H
elping build strong and lasting relationships between our philanthropic community and the nonprofit organizations which not only serve as a critical safety net in Santa Barbara, but are foundational to the functioning of a healthy and civilized society.
CEO & Co-Founder Gwyn Lurie gwyn@montecitojournal.net President & Co-Founder Tim Buckley tim@montecitojournal.net Executive Editor Daniel Heimpel Art Director Trent Watanabe Copy Editor Lily Harbin Photography Edward Clynes Administration: Christine Merrick Diane Davidson Contributors: Joe Donnelly, Emily Heckman, James Buckley, Les Firestein, Steve Uhler, Carrie Towbes, Merryl Snow Zegar
the giving list
JOURNAL
is published by Montecito Journal Media Group, LLC. Corporate Offices located at 1206 Coast Village Circle, Suite G Montecito, CA 93108 For inquiries: (805) 565-1860
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the giving list Santa Barbara
www.thegivinglist.com
“The Giving List’s mission is to help build strong and lasting relationships between our philanthropic community and the nonprofit organizations which not only serve as a critical safety net in Santa Barbara, but are foundational to the functioning of a healthy and civilized society” 4
Dear Community,
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elcome to the Montecito Journal Media Group’s inaugural publication of The Giving List. The Giving List staff, to whom I am so grateful for their commitment to bringing this idea to life, strongly believes that the work being done by Santa Barbara’s robust nonprofit community and the generous support of that work by local donors is something to celebrate. A special thanks to Judi Weisbart who has served as our liaison to many local nonprofit leaders and whose infectious passion for their foundational work has been invaluable to the making of this book. It is such passion that comes to life through these pages. Countless scientific studies show that being generous and engaging in charitable deeds are the most common and widespread ingredients in people who define themselves as “happy.” Interestingly, Santa Barbara culture been steeped in the philanthropic tradition for longer than you might think. The Santa Barbara Franciscans hosted a Feast of Saint Barbara at their local mission as early as 1786. But long before that, the Santa Ynez Chumash, who had already been living here for hundreds of generations, were known to the explorers Cabrillo and Portola as a particularly generous group. Chumash ancestors had a word for it: “Amuyich,” which means generosity in Samala, the Chumash native language. It is said that Santa Barbara, with its rich charitable history, is home to more nonprofits per capita than any other county in the country. This ongoing commitment to philanthropy is not only evident in Santa Barbara’s vital nonprofit sector but in the prominent role NGOs and the causes they promote play in the daily lives of local residents. These NGOs, which meet some of the most critical needs in our community, rely on the unwavering support of Santa
Barbara’s deep philanthropic network. For these organizations, building relationships with donors is the key to effective fundraising and therefore success. The Giving List was created to provide a portal through which donors can access some of the most powerful stories and information regarding the inner workings of many of Santa Barbara’s most prominent nonprofits. We hope by sharing such compelling narratives we can help local philanthropists make the most enlightened and impactful decisions about how best to give. In so doing, it is our intention to help build an even stronger bridge between NGOs and the donor support necessary for longterm sustainability. Choosing the nonprofits to be highlighted in this book was not easy. Our aim has been to thoughtfully curate a wide and representative variety of work being done by deeply rooted local NGOs. In no way do we mean to suggest that the organizations represented in this inaugural Giving List are the only important NGOs in our midst. It is for this reason we have included an index at the back of this book with the names of every nonprofit in Santa Barbara County that could be identified by our staff. And it is our earnest intention to have the capacity to include many more of our community’s wonderful nonprofits in next year’s The Giving List, Volume II. The Giving List’s mission is to help build strong and lasting relationships between our philanthropic community and the nonprofit organizations which not only serve as a critical safety net in Santa Barbara but are foundational to the functioning of a healthy and civilized society. Given its long-standing commitment to being a catalyst for good in the communities it serves, we are proud to have Montecito Bank & Trust as The Giving List’s anchor sponsor, as we cannot imagine a more perfect partner in this endeavor. – Gwyn Lurie
CEO, Montecito Journal Media Group
www.thegivinglist.com
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Behind Every Great Community is a Great Bank
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Janet Garufis (Chairman and CEO) & George Leis (President and COO)
ontecito Bank & Trust is very proud to partner with the Montecito Journal Media Group in this inaugural edition of The Giving List Santa Barbara which – like our bank – is committed to connecting nonprofits and donors who together uplift our community as a whole. Santa Barbara has endured some challenging times in recent years. The twin disasters of the Thomas Fire and subsequent Debris Flow, and now the pandemic, have both strained and strengthened us. As your community bank, we have been honored to link arms with local residents as we strive to build a resilient and thriving future for the Central Coast.
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MB&T Executive Team (L to R) Bruce Stevens (Chief Financial Officer), David Porter (Chief Risk Officer), Janet Garufis (Chairman & CEO), George Leis (President & COO), Megan Orloff (Chief Strategy Officer), Jeff Pittman (Director of Wealth Management)
We are pleased to share our message of hope with The Giving List readers, who share in common business savvy, a commitment to philanthropy, and a dedication to social good. As a financial institution that works hard to strengthen our community through philanthropic business efforts, we are inspired by each of your contributions to our wonderful, diverse, and culturally vibrant stretch of California coastline. At the same time, we want to encourage you to go deeper in your commitment to strengthening our unique and devoted nonprofit sector. Our nonprofit sector cannot thrive on the generosity of individuals and charitable foundations alone. As business leaders we have a responsibility to support these organizations’ tremendous efforts. This imperative is especially important as we feel the longterm economic impacts of our ongoing public health crisis. Impacts that require increased diversification of revenue for our nonprofits, funding vehicles and programs that think about the donor’s finances and legacies holistically. Janet Garufis running with kids from Girls Inc.
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Jeff Pittman, Michael Towbes, Janet Garufis
Thanks to the powerful and enduring vision of our late founder Michael Towbes, we are a strong, independent community bank devoted to making the communities we serve better places to live and work, and giving back is a responsibility we take very seriously each and every day. Founded in 1975, Montecito Bank & Trust is the oldest and largest locally owned and managed community bank on the Central Coast with assets over $1.95 billion and 11 branches to serve individuals, businesses, and nonprofit organizations from Solvang to Westlake. Annually we invest over $1.4 million back into Santa Barbara and Ventura counties in the form of donations – a number that consistently increases, thanks in large part to a growing customer base. So simply by banking with us, you are making a difference too. We also support our associates and their passions for volunteering their time and talents to local organizations, which totaled over 7,500 hours annually in 2019. Like our founder Michael Towbes, Santa Barbara’s longtime benefactors have built an unparalleled culture of philanthropy. But we are at an inflection point – a changing of the guard – and it is imperative that future generations of community leaders continue to support our local nonprofits. By celebrating philanthropy, Montecito Bank & Trust with The Giving List is working to instill in this next generation a deep appreciation for the importance of giving back. We believe the vitality and betterment of our Central Coast communities is a responsibility we all share. Just think of the
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“As a financial institution that works hard to strengthen our community through philanthropic business efforts, we are inspired by each of your contributions to our wonderful, diverse, and culturally vibrant stretch of California coastline” collective impact we could have if all of our businesses were committed to giving time, treasure, and/or talent in their own unique ways. The possibilities are endless! Montecito Bank & Trust would like to recognize and thank our local nonprofit organizations and their leaders and staff for their tireless work. This has become all too clear during the pandemic when countless organizations – many included in this book – worked hard to ensure that the sick were healed, the hungry were fed, and worked to create normalcy where there was none. You help our communities thrive and your hard work does not go unnoticed. We are proud to be your partner.
Planned Giving
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n the donor side, many of you have spent your lives supporting, sustaining, and – through your board work – leading our local nonprofits. This is a legacy to be proud of and to maintain. Like you, we have a long-standing tradition of philanthropy and we believe that we are your strongest partner when you are considering setting up a planned giving program to benefit a favorite charity. Our extensive institutional knowledge is crucial when navigating the intricacies of structuring planned giving programs that generate ongoing tax advantages for the donor. We also have the expertise to manage the gift for the recipient organization so that the effects of your generosity will be magnified for years to come. With the many benefits of planned giving programs, come nuances. When you enlist a trusted fiduciary, like Montecito Bank & Trust, you have the confidence in designing a program that fits your specific financial situation, ensures compliance with all applicable regulations, and also safeguards your hard earned capital. Our approach is collaborative; as your trustee and investment manager we are involved from the start so that any adjustments to your personal financial plan can be made on an ongoing basis. As in everything we do, the services we provide donors are aimed at elevating the community as a whole. We are all invested in building a Central Coast that values our natural world, one that lifts up all people who call this region home; one that boasts a world-class roster of cultural institutions and landmarks. For this we need individual philanthropists, charitable institutions, and our local businesses to continue rising to the occasion and answering the call to help create and sustain a vibrant Central Coast. Montecito Bank & Trust is honored to share this community with you and we stand ready to work alongside you to make it all that it can be. Whether you are a nonprofit leader looking to provide more giving options to your donors, or a donor looking to maximize the impact of your gifts, we stand ready to help. Because behind every great community is a great bankŽ.
2019 MB&T Board of Directors (L to R) Craig Zimmerman, Ken Verkler, Gerald Parent, Janet Garufis, George Leis, Lachlan Hough, Siri Marshall, Jeff Paul, Christine Garvey, Rob Skinner
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www.thegivinglist.com
Contents
Contents 16 Santa Barbara Foundation’s Social Good
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he Santa Barbara Foundation mobilizes collective wisdom and philanthropic capital to build empathetic, inclusive, and resilient communities. Since 1928, this leading community foundation has championed the philanthropic efforts of the people of Santa Barbara County, identifying the areas of greatest need and bringing together generous donors with those who do standout work in the nonprofit community. Take a look back at its unique history, and vision for the future.
20 Santa Barbara Philanthropists W
riter Hattie Beresford explores 200 years of Santa Barbara’s standout philanthropic endeavors. The Central Coast’s unique history of giving includes incredible characters who molded the region’s cultural institutions and laid the foundation of its work to uplift the lives of all Santa Barbarans.
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The Caregivers The Banker Bent on Changing the World
by Joe Donnelly Meet Santa Barbara’s nonprofit whisperer, Montecito Bank & Trust’s George Leis ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������P. 34
The Cultured Investing in Community by Les Firestein
With a novel strategy to achieve sustainability for the nonprofits it funds, the Hutton Parker Foundation and its president, Tom Parker are giving strength to the local nonprofit community and economy ����������������������P. 44 Santa Barbara Museum of Art’s mission is to integrate art into the lives of people ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� P. 46 MOXI: To ignite learning through interactive experiences in science + creativity �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� P. 48 UCSB Arts and Lectures: To educate, entertain, and inspire �������� P. 50 Music Academy of the West, since 1947, has been making a unique and enduring contribution to the world of music by: advancing the development of the next generation of great classically trained musicians; and cultivating discerning, appreciative, and adventurous audiences ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ P. 52
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The Defenders Practically Visionary by Steve Uhler
Rinaldo S. Brutoco, an entrepreneur with an eclectic eye for social good, describes how he gives with “grace,” ensuring maximum leverage from the money he invests in nonprofits. ����������������������������������������������������P. 56 Human Rights Watch investigates and reports on abuses happening in all corners of the world ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������P. 58
Friendship Center preserves and enriches the quality of life for aging and dependent adults through innovative programs that value the dignity and worth of every person. They provide respite, support, and education, which enables families to continue to be engaged in their community, careers, and commitments ������������������������������������������������������ P. 36
Anti-Defamation League is dedicated to combating all forms of hatred and bigotry by investigating and exposing extremism, protecting as well as advocating for civil rights and religious freedom, educating on how to promote diversity and respect through its many programs and resources, and by fostering interfaith relations �������������������������������������������������������P. 60
Easy Lift Transportation’s mission is to fulfill the community’s need for specialized transportation to allow individuals and organizations access to essential programs and services ���������������������������������������������������P. 38
RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) is the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization. RAINN created and operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline in partnership with more than 1,000 local sexual assault service providers across the country and operates the DoD Safe Helpline for the Department of Defense ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� P. 62
Sarah House Santa Barbara provides a beautiful home and end-oflife care for people of low income. It continues its original mission by providing for men and women with HIV/AIDS. Additionally, it offers comfort and assistance to family and friends of its residents. It trusts that its work adds to the growing body of hospice wisdom �����������������P. 40
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Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) of Santa Barbara County’s mission is to assure a safe, permanent, nurturing home for every
abused and/or neglected child by providing a highly trained volunteer to advocate for them in the court system. �������������������������������������������������� P. 64 The Montecito Firefighters Charitable Foundation was established to address needs local firefighters saw time and again in the line of duty. Supporting a foster child’s education, assisting with funeral costs, and helping burn victims are just some of the situations the foundation has supported since its inception. �������������������������������������������������������������������������� P. 66
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The Earth Minders The Nonprofit Prophet by Steve Uhler
Behind every great nonprofit is a strong leader. For two decades, Ken Saxon, founder of Leading from Within, has been building up Santa Barbara’s nonprofit sector by unleashing the inner strength of its executives. ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������P. 70 Heal the Ocean focuses on wastewater infrastructure – sewers and septic systems – as well as ocean dumping practices that have contributed to ocean pollution. It is focused on Santa Barbara County, but its methods are now serving as a model for other coastal communities across the country. ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������P. 72 Lotusland preserves and enhances the unique, historic estate of Madame Ganna Walska, cares for and improves its collections, and develops its conservation and horticulture programs. They educate us, inspire us, and advance our understanding and appreciation of the importance of plants in our lives and in the life of the planet ������������������P. 74 Community Environmental Council’s mission is to identify, advocate, and raise awareness about the most pressing environmental issues in the Santa Barbara region. Today, CEC is focused on pioneering real life solutions in areas with the biggest impact on climate change – most notably energy, transportation, and food systems. �������������������������������� P. 76 Santa Barbara Botanic Garden: To conserve California native plants and habitats for the health and well-being of people and the planet ��� P. 78
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The Educators The Creator of Kinko’s is no Copycat by Les Firestein
Paul and Jane Orfalea pledge to spend down 85% of the wealth earned by the sale of Kinko’s. Through their Audacious Foundation, the Orfaleas support “Whole Child Development.” �������������������������������������������� P. 82
Storyteller’s Children’s Center is a therapeutic preschool that provides high-quality early childhood education for homeless and at-risk children in Santa Barbara County, as well as comprehensive support services for their families. ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������� P. 84 Endowment for Youth Committee’s mission is to unlock the full potential of young African American boys and men by providing opportunities that maximize shared community, prosperity, and personal growth goals and objectives. ����������������������������������������������������������������������������� P. 86 SBCC Foundation has provided Santa Barbara City College with private philanthropic support since 1976, serving as the vehicle through which individuals and organizations may invest in the college and its students. ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� P. 88 Santa Barbara Education Foundation provides and supports programs that enrich the academic, artistic, and personal development of all students in the Santa Barbara Unified School District �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������P. 90 Montecito Union School Foundation is committed to instilling a love of learning while providing innovative, comprehensive, and supportive learning opportunities. These include robust specialist experiences, a comprehensive arts education, and a whole-child approach to serve as a foundation for success in academics and life �������������������������������������������� P. 92
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The Empowerers Finding a Community of Giving by Merryl Snow Zegar
When Merryl Snow Zegar and Chuck Zegar arrived in Montecito six years ago, they dove into philanthropy, finding a vibrant community that is dedicated to doing good ����������������������������������������������������������������������� P. 96 AHA! equips teenagers, educators, and parents with social and emotional intelligence to dismantle apathy, prevent despair, and interrupt hate-based behavior. �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� P. 98 Girls Inc.’s mission is to inspire all girls to be strong, smart, and bold. Its vision: empowered girls in an equitable society ����������������������������������� P. 100 Leading from Within invests in leaders serving the public good ��������� �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������P. 102 The United Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Barbara County believes that every kid deserves a great future, and provides the stepping stones that put every kid on the path to unlocking their potential ���������������P. 104 Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating an equitable and just society through the economic empowerment of women. ���������������������������������������������������������������������������P. 106
