Why I Give: Q&A With Longtime Donor Matt Hopkins
He’s been part of Home of Hope longer than our CEO. Current board member and long-time donor Matt Hopkins has experienced firsthand our transition from public to private and supported us every step of the way. He’s also co-founder and CEO of SEI Group, Inc. another Gwinnett-based organization. Recently, we sat down with Matt to discover why our mission still resonates with him after all these years. Read his answers below.
How did you get involved with Home of Hope?
My involvement with Home of Hope started because I am close friends with Brand Morgan. He is one of the fathers and founders of Home of Hope, if you will. He shifted the organization from being publicly funded and convinced enough people to see the value in Home of Hope to make it the privately funded organization it is today.
Why did you choose to support Home of Hope?
I believe in the cause, and I think it is an extremely well-managed organization. I have been on the board for quite some time, and I continue to give to Home of Hope because I believe in the management, specifically Maureen. She and the rest of the Home of Hope team are excellent stewards of the money they receive. Having spent ten years watching Maureen operate and looking closely at the financials, I know my donations are going to be used wisely and for good. It’s easy to give.
How are you currently supporting Home of Hope?
We’re involved in a lot of different ways. My family and I personally support, and then I also support corporately through my company, SEI Group. SEI Group is in the construction business. We do installations, hang building products, etc.. and we’re also Gwinnett based. Home of Hope is a way for us to connect our business to charity and support an organization that is helping our direct community.My team helps out with Sip and Swine every year. I’ll send all my people to volunteer for the weekend, and it’s something we can all rally around. It’s fun and gives my team a sense of our mission. We all get really excited about it.
Why do you personally believe in the mission of Hope of Hope?
The idea of breaking the cycle of homelessness strikes me again as money very well spent. It’s the same idea of if you give a man fish, he has a fish. If you teach a man to fish, he has a means to support himself. This is teaching a man to fish, and it creates a chain reaction. Homeless children often turn into homeless adults, but Home of Hope can give them a different future.
What is your dream for Home of Hope?
That it is in a financial position to survive for decades. It’s entirely dependent on its donors. The private model requires annual maintenance from donors, and I hope a new generation of donors and volunteers will take the reins and come to know and love Home of Hope as we have. Giving also does as much for the donor as it does for the donee. There is hard science saying that people who give are happier. The world will be better for it, and you personally will be better.
Thank you to everyone who has been, is still or is considering being a donor. Your support, no matter how small or large, makes a huge difference for our families and allows us to continue to take these individuals from homeless to hopeful to a home of their own. Thank you!