Jesus People Welfare Incorporated

In an era when a homeless youth was defined by the Federal Government as "a temporary breakdown of the family unit and the child vacating the family home", the charity, Jesus People was created to run several hostels and associated services for street kids including a drug rehabilitation centre and two women's shelters. 

In an unorthodox move, the organisation initiated several programs including street cruisers, drop-in centres and detached youth workers counselling young homeless men and women on the streets of Perth. The group also started Australia's first ever free Christmas lunch for the homeless and destitute in Perth.

As a preventative measure, they provided speakers and seminars in high schools educating students on the perils of drug and alcohol abuse and other social issues.

From his humble beginning as Youth Leader in a Perth inner city church bringing street kids to his own home, the organisation was born and expanded to become the largest youth welfare service in Western Australia helping up to 3000 young people every year.
The largest source of fundraising for the charity came from concert tours and musical productions with big name artists such as Cliff Richard, Amy Grant, Pat Boone, BJ Thomas, Dion DiMucci, Barry Maguire and Paul Stookey of Peter, Paul and Mary fame, just to mention a few.

Hopp also was producer of several local gospel musical productions such as Come Together, If My People and The Witness and produced Christmas at the Centre, a regular musical spectacular televised by Channel 7 Perth featuring such artists as Colleen Hewitt and Jon English.

With the support of Robert Holmes a Court, as chairman of the fundraising committee, Jesus People Inc was a beneficiary of the Channel 7 Telethon Program for several years providing additional funding for the work. Among several awards, the highest honour for the organisation was to receive the Western Australian Government's Gold Swan Award in 1982 for community service.

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