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Contents 109
The Equity Advocates Better Together by Emily Heckman
How Deckers, an international lifestyle and footwear brand, is making philanthropic impact on the Santa Barbara Coast ������������������������������ P. 110 Martin Luther King, Jr. Committee of Santa Barbara’s mission is to foster positive relationships between the many diverse groups in the Santa Barbara community and the surrounding areas; to sponsor programs and events which exemplify the teachings of Dr. King; and to observe and celebrate the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday �������������P. 112 Pacific Pride Foundation’s advocacy and education efforts meet the ongoing and emerging needs of a diverse population in order to create a thriving and visible LGBTQ+ community and to prevent the transmission of HIV/AIDS �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������P. 114 Just Communities advances justice by building leadership, fostering change, and dismantling all forms of prejudice, discrimination, and oppression ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������P. 116
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The Healers Why Give? by Carrie Towbes
Carrie Towbes grew up in philanthropy. In the 40 years since her parents founded the Towbes Foundation, they have granted over $20 million to more than 400 organizations on the Central Coast. Going forward, Carrie’s goal for the foundation is to focus on long-term systemic change through partnership and collaboration ������������������������������������������ P. 120 Standing Together to End Sexual Assault (STESA) empowers people through healing and social change to eliminate all forms of sexual violence. The organization is committed to transforming lives by providing services and education to meet the needs of our diverse community ��������������������P. 122 Child Abuse Listening Mediation’s (CALM) mission is to prevent childhood trauma, heal children and families, and build resilient communities throughout Santa Barbara County ������������������������������������������ P. 124 Mental Wellness Center is working toward a future when the importance of prevention and effective, early intervention to treat mental illness is recognized ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������P. 126
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New Beginnings Counseling Center provides affordable counseling, shelter, case management, and education that strengthens our community and provides clients with the ability to lead healthy and productive lives ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������P. 128 Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation supports families that have a child with cancer by providing financial, educational, and emotional support ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������P. 130
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The Nurturers To Truly Make a Difference by Joe Donnelly
Dr. Ed Birch, president and CEO of the Samuel B. and Margaret C. Mosher Foundation, spends every day living up to the foundation’s goal of “truly making a difference.” ������������������������������������������������������������������������ P. 134 Foodbank of Santa Barbara County is ending hunger and transforming the health of Santa Barbara County through good nutrition ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������P. 136 Unity Shoppe, Inc., for over 100 years, has been building a sustainable support system for all those in our community who face unforeseen crises by providing free, essential services: nutritious food, school clothing, senior care and volunteerism programs, and job training for youth and adults ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� P. 138 People Assisting the Homeless (PATH) is dedicated to helping individuals, families, and communities end their homelessness. ���������P. 140 United Way of Santa Barbara’s vision is to provide a hopeful future for each person in the community ���������������������������������������������������������������������� P. 142 Organic Soup Kitchen provides oncology nutrition and addresses food insecurity to a diverse demographic of individuals struggling with the effects of cancer and chronic illnesses ������������������������������������������������������� P. 144
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The Performers Philanthropic Joy by Emily Heckman
Sara Miller McCune built an academic publishing empire, and has used her experience and success to lead Santa Barbara’s joy-filled philanthropic community ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������P. 148 Lobero Theatre Foundation’s mission is to maintain and operate the
historic Lobero Theatre as a performing arts center and cultural asset to the community of Santa Barbara, and to present the highest quality productions in music, dance, and theater ������������������������������������������������P. 150 The Granada Theatre – owned and operated by the Santa Barbara Center for the Performing Arts – serves Santa Barbara by providing a vibrant, state-of-the-art venue where world-class artistic performances are available to the widest possible audience, promoting appreciation for the performing arts and enhancing the quality of life in our community ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� P. 152 Ensemble Theatre Company (ETC) presents important new plays and innovative interpretations of classic works for a broad audience. ETC engages audiences with entertaining, compelling, and thought-provoking theatrical productions, develops the community’s knowledge and appreciation of live stage productions, and offers a range of educational programs for young people ���������������������������������������������� P. 154
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The Physicians The Hands-on Giver by James Buckley
Lady Leslie Ridley-Tree has always tithed 10 percent of her “pre-tax” income to the church and the charities that she sees as doing important work, but only after some thoughtful vetting. ���������������������������������������� P. 158 The Breast Cancer Resource Center of Santa Barbara (BCRC) is a community resource center that empowers women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer to advocate for themselves and make informed decisions regarding breast health ������������������������������������������������P. 160 Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics provide high-quality, comprehensive, affordable healthcare to all people, regardless of their ability to pay, in an environment that fosters respect, compassion, and dignity ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� P. 162 Cottage Hospital’s mission is to provide superior health care for and improve the health of our communities through a commitment to its core values of excellence, integrity, and compassion. ������������������������P. 164
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The Saviors Pivoting to Social Justice by Joe Donnelly
Rachel Simon, the daughter of an Indianapolis real estate scion and a mother who worked for a Kennedy, charts her own path leading the
Herbert Simon Family Foundation ������������������������������������������������������������P. 168 ShelterBox is a global organization made up of people who believe in shelter as a human right – that shelter from the chaos of disaster and conflict is vital �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������P. 170 Direct Relief International is a humanitarian aid organization, active in all 50 states and more than 80 countries, with a mission to improve the health and lives of people affected by poverty or emergencies – without regard to politics, religion, or ability to pay ������������������������������������� P. 172 One805 is preparing this community for emergencies, equipping its first responder agencies with necessary tools, and supporting them with counseling services and community education ��������������������������������������P. 174 National Disaster Search Dog Foundation’s mission is to strengthen disaster response in America by rescuing and recruiting dogs and partnering them with firefighters and other first responders to find people buried alive in the wreckage of disasters ��������������������������������������������������� P. 176
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The Wild Ones The Great Outdoors by Joe Donnelly
Inspired by the Montana wilderness, Natalie Orfalea and her Orfalea Foundation are bent on giving youth experiences they never would have imagined, supporting Montecito in times of emergency, and inspiring social change through storytelling ���������������������������������������������������������������P. 180 Wilderness Youth Project’s mission is to foster confidence, health, and a life-long love of learning for young people and families through active outdoor experiences and mentoring ��������������������������������������������� P. 182 Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network’s mission is to rescue, rehabilitate, and return to the wild sick, injured, orphaned, or oil-impaired wild birds, reptiles, and small mammals in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties and to educate the public about living in harmony with wildlife ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������P. 184 Santa Barbara Zoo is dedicated to the preservation, conservation, and enhancement of the natural world and its living treasures through education, research, and recreation �������������������������������������������������������������������P. 186
188 Nonprofit Directory: A list of every registered nonprofit in Santa Barbara County.
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Santa Barbara Foundation’s Social Good by Daniel Heimpel
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riting this inaugural issue of The Giving List has entailed speaking with and studying the work of 52 of Santa Barbara’s most important nonprofit organizations. Throughout, I have discerned a vibrant and brave nonprofit community, staring down the crisis we all have behind and before us with purpose and commitment. At the heart of all this community stands the Santa Barbara Foundation, which in its tenth decade has weathered many
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storms, emerging as Santa Barbara County’s key convener and catalyst for positive change. A look back into the Foundation’s history and its strategy offer a salve and strength for the uncertain future we face together. “If there has ever been a question as to the need of the Foundation in Santa Barbara, it would certainly seem that the present emergency facing the country would justify the existence of such an institution,” said Charles B. Raymond,
1928 The Band Shell in Pershing Park
1934 The Community Chest Milk Fund
During the Great Depression, SBF supported outdoor summer concerts at what was then known as Plaza Del Mar. The public concerts raised community morale during hard economic times.
SBF invested in a rest camp and fund to provide food for undernourished children in efforts to help children achieve normal weight and decrease their susceptibility to disease.
1938-1948 Substandard Housing SBF invested in a survey of substandard housing by the Santa Barbara Mayor’s Low- Cost Housing Committee. The survey revealed that some 500 persons occupied buildings unfit for human habitation and formed what is now the Santa Barbara Housing Authority.
the Santa Barbara Community Foundation’s first president, in 1930 as the Depression brought desperation to so many Santa Barbara residents. Then – as now – the Foundation stepped into quick action, offering emergency employment for workers to improve city property, and by supporting the Red Cross Sewing Project that paid women to make clothes for citizens in need. Facing child hunger during the Depression, which is disturbingly ubiquitous today, the Foundation contributed to the Community Chest Milk Fund, which helped young children gain weight and fight off tuberculosis. In the 1940s, the world was at war and Santa Barbara County was struggling through years of severe drought. The Santa Barbara Foundation jumped into action, seeking plans to retain more water, and defraying the travel expenses of two county supervisors to plead for the construction of the Bradbury Dam, which would, at least before the ravages of climate change further strained the water supply, ensure that the shortages of the 1940s were not to be repeated. Following the Civil Rights gains of the 1960s, the 1970s saw the emergence of environmentalism in Santa Barbara and the creation of a nonprofit infrastructure to meet the social justice challenges coming into ever starker relief here and across the nation. “The Foundation must broaden its assistance in the community to meet current needs,” said then-Foundation President Harold W. Beard. “The pattern of giving followed in its past history must be reviewed in light of changing times and problems.”
1949 Santa Barbara Committee for Education on Alcoholism SBF invested in New House and Casa Serena - alcohol recovery homes for men and women. This organization has thrived and now provides behavioral health programs to two additional homes.
1950 Drought Solutions
1960 Investments in Health
SBF established a Water Development Fund to research various means for water development in the county. With the completion and over spilling of the Bradbury Dam on April 12, 1958, Lake Cachuma was created as protection against droughts.
In the 1960’s, SBF invested nearly $500,000 in Cottage, St. Francis, Santa Ynez Valley, and Marian Hospitals. All county hospitals underwent major expansions to provide additional beds and better quality of care for our communities.
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Catalyzed by a devastating oil spill off the Santa Barbara coast in 1969, local activists came together to create the Community Environmental Council. With significant Foundation support, the council would, in 1975, start the nation’s first-ever recycling center, an achievement with long reverberating implications. In 2020, the organization celebrated its 50th Anniversary of Earth Day in Santa Barbara, the oldest event of its kind. During this era, social issues like child abuse and sexual violence were met with Foundation-supported, sector-leading nonprofits including CALM (Child Abuse Listening Mediation) and
2009 Santa Barbara County Community Caregiving Initiative Since 2009, SBF convened and advocated for 70K+ caregivers in Santa Barbara County with partners including Marian Regional Medical Center who focused on patient education.
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Standing Together to End Sexual Assault then known as the Santa Barbara Rape Crisis Center. Capital contributions to the Boys & Girls Clubs created the network of physical locations that are so important to working families today. Laurie Leis, the executive vice president of advancement at United Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Barbara, remembers looking at a Boys & Girls’ budget from 1938 and seeing a $250 donation from the Santa Barbara Foundation. “They are always the first ones to come in and say, we are going to help,” Leis says. “They are the voice for us. They bring a call to action when so many voices go unheard in this community. The Foundation is the voice of the hungry, the homeless, the families in need.” In 2018, the Santa Barbara Foundation launched an ambitious five-year plan focused on eight “priorities for impact.” Consistent with its history, the Santa Barbara Foundation studied the landscape and identified the most pressing issues of need, ranging from food insecurity to homelessness and a frayed and inadequate childcare system. “We wanted to broaden our reach by narrowing our focus, and we found that a handful of key social and economic challenges reverberate into every aspect of Santa Barbara County’s health and well-being,” said Foundation President & CEO Jackie Carrera. The Foundation immediately went to work to support vulnerable populations in areas of behavioral health, health care, food, shelter, and safety, while uplifting working families in the areas of childcare, workforce development, and workforce housing. The Collaboration for Social Impact was developed to advance the strength and capacity of nonprofits, and, by virtue of the Foundation’s stature in the community, guiding
2017 Santa Barbara Foundation’s Social Good
2019 Behavioral Health & Health Care Grant Program
Since 2017, SBF invested in over one million dollars in relief efforts following the Thomas Fire and 1/9 Debris Flow.
In 2019, SBF invested $751,000 in behavioral health & health care nonprofits and service providers.
individual and institutional funders to focus attention on pressing issues in the community. While thoughtful, the Foundation couldn’t have imagined how prescient the strategy would prove. “As we navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, social injustices, and economic worries, we are confident that our focus on vulnerable populations and working families is the correct direction,” Carrera said. “We have already experienced increasing need and will continue to follow our strategy to provide critical support in these areas.” Like Foundation presidents before her, Carrera immediately recognized the need and, with her team, got to work. In March 2020, the Foundation reactivated its Community Disaster Relief Fund, which had been established in the wake of the 1/9 Debris Flow. Days later, the Foundation, in collaboration with United Way, the Hutton Parker Foundation, and the Foundation Roundtable, launched the COVID-19 Joint Response Effort to provide funding to nonprofits responding to Santa Barbarans mounting emergency needs. By the end of October, a 34-member funders’ collaborative that the Foundation co-leads has mobilized over $18.9 million to support individuals and nonprofits in Santa Barbara County. Carrera noted, “with decades of community knowledge, a tradition of diverse, meaningful support, and outstanding stewardship of community investments, the Santa Barbara Foundation is well-positioned to support the health and vibrancy of Santa Barbara County, now and for decades to come.”
No Stranger to Community Challenges
“S
anta Barbara County is no stranger to community challenges, environmental problems, and social inequity. Fortunately, our County has over 3,400 nonprofit organizations that address the significant needs of our most vulnerable community members. I am proud to invest with the Santa Barbara Foundation, which supports me in understanding both our community needs and how specific nonprofit organizations provide their services to address those needs. With such depth in community knowledge, the Santa Barbara Foundation helps me to maximize my charitable dollars for good.”
– Pamela Gann
Chair of the Board of Trustees for the Santa Barbara Foundation
Foundation Supporters Stephanie & John Connaughton Tisha Weber Ford Pamela Gann & David Hardee Steve & Patsy Hicks Palmer & Joan Jackson Palmer & Susan Jackson, Jr. Bob & Lynn Nakasone
Susan & Tom Richards Ginger Salazar & Brett Matthews Ken & Jo Saxon Maryan Schall Carrie Towbes & John Lewis Gary Simpson Dale Zurawski & Geoff Slaff
Santa Barbara Foundation
www.sbfoundation.org Jessica Sanchez, Director of Donor Relations | (805) 880-9366
2019 Food, Shelter & Safety Grant Program
2019 The Towbes Fund for the Performing Arts
In 2019, SBF invested $626,000 in food, shelter & safety nonprofits and service providers.
In 2019, the Fund granted $500,000 to performing arts programs in Santa Barbara County.
2019 Donor Partnerships In 2019, SBF, in partnership with our donors, invested $31 MILLION in Santa Barbara County nonprofit organizations to improve our communities.
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Santa Barbara Philanthropists
Offering Bread and Roses for Nearly 200 Years by Hattie Beresford
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he slogan “Bread, and Roses, too” is at the heart of every philanthropic organization and cause in the United States. The term was coined in 1910 when factory inspector Helen Todd gave a speech during an automobile campaign for women’s suffrage in Illinois. She proposed that giving women the vote would “go toward helping forward the time when life’s Bread, which is home, shelter, and security, and life’s Roses, such as music, education, nature, and books, shall be the heritage of every child that is born in the country…” Unfortunately, universal suffrage did not provide this heritage for all children, but a look at philanthropic activities throughout the world shows that these are the very things that charitable people with means hope to provide for those without. In Santa Barbara, generous benefactors have historically
fostered a culture of giving, one that has fueled a rich sense of community. Whether it’s giving time, money, expertise, or just plain back-breaking labor, philanthropy in Santa Barbara has created a strong societal unity and sense of belonging. From delivering meals to underwriting symphonic performances, the philanthropists of Santa Barbara have been providing bread and roses for our town since its inception. A look back at Santa Barbara’s Spanish and Mexican past finds a culture of hospitality and neighborliness that provided for the less fortunate in the community. After California became part of the United States, Bishop Thaddeus Amat centered the diocese in Santa Barbara and arranged for the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul to open St. Vincent’s orphanage and school in 1857. Still in existence today, St. Vincent’s is the oldest charitable organization in Santa Barbara. It currently provides affordable housing, early childhood education, and familial support and enrichment opportunities.
