Celebrating 50 Years of Impact

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In 1976, our foundress Sally Sullivan recognized a vital need to serve young, expectant mothers who had been turned away by their families. Sally and her husband, Neill, purchased an eight-unit apartment building in Santa Ana to create a safe haven where these women could prepare for motherhood in peace. Guided by their deep Catholic faith, Neill and Sally’s mission was simple yet profound: to show these women the depth of God’s love.

Over the last 50 years, we have been honored to serve more than 8,000 women, children, and babies. Throughout these five decades, we have expanded our reach to include the “core” Casa Teresa Parenting Program—where pregnant women can stay through the first two months of their baby’s life—as well as emergency shelter, transitional living, and a robust alumnae program.

We are so proud of this legacy and truly stand on the shoulders of those who came before us. We look to the future with great hope!

Lisa Wood

CEO, Casa Teresa

Lisa Wood

CEO, Casa Teresa

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We are so proud of this legacy and truly stand on the shoulders of those who came before us. We look to the future with great hope!

Garden of Hope

In celebration of our 50th anniversary, we are creating a Garden of Hope, a living tribute to five decades of transformation and a sanctuary for the future. While this commemorative space honors our rich history, its heartbeat belongs to the women we serve today. As they walk their courageous paths of healing, this garden offers a tender embrace.

Once complete, there will be messages of love, healing, and hope to encourage them in their journey through motherhood. At Casa Teresa, we believe that every new beginning deserves a beautiful place to take root, and the Garden of Hope will stand as a physical promise that even in seasons of transition, there is always room for life to bloom.

View Progress

1st Quarter • 2nd Quarter • 3rd Quarter • 4th Quarter

Celebrating 50 Years

List of Events

January

Tour of Casa Teresa | Jan 27 or Jan 29

We invite you to step inside and see the heart of our mission firsthand. In honor of our 50th anniversary, we are opening our doors for special quarterly tours. Come experience the warmth of Casa Teresa and see how your support changes lives every day. Because we want to keep these visits intimate, spots are limited- please reach out to us at [email protected] to reserve your place in our January group.

March

Dream Big Luncheon and Fashion Show: Celebrating 50 Years of Impact | Fri, Mar 27

Join us as we kickoff our 50th Anniversary year with the Dream Big Luncheon and Fashion Show, featuring the newest collections from Saks Fifth Avenue. Experience an afternoon of fun and high-end style, all while supporting the mothers we serve. To read more about this year’s luncheon, please click HERE.

April

National Volunteer Month Sorting Opportunities | Apr 2 and 9

Join us for special sorting events, a perfect way for new volunteers to step into our mission. Each week, we receive hundreds of generous clothing donations. By helping us organize these gifts, you ensure our residents receive the best items first, with additional beautiful pieces going to our resale store, The Collection by Casa Teresa, to further support our programs. To volunteer for these opportunities, please reach out to us at [email protected] for more information.

May

Celebrate the 10th Anniversary of The Collection by Casa Teresa! | May 16

Save the date for an extra special day of shopping and fun, all for our 10th birthday! Join our email list for updates about our big celebration, as well as first looks, monthly sales and all things The Collection by Casa Teresa! Click HERE to join.

Tour of Casa Teresa | May 13 and 14

June

46th Annual Neill Sullivan Legacy Golf Classic | Tues, Jun 2

Join us for the 46th Annual Neill Sullivan Legacy Golf Classic at Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club! Support Casa Teresa in providing a loving home for pregnant women in crisis. Enjoy breakfast burritos and specialty coffee before our pre-tournament driving range contest. After a day on the course, join our courtyard reception for auctions, awards, and moving alumni stories. To read more about this year’s golf classic, please click HERE.

July

Casa Teresa Alumni Reunion | Sat, Jul 11

Calling all Casa Teresa Alumni! We want to reconnect with you and would like to formally invite you to join us at our reunion. Whether you were a mom in our program for 1 day or 1 year—we would love to reconnect with you. We will be having an extra special reunion in honor of our 50th anniversary and would love it if you joined us! For more information, please reconnect with us HERE.

September

Tour of Casa Teresa | Sept 15 and Sept 16

We invite you to step inside and see the heart of our mission firsthand. In honor of our 50th anniversary, we are opening our doors for special quarterly tours. Come experience the warmth of Casa Teresa and see how your support changes lives every day. Because we want to keep these visits intimate, spots are limited—please reach out to us at [email protected] to reserve your place in our September group.

October

50th Anniversary Gala | Sat, Oct 24

Join us for a heartwarming celebration of 50 years of impact, honoring the incredible courage and resilience of generations of Casa Teresa moms, highlighting how their transformation has allowed their families to flourish. We invite our entire community to gather in gratitude for the generations of love and dedication that continue to champion a future of lasting change! To read more about this year’s Gala, please click HERE.

December

Tour of Casa Teresa | Dec 29 and Dec 30

Calling all Alumni

As we celebrate 50 years, we are reaching out with a special hope to reconnect with the alumni we haven’t heard from in a while. We know that every woman’s journey after Casa Teresa is unique, and we want you to know that you are always a cherished part of our story, and the Casa Teresa family. Whether you stayed with us for one day or one year, we would love to hear from you!

