OCCHC/SteppingUP as a single mother with a son who was born with a mental disability. After being left by her husband of 25 years, she rented a bedroom in a house until it was sold - leaving her with no place to turn. At that point, Olga was left with no option but to live out of her car.

Olga remembers the day she walked into OCCHC’s office and met with OCCHC Board Member, Sam Romero. It was the day she saw a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. Since moving in to OCCHC’s affordable housing, Olga secured full-time employment and is now working on mastering her budget and focusing on savings.

She is grateful for the affordability, stability and resources that OCCHC/SteppingUP have provided for her and her son. Olga has dreams of becoming a home owner one day, and we’re excited to help her turn her dreams into a reality!



UnidosUS

Last month, OCCHC/SteppingUP was one of many local service providers who participated in the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Southern California Resource Fair. This no cost event provided an opportunity for families to gain valuable information and resources that are integral to long-term stability including housing and education. Thank you for the opportunity to serve our community!



UnidosUS

The Mendez Family moved to Orange County Community Housing Corporation/SteppingUP (OCCHC) with 5 young daughters in need of a safe place to call home. Over their time living at OCCHC, the family was provided with affordable housing and the educational resources needed to thrive. During his time at OCCHC, Mr. Mendez went from working in a bakery to owning his very own bakery. His daughters were educated through our SteppingUP Program with 3 recently graduating from college and 4 stepping up to homeownership.

In 2023, Mr. & Mrs. Mendez became our 100th homeowner! Living at OCCHC gave the Mendez family a chance to break the cycle of poverty for generations to come.

Join us in raising support to continue to improve the lives of our families and our future at Westward Home, a gala to end the cycle of poverty. For more information or to become a sponsor, visit www.2024westerngala.com

Celebrating the exciting news of being part of the Citi Foundation’s Community initiative with OCCHC Board Members! Thanks a million times over!

Thank you to our fellow community members and guests who joined us at the 2024 Affordable Housing Awards Breakfast (AHA) in April co-hosted by the Affordable Housing Clearinghouse, Kennedy Commission and OCCHC/SteppingUP. This year’s event featured seven awards, recognizing the transformative work of Orange County affordable housing developers and advocates over the past year, in addition to paying tribute to our dear friend and mentor, Allen Baldwin, who created the AHA Breakfast over 40 years ago and encouraged all to "Be the Change You Wish to See in the World". Thank you to our generous sponsors and awardees who continue to advocate for the creation of affordable housing in Orange County. Read all about AHA 2024 in our latest newsletter and event program https://conta.cc/4bdcmNb Brenda Rodriguez Nora Mendez

This past Saturday, SteppingUP’s College Access Program hosted “Money Matters”, a financial literacy event for families!

A huge shoutout goes to our amazing, special partners Citi who made this event possible by facilitating informative workshops for our families including “Teaching Children to Save” and “Understanding Money Management”.

Thank you to all the students and families who joined us for a day filled with learning, empowerment, and fun!

It was inspiring to see everyone dive into discussions about money management and take steps toward a brighter financial future together. Thank you! Sergio Quero

Save the Date - The Affordable Housing Award Breakfast returns April 11th! Join local movers and shakers invested in developing affordable housing opportunities in Orange County at the AHA 2024 co-hosted by the Affordable Housing Clearinghouse, Kennedy Commission and OCCHC/SteppingUP.

Click on the link to purchase your ticket today!
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/828921264817?aff=oddtdtcreator

The OCCHC/SteppingUP team was out and about last week joining Clearinghouse CDFI's annual meeting to celebrate another momentous year in creating stronger, safer, and better communities for all. Congratulations to Clearinghouse CDFI, Doug Bystry and the CDFI team for another successful year!

We're more than a housing provider! We offer FREE educational classes and counseling in a variety of areas including credit counseling and home affordability! Contact us today to schedule an appointment with a HUD-certified Housing Counselor!

¡Somos más que un proveedor de vivienda! ¡Ofrecemos clases educativas y asesoramiento GRATUITOS en una variedad de áreas que incluyen asesoramiento crediticio y preparación hipotecaria! ¡Contáctenos hoy para programar una cita con una consejera de vivienda certificado por HUD!



UnidosUS

Please join us in welcoming SteppingUP Alumni, Leslie, to our Marketing & Events team this semester. Leslie joined SteppingUP as an 8th grader, following in the footsteps of her older siblings who had graduated from the program.

“My family used to think it was impossible to go to college, and that the school system was strictly for the privileged in the US…My brother joined SteppingUP in his junior year of high school. Thanks to SteppingUP, he understood the importance of education and learned about the resources that were available to him. When my brother was admitted to CSFU my entire family was shocked. He had achieved what we had considered unreachable. My two eldest brothers followed int eh footsteps of their younger brother, and later graduated from UCI and CSUF…. Fast forward to the present, and I am due to graduate this Spring 2024 with a B.A. at CSUF! I came back to the program as an intern. They continue to help me, even as a college student. SteppingUP proved to be pivotal in my family’s life, and I’ve witnessed the same impact for many other students in the program.”

Welcome to the team, Leslie!

Join us in welcoming, Ruby, to OCCHC/SteppingUP who is returning as an intern in our Marketing Department during her Spring semester at CSULB. Ruby will graduate in May with a BS in Psychology and first learned about SteppingUP when she was an Academic Advisor for our students in the program. She credits the team in helping her to develop time management skills and helping her get over her healthy fear of middle schoolers!

“I loved getting to know my students and being able to be creative when it came to my sessions. I feel that my success in this internship would not have been possible without the help and support of the kind staff at OCCHC. From day one, it was evident how much they care about the work they do and how willing they are to help and support with anything they can. It truly feels like a family that is working together for the greater good. The greatest impact this internship had on my education was that it allowed me to develop my planning skills and interpersonal skills in a way I was unable to do so in a classroom setting.”

Ruby’s positive personality, passion for making a difference and creativity will help share the success of our families and students with the community! Welcome (back) to the team Ruby!

Happy Valentine's Day! Today we honor our 2023 donors for their support of our mission in creating a path from homelessness to homeownership for our families and our future. We’ve housed thousands of families to date, graduated over 400 high school alumni stepping up to college and celebrated our 100th homeowner. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you! OCCHC/SteppingUP