St. Vincent’s, Santa Barbara’s oldest philanthropic institution, was established in 1857 and was housed in the new three-story brick building seen here by 1877. The earthquake of 1925 reduced the building to two stories, and, though put to other uses, it still stands today at 925 De la Vina Street. (Edson Smith Collection; Santa Barbara Public Library.
The Grand Trades Carnival was a five-day fundraiser for Cottage Hospital in 1890. It culminated with a costumed procession representing Santa Barbara businesses that paraded across the Opera House stage. (Courtesy Santa Barbara Historical Museum)
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Beyond the churches and the county and civic governments, Santa Barbarans themselves founded dozens of charitable organizations. Community galas and local dramatic and musical performances, which benefited a variety of humanitarian projects, became popular. Beginning in the 1880s, the town saw dozens of festivals like the 1890 Trade Fair to build Cottage Hospital and the annual Valentine’s Day fairs of the St. Cecilia Club (today’s Cecilia Fund) to pay hospital expenses. In 1911 the famous danseuse Inez Dibblee, daughter of a local pioneering family, presented three dances to further the fund for the Rincon Causeway. In 1913, the Flying A Players performed live on the Potter Theatre stage to support the municipal band directed by Caesar LaMonaca. Santa Barbarans grew roses for the community through the creation of organizations such as the horticultural and natural history societies, the public library, community music organizations, and art clubs. Probably the crowning achievement in the arena of cultural philanthropy was the creation of the Community Arts Association and its various branches under the leadership of Pearl Chase and Bernard Hoffmann in the early 1920s. Their ideas and enthusiasm inspired the involvement of dozens of other prominent and talented men and women residing in Santa Barbara at the time. Besides promoting civic beautification efforts, the organization involved local citizens in art, drama, music, and dance, and brought world renown teachers and performers to town. Hundreds upon hundreds of volunteers gave their time, money, and expertise to create this very exciting and rewarding community entity, which brought people from all walks of life
Artist Albert Herter created this poster for the YMCA during WWI. Herter and his wife Adele were throughly immersed in the programs of the Community Arts Association. (Library of Congress)
A man pauses his buggy in front of the Hill-Carrillo Adobe circa 1890, then the headquarters of the Horticultural Society. Today, the Hutton Parker Foundation has revamped the former home of the Santa Barbara Foundation into a meeting place for all nonprofits in Santa Barbara. (Courtesy Santa Barbara Historical Museum)
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Neighborhood House, Margaret Baylor, and Recreation Center
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During World War I, the Salvation Army, the YMCA, and the Red Cross all offered canteens and relief services in Europe and at home.. (Library of Congress)
together in communal harmony. Thousands of Santa Barbarans found their lives enriched by the bouquet of programs offered by the Community Arts Association. Today, there is a wealth of philanthropic organizations in Santa Barbara, several of which have their roots in the long ago. Besides the churches and various fraternal organizations that have a charitable component, the longest standing philanthropic organizations in Santa Barbara include St. Vincent’s, 1858; Salvation Army, 1883; Cecilia Fund (St. Cecilia Club, 1891); Family Service Agency (Associated Charities, 1899); Visiting Nurses Association, 1908; Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History (Museum of Comparative Oology, 1916); Community Arts Music Association (Civic Music Committee, 1919, and Music Branch of Community Arts Association, 1921); Santa Barbara Foundation, 1928; Santa Barbara Historical Museum, 1929; and Unity Shoppe (Council of Christmas Cheer, 1930). This book highlights the work of 52 of Santa Barbara’s current nonprofit institutions. Successful philanthropic organizations come about due to great leadership, generous benefactors, and community involvement. The following is the story behind one historic entity that has been enriching the lives of Santa Barbarans since 1907.
n 1907, the Young People’s Club Association was formed to provide both boys and girls with recreation, education, culture, practical skills, music, art, and jobs for those Santa Barbara children whose families could not provide these amenities. Mrs. Elizabeth McCalla (wife of Admiral Bowman McCalla) recruited prominent women of the city to help fund the creation of the club, which was being promoted by many of the teachers in the public schools. Ednah Rich, principal of the Anna S.C. Blake Manual Training School, became treasurer, and Mira Morgan, former principal of Franklin School and truant officer, assisted in leadership. Twenty generous women covered the expenses for the first year, and the Association solicited association membership fees on a sliding scale from $2 to $100, with the latter securing a life membership. Many people offered their services, and others supplied furnishings and other necessities. Over 100 people happily joined to support the Association, and many benefits were given to raise funds. In 1908, Santa Barbara and Montecito society, for instance, participated in a play called “On the Stairway of Life” at the Potter Theatre, with all receipts going to the Club. The Club became wildly popular during its first year and at the end of 1908 changed its name to Neighborhood House to more accurately reflect the intent and breadth of its programs and clientele. In 1910, it joined up with the 1899 Associated Charities (which became Family Service Agency in 1953) and moved to the Arellanes Adobe whose extensive property took up half the block at 800 Santa Barbara Street. Relying on volunteer instructors, a typical week at Neighborhood House in the early days offered the following: Military drill on Mondays; block printing and gymnastics on Tuesdays; practical electricity and camp talks on Wednesdays; boat building for boys and sewing and dressmaking classes for girls on Thursdays; and metal work and mandolin classes on Fridays. All of these classes commenced after the school day ended at 3 pm or in the evenings at 7:30 pm. The weekends saw supervised play and talks on various topics as well as musical evenings. During the summertime, Neighborhood House helped boys find employment. One summer, Mr. Post, who was a city truant officer, took 20 boys to Ojai where he set up a summer camp, and they earned money by picking fruit. In 1910, Miss Margaret Baylor came to Santa Barbara to take over the superintendency of Neighborhood House. Baylor had been active in social work in Cincinnati, Ohio, for several years. During a 1907 visit to her sister Sophie who lived in Santa Barbara, she had suggested the formation of a club for local youth.
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During Baylor’s tenure, Neighborhood House would expand its programs and focus on wholesome recreational activities. She was directly responsible for the creation of the Carrillo Recreation Center and the Margaret Baylor Inn (today’s Lobero Building). Described as a woman with a rare gift of the understanding of human needs and a passion of love for mankind, she created a lasting legacy of social service in Santa Barbara.
Neighborhood House renovated the old Arellanes Adobe into a clubhouse for the community in 1910. (Edson Smith Collection, Santa Barbara Public Library)
Children at play at Neighborhood House. (Courtesy Santa Barbara Historical Museum)
The refurbished Neighborhood House shared its facility with Associated Charities. (Courtesy Santa Barbara Historical Museum)
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Various groups in town gave benefits for Neighborhood House.
Margaret Baylor
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argaret Baylor was the 11th (and last) child of Louisa Dennison Wadsworth and Charles Gano Baylor, both of prominent and historic East Coast families. Louisa’s heritage dated back to colonial days, and she was related to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Members of Charles’ family were important in medicine, law, agriculture, and politics in Virginia, Kentucky, and Texas. By the time Margaret was born, her father’s varied careers had spanned stints as a lawyer, U.S. Consul to the Netherlands, U.S. Consul to England, advocate of free trade for the Southern states, editor and founder of a weekly journal called “Cotton Plant,” and song writer. During the Civil War, he was European Trade Consul for Georgia, but when he joined General Wayne and others to form the Georgia Peace Party in 1864, the Confederate government ordered his arrest. He and his family had to flee on a blockade-runner from Wilmington, Delaware, to New York City.
Sadly, this is the only image of Margaret Baylor known to exist. (Courtesy Santa Barbara Historical Museum)
Baylor never saw the residential inn named for her in Santa Barbara. It was designed by Julia Morgan, architect of Hearst Castle, who arrived in Santa Barbara the morning of the earthquake to confer with Pearl Chase and others on her plans for the inn. It was completed in 1928. Today, it is the Balboa building on Anacapa Street.
When Baylor arrived in town, she noticed that the YMCA had programs and lodging for boys only, so she started planning for safe lodging for young women on their own. The YMCA building stood on the corner of Carrillo and Chapala streets. All that remains today is the tree, which has become Santa Barbara’s Community Tree of Lights, a tradition started at Neighborhood House.
The intervening years cannot have been kind, for when Margaret May Baylor was four years old in 1880, her father was committed to McLean Asylum for the Insane in Somerville, Middlesex, Massachusetts. Four of her siblings had died before adulthood, and her mother had found work as a music teacher. It’s doubtful that her father returned to the family, but he eventually made his way to Rhode Island, home of his mother’s Gano family clan. He even ran for governor of Rhode Island in 1894. Meanwhile, his wife listed herself as a widow. In 1906, Charles Gano Baylor died. By then, Margaret, age 30, had moved to Cincinnati, the home of Woodward College, her father’s alma mater. There, she would engage in social work as part of Union Bethel House. Margaret’s calling to social service had started early. Following in her sister’s footsteps, she volunteered at girls’ clubs in Boston, and then in Washington, D.C. In New York, she directed vacation camps and clubs for the girls of the East Side. When she moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, she was thrust into organizing relief measures for the great Cincinnati Flood of 1906. Her work was so extraordinary that it was still remembered years later. When Dayton, Ohio, experienced a similar disaster, she organized relief there as well.
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In 1908-09, she supervised the construction and opening of the Anna Louise Inn, a residence hotel for young business and professional women. Charles P. Taft, brother of the future President of the United States, William Howard Taft, donated the site and funds for the five-story building that would house 120 women in single rooms. It was named for Taft’s daughter, Anna Louise Taft Semple. Margaret Baylor became its superintendent and it was fully occupied from day one. With its homelike tone and the freedom “accorded its guests within the bounds of propriety,” it became regarded nationwide as a model for such efforts. The inn offered single rooms, a library, reception, dining, cooking, and laundry rooms for use of residents. Rates of room and board included all accommodations and ranged from $2.75 - $4.25 a week for single rooms. To qualify for residency, girls could only earn a maximum of $10 per week. Under Baylor’s supervision, they employed self-government, as well.
Santa Barbara Beckons
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n 1903, Margaret’s older sister by 20 years, Sophie Frances Baylor, moved to Santa Barbara. There she became private secretary to Charlotte Bowditch, a wealthy woman from Massachusetts, who owned property in Santa Barbara and Boston. Both Sophie and Charlotte were active members of Neighborhood House Association and on its board of directors. In 1910, when Mira Morgan, a founder of the organization and matron of Neighborhood House, left for Los Angeles, the directors hired Margaret Baylor. A gathering for the elder residents of Santa Barbara; most are wearing widow’s weeds (Courtesy Santa Barbara Historical Museum)
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From 1909 to 1913, Mary Miles Herter, mother of Albert Herter, sponsored a young Caesar La Monaca who developed a community band that played weekly concerts at Oak Park, Alameda Park, Plaza del Mar, and Neighborhood House. (Courtesy Santa Barbara Historical Museum)
The Morning Press headline in July 1910 read, “MISS BAYLOR BRINGS RARE EXPERIENCE TO NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSE MANAGEMENT.” Already flourishing, the organization was about to blossom into a popular civic center with dozens of programs for Santa Barbara. That summer, the old Arellanes-Elizalde-Quintero home had been completely renovated into an appealing homelike clubhouse complete with stage and assembly areas, and the grounds had been graded for a playground area devoted to volleyball, tennis, basketball, baseball, and croquet.
Lowering the flag at Neighborhood House circa 1910 (Courtesy Santa Barbara Historical Museum)
Under Baylor’s direction, Sunday teas and band concerts by Caesar LaMonaca’s band were instituted. She initiated supervised public open-air dancing and continued the activities of the boys’ and girls’ clubs, meeting with each group to help plan new activities and classes. By December, businesswomen organized
a club at Neighborhood House, and a men’s club was initiated as well. That year, 50 children from Neighborhood House sang Christmas carols in the corridors of the Old Mission on Christmas Day and, after a reception at the mission, continued on to serenade “friends” of the House like Mrs. Christian Herter. The previous two days, the children and their parents had been treated to Spanish music and dancing, a beautiful Christmas Tree, a visit with Santa, and best of all, presents to open in front of the cozy fire. This was, perhaps, the genesis of the Community Christmas tradition, still evidenced by the Community Tree of lights. Over the years, Margaret’s activities were not confined to Neighborhood House. She became a member of the juvenile court committee and attended trials of young women to show support and offer a measure of protection. She basically served as an unpaid police officer, and the chief of police consulted with her in all cases affecting women and children. She originated the movement that resulted in the appointment of a woman as a regular paid member of the police force. She also introduced certain city ordinances that dealt with social issues. As for Neighborhood House, as each year passed, new programs were added to the organization, like the Entre Nous Club for girls from 16 to 20 who were planning a beach tea at Hope Ranch in May. Always the emphasis was on wholesome, supervised recreation and activities. Each summer Neighborhood House sponsored a beach playground and a bathhouse, all properly supervised by Thornton Hopler. The annual Kirmess in August lasted several days and featured locally produced performances at the Potter Theatre, all to benefit Neighborhood House.
Detention House was established as an organization in 1909 by the probation committee of the juvenile court to help youthful offenders, who up until then had been sent to prison. A special building to house the detainees was designed by Roland Sauter and completed in 1917. It stood at 1015 Garden Street. (Courtesy Santa Barbara Historical Museum)
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The Recreation Center
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s Neighborhood House increased in programs and popularity, Margaret Baylor and others began to dream and plan and work towards a new facility to house its programs. On May 24, 1913, the Morning Press was able to announce that a recreation center and auditorium was to be built on land purchased from the Natural History Society on the corner of Anacapa and Carrillo streets. Architect J. Corbley Poole donated plans for the brick Craftsman-style building and supervised the grading when ground was broken in December 1913. On August 12, 1914, the beautiful facility opened its doors to reveal women’s clubrooms, a public reading room, young men’s clubrooms and an auditorium with spring floor for dancing. Upstairs was the superintendent’s suite plus several single bedrooms for the use of young women who were strangers in town looking for employment. At the dedication ceremony, Margaret Baylor was among the speakers and explained the necessity behind creating this facility, which was open to all the people of Santa Barbara. “Some of the social workers are considered somewhat ‘hyped’ on the subject of recreation,” she said. “But we have in our minds the picture of the blazing lights of commercialized vice and pleasure in contrast with the darkened church and vacant school. Jane Addams [famous Settlement House worker in Chicago] says recreation is stronger than vice and the only antidote to vice. Here we hope to attract, every day and every night, happy, laughing fun to fill the spirit against all who long for unwholesome pleasure.” War had broken out in Europe on July 28, 1914, and the Recreation Center soon found itself sharing its facilities with war relief work. By November a group of women began spending one day a week sewing invalids’ clothing and bedding, making bandages, and knitting for the relief of Belgium. A Sack of Flour club was organized, intended for those who were unable to give
Neighborhood House and Recreation Center were at the heart of the Community Christmas tradition, starting with trees for the clubhouse in 1910. In 1913, they placed and decorated a large cut tree on the grounds and invited the entire community. In 1914, the tree on the grounds of the County Courthouse, seen here, was utilized as the Community Christmas Tree.
large sums. Sacks of flours at $1.65 each could be purchased and sent to the train depot for eventual transport to Belgium. For those who were disgruntled that money and help was being sent out of the country, they were reminded that when San Francisco was stricken by the fire of 1896 leaving 200,000 people destitute, a shipload of supplies was sent by Belgium. “With now 7 million
Completed in 1914 Recreation Center was quickly turned over to war work and became the headquarters for the Red Cross Motor Pool, seen here. (Courtesy Santa Barbara Historical Museum)
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Praise for the Center
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fter the war, in October 1919, King Albert of Belgium visited the Recreation Center during his three night sojourn in Santa Barbara, part of a month-long diplomatic visit to the United States. While here, he wanted to see the building in which so many Red Cross articles were made for the Belgians during the war. “It seems wonderful that such a building is built for all groups of the people of the community,” he said during his visit. “The building shows this city to be very progressive and democratic.”
The Red Cross actively campaigned for memberships and contributions. (Library of Congress)
Belgians in need of aid,” opined the press, “California, above all other states, now has an opportunity to show its gratitude.” By 1917, when the United States entered the war, the entire facility was taken over by the Red Cross, which had been organized in Santa Barbara in March 1917. Baylor was one of 36 directors of the organization. A separate and additional building was constructed at this time for the use of the Red Cross, who needed additional quarters. It was intended to become a gymnasium when the war ended. On his visit in October 1919, King Albert showed his appreciation to Santa Barbara for its efforts in helping Belgium during WWI. (Library of Congress)
One of many articles asking for volunteers for the war effort.
