HOPE BUILDERS BLOG

Listen Now: Shawna Smith Interviewed on KIIS-FM

Hope Builders’ Executive Director, Shawna Smith, recently joined KIIS-FM’s community affairs segment to discuss our work building pathways to prosperity for young adults. Listen to her interview below:  

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30 Years, 7,000 Lives Transformed

For three decades, Hope Builders has been dedicated to unlocking the greatness of young adults in our community. We remain laser-focused on empowering youth with the skills and mentorship needed to open doors to rewarding careers and more hopeful futures. With over 7,000 lives transformed, we’ve witnessed firsthand the incredible impact of the right tools…

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Empowering Growth: A Trainee Shares the Impact of Tutoring at Hope Builders

Hope Builders bridges the gap between employers seeking skilled, reliable workers and young people who are motivated to start their careers. In Orange County, there are 30,000 young adults who are disconnected from the workforce. Many of them are actively seeking stable employment, but face significant barriers to finding or maintaining a job. A gap…

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2025 Winter Advancement Ceremony Celebrates Milestones Along Student Journey

Hope Builders’ Winter Advancement Ceremony brought together young adults from Hope Builders’ construction and healthcare training verticals to celebrate their significant milestones on the pathway to prosperity.  The event highlighted the empowering impact of a strong community-comprised of trainees, instructors, families, and supporters-to remove roadblocks and build bright futures. Among the highlights were speeches from…

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Construction Industry Supporters Meet Trainees at Connect Over Coffee

In conjunction with Clark Construction’s annual Week of Service, Clark employees and other members of the construction industry joined Hope Builders for its quarterly Connect Over Coffee speed networking event. Volunteers first heard from Anthony, a trainee currently enrolled in Hope Builders’ Construction Training Program. Anthony was referred to the program by a friend after…

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10 Days for Launching Careers Named Among Top 5 Orange County Charitable Events

Hope Builders is proud to announce that our fall fundraising campaign, 10 Days for Launching Careers, has once again been awarded a spot in Orange County Business Journal’s “Top 5 Unique Events” list. This recognition highlights the exceptional creativity, innovation and impact of our campaign, and is a testament to our community’s commitment to building…

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Unlocking Greatness: Q2 FY25 Update

As you may recall from the Q1 update, Hope Builders remains laser focused on launching young adults on pathways to prosperity through the four distinct stages of the Student Journey – Applicant, Trainee, Career Builder, and Hope Builder. From July 1st through December 31st, we’ve continued to make progress across each stage: Applicant: In this…

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Join Hope Builders in 2025 to Transform Lives

Hope Builders is dedicated to empowering young adults with the mentorship, job skills and life skills training needed to move from poverty to prosperity. If you’re looking to make a meaningful impact this year, there are several volunteer opportunities where you can share your time and expertise.   Virtual Mock Interviews: Help trainees prepare for…

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Trainees Share the Impact of Your Career Registry Gifts

Hope Builders recently asked our community to support incoming training cohorts by purchasing items from our career registry. The Career Registry functions like a gift registry, enabling members of the community to purchase tangible items, like uniforms and classroom materials, that are crucial for trainees’ success. We asked trainees how the support they received has…

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Connect Over Coffee Brings Supporters and Trainees Together to Practice Networking Skills

At Hope Builders, young adults receive comprehensive support to develop both the hard skills needed to enter the workforce and the soft skills to ensure continued career growth. To assist in the development of soft skills like communication and adaptability, a small group of Hope Builders supporters recently joined clinical medical assisting trainees in their…

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