Waymakers

11/19/2025

Help Make Thanksgiving Special for Our Youth 🧡⁣
⁣
Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and while most of us are preparing to gather with loved ones, the young people staying at our Tustin Youth Shelter will be spending the holiday away from home.⁣
⁣
We want to give them a warm, comforting Thanksgiving, filled with good food, joy, and the reminder that they are cared for. But we can only make that happen with the help of our incredible community. ⁣
⁣
We are still in need of a donated Thanksgiving dinner or gift cards so we can shop for the items needed to prepare a festive meal for the kids.
⁣
If you’re able to give, big or small, your support will help us bring the spirit of the holiday to these deserving young people. ⁣
⁣
📩 To donate or learn more, please reach out to Melissa: mwhitworth@waymakersoc.org⁣


⁣

11/18/2025

A huge thank you to Scout Troop 222 from the Long Beach Area Council for nourishing our youth 🍝💙⁣
⁣
Assistant Scout Master Hung Le coordinated an incredible meal donation, complete with spaghetti and meatballs, steamed vegetables, and fresh apples. Thanks to David and Isabel for delivering 60 meals across our Huntington Beach and Tustin youth shelters. Your generosity brought comfort, care, and a taste of home to young people spending time away from their families.⁣
⁣
Want to make a difference too? 🌟⁣
⁣
Waymakers welcomes meal donations throughout the holiday season and all year long! Whether you’re an individual, family, club, workplace, or community group, your support helps us provide warmth and stability when youth need it most.⁣
⁣
Interested in donating a meal? Send us a message or connect with us. Together, we can nourish hope!

11/17/2025

🐾 In Loving Memory of Maggie 💙⁣
⁣
Our hearts are heavy as we say goodbye to a very special member of our Tustin Youth Shelter family — Maggie, one of our beloved therapy dogs.⁣
⁣
Every week, Maggie arrived with her handler, Laurie Kelpman, her tail wagging and her spirit ready to brighten the day. Alongside her furry sibling Bailey, she spent countless hours snuggling close, offering calm companionship, and reminding our residents that they are loved, safe, and valued. The kids always looked forward to her visits, Maggie had a way of making worries feel a little lighter just by being near.⁣
⁣
Therapy animals like Maggie play an irreplaceable role in the healing journey of the youth we serve. Many of our residents come to us carrying heavy experiences and difficult emotions. Maggie’s gentle presence helped build trust, spark joy, and create moments of comfort that words alone could never achieve.⁣
⁣
We are deeply grateful to Laurie for sharing Maggie with us and for her longtime dedication to our program and Luncheon Guild. The pawprints Maggie left on the hearts of our staff and residents will not be forgotten.⁣
⁣
Thank you, Maggie, for every wag, every cuddle, and every moment of love you gave. ⁣
⁣
You will always be part of the Waymakers family. 🐾✨

11/14/2025

☔️ Waymakers Day of Golf Update 🌧️ ⁣
⁣
Due to this weekend’s rain in Orange County, our Waymakers Day of Golf scheduled for Monday 11/17 has been postponed 😢 ⁣
⁣
The event has been rescheduled for Monday, 12/15!⁣
⁣
All registered golfers should have received an email with updated details. If you have any questions, please reach out to Heather at hstoerck@waymakersoc.org.⁣
⁣
We also still have a few spots available, so if the new date works for you, we’d love to have you join us!⁣
⁣
Stay dry, and we’ll see you on the course soon! 💙⛳️

11/13/2025

✨ Make the holidays brighter for families in need ✨

Waymakers’ Adopt-A-Family program brings hope and joy to survivors of crime in Orange County each holiday season. Through the generosity of our community, we’re able to provide gifts and essential items to families who need them most. Last year we were able to help 40 families.

There are several ways to get involved:
🎁 Adopt an entire family
💳 Donate gift cards
🧸 Purchase a few small holiday treats

This year, we’re once again requesting gift card donations, which allow families to shop for what they need most. Sponsors who wish to adopt a family will receive details about family size, ages, and preferred stores.

👉 Deliveries will take place December 4–5, and we’ll make sure your contributions reach families in time for the holidays.

Your generosity helps bring comfort, dignity, and joy during a time that can be especially difficult for survivors. 💙

📩 Interested in adopting a family or donating? Contact Christina Beecher at 949.752.1971 or adoptafamily@Waymakersoc.org.

11/12/2025

Our wonderful sponsors and vendors!

11/12/2025

The photos are in for Barn Bash 2025 and what a night it was! Thank you to everyone who joined us for an unforgettable evening of fun, laughter and community spirit. 💙

A huge shoutout again to our amazing sponsors, dedicated staff, pumpkin decorators and talented vendors who helped make it all possible, we couldn’t have done it without you!

Swipe through to relive the best moments of the night 📸

11/12/2025

11/11/2025

Celebrating Partnership and Impact ⁣
⁣
We’re honored that Waymakers’ Sexual Assault Victim Services (SAVS) Waymakers SAVS & Prevention program was recognized with the Outstanding Community Partner Award at UCI CARE’s ( )20th Anniversary Celebration!⁣
⁣
This award acknowledges community partners who have played an integral role in supporting CARE’s mission, programs, services, clients, and initiatives.⁣
⁣
A special congratulations to Vanessa Reyna, SAVS Program Director, who accepted the award on behalf of the team. Thank you to UCI CARE for your partnership and for two decades of advocacy, education, and healing.⁣
⁣
*xualassaultawarenes

11/07/2025

Clips from the press release of the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force’s 2025 Human Trafficking Victims Report highlight critical issues — including the link between large sporting events like the upcoming Olympics and spikes in trafficking, the alarming rise in s*xtortion targeting minors, local trafficking trends in Orange County, and the vital importance of centering survivor voices at every level of the anti-trafficking effort. The press conference also emphasized the power of community collaboration and the ongoing need to stay one step ahead of traffickers.

11/07/2025

The Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force has released its 2025 Human Trafficking Victims Report, covering 2023–2024. The findings highlight both alarming vulnerabilities and inspiring progress in prevention.

For the first time, data shows that 50% of all victims served were minors. Over the past three years, children have become the fastest-growing group of human trafficking victims in Orange County — with the youngest just six years old and an average age of 14 among identified youth victims.

The OCHTTF is a multidisciplinary collaboration of law enforcement, victim services, prosecutors, social services, healthcare providers, NGOs, faith-based organizations, and community partners working together to combat human trafficking locally. Since 2010, Waymakers and the Anaheim Police Department have proudly co-chaired the Task Force, leading efforts to protect victims and hold traffickers accountable.

🔗 Read the full 2025 Report (link in comments) to learn what human trafficking looks like in Orange County, how partners are fighting back, why survivor voices are vital to the solution, and how prevention and school safety programs are helping protect our youth.

11/06/2025

The Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force, led by Waymakers and the Anaheim Police Department, has released the 2025 Human Trafficking Victims Report. The report shows that children are now the fastest-growing group of human trafficking victims in Orange County.

Over the past three years, half of all victims were under 18, and the youngest was just six years old. The average age of children being forced into s*x work or labor is now 14, which means many are even younger.

Click ⏬️ to read more

The Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force’s latest update on people forced into s*x work and labor for others shows younger people now account for half of all victims.