Also in 1919, upon the death of Charlotte Bowditch, Neighborhood House, Recreation Center, and the two Baylor sisters received a great boon. In her will, Bowditch bequeathed $100,000 to her friend and companion, Sophie Baylor, and $15,000 to Margaret. She also gave them her home, furnishings and all, with the stipulation that after the death of the last sister, the property be donated for a museum or educational purposes as would be best for the community. Neighborhood House was given $20,000 for a girls’ gymnasium or any improvements the directors thought necessary. On a February 1921 visit to Santa Barbara, Mr. L.B.
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Recreation Center became the venue for the Community Arts Association orchestra in 1921. Adele Herter, Clara Hinton Gould, and Georges (later Roger) Clerbois, conductor, were founders of the Music Branch. Adele donated the Herter Blue tapestry curtains for the stage and designed the purple robes for the orchestra. (Courtesy Santa Barbara Historical Museum)
Williams, a representative of the national Community Service organization, declared Santa Barbara’s Recreation Center to be the greatest in the United States. Williams was seeing a great nationwide awakening to the opportunity for national morale building through the discovery of the talents of the people and by providing opportunities for self-expression. He was also pleased that “the great-hearted philanthropists with large pocketbooks are now interested intensely in this leisure time movement.” “The Recreation Center,” he avowed, “is making Santa Barbara a better place for all the people to live in, and, as Theodore Roosevelt said, ‘If we do not make this a good country for all of
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us to live in, it will not be a good place for any of us to live in.’” In their annual report of January 1922, the directors of the Recreation Center announced that ten thousand people used the Center each month through clubs, lectures, meetings, and recreation. Plans, they said, were in the works for another expansion of the program, the construction of a residence facility for women and girls. Unfortunately, Margaret Baylor never saw the completion of this dream for she died on January 15, 1924, after a long illness. It was left to others, spearheaded by Pearl Chase and Caroline Hazard to see the Julia Morgan-designed building made manifest. It was named the Margaret Baylor Inn in her honor.
A dance at Recreation Center circa 1919 shows the men still in uniform. (UCSB, Special Collections, Community Development Collection)
Some of the activities of Neighborhood House moved to Recreation Center. This group plays in the entry courtyard. (Courtesy Santa Barbara Historical Museum)
A City Mourns
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pon hearing the news of Baylor’s death, the entire city was struck dumb. Meetings were cancelled. There were widespread expressions of deep regret and sorrow from all members of Santa Barbara society. The Morning Press reported, “An entire city will pay final tribute to a sterling leader this afternoon when funeral services are read for Miss Margaret Baylor, pioneer Santa Barbara social service worker and founder of Recreation Center… Her death is mourned by those high and low in the scale of life. The love and kindness she dispensed during her long, active career, is reflected a thousand-fold in the expressions of praise that are heard on all sides.” “Hail the hero workers of the mighty past!” was the opening line of the hymn whose words were a source of much inspiration for Margaret Baylor. The hymn reflected the emotions of the hundreds of friends who gathered at the service. “Heads were bowed in silent prayer, eyes filled with tears, and men’s shoulders shook with grief as the last notes of the hymn died away,” reported the newspaper. In a tribute to Margaret Baylor, Alice M. Simrall wrote, “[She was] a woman who saw a vision and dreamed a dream, and with love and power wrought the vision and the dream into reality for the service of mankind. She came into the world with a message of truth, and through her life and her work she translated that
message into terms that all could understand… In the lovely city of Santa Barbara, on the shores of the blue Pacific, stands a beautiful building…, which, in tangible, visible form, is a message from Margaret Baylor to her fellow men, Recreation Center, Santa Barbara’s Community Club House.” As the strains of the recessional music faded away, and the mourners slowly left the church, floral tributes heaped high on the altar of Trinity Episcopal Church bore witness to the esteem felt for Margaret Baylor, who had brought an abundance of bread and bounteous bouquets of roses to Santa Barbara.
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www.thegivinglist.com
The Caregivers “We don’t stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop playing.”
– George Bernard Shaw
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“Michael Towbes instilled a culture in Montecito Bank & Trust that resonated with me. When I interviewed here four or five years ago, he said, ‘George, I always have five minutes for anybody.’” 34
The Banker Bent on Changing the World
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by Joe Donnelly
hough his parents are from the Bronx, George Leis spent a good chunk of his wonder years growing up in Deer Park, a town on Long Island where folks go to Jones Beach, not the Hamptons. Leis’ father worked as an electrician for the Otis Elevator company and George, who would later be the first in his family to attend college, learned to swim at the local YMCA. His modest middle-class roots are evident in both Leis’ humble demeanor and in an accent that refuses to surrender its outer-borough brogue, despite Leis having spent most of his life in Southern California and career working for banks that control billions of dollars. “My mom and dad are 93 and they still sound like they’re from the Bronx,” laughs Leis. If you somehow haven’t yet met Leis, picture Phil Donahue in his heyday – silver mane and twinkling eyes. Though Leis got razzed a bit for his accent when he and his family moved to Westwood those many years ago, Leis proved a quick read on the West Coast’s charms. “I resisted leaving because all my friends were back there, but as soon as I got here I saw the beaches,” Leis recalls, “and you know it’s December and it’s like 80 degrees and I’m in my shorts and I call my friends back home and they’re like, ‘the [snow] drifts are up to the bedroom window on the second floor.’” Aside from the great weather and beaches, Leis noticed something else about his new home – “how expansive and far reaching and diverse the community is.” That nascent awareness really hit home when he went to college at Cal State Northridge, ground zero for a rising social and political consciousness among young people in California, particularly Latinos, many of whom, like Leis, were the first in their families to go to college. The seminal Department of Chicana and Chicano Studies had started just years before Leis matriculated to CSU Northridge and, indeed, a new day seemed to be dawning. “My college experience really gave me a broader insight into what’s going on,” says Leis. “It was an amazing experience.” As indelible as Cal State Northridge’s mark on this region has been, it’s not exactly known as a fast track to careers in banking, and, indeed, the future President and Chief Operating Officer of Montecito Bank & Trust had no intention of pursuing that path. His practical parents wanted Leis to go into computer programming, but he “wanted to change the world.” With that in mind, Leis soon switched his major to geography, with an eye on becoming a city planner. Leis graduated college in 1981, just in time for Proposition 13 to put a damper on expansive municipal investments. Nonetheless, Leis managed to get a job at the Van Nuys Chamber of Commerce working in a public-private partnership called Vitalize Van Nuys (now the Valley Economic Development Center).
A banker with Security Pacific National Bank liked what he saw while working with Leis and started recruiting him. When Leis protested that he wanted to change the world, the banker said, “How about you change one person’s life at a time?” Leis decided to give it a go and he soon entered Security Pacific’s management training program. The bank’s culture, even into its merger with Bank of America, instilled in Leis some bedrock values: be a part of the community, give back, and always make time to listen. Leis tells of how it didn’t matter if work took him to 6400 Wilshire Boulevard where Tina Turner was a client, or to the Crenshaw District where the bank would cash $5 checks, “there was really no difference in the way we treated a client or approached those issues.” After another big merger, though, Leis started to feel some of that human touch start to fade. Luckily, he found a fellow traveler in Michael Towbes, the founder of Montecito Bank & Trust. “Michael instilled a culture in this bank that resonated with me. When I interviewed here four or five years ago, he said, ‘George, I always have five minutes for anybody.’” In just over four years as President and Chief Operating Officer of Montecito Bank & Trust, Leis has given way more than five minutes to a variety of causes and efforts. He is chairman of the CSU Channel Islands Foundation Board of Directors, sits on the board of the YMCA of the USA, and has been an integral part of campaigns to renovate the Santa Barbara Zoo, the Cabrillo Pavilion and more. In each case, Leis cites a personal connection. He’s never forgotten “the great care” the YMCA took in teaching “an awkward and not very coordinated swimmer.” As a first-generation college student whose vistas were broadened by going to college, Leis feels deeply connected to the mission of CSU Channel Islands. His pet project (forgive the pun), though, is the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation, for which he serves as chairman of the board. The organization has its roots in lessons in a paradigm shift precipitated by the Oklahoma City Bombing – dogs found survivors far more quickly and efficiently than humans. Now, Leis helps redirect dogs bound for euthanasia to a life-saving training facility on a 160-acre campus in Santa Paula. “I’m a real dog lover,” says Leis, “so that was the sort of hook, but the real hook is that we take on dogs that are going to be killed and we turn them into highly skilled partners with first responders.” Indeed, as we are discussing this wonderful program, Leis, who has four dogs of his own, disappears into his study and comes back on camera with a stuffed National Search Dog Rescue mascot. It looks like a golden retriever pup and it’s adorned with a Montecito Bank & Trust service-dog vest. Talk about man’s best friend.
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Celebrating the Generation Before Us
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t 27, Heidi Holly already knew that the elder community “was her tribe.” In the 35 years since, Heidi has steadily led the Friendship Center, which operates two adult day centers where seniors and those experiencing memory decline and other health related conditions spend their days engaged in “joy sparking” activities that enrich their golden years. “Every day since I have been involved in this amazing purpose and work,” Heidi, the center’s executive director, says, “I have been able to hear all these jewels and pearls of wisdom from our older aging adults, our Veterans and Individuals with disabilities.” The centers serve more than 800 seniors and their families each year. That second part is incredibly important. Family caregivers and adult children caring for their loved ones often struggle to manage their careers and caretaking responsibilities. The result, too often, is that the only option for those older adults is to live out their days in a long-term care setting. By providing a place for older adults to go every day, their caretakers are afforded some respite, which keeps them at home. “A success story is someone who stays in our program until their demise,” Heidi says. “Because we are cost effective and have enabled them to live a fuller life with their family.” The center has two locations: one in Goleta and the other at All Saints-by-the-Sea Episcopal Church in Montecito. At both, clients interact through exercise and games centered on keeping their brains active. As Heidi says: “You are never too old to make new friends.” And this social interaction staves off the isolation so many elders feel, which negatively impacts their emotional and physical health. “This is a happy place and a happy time and our seniors really thrive,” Heidi says. But they are not the only ones. One day, Heidi was hurriedly walking through the Montecito Center’s courtyard thinking only about her multitudinous tasks as executive director. One of the clients, an elderly woman, stopped her and said: “You need to slow down in your life and be mindful of your surroundings and the present.” The woman then told Heidi that it was her intention to spend the rest of her life dancing and singing. “We need to slow down and recognize what the generation before us contributed,” Heidi says. “We have so many lessons to learn from them. That’s what keeps me motivated.”
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Take a Tour!
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riendship Center offers daily programs at reasonable rates. Donations to the agency allow it to subsidize that fee for those who need it – an invaluable service to isolated, low-income seniors. We aim to turn no one away based on financial limitations. But donations are not the only way to help the center and aging adults. “We want people to avail themselves of our services,” Heidi, the executive director, says. This could be support groups for adult children caring for aging parents, or programs for the older adults themselves, including virtual activities for the homebound. “Come take a tour,” Heidi adds.
A Couple Finds a Community
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s my husband’s physical and cognitive health began to decline, I saw our circle of friends get a lot smaller. Coming to Friendship Center gave both my husband and I a chance to have a community of friends again, and a darn good one at that! The staff and other members made my husband feel like one of the guys again, and I got a group of girlfriends who totally understood my situation and were there to support and laugh with me along the way. I will forever be grateful to Friendship Center that such a difficult time in our lives turned out to be one of the sweetest.”
– Mary S
Caregiver
A Friend of the Center
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hen asked to contribute to what I think Friendship Center is all about, I really didn’t know where to begin. My connection with the Center began in l987. In a few words, Friendship Center is a beautiful place physically, that provides programs and safe activities for aging adults and much needed respite for their caregivers. It is the most lifeaffirming, and the most joyous way for aging adults, many with health conditions, like Alzheimer’s to continue to be part of their families and community. The innovative programs and activities are too many to list here, and continue to adapt when new needs arise.. When thinking of what a friend is, we think of kindness, sympathy, empathy, compassion, interest and FUN. The welltrained staff and many volunteers provide all of these to Friendship Center’s members. On a personal level, I was the social worker at the Center for many years and saw what a difference the community and fellowship at the Center made in the member’s life (their spirit, attitude and sense of fun). and lives of their families. My mother, as aging limited her mobility, attended FC. She always came home with a big smile and feeling happy. My husband, Steven Gilbar and I continue to support Friendship Center with regular donations, and have included them in our will.”
– Inge Gatz Friendship Center
www.friendshipcentersb.org Heidi Holly, Executive Director | (805) 969-0859
Call - Outs! Joe Wheatley/ Board President Julie McGeever/Vice President Joe Holland/CFO Dana VanderMey/Secretary Kathy Marden/Member-at Large Heidi Holly/ Executive Director Rona Barrett David & Louise Borgatello Jeff Bridges Thomas & Nancy Crawford Jr.
Paul & Bobbi Didier Joel & Vasanti Fithian Inge Gatz & Steven Gilbar Brad Hall & Julia Louis-Dreyfus Sally Hall John & Susan Hanna Ken & Francie Jewesson Penny Mathison & Don Nulty Marty & Dixie Moore Mary H. Walsh
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Community support turns out for Easy Lift Freedom Circle
Angels at the Wheel
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light and sinewy, Al Falcone clocks into his job as a driver with Easy Lift at 4:30 am. Over the course of the day the Vietnam vet will drive 15-20 dialysis patients to their lifesaving treatments, covering more than 200 miles of road. He meets them at the door, often wheeling them to his waiting van where he then loads them in and straps them down. “When I see Al clock out, it’s as if he is just starting his shift,” says Ernesto Paredes, the executive director of Easy Lift. “He always has that same wonderful attitude. There are people in this community who are true angels, and one happens to be working at Easy Lift.” The nonprofit has been in existence since 1979, more than a decade before the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 made clear that people with disabilities needed a level playing field. A key mandate was providing the disabled dignity through accessibility and mobility. Paredes took the helm of Easy Lift in 1991, and set upon a “civil rights” mission to ensure that frail seniors, children, and adults
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with severe disabilities – both physical and mental – had the transportation they needed to live a full life. In the years since, the organization, under Paredes’ leadership, has consistently grown and expanded its services. It’s 30-van fleet provides an average of 300 rides a day. And through Easy Lift’s Dial-a-Ride Program, anyone who needs a lift can get one for $3.50 each way. The cost to the nonprofit is $50. This can be lifesaving. Paredes recalls when one of his clients received a call from his doctor asking him to come in that day for a cancer test. If he didn’t go then, he would have had to wait three weeks. Easy Lift got him there, where he was diagnosed with very early stage cancer. Paredes says his clients need “same day transportation. Waiting weeks for a critical test is not an option.” And the challenge and need is only expanding. “The graying of America has been happening,” Paredes says. “The Silver Tsunami is here and has been here. Each year the demand on our service increases exponentially.” To meet it, Easy Lift needs more vehicles and drivers like Mr. Falcone.
The Passenger’s Seat
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’ve been using Easy Lift for 20 years. I honestly don’t know what I would do without them! As a music lover, Easy Lift helped me continue to enjoy the symphony, opera, and other live music events in the community. Now because of the pandemic, I use Easy Lift for medical and dental appointments.
– A Grateful Easy Lift Passenger
Supporting Mobility
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asy Lift vans are run hard, covering 40,000 miles a year. The organization spends at least $500,000 per year servicing them. For Paredes, the greatest gift a donor can make is to pay the $50,000 it costs to outfit a new van, wheelchair modified with lowered floors and elevated ceilings. That is how the organization can meet the community’s evergrowing needs.
Al Falcone, driver Ron Werft, Cottage Health CEO & Ernesto Paredes, Executive Director
Adopt-A-Van Sponsors Cottage Health Hub International Isaac Foundation Mission Home Health Montecito Bank & Trust Moxi
Santa Barbara Airport Villa Alamar/Alexander Gardens Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care Women’s Fund Zodo’s Bowling & Beyond
Easy Lift Transportation
www.easylift.org Ernesto Paredes, Executive Director | (805) 681-1410
Passenger Marie Campbell with Girl Scouts and drivers
Board of Directors Eric Miller, President Bob Gray, Secretary Roy McLaughlin, Treasurer
Matt Dentinger Dave Johnson Craig McClenllan
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How Beautiful Death Can Be
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hile in her late 20s – some 17 years ago – Paloma Espino witnessed death for the first time. She was working at Sarah House, an eight-bedroom home not far from Hendry’s Beach in Santa Barbara that provided end-of-life care for the financially disadvantaged and those suffering from HIV/Aids. Espino’s first client was a man named Phil. “He was the most beautiful soul that I had ever met,” Espino says. “He was sweet and gentle and he was dying.” Phil had colon cancer. Within a week he was on his death bed. Espino and other Sarah House staff tracked down his sister in Las Vegas, and the Dream Foundation paid to fly her out. Phil’s favorite song was “Imagine” by the Beatles. As it played, with his long unseen sister kneeling by his side, Phil died. “I had never seen anything so beautiful in my life,” Espino says. “Death was scary to me. But when I saw Phil transition in such a beautiful and tender way, I realized how beautiful death can be.” Every year Sarah House provides a home to 70 or so souls who take their final breaths. Espino, now the house manager, and Sarah House’s 20 staff treat each individual with dignity and love, whether they are accepting of their coming death or fighting it and the staff till the end. “I have learned that the meaning of extraordinary kindness at Sarah House is something that we should all incorporate into our lives, in all our interactions with others,” says the relative of a client who passed there. “I saw the unconditional love and acceptance open the heart of my brother in his last days and touch the hearts and minds of all his friends who witnessed the many acts of love he received. Thank you for giving my brother so much, as he had so little.” The original mission of Sarah House and its founder Alice Heath was solely focused on care for people dying of HIV-AIDs. As new medications drove mortality rates down, the organization broadened its scope to hospice for people – like Phil – who too often find themselves alone in their final moments. For Espino, who has been there since day one of that transition, working at Sarah House has been an unending learning experience – a chance to practice love in the most fraught moments. “At the end of life, you just need a home,” she says. “Some place where people will care for you and love you.” That place is Sarah House.
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“T
en years ago that I found Sarah House. The unexpected had happened, mom died suddenly and dad, her husband of 70 years, was alone. And, I had to find a place nearby for my 94-year-old dad to live. I found Sarah House and things changed quickly and wonderfully for dad. I was able to see dad daily, share meals with him nightly, and even be with him while he passed. If not for Sarah House dad and I would have missed out on those moments. Their warmth and compassionate care gave dad a place to grieve, sing, tell stories and die with dignity. This empathetic care is etched in my heart and the reason I am forever, a donor and supporter of this oasis for end of life care.”
– Michele Britton
A Call for Community Support
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y father is blessed to reside in the extraordinary haven known as Sarah House. The professionalism and knowledge of the loving staff is topnotch. They effortlessly interact with each other, as well as the many doctors, nurses, social workers, and others who care for my father, Pat. Yet through it all, they remain calm, focused, and smiling. I have the confidence to walk away, knowing that my father has loving people watching over him. Our family is forever grateful and blessed to have them in our lives...and call them family.”
ate Grove, Sarah House’s executive director, explains that the nonprofit has a heavy reliance on public sector grants, which are being scaled back. An endowment has helped Sarah House through, but the future is plainly uncertain. A remedy for this invaluable service is individual and charitable foundation support. “We haven’t asked for much from our community before, but we really need the people of Santa Barbara to help support Sarah House and the residents it serves,” Grove says. Ways to do so include: are committed monthly donations, an end of year gift, or simply visiting www.sarahhousesb.org/wish-list, where you can purchase the housewares – linens, pillows, towels – that any true home needs. “A little bit goes a long way,” Grove says. “Whenever a donation comes in, regardless of size, or a box of housewares is delivered, we are so thankful.“
– Carolyn Garcia
Angels of Sarah House Mark Hamilton Chris Kane Doug Thomas Allison Armour Michele Britton Marcy Burton Wade Cowper
Tino DeGuevara Laurie Leis Linda Lorenzen Hughes Debbie Molnar Greg Sharp Jean Davis Debbie McQuade
Theil Morgan Benedicte Wolfe Christiane Schlumberger Tony Allina Claudia Dato Adora Du Amanda Day
Sarah House Santa Barbara
www.sarahhousesb.org Kate Grove, Executive Director | (805) 682-1515
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www.thegivinglist.com
The Cultured “Art is not what you see, it is what you make others see.”
– Edgar Degas
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photo by Edward Clynes
Investing in Community and Getting Better Returns than Wall Street by Les Firestein
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om Parker has been marinating in Santa Barbara philanthropy since the 1950s when, as a kid, he and his dad would distribute food to Santa Barbara’s homeless through the local Kiwanis Club. Tom says philanthropy has always been woven into Santa Barbara’s fabric because it’s a small enough place where it’s easy to see the impact of one’s good deeds – and enjoy the gratification that comes with it. “Very few businesses give you the kind of feeling of fulfillment a nonprofit can,” says the third-generation Santa Barbaran and president of the Hutton Parker Foundation. The Hutton Parker Foundation primarily focuses on supporting Santa Barbara nonprofits, especially in the areas of Education, Health & Human Services, Civic & Community Development, Youth & Family Services, and Arts & Culture. The Foundation was started by Tom and his aunt-in-law who are sort of a riches-to-rags-back-to-riches story – with many
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valuable life lessons learned along the way. Parker did well in real estate investing as a young man, so much so that when the real estate portfolio of his wife’s beloved aunt Betty Hutton became distressed in the 1980s, Tom had the flexibility – and wherewithal – to move his family to Orange County to work with Betty for quite a few years whilst turning around her ailing business and her underperforming assets. As with Parker, philanthropy was always a priority for aunt Betty. So as soon as Betty’s financial ship was righted and the family had “enough,” Tom and Betty funneled the rest of their assets into their newly formed Hutton Parker Foundation. “You get to a certain point where it feels better to give back than to consume. If you are fortunate in life, that’s not just an obligation, it’s an ingrained part of you.” Not surprisingly, Parker is grooming his sons Christopher and Jess to take over the foundation and carry on the family legacy.
“The local nonprofits don’t just need monetary funding; they need entrepreneurial support, innovative ideas, and energy. All these charities do great work, I just try to help make sure their business plans are sustainable.” – Tom Parker Parker’s philosophy as a philanthropist is that most of the charities he focuses on are great at their primary mission, but their good deeds could go further if these nonprofits ran better, leveraged assets, and found productive synergies. To this end Tom sees himself as more of an aggregator and super connector rather than a micromanager. He uses lessons learned streamlining his aunt’s businesses and has innovated a system whereby multiple nonprofits pool resources and invest in local real estate, and frequently (with Tom’s help) buy the buildings where they operate. To facilitate its mission, the Hutton Parker Foundation makes below market loans to nonprofits, buys buildings, and has housed 55 nonprofits in 17 renovated Santa Barbara structures, not just saving these organizations millions in operating expenses, but greatly benefitting the larger community of Santa Barbara. “The local nonprofits don’t just need monetary funding; they need entrepreneurial support, innovative ideas, and energy. All these charities do great work, I just try to help make sure their business plans are sustainable.” Parker says the key to his system is identifying and sometimes synthesizing collaborations, or as he likes to say, “Whatever you do, try to make sure everybody wins.” By maximizing symbioses, Parker scores a quintuple win for nonprofits, the people they serve, other nonprofits they partner with, and the communities where they’re located. Parker’s system (known as “tenant equity”) has been so successful there’s even a book about it: The Hundred Million Dollar Secret: Why and How Foundations Should Invest in Community Instead of Wall Street. Parker says he wrote the book because he was a
“boring lecturer.” Although that is likely a fiction, Tom’s book in fact proves that foundations can yield superior returns by investing locally rather than in an ordinary portfolio of stocks and bonds. Parker is also a big believer in the utility and importance of data: that how a place (or group) is doing can be measured, providing data that’s invaluable in terms of allocating resources and focusing efforts. This is one of the reasons Hutton Parker is a main underwriter of UCSB’s “Indicators Project” – which literally measures leading indicators in a multiplicity of categories, showing how various aspects of a hyper local community is doing or at least trending. As recently as this year, Tom “reused” data collected by the United Way during relief efforts for undocumented residents in the 2018 debris flow to spearhead a new outreach to undocumenteds today, during the pandemic. “Investing in our local communities is like watering a thirsty plant – you can see the local communities springing back to life,” says Parker. For his achievements in philanthropy Tom has been awarded Santa Barbara County’s Philanthropist of the Year Award, the Santa Barbara Chamber of Commerce Founders Award, the AntiDefamation League Distinguished Community Service Award, the Women’s Economic Ventures Man of Equality Award, and countless others. More importantly, Tom Parker has won the respect and gratitude of thousands of Santa Barbarans, though it is very clear this is not why he does it. “For me, it’s the ‘teach a man to fish’ thing,” says Parker. “Helping nonprofits work better and sustain over the long haul is much more satisfying – and ultimately more useful – than simply writing a check.”
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The Arts, Back in Full
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inally, after a five-year, $50-million capital campaign to renovate the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, in the spring of 2021 visitors will be able to witness this jewel of the art world anew. While most of the building has been under construction, the rest of the museum has remained open, albeit with fewer galleries available for visitors. The museum will reopen with new exhibitions, while taking old favorites to new heights. In addition to renovating the 12 original galleries in the main building, two entirely new galleries have been added: one for photography and the other to showcase the museum’s impressive collection of contemporary art. Of the 100,000 people who visit the Santa Barbara Museum of Art annually, most won’t be able to forget Ludington Court, which houses some of the museum’s most prized sculptures and assorted antiquities. Foremost among them is the Lansdowne Hermes, a life-size marble sculpture made in Rome in the 1st or 2nd century AD. Since 2016, when renovation began, Hermes and a handful of other sculptures were on display at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, where they also were meticulously restored. “We hope that our loyal members and visitors to Ludington Court will be enthralled by the new installation featuring the Lansdowne Hermes on an elevated pedestal at its center. Paintings ranging in date from the 15th through early 20th centuries will be hung densely to emphasize the now dramatic height of the gallery,” says Eik Kahng, Santa Barbara Museum of Art Deputy Director and Chief Curator. In addition to having these restored antiquities back, Ludington Court itself has undergone a total transformation. The original triple-arches have been restored, and a new grand staircase overlooks the gallery. Come spring, the museum will have more space to provide programming for some 40,000 children and adults alike through a near constant cycle of school programs, symposiums, exhibitions, and lectures. Most of the museum’s programs have moved online and will resume on-site when restrictions are lifted, in accordance with the State of California and Santa Barbara County COVID-19 protocols. While the pandemic delayed the intended fall opening of “Through Vincent’s Eyes,” a blockbuster exhibit featuring a selection of Van Gogh’s most iconic paintings alongside an additional 100-plus works by the artists and authors that inspired him – the closure created an opportunity for something more. In early spring 2022, the Santa Barbara Museum of Art will bring the Van Gogh exhibition to the community with more and different works than originally anticipated. And most importantly, Santa Barbara, a community known for its world-class cultural institutions, will have this vital hub of the arts back in full.
Tatsuo Miyajima, Time Waterfall-panel #12, 2018 LED display, computer graphics Museum Purchase with Funds Given by an Anonymous Donor to Support and Honor the Future of the SBMA into the 21st Century, 2020.1 (photography by Brian Forrest)
Drawing Santa Barbara Together
“O
ur community is drawn together in many ways; the Santa Barbara Museum of Art is one. An important part of the museum’s permanent collection comes from the legacies of local families. Now, thanks to the outpouring of support for the renovation, the generosity of the community at large will be imprinted in the museum. The collection will be safeguarded for future generations, to be shared with everyone. Come visit!”
– Pat Aoyama
Santa Barbara Museum of Art, Board of Trustees Chair
Lansdowne Hermes (Roman),First half of 2nd century CE Marble, 86 1/4 x 40 x 13 3/8 in. SBMA, Gift of Wright S. Ludington, 1984.34.1 Photo courtesy of the J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles
Find Like-Minded People in a Beautiful Place
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or the museum’s director of external affairs, Karen Kawaguchi, the call to action is simple: “Please join us.” “We want you to be a part of this community of the arts,” Kawaguchi says. “Become a member and find like-minded people enjoying art in our beautiful museum.” The Santa Barbara Museum of Art has a robust selection of online resources available for art makers, art educators, and art enthusiasts. Entry to the museum is free for Santa Barbara County students (K-college), teachers (K-12), and military personnel. Please visit the website for more information.
Vincent van Gogh (Dutch, 1853 - 1890) Les Vessenots in Auvers, 1890 Oil on canvas Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid
2019-20 Major Supporters Board of Trustees Bank of America Susan D. Bowey The Challenge Fund Zora and Les Charles Candace Dauphinot and Richard Brumm
Elizabeth Edwards Ann Jackson Family Foundation Gina Jannotta Gretchen and Marshall Milligan Nora McNeely Hurley and the Manitou Fund Lady Leslie Ridley-Tree
Santa Barbara Museum of Art
SBMA Women’s Board Nancy B. Schlosser Elaine F. Stepanek Foundation Irene and Robert Stone Towbes Foundation Gail Wasserman Dana White Patricia Yzurdiaga Zegar Family Foundation
www.sbma.net Susan Bradley, Assistant Director of External Affairs | (805) 884-6427
Art-making in the Family Resource Center
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Ignite Learning I
n 2017, Santa Barbara welcomed a new, exciting and wholly unique museum to its ranks: MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation. Since the grand opening, more than 500,000 visitors, mostly wide-eyed children, have bopped through MOXI’s 17,000 square feet of interactive exhibits. Exhibits like Build It. Test It. Race It. where kids can assemble their own racecars and send them down an oversized track. The builders have variables to play with, the slope of the track and the design and weight of the race cars, which force them to hypothesize and test, both hallmarks of critical thinking and problem solving. “It’s science plus race cars, which are super fun,” says CEO Robin Gose, clearly jazzed about the exhibit. “And it’s this racetrack on steroids, bigger than anything they have at home, which is really exciting.” For Gose, her staff and the community volunteers who spent almost three decades dreaming up and making MOXI a reality, Build It. Test It. Race it. and all the exhibits are as much about learning as they are about fun – two inextricably intertwined concepts. As Gose, who has spent the better part of the past two decades in both formal and informal science education, explains, MOXI is about developing 21st century core competencies for not
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just its visitors, but also every child in the region. The Department of Labor predicts that two thirds of all students today will be employed in jobs that don’t yet exist by the time they enter the labor force. Many of those jobs will be in STEM – science, technology, engineering, and math – areas of learning that MOXI is all about. “What is needed for this generation of children and generations to come are the problem solving skills and adaptive mindset to face new and
bigger challenges,” Gose says. “We are going to need critical thinkers and science advocates as we continue to face pandemics, climate change, rising sea levels, and new challenges being thrown at us all the time.” To get there is all about, as MOXI’s mission says, igniting “learning through interactive experiences in science and creativity.” “Don’t just read about science,” says Gose. “Do it! Play and discover and open up that world of curiosity and creativity.”
Gose is not only excited about MOXI’s exhibits, but the museum’s new strategic plan. The museum itself, she says, is “a beautiful proof of concept” for its larger goal of serving the entire community. A key goal of the new strategic plan is to engage and collaborate with local schools to bring the kind of science education found at MOXI to every school and student in the region. “We want to do everything we can to provide equitable access,” Gose says. “We are truly here for the whole community.”
Catalyst Club
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OXI is a museum with a long-term plan for community impact. To get there, like any business, they need sustainable, predictable revenue. To support this, MOXI recently launched the Catalyst Club, wherein donors commit to three years of giving at least $1,000 per year. “Be a catalyst for change in your community,” says CEO Robin Gose. “Be a catalyst for changing the trajectory of a child’s life.”
An Inspired Future
“O
ur mission for MOXI from the beginning was to emphasize STEM learning for children of all ages, in a fun, enriching, and interactive environment. I am delighted at what we’ve accomplished in such a short time. STEM education is the future of our country, and our programs and staff give children and young adults a chance to ask questions, discover and explore the joys of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. It is my fondest hope that MOXI will inspire future generations of youngsters to pursue STEM-related studies and careers.”
– Dick Wolf
MOXI Board of Directors Kelly Almeroth Justin Anderson Kristen Blabey Josh Blumer Jill Chase Marcia Cohen Naomi Dewey
Tyler Duncan Julie Farrell Scott Hadley Jennifer Hecht Richard Hutton Chris Kroes
Jill Levinson Alixe Mattingly Susan McMillan Leanne Schlinger Fiona Stone Andrew Winchester Noelle Wolf
MOXI The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation
www.moxi.org Amanda Allen, Director of Development | (805) 770-5003
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We’ve Got This, Santa Barbara Joan Baez
Malala Yousafzai (photo: Antonio Olmos)
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elesta M. Billeci, UCSB Arts & Lectures’ Miller McCune Executive Director, is on her 12th Zoom call of the day. It is 2 pm. Despite scrambling to ensure the community had access to Arts & Lectures while COVID-19 steamrolled its 2020 season, Billeci is upbeat, bullish on 2021 and her institution’s place in the community. Quoting the late U.S. Representative John Lewis, she says: “We must be headlights and not taillights.” “We promise to be headlights for the community,” she says. “We promise to innovate, not hibernate.” During lockdowns, this has meant moving lectures and performances that would be typically scattered at stages across Santa Barbara online – a practice Billeci and her team will keep on doing. “That we can bring people from all over the world to Santa Barbara is fantastic.” Looking forward to 2021, Arts & Lectures has already lined up a diverse slate of performers and thinkers – Wynton Marsalis and Jazz at Lincoln Center, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Bryan Stevenson, chef José Andrés, opera diva Joyce DiDonato, David Sedaris, Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, Jon Batiste and many more – to “entertain, educate, inspire.” “Each of those elements has its own urgency these days,” Billeci says. “We desperately need to be awestruck, amused, and entertained.” Arts & Lectures is so much more than what
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Alvin Ailey® American Dance Theater (photo: Paul Kolnik)
happens on stage. Contributors and friends of the organization enjoy special access to these global thinkers and world-class performers in informal chats, dinners and private sessions. And Arts & Lectures’ massive education and community engagement programs serve all ages and learning levels, from school-age children to college students to parents and families, to seniors. Billeci points to Wynton Marsalis and Yo-Yo Ma who always give a master class to students that is also open and free to the public – transformational experierences. “I joke with Yo-Yo, that I like his master classes better than his performances,” Billeci quips. Arts & Lectures serves more than 110,000 each year with its over 300 public events and education programs – including 15,000 community members who enjoy the Spanish-language music and dance programs of ¡Viva el Arte de Santa Bárbara! This community-driven program provides performances and educational activities throughout Santa Barbara County, including agricultural communities of north county. For Billeci, who loves Santa Barbara for its residents’ intellectual curiousity and willingness to be challenged, the Herculean effort of entertaining, educating, and inspiring the community is a matter of pride and responsibility. “We connect this community and the community needs us,” she says. “We did not create this community, but we are vital to making sure it is vibrant and alive.”
His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama (photo: Tenzin Choejor)
Wynton Marsalis
(photo: Piper Ferguson)
Enriching Program at Santa Barbara’s Doorstep
“A
rts & Lectures offers our community an incredible array of artistic offerings, both classic and contemporary, that are unequaled in any other community of our size in this country. Every one of those 200-plus annual offerings are brought to the University, its students, and our community. A&L’s education outreach, to both English and Spanish speaking students, enriches younger students immeasurably. We are incredibly fortunate to have such a varied and enriching program right here on our doorsteps!”
Alvin Ailey® American Dance Theater (photo: Gert Krautbauer)
Join Us
F
or Celesta Billeci, the call to action for those who want to support Arts & Lectures’ vital role in the community is simple: “Join us.” “There is a place for you at Arts & Lectures,” Billeci says. “Come on over and check us out! We’ve got something for nearly everyone – the arts maven, the politics junkie, the active senior, the home chef – you name it, you’ll find yourself inspired – and entertained, and even educated! – at Arts & Lectures. “And once you’ve bought a ticket and you’ve seen what we do,” Billeci adds, “you’ll realize that joining our circle of contributors and further connecting with Arts & Lectures will deeply enrich your life here in Santa Barbara.”
Yo-Yo Ma (photo: Jason Bell)
Megan Rapinoe (photo: Sam Maller)
– Sara Miller McCune
A&L Council Member and Former Co-Chair
Joffrey Ballet (photo: Cheryl Mann)
The dedicated advisory council members and leaders who have helped make Arts & Lectures a vibrant part of Santa Barbara. Jody & John Arnhold Monica & Timothy Babich Meg & Dan Burnham Marcy Carsey Marcia & John Mike Cohen Audrey & Timothy O. Fisher Martha Gabbert Eva and Yoel Haller
Luci & Rich Janssen Ellen & Peter O. Johnson Irma & Morris Jurkowitz Tom Kenny Dorothy Largay & Wayne Rosing Kath Lavidge & Ed McKinley Patty & John MacFarlane Sara Miller McCune
Natalie Orfalea & Lou Buglioli Maxine Prisyon Lady Leslie Ridley-Tree Heather & Tom Sturgess Anne Towbes Sherry Villanueva Lynda Weinman & Bruce Heavin Merryl & Chuck Zegar
UC Santa Barbara Arts & Lectures
www.artsandlectures.ucsb.edu Stacy Cullison, Senior Director of Development & Special Initiatives (805) 893-3755
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Summer Festival Fellows at Butterfly Beach (photo credit: Phil Channing)
A Class of Musicians Like None Before
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n 2017, the Music Academy of the West and its uniquely capable leader, Scott Reed, were the subject of a glowing Los Angeles Times article, which coincided with the venerable institution’s 70th anniversary. Reed, who got his start at the Academy as an intern in the development department while at UCSB in the late 1990s, was then – as he is now – entirely dedicated to ensuring that young, classically-trained musicians have the best opportunities to succeed in an ever-changing industry. Each year fellows ages 18-34 are selected by merit-based audition from more than 2,000 applicants worldwide to participate in a Summer School and Festival. These extraordinary musicians train with an esteemed roster of faculty and guest artists from the finest music schools, orchestras, and opera companies. More than 150 public concerts and masterclasses are packed into the eight-week performance-based training program. The summer activities are also supplemented with year-round training through the Innovation Institute Alumni Enterprise Award program and the Keston Music Academy Exchange (MAX) through a partnership with the London Symphony Orchestra. “Being willing to change and be adaptable enough to address our young fellows’ 21st-century needs,” Reed told the Times, “is a great challenge, and one we have to absolutely insist and commit to addressing.” Prescient words given the dramatic changes the Music Academy’s coveted festival faced three years later as stay-at-home orders grounded all travel and public events. Reed and the Academy’s reaction was swift, and indicative of their commitment to both artists and the classical music industry. Instead of cancelling the full-scholarship program, it was offered to 134 promising talents hailing from across the globe, just as its free choral program for young students in Santa Barbara continued remotely. During the opening convocation Reed said: “The unfortunate challenge of this difficult time has opened a new door for classically trained musicians. This evolution for your generation is a responsibility none of you expected, but all of you will have to embrace.” The Music Academy Remote Learning Institute was designed and implemented within a few weeks, and coupled intensive training with seminars focused on how young artists can ensure successful careers. The Compeer Program, which matches fellows with Academy supporters – often fostering lifelong friendships – was deployed over video conference. While novel, it proved successful, creating opportunities for intimate connection. For the first time in the program’s 73-year-history, every fellow was given the opportunity to re-enroll in the 2021 Summer School and Festival. “The fellows and our community are equally enthusiastic about the prospect of experiencing live music again here in Santa Barbara next summer,” said Reed. “We will help bring performance-based training back to life for young musicians and the audiences that champion them. In times of crisis, music always helps us connect and heal.”
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A Home for Santa Barbara’s Music Lovers
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e are always looking to deliver on our mission at the highest level. From the Sing! Program (pictured below) for young people in Santa Barbara to our national and international orchestra partnerships, the Music Academy’s dedication to programs providing music education draws talent here from around the world and around the corner. We are also inspired to welcome and grow the audiences of the future. I love the Community Concerts that bring thousands of music lovers together every summer!
– Eileen Sheridan
Music Academy Board Chair
Scott Reed, Sue Birch, Gustavo Dudamel, and Ed Birch at a rehearsal for the 2018 Academy Festival Orchestra Annual Community Concert (photo credit: Phil Channing)
Supporting the Academy
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n investment in the Music Academy of the West directly supports vital community-focused programs. These include: • the full-scholarship Summer School & Festival presenting more than 150 concerts and masterclasses, • the Community Access Ticket initiative providing $10 adult tickets and free admission for young people ages 7-17 for all events, • and underwriting for the free Sing! after-school choir program enabling children from 27 schools to explore music, express themselves, gain confidence, and collaborate. The Academy relies heavily on philanthropic contributions from our local community to serve its mission. Please visit www.musicacademy.org/donate today to make your gift.
Sing! Children’s Chorus performing at Hahn Hall at Music Academy of the West (photo credit: Phil Channing)
Thought-Provoking Training
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he Music Academy goes above and beyond to ensure a deeply rewarding training program for all of its fellows. It offered me a thought-provoking space to explore my role as a musician, artist, entrepreneur, and trailblazer in our ever-changing industry. I was not only encouraged to seek creativity, authenticity, and versatility in my musicmaking, but also challenged to think critically about the social impacts of my art, and how the current social climate affects me personally and musically.
(photo credit: Leanna Irene Ginsburg)
– Allison Rye
2020 Oboe Fellow
The Academy’s Board of Directors Eileen Sheridan, Chair Philip L. Bernstein, Vice-Chair Jerrold Eberhardt, Secretary Ellen Barger Margaret Cafarelli Dean Eric Carter Clive Chang Ted Cronin Meg DiNapoli Dianne Duva
Paul Guido Thomas Orlando Stephanie Shuman Maurice Singer Warren Staley Pamela Strobel Tim Taylor Patricia Toppel Terry Valeski Peter Ziegler
Music Academy of the West
Renée Fleming and Alan Gilbert performing with the Academy Festival Orchestra (photo credit: Phil Channing)
www.musicacademy.org Janey Campbell, Director of Individual Giving and Donor Relations | (805) 695-7918
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www.thegivinglist.com
The Defenders “Those who have a voice must speak for those who are voiceless.”
– Oscar Romero
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Practically Visionary by Steve Uhler
I
f there was a Six Degrees of Connection Game for Enlightened Entrepreneurs, Rinaldo S. Brutoco would win it handily, along with the distribution rights. Anyone who can quote Mother Teresa, Ralph Nader, and Deepak Chopra verbatim is a rarity, but the man who was there to hear it firsthand is a force to be reckoned with. Rinaldo S. Brutoco defies easy categorization. Even a casual perusing of his portfolio of accomplishments and titles can induce vertigo: corporate executive, successful entrepreneur, savvy philanthropist, acclaimed author, environmental warrior, accomplished lawyer, radio personality, climate change activist, futurist. Often lauded as a visionary, Brutoco is quick to modify the label. “I’m a practical visionary,” he corrects amiably, in a voice that makes it sound as if he’s earned the title, and he has. Brutoco has been a catalyst within California’s cultural, business, and nonprofit engine for over three decades, and his energy shows no sign of flagging. Finding sustainable and practical ways for business to work on behalf of the common
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good, he consistently finds Wall Street’s sweet spot in the process. As Founding President and CEO of World Business Academy, the iconic Santa Barbara-based think tank and nonprofit business network, Brutoco impacts not only the village he lives in, but the zeitgeist of the world outside. As one of seven children growing up in the then-sleepy town of Covina in the 1950s, Brutoco’s preternatural ability to synthesize entrepreneurship with logic was honed at an early age. “When I was seven, I needed to make some money,” he recalls. “I borrowed my dad’s lawnmower and said, ‘I’m gonna start cutting lawns for money, dad.’ He said, ‘Well, how are you going to do that? You can’t drive, you’re only seven.’ But I calculated there were enough houses on our block, the block to the left and the block to the right that it would be plenty for me to do if I could get a few of those houses... and that’s what I did.” That early alchemy of ambition and logic served as a template for future, more grandiose successes. “I kept being entrepreneurial and pretty innovative, so it always put me in interesting places,”
“Santa Barbara ought to be proudly leading the way to the future we are all trying to embrace. Climate change is forcing us, whether we like it or not, to take that leadership role.” – Rinaldo S. Brutoco he says. As an idealistic young law student in 1969, Brutoco launched the California Public Interest Law Center at the personal goading of an early hero, consumer advocate icon Ralph Nader. Three years later, he won what was then the largest class action lawsuit in U.S. history, retrieving $143 million and returning it to Pacific Telephone customers. Scoring yet another coup in 1986 as CEO and Chairman of the Dorason Corporation, Brutoco obtained exclusive distribution rights from Mother Teresa for a documentary film of her life – a partnership which complemented his compassionate capitalism ethos. “The greatest blessing of my life was to work with Mother the last decade of her life,” he says. “She was human in many ways – like your favorite grandmother – but she was also completely beyond human. She possessed abilities that humans don’t normally possess – to bend the time/space continuum, basically.” He pauses and laughs, adding, “They call them miracles.” Around that period Brutoco also met up with another up-andcoming entrepreneur, Deepak Chopra. Kindred spirits, the two formed an easy friendship and eventual working partnership that endures to this day. “We’ve had some amazing adventures,” reflects Brutoco. “There’s only one Deepak. I’m very proud to call him my friend.” In 2013, the two served as co-founders of JUST Capital, the independent research nonprofit which monitors, measures and ranks businesses on their ethical and responsible stewardship. As both a longtime Santa Barbara resident and maven of the
local nonprofit landscape, Brutoco adheres to a strict rule-ofthumb when it comes to organizations in which he chooses to invest his energies and money. “I honestly believe it’s not my money in the first place, it’s God’s money,” he says. “The way it comes to me is through grace. And so my job is to figure out how to spend God’s money, the way a trustee has to do that for their trust beneficiary. That’s what I look for: the opportunity to get the maximum leverage for society from where I put the money.” Keenly attuned to the worsening climate crisis, much of Brutoco’s current energies are focused on creating renewable energy paradigms. Spearheading such ambitious projects as Clean Energy Moonshot, a micro-grids-driven 100% renewable energy system, and his Jules Verne-esque, hydrogen-driven H2 Clipper dirigible, Brutoco dances outside the lines of Old School Capitalism for all the right reasons. “We must as a society elect to be better,” he insists. “Santa Barbara ought to be proudly leading the way to the future we are all trying to embrace. Climate change is forcing us, whether we like it or not, to take that leadership role. Period. Full Stop.” “I often say Santa Barbara is the Jewel of the Central Coast and of California,” says Brutoco, “and California is the Jewel of the World. My hope and my dream for this city would be that all of us who live here would get engaged with creating the future that we want to live in rather than accepting the present mess that we tolerate. Why do we tolerate climate change? We gotta fix that. We can do that right here. We can show the world how to do it in Santa Barbara.”