If you’re a past resident and would like to receive updates or an invitation to our 50th Anniversary Alumni events, please click the link below to share your info.

Reconnect

Volunteer to Serve

At Casa Teresa, we believe that healing happens in community. For 50 years, our volunteers have helped us build a sanctuary where our residents can feel safe, seen, and supported. Your volunteerism provides the consistent, compassionate environment that is so vital to their transformation.

Whether you are a long-time supporter or looking to join us for the first time during this milestone year, we invite you to be part of our next 50 years! For more information on how to get involved, click HERE.

Casa Teresa’s proven Residential Program provides individually tailored case management, training, education and support.

To request help,
Phone: (714) 538-4860

Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 429 | Orange, CA 92856

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Privacy Notice

ORANGE COUNTY HOMELESS MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM (OC HMIS)

PRIVACY NOTICE

THIS PRIVACY NOTICE EXPLAINS UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES WE MAY SHARE AND DISCLOSE YOUR INFORMATION FROM THE OC HMIS. THIS NOTICE ALSO EXPLAINS YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING YOUR CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION.

PLEASE READ IT CAREFULLY.

Our organization collects and shares information about individuals who access our services. The information is confidentially stored in a local electronic database called the Orange County Homeless Management Information System (OC HMIS). The OC HMIS securely records information (data) about persons accessing housing and homeless services in Orange County.

Confidential personal information that we collect about you and your family is referred to as Protected Personal Information (PPI). We are required to protect the privacy of your PPI by complying with the privacy practices described in this Privacy Notice.

Why We Collect and Share Information
The information we collect and share in the HMIS helps us to efficiently coordinate the most effective services for you and your family. It allows us to complete one universal intake per person; better understand homelessness in your community; and assess the types of resources needed in your local area.

By collecting your information for HMIS, we are able to generate aggregate statistical reports requested by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

The Type of Information We Collect and Share in the HMIS
We collect and share both PPI and general information obtained during your intake and assessment, which may include but is not limited to:

Name and contact information
Social security number
Birthdate
Demographic information such as gender and race/ethnicity
History of homelessness and housing (including current housing status and where and when services have been accessed)
Self-reported medical history including any mental health and substance abuse issues
Case notes and services
Case manager's contact information
Income sources and amounts; and non-cash benefits
Veteran status
Disability status
Household composition
Emergency contact information
Domestic violence history
Photo (optional)

How Your Personal Information Is Protected in the HMIS
Your information is protected by passwords and encryption technology. Each HMIS user and participating organization must sign an agreement to maintain the security and privacy of your information. Each HMIS user or participating organization that violates the agreement may have access rights terminated and may be subject to further penalties.

How PPI May Be Shared and Disclosed
Unless restricted by other laws, the information we collect can be shared and disclosed without your consent under the following circumstances:

To provide or coordinate services.
For payment or reimbursement of services for the participating organization.
For administrative purposes, including but not limited to HMIS system administrator(s) and
developer(s), and for legal, audit personnel, and oversight and management functions.
For creating de-identified PPI.
When required by law or for law enforcement purposes.
To prevent a serious threat to health or safety.
As authorized by law, for victims of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence.
For academic research purposes.
In a situation where you have requested access to your HMIS records through the Client Record Request process, and an agency will be providing you with those records.
Other uses and disclosures of your PPI can be made with your written consent.

Providing Your Consent for Sharing PPI in the HMIS
Generally, to share your PPI in the OC HMIS, we must have your written consent. Exception:

In a situation where we are gathering PPI from you during a phone screening, street outreach, or community access center sign-in, your verbal consent can be used to share your information in HMIS. If we obtain your verbal consent, you will be requested to provide written consent during your initial assessment. If you do not appear for your initial assessment, your information will remain in HMIS until you revoke your consent in writing.

You have the right to receive services even if you do not consent to share your PPI in the OC HMIS.

How to Revoke Your Consent for Sharing Information in the HMIS
You may revoke your consent at any time. Your revocation must be provided either in writing or by completing the Revocation of Consent form. Upon receipt of your revocation, we will remove your PPI from the shared HMIS database and prevent further PPI from being added. The PPI that you previously authorized to be shared cannot be entirely removed from the HMIS database and will remain accessible to the limited number of organization(s) that provided you with direct services.

Your Rights to Your Information in the HMIS
You have the right to receive the following, no later than five (5) business days of your written request:

A correction of inaccurate or incomplete PPI;
A copy of your consent form;
A copy of the OC HMIS Privacy Notice;
A copy of your HMIS records; and
A current list of participating organizations that have access to your HMIS data.

You can exercise these rights by making a written request to this organization.

Your Privacy Rights Regarding Your Information in the HMIS
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may send a written grievance to this organization. You will not be retaliated against for filing a grievance.

If your grievance is not resolved to your satisfaction, you may send a written grievance appeal to the HMIS Lead, Orange County United Way.

Amendments to this Privacy Notice
The policies in this notice may be amended at any time. These amendments may affect information obtained by this organization before the date of the change. Amendments regarding use or disclosure of PPI will apply to information (data) previously entered in HMIS, unless otherwise stated. All amendments to this privacy notice must be consistent with the requirements of the federal HMIS privacy standards. This organization must keep permanent documentation of all privacy notice amendments.

Last Updated: 05-2025