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A Global Challenge I
t has always been important to recognize that injustice and discrimination occurs in the United States and not only in far off lands. Over the past decade, Human Rights Watch – among the world’s leading human rights organizations – has poured its experience, energy, and incredible potency into combating domestic threats to the rights of everyone in the United States. Whether working to ban child marriage in Florida, helping to ensure that juveniles can’t get sentenced to life without parole, or stopping traumatic family separations at the southern border, Human Rights Watch is there – advocating for good, and making positive change. Across the globe, Human Rights Watch’s roughly 450 researchers, lawyers, journalists, and advocates relentlessly defend human rights. They do this by rigorously investigating abuses, exposing their findings through unparalleled media attention, and then driving change by advocating to governments and organizations – dismantling systems of oppression and uplifting entire populations. HRW’s impact is immense. The organization won a Nobel Peace
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Prize for its work with partner organizations to ban landmines, establish the International Criminal Court to bring the world’s worst warlords to justice, and elevate global standards to improve the lives of women, children, and the vulnerable around the world. At a time when the challenges facing our community and our world can feel overwhelming, we need an organization ready and able to face them head on. We need Human Rights Watch. “At this inflection point in human history, we have an extraordinary window of opportunity to make bold, transformational change,” says Lis Leader, the Director of Human Rights Watch Santa Barbara. As a filmmaker who travelled the world producing documentaries for National Geographic, PBS, and the BBC, Leader witnessed “some unbearably heartbreaking visions of human suffering.” So when local writer, philanthropist, and activist Vicki Riskin suggested she lead HRW’s recently established committee in 2014, Leader didn’t hesitate. For Leader, the connection between an HRW researcher working to end child marriage in Yemen, and the needs of Santa Barbara’s most vulnerable are all the same. “Although we are a global organization, we make positive change on a community level,” Leader says. HRW Santa Barbara regularly hosts civic dialogues with key figures from its deep bench of programmatic staff who bring global and domestic issues home to the Central Coast. The organization is now engaged in a “global challenge” meant to create “the future we want,” HRW proclaims. Leader and the Santa Barbara Committee invite you to stand with HRW as it faces some of the most dire threats to humanity here and abroad.
Giving For Today and Tomorrow
H
uman Rights Day Gift – Every December 10, the world celebrates International Human Rights Day to commemorate the day in 1948 when the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. That document clearly delineates “the inalienable rights which everyone is inherently entitled to as a human being regardless of race, color, religion, sex, language, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.” HRW Santa Barbara asks that you consider making a first time or return gift in honor of this important day in history. Legacy Gifts – “Human Rights Watch is not just protecting your human rights. It’s protecting your sons’ and daughters’ human rights, and your grandsons’ and granddaughters’ human rights,” says Lis Leader, Director of Human Rights Watch Santa Barbara. Because of this lasting impact, HRW Santa Barbara is asking that futureminded donors consider a legacy gift to the organization that ensures your mark on human rights can last for generations.
“T
o build a secure future as a global community, we must fight for human rights and dignity of all. Our strength comes from a shared sense of purpose, values, and caring and the creation of a deeply satisfying life mission.”
– Victoria Riskin
I G H T S WATC H HAS A WITNESS
Champions of HRW
Human Rights Watch
https://www.hrw.org/about/get-local/santa-barbara | (805) 452-0219
Wendy Read Gwyn Lurie Vicki Riskin Sara Miller McCune Merryl & Chuck Zegar Kerrilee & Martin Gore Tipper Gore Stacy & Ron Pulice Ken Saxon Junemarie & Tom Justus Laurie Ashton & Lynn Sarko Leslie Dennis Tolan
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Fighting Hate for Good D
an Meisel was made for his current job running the AntiDefamation League’s (ADL) Santa Barbara-based TriCounties regional office. Raised in Santa Barbara, Meisel went on to practice First Amendment law and general litigation at a prestigious San Francisco law firm. From there he wrote and produced films including All She Can, a fictional drama about a MexicanAmerican teenager’s struggle to pursue her college dreams, which premiered at Sundance and aired on HBO. “That film was my entrée into education equity issues,” Meisel says, and those issues would become a key focus of his ADL experience locally and nationally. After finishing the film and moving back from New York to Santa Barbara in 2010, Meisel felt he needed to get a “foot back into constitutional law, policy and civil rights.” During the next 10 years he would serve – as a volunteer – as ADL’s Regional Board Chair, Chair of ADL’s National Civil Rights Task Force on Education Equity and many other ADL committees. In 2019, when he was asked to step in as lead staff of the nonprofit’s local office, it felt like a natural fit. As Regional Director, Meisel works with local staff and a network of 25 other regional offices and ADL’s Community Support Center in New York to further ADL’s mission “to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure just and fair treatment for all.” ADL has long been a leader in responding to acts of antiSemitism, but one of Meisel’s key tasks is correcting assumptions that ADL is an organization of Jewish people serving only the Jewish community. “Since its inception, ADL has believed that any minority is safe only when all minorities are safe,” he says, “and ADL has emerged as a diverse and formidable anti-hate organization because of its ironclad commitment to protecting the rights of all people to be treated fairly regardless of their race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or level of ability.” To that end, in addition to responding to anti-Semitism, ADL’s
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Dan Meisel, Regional Director
local efforts have included highlighting education equity issues largely impacting Latinx and other students of color, providing educational programming for teachers and students about how their own identities and experiences influence and sometimes inhibit the way they understand and interact with others, and directly responding to incidents of bias, hate and extremism. ADL provides education programs for educators, students, and non-school workplaces as well. “ADL has been a transformative experience,” says recent Oak Park High School graduate Sam Barney-Gibbs. “ADL came to my school, educating students on combatting the manifestation of hate and promoting acceptance, and they also helped me find the kind of person I want to be both professionally and in my day-to-day life.” “Given the marked increase of online hate and polarization in recent years, ADL’s work is as important as ever,” Meisel notes, “and it has been both invigorating and heartwarming to be a part of ADL’s effective efforts to “fight hate for good.’”
Students from the Tri-Counties and around the country enjoying ADL’s National Youth Leadership Mission to Washington, D.C.
Protecting the Rights of Everyone
Local and National Impact
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DL’s Santa Barbara office offers donors myriad ways to invest in eradicating hate and bigotry both locally and nationally. Whether investing in its “No Place for Hate” programming in local schools, countering extremism nationwide, or supporting local incident response, ADL offers pathways for donors to stand up for the organization’s core beliefs: to protect all marginalized groups from the devastating impacts of extremism, reduce bias in individuals through education, and create an environment of laws and norms where all groups are treated fairly, and hate has no home. To join the cause, visit: santabarbara.adl.org.
Mark Goldstein Daniel Hochman Shirley Ann Hurley Judi Koper Cindy and Steve Lyons Joni Meisel Natalie Myerson Deborah Naish Josh Narva Susan Rose
wenty years ago we and a small group of people secured the funding to open our Tri-Counties Regional office with the idea that our board would be comprised of members of our community from a range of backgrounds and ethnicities. We were driven by ADL’s mission, and we are proud of the work ADL has done to defend the right of everyone to participate fully and safely in our community and to educate adults and students about harmful impacts of bias, bullying, hate speech, and discrimination in schools, on the internet, and in the workplace. ADL talks the talk and walks the walk.” – Steve and Cindy Lyons
A Board Standing Together Brook Ashley Ralph Baxter Janice Brown Julianna and Tom Dain John Daly Jason Saltoun-Ebin Gayle Eidelson David Edelman Aaron Ettenberg Andee Gaines
“T
former Regional Board Chair and, with Cindy, among the Co-Founders of the Tri-Counties Office
Roz Rosin Rob Skinner and Meghan White-Skinner Marina Stephens Sissy Taran Leah Temkin Gail Teton-Landis Leslie White Rachel Wilson
Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) Santa Barbara/Tri-Counties www.santabarbara.adl.org Dan Meisel, Regional Director | (805) 564-6670.
ADL Santa Barbara/Tri-Counties Education Coordinator and Facilitator Brianna Abrams
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Guiding Survivors Out of the Woods O
n the second day of her freshman year of college, Aspen Matis was raped. When “mediation” with her attacker failed, and the school inexplicably moved him into her dorm, Matis was traumatized, scared and left alone. Instead of moving him out, they moved her to a converted motel off campus, where she would sit, alone, staring at the cinder block walls. While there, Matis called the National Sexual Assault Hotline – created and operated by RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network), the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization. “The person I spoke with was so amazing,” Matis says. “She told me things that sound so obvious in retrospect, but at the time they were revelations to me: ‘This was not your fault. You didn’t cause this. Short shorts don’t cause rape. Weed doesn’t cause rape. Rapists cause rape.’ Talking with a compassionate professional from RAINN became the first step in my healing process.” After a handful of more calls with RAINN’s highly trained support specialists, Matis decided to leave college. Her new plan: walk the 2,500 miles from Mexico to Canada along the Pacific Crest Trail to raise money for RAINN. Beyond operating the hotline and providing other victim services that have touched more than 3.2 million survivors and
“N
o organization does more for survivors of sexual violence in their times of greatest need. RAINN created and operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline to ensure that no survivor has to feel alone. The hotline is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year with caring and empathetic support specialists who can help survivors and their loved ones process what has happened to them and access the resources they need to start their healing journey. I can think of no better way to assist survivors than to support RAINN’s ongoing ability to be able to answer the call for every survivor that needs them.”
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– Janet Jensen
Founder of The Jensen Project and Chair of the Thrive Together Campaign Council
their loved ones since 1994, RAINN works with national media and the entertainment industry to elevate sexual violence storylines across the country. RAINN also works to expand the use of DNA in unsolved rape kits, reduce the backlog of untested rape kits, reform statute of limitations laws, broaden survivors’ access to appropriate medical care, protect young athletes, and bring perpetrators to justice. “We founded RAINN more than 25 years ago based on the belief that no survivor should feel alone,” says Founder and President Scott Berkowitz. “While supporting survivors will always be at the core of what we do, we have become the leading voice educating the public and fighting for survivors’ rights in Congress and the states.” In 2015, Matis wrote a memoir, “Girl in the Woods,” about her epic trek and painful recovery, which was propelled into the spotlight as a part of Oprah’s Book Club. As a member of the RAINN Speakers Bureau, Matis travels the country spreading awareness about sexual assault and rape, and its frightening frequency. Nearly one in four young women will have such an experience before leaving college. “The reality is that sexual assault and rape are happening every day and everywhere,” Matis says. “The most convenient thing to do is to pretend that they are rare, because acknowledging this epidemic is uncomfortable and it’s sad and it’s scary. But by denying reality, averting your eyes and just willing it away, you are denying the validity of the struggles of so many people, and also denying them resources that may help them to heal and live a fulfilling life after. RAINN is doing a wonderful and admirable service for the people who have been through the trauma of sexual assault and for anyone who knows someone or loves someone who has been raped.”
RAINN Supporters Paige Adams- Geller
- founder/creative director of PAIGE and survivor
Tori Amos
John Marciano
- survivor, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP partner
- survivor and author of “Speak”
- survivor, advocate, and philanthropist
Peter Church
- chief human resources officer, Avangrid
A
- singer, activist, and survivor
- singer/songwriter and survivor
Laurie Halse Anderson
Thrive Together
Kesha
Marci M. Matthews Ann Mukherjee
Mark Cuban
- survivor and Chairman and CEO of Pernod Ricard North America
Torrey DeVitto
- business owner, supporter, and survivor
Cameron Esposito
- novelist and venture philanthropist
- entrepreneur, television personality, media proprietor, and investor - actor, activist, and philanthropist
fter #MeToo, demand for RAINN’s services jumped 67 percent. And now, during the ongoing COVID-19 health crisis, minors have made up more than half the visitors to the online hotline. To meet the challenge, RAINN is embarking on a two-year, $10 million fundraising campaign: Thrive Together. The campaign focuses on three vital initiatives:
- comedian, survivor, and activist
•A nswering the Call. This initiative will enable RAINN to meet the skyrocketing demand for survivor-centered, trauma-informed services through the National Sexual Assault Hotline. In addition to staffing up the hotline, this initiative will enable RAINN to expand their online training program, adapt new technological innovations, and ensure that people in every community learn about and trust RAINN’s services. Goal: $5 million.
- founder and CEO, Bumble
Micheline Pitt
MacKenzie Scott Alice Sebold
Nancy Lee Grahn
- author of “Lucky”
Katori Hall
- author of “You Are a Badass”
- actor and supporter
- playwright, author, showrunner, filmmaker, producer
Whitney Wolfe Herd
Jennifer Sincero Mira Sorvino
- actor, activist, and survivor
Breanna Stewart
Chandra Jessee
- professional basketball player, Seattle Storm
Ashley Judd
- author, artist, and advocate
- founder, InMaat Foundation - actor and humanitarian
Anne Wheaton
Kannie Yu LaPack
- SVP Publicity & Public Affairs, Lifetime Television
•S haping the Narrative. This initiative will enable RAINN to work alongside the media and entrainment industry to tell stories that spark change. RAINN is working to change the conversation about sexual violence, raise awareness and educate the public, and bring hope to survivors and their loved ones by amplifying the voices of survivors. Goal: $3 million. •C hampioning Change. This initiative is to build coalitions and launch strategic efforts for survivor-led change across the country, protect vulnerable populations from sexual abuse, and ensure all survivors have access to critical care and services. Goal: $2 million.
thrive
TOGETHER
To support the Thrive Together campaign or to learn more about our campaign council, please visit:
rainn.org/ThriveTogether or contact:
RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) www.rainn.org | (800) 656.HOPE
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A Child’s Voice A
merica’s child welfare court system is imbued with incredible power. Judges routinely make decisions that indelibly alter the course of the lives of children and families. Will a child be reunified with his or her parents? Or will that child be separated from his or her family forever. Imagine how bewildering this is for the parents. Now imagine trying to navigate this befuddling system as a child who has endured abuse or neglect. The stakes are no less high in Santa Barbara County where four children’s attorneys are charged with managing the cases of some 750 clients – whether in foster care or under court supervision with their families. These lawyers simply can’t keep up. Thankfully, the county is home to one of the strongest Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) programs in the country. CASA trains volunteers to be the voice of the children they are paired with – writing court reports and ensuring that all the adults in the courtroom know what the child needs. “They are absolutely critical, fundamental,” says Carol Hubner, a Santa Barbara County children’s attorney. “There aren’t enough hands on deck. If you were to take [the CASA Volunteers] away, I feel like it would be the last straw.” In 2009, CASA had 100 volunteers and served 135 children. This year – thanks to an aggressive expansion plan pushed by the agency’s can-do board – CASA is serving 532 children with 297 volunteers. For Montecito resident Kerrilee Gore, a donor to the nonprofit, volunteering as a CASA herself was a chance to do more. Gore took on the case of a 14-year-old girl who had been in and out of group homes. Gore immediately found the juvenile dependency system overburdened, with both attorneys and caseworkers barely able to keep up with the sheer volume of children who needed their attention. With one client, Gore could focus in and slow things down so that 14-year-old girl could be seen and heard. “The judge really relies on you, because you are the voice of the child,” Gore says. “The CASA is sometimes the only stable person in these children’s lives. They are the most vulnerable and they don’t have a voice, but you are providing a voice for this child and it changes their entire lives.”
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A CASA for Every Child
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n 2018 and 2019, CASA of Santa Barbara County managed to pair every child in the county’s child welfare system with a trained, volunteer, court-appointed special advocate. But in August 2019, overall numbers of children entangled with the dependency court have jumped from 520 to around 650, straining the agency’s capacity. Executive Director Kim Colby Davis is undaunted by the challenge. After all, she and her board launched a plan to serve every child in 2013, which they accomplished ahead of schedule. “The advantage is we have done this before,” Colby Davis says. “We hit our growth targets over the past five years. We know what to do and we will do it.” For Colby Davis, the path to ensuring a CASA for every child is straightforward. She needs to hire 1.5 full-time staff and recruit 125 volunteers. The cost: $125,000.
From Donor to Volunteer
“B
y supporting CASA, you can change the trajectory of a child’s life. For me, investing in our youth is the most important thing we can do, because they are the most vulnerable.”
– Kerrilee Gore
CASA donor and volunteer
CASA’s Closest Patricia and Evan Aptaker Heather Ames Jim and Julie Burge Marcy Carsey Andrew and Terri Dowen Frank and Alida Freda Ted and Coleen Friedel Martin and Kerrilee Gore Jeff and Linda Hearn Niall and Julie Henley McNamara
Christine and Michael Holland Deborah and Marty Lynch Mona McConkey and Dominick Barry Tony and Sabrina Papa Justine Roddick and Tina Schlieske Veronica Sandoval Elan Shpigel Lindsay Soleimani Prudence and Robert Sternin Daniel Vordale Virginia Benson Wigle
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Santa Barbara County www.sbcasa.org Kim Colby Davis, (805) 739-9102 ext. 5981 | Kira Cosio, (805) 739-9102 ext. 2595
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Much More than Lights and Sirens
F
irefighters do a lot more than fight fires. On any given day, Montecito Fire’s 33 active duty firefighters wake up to uncertainty, not knowing what emergency they will respond to next: trail rescues, sickness, trauma, structure or brush fires, mud flows, or even threats of a global pandemic. They are always there, and it is for this reason that we trust them with our lives. For the same reason, you can trust the Montecito Firefighters’ Charitable Foundation with your money. Founded in 2006, the foundation’s board is fully comprised of active duty firefighters whose mission is to “provide relief to the poor, disadvantaged, underprivileged, disaster victims and those facing emergency
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hardship situations based upon need (financial or other distress) at the time the assistance is given, specifically as related to children, firefighters and their families, and burn victims and their families.” With a minimal annual overhead of less than $15,000 for legal, accounting, and other administrative costs, virtually every dollar the foundation receives goes straight towards helping people. “We’re just firefighters,” says Aaron Briner, a founding board member and a department Battalion Chief. “We don’t know marketing. But we do know how to work really hard and mitigate your emergency.” As a charitable foundation, the Montecito Firefighters’ Charitable Foundation knows how to do one thing very well –
issue responsive grants that deeply impact individuals. When 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots were killed in an Arizona inferno, the foundation provided support to their families. Similarly for an engineer, Cory Iverson, who died in the Thomas Fire. When a local foster youth wrote a letter explaining that she needed help paying for college, the foundation set up a fund. And when a severely handicapped child needed a new wheelchair, the foundation footed the bill. Like I said, firefighters – notably, your local Montecito firefighters – do much more than fight fires. The work of the foundation mirrors the work that they do every day: responding to whatever comes their way. For the charitable board, the work they do with the foundation is an extension of what they do every day on the engines. “It is simply another avenue to help assist people in their time of need and something I can be part of long after I retire from the fire service,” says Briner. Would you expect any less dedication from these public servants who put their lives on the line for this community every day?
Beyond the Emergency This is the Montecito Firefighter’s Charitable Foundation vision:
“We are committed to serving; before, during, and after the emergency. We use lights and sirens to reach your calls. We use our foundation to reach out beyond that.” If you believe in these firefighters and their vision, visit: montecitofirefightersfoundation.com/donate
The Foundation’s Board Aaron Briner Lucas Grant Daniel Arnold Shawn Whilt Alex Broumand
Supporters Bob and Joan Hollman Robert and Melinda Goodman-Kemp Kind World Foundation Connie Frank Diane Boss Sally Jordan Merryl and Chuck Zegar Julianna and Tom Dain Jeffrey C. and Margo Baker Barbakow Lillian Lovelace John and Coco Marsala Peter and Gerd Jordano Richard and Connie Kennelly Beverlye and Bob Fead Jeff and Hollye Jacobs
Montecito Firefighters’ Charitable Foundation
www.montecitofirefightersfoundation.com Aaron Briner, Battalion Chief – Fire Marshall | (805) 895-7896
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www.thegivinglist.com
The Earth Minders “One of the first conditions of happiness is that the link between man and nature shall not be broken.” – Leo Tolstoy
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“A community with a healthier, more prosperous nonprofit sector is generally going to have a higher quality of life�
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The Nonprofit Prophet by Steve Uhler
E
ven the most vociferous critics of genetic engineering would have to concede: we need more Ken Saxons in the world. Equal parts entrepreneur, social visionary, pragmatic analyst, and leadership matchmaker, Saxon has been serving the Santa Barbara community for nearly 25 years as a guiding force behind some of the most progressive nonprofit and philanthropic programs in the country. “I love to create organizations, grow teams, and create something that makes a difference,” he says. “That’s my orientation. I like to be creative and nimble.” He is that, and more. As founder of the Courage To Lead Program for nonprofit leaders in 2008, Leading From Within’s Emerging Leaders Program in 2013, and recipient of Santa Barbara Foundation’s 2012 Man Of The Year Award, Saxon has been bringing together civic leaders, philanthropists, entrepreneurs, and nonprofits in Santa Barbara to more effectively work together through strategic alliances. “Business will always do what business can do profitably, and government has limited resources,” he says. “Beyond that, if you look at key areas of quality of life – education, healthcare, the environment, the arts – much of that is funded by philanthropy and executed by the nonprofit sector. A community with a healthier, more prosperous nonprofit sector is generally going to have a higher quality of life.” As the son of a father in commercial real estate and a mother who was a community volunteer, Saxon’s future seemed preordained. After graduating Princeton University and Stanford’s Graduate School of Business, in 1988 he founded a small but successful logistics management company in the Silicon Valley – fertile ground for a fledgling entrepreneur. Moving to Santa Barbara in 1996 with his wife, a set of one-year-old twins, and family dog Maggie, Saxon initially found himself a Stranger in Paradise. Drawn to community organizations and nonprofits, Saxon began immersing himself in his new surroundings. “I started to get involved on nonprofit boards,” he recalls, “and found that who I identified with most were the executive directors. They’re very akin to small business people, which is what I had been. They have to wear a lot of hats, and they don’t have enough time or resources. They experience the loneliness of leadership, where there’s not a safe place to talk about what’s keeping them up at night. I related to all of that – and my epiphany was that rather than let them suffer and burn out, we
need to invest in them and connect them with each other.” That insight spurred Saxon to create the Courage To Lead Program in 2008, a vital cornerstone of Santa Barbara’s philanthropic and nonprofit community. Saxon thrives on the ever-evolving dynamics of Santa Barbara’s unique nonprofit sector. “There’s a really unusual confluence of two things here: First is this incredible human capital. One of our greatest assets is that every year there are people who move to Santa Barbara that have experience, talent, gifts and resources, who want to put them to work. The second component is really substantial need. I think many people would be surprised to know that Santa Barbara County has the second-highest poverty rate of any county in California.” “So when you combine all these people that have creativity, skills and also money – and an obvious need that’s right in front of their faces – that leads to a really significant amount of philanthropy in this region, and a lot of people with really creative ideas to address these needs.” Reflecting on the recent near-Biblical string of Perfect Storms ravaging the Central Coast nonprofit sector, Saxon offers an insightful yin/yang perspective. “In the last three years, the paradigm has become very disasterfocused, and that’s both good and bad. It’s good in that it’s catalyzed more philanthropy and some really creative solutions. An example is the 805 Disaster Fund, which is one of the most inspirational efforts I’ve ever seen. On the downside, it’s really limited the amount of resources to address fundraising, especially in light of the pandemic. Imagine how hard it’s been for arts organizations, when some funders say, ‘We’re not going to give our normal grants this year because we’re going to give money to address the mudslides or the fires or the pandemic.’” “We will get past these current crises – as we have so many in our past,” Saxon assures, “and nonprofit organizations and philanthropy will lead the way as we rebuild a community that ideally works better for everyone.” Ken Saxon is still working his altruistic alchemy, eager to embrace a future rich in transition and possibilities. “I do have the good fortune in that for more than 30 years I’ve had a great deal of say in what I do and who I do it with,” he reflects. “It’s a real blessing in my life. I feel so lucky about that.” And Santa Barbara is lucky have Ken Saxon, even if there is only one of him.
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Pragmatic Environmentalism
Hillary Hauser and Julia Louis-Dreyfus
“H
eal the Ocean is the most magnificent and important organization here in Santa Barbara. I honestly do believe that, because it is a huge part in keeping what we love about Santa Barbara clean and marvelous in every respect.”
The capping of Becker Well on Summerland beach, 2019. (photo by Harry Rabin)
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n 2011, long before COVID-19 forever changed how we think of nonprofit fundraising events, Santa Barbara-based Heal the Ocean held an “imaginary gala” with “invisible” seats at “dream” tables. On the invitation, super booster Julia Louis-Dreyfus crowed that the event would be “the most unreal party” the organization ever had. Not only did Heal the Ocean save money on producing the event, but also exceeded its fundraising goal. This no frills, practical approach is the environmental advocacy group’s calling card. “We are not complainers,” says Executive Director Hillary Hauser. “We focus on infrastructure, pipes, waste disposal, and sometimes it strikes us funny to realize we are very often just basic plumbers.” Maybe so, but plumbers with an incredible track record of pragmatic change, using small charitable donations to win significant sums of public dollars to, well, heal the ocean. The organization was launched in 1998, when Hauser caught wind of something rotten in the waters off surf-famous Rincon Point. The clutch of homes there all relied on septic systems. As tidewater rose and fell the systems steadily leached effluent into the waters – causing surfers to get sick. An early environmental DNA study, the first of its kind and funded by Heal the Ocean,
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– Julia Louis-Dreyfus
found that 20% of the bacterial pollution in the lagoon there was “human/fecal.” By 2013, after an epic saga of bureaucratic red tape and setbacks, Heal the Ocean had not only secured sewer systems for Rincon, but 130 homes seven miles up and down the coast as well, radically improving ocean water quality, which has made surfing safer – and more fun. More recently, Hauser and company translated a $10,000 investment in a knowledgeable consultant that helped to sweep into law a 2017 bill authored by HTO ally State Senator HannahBeth Jackson that allocates $2 million per year to cap old oil wells and other hazards along California’s coastline for a total of $14 million. Serving as cheerleaders to the State Lands Commission, Heal the Ocean led the charge in 2018 for the plugging of the notorious, leaking Becker Well on Summerland Beach, and for 2020, they’re inspiring the plugging of two more leaking wells: Treadwell and NorthStar – scheduled for October 2020. For Hauser and her team it has never been about lawsuits or quick fixes. It’s about finding solid strategies to heal this neck of California’s coastline. “It’s really about practical solutions,” Hauser says. “We always say that to get something fixed, you have to figure out how much it costs, then how to pay for it, then go get the money and just do it. I think that’s why people like us.”
They Heal Our Ocean
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’ve surfed for years at the Rincon, and am in the water all the time. It is such a relief to know that the septic systems are gone, that we’re not swimming in polluted water like we were doing day in and day out, getting sinus, ear, nose, eye infections and who knows what else. Yes, there are other bad things that get into the ocean, but just knowing that this one big source of contamination has been removed is huge. This is one of the most popular surf spots in California, world known, and the legacy left to this piece of ocean will be there forever. It’s so interesting to hear the younger surfers today, who don’t know about the battles Heal the Ocean went through to get this project done. They were little kids at the time. Think of it, it’s now history!
Return on Investment
– Heather Hudson, surfer
H
eal the Ocean’s pragmatic approach ensures that any donation the organization receives will be returned in multiples. A $25,000 investment in aerial infrared photography showing leaking oil fields off the coast of Summerland was the proof thenGovernor Jerry Brown needed to sign Senate Bill 44, which allocated $14 million towards capping aging wells along the California coast. A $5,000 investment in a consultant allowed HTO to snag $150,000 in state funds to pay for a conceptual engineering study for a recycled water facility in Goleta, and another $150,000 for statefunded conceptual engineering plans for a recycled water facility in Santa Ynez. These studies and conceptual engineering plans have put these agencies first in line for state funding help for the actual building of the facilities. So HTO effectively turned $5,000 into a potential of 50 million dollars.
Friends of Heal the Ocean Nora McNeely Hurley & Michael Hurley/Manitou Fund Marie Morrisroe Dan & Rae Emmett Heather Hudson & Keith Crummer Julia Louis-Dreyfus & Brad Hall Cheryl Tomchin Scott & Ella Brittingham Charles & Brynn Crowe
Brian Hodges Just Folk/Susan Baerwald & Marcy Carsey Nancy & Thomas Crawford Tom & Sheila Cullen Sam Scranton David & Lyn Anderson Heather & Kelly Clenet Estate of Georgia Lee Funsten
Heal the Ocean | Santa Barbara
www.healtheocean.org | (805) 965-7570
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I
A Botanical Nirvana
n Montecito, a land of spectacular architecture and pristine gardens, there lies a property like no other: Lotusland. Set across 37 acres, this sprawling estate turned public garden boasts 3,500 plant species from across the globe, many dating back 140 years, with towering palms and cacti, brilliant water gardens, and some of the most endangered fauna in the world. Then layer in the life of its enigmatic creator, Madame Ganna Walska, and you have a landscape that is a living work of art. “Part of the magic of Lotusland is the size
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and the scale of these mature specimen plants,” says Executive Director Rebecca Anderson. “Lotusland is grand and historic. When you enter, you are transported to a magical world where fantasy, whimsey and horticultural genius create a botanical masterpiece.” In late 2020, USA Today readers voted Lotusland one of the top 10 botanical gardens in the country. This remarkable garden was made even more so by its founder, Madame Ganna Walska, an Opera singer of intermittent fame, married six times, who purchased
the property in 1941. She originally named it Tibetland, in anticipation of the Tibetan monks who were to be invited to study on the estate. When that plan dissolved, she renamed the gardens Lotusland due to the presence and symbolism of this exceptional flowering plant. Before her death in 1984, Madame created her signature masterpiece; converting the swimming pool into a water garden, creating a sanctuary for more than 200 species of Cyads (among the rarest plants on Earth) and erecting 20 themed gardens and filling the estate will sculpture and treasured collections. It wouldn’t be until 1993 that Walska’s dream of converting Lotusland into a public garden was realized. Given the estate’s location, in the heart of residential Montecito, it took nine years and 64 Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors meetings to approve the nonprofit garden for public visitation. With that approval came severe restrictions on visitation: today, just 15,000 guests may visit per year as well as 5,000 school children. “We want to discredit the myth that we are exclusive by design,” Anderson says, “Despite its appearance, Lotusland is not affluent. We struggle every year to raise the funds necessary to preserve and share Ganna Walska’s vision.” Anderson points out that maintaining a 37-acre garden and property is a massive commitment that requires our community’s attention. “For the first 27 years of our operations, we appropriately put the Garden’s care and tending above all. Now, the 100 year old buildings and grounds have begun to show their age and need considerable investment.” Her charge is to ensure that the entire property is brought up to the level it deserves for the education and enjoyment of the next generation. Lotusland is more than a beautiful place – it is a porthole to history, an important link in global plant preservation, a center for learning and a refuge for unparalleled spiritual elevation. “People crave the respite and reset brought by immersing in nature,” Anderson says. “Lotusland is an oasis that is healing to body and soul. Its benefits are palpable and its important plant collections are unparalleled. Visit Lotusland and be transported by a botanical nirvana that is tranquil, verdant and lush.”
“I
am proud to be a champion of this most extraordinary garden. Lotusland is a breathtaking center where art, beauty, science and nature align. It serves as an inspiration to all who enter, and deserves our support. I am confident my gifts have a tangible and meaningful impact at Lotusland. Please join me with an investment to ensure Lotusland remains one of the treasured cultural institutions in our community.”
– Connie Pearcy
Board of Trustees
Lesley Cunningham, President David M. Jones, Vice President Stephen Schaible, Treasurer Rachael Douglas, Secretary Daniel Bifano, Immed. Past President Laura M. Bridley Merryl Brown Ron Caird Geoff Crane Dorothy Gardener Anthony Grumbine Joseph Marek Suzanne Mathews Mimi Michaelis Mari Mitchel Alexandra Morse Connie Pearcy Jeffrey Romano Caroline Thompson Rick Vitelle Crystal Wyatt
Past President, Board of Trustees, and Philanthropy Chair
Critical Needs
Lotusland needs your support in three vital areas • Annual care and tending of the Garden in its magnificence to meet the increasing need for people to connect with Lotusland’s natural, calming beauty • Preservation of the historic living collections, aging structures and infrastructure, and of the significant historical artifacts and archives • Growing the endowment to support the care and tending of the Garden well into the future.
Lifetime Honorary Trustees Merryl F. Brown Robert J. Emmons Arthur R. Gaudi Kisa Heyer
Director Emeritus Steven Timbrook, PhD
Ganna Walska Lotusland
www.lotusland.org Rebecca Anderson, Executive Director | (805) 969-3767, ext. 104
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Bold Climate Action T
he double blow of the Thomas Fire and ensuing debris flow in 2018 left no doubt about the increasing threats of climate change to Santa Barbara County. Hotter days, extended droughts, wildfires, more violent and unpredictable storms are the region’s new normal. Thankfully, the Central Coast is home to one of the nation’s most accomplished environmental action nonprofits, which – in step with its forward thinking reputation – reoriented its focus to meet climate change head on 15 years ago. The Community Environmental Council’s CEO Sigrid Wright draws on the organization’s 50 years of experience in “innovating, incubating, bringing to scale and fledging” environmental solutions – such as leading the nation in recycling and other gamechanging feats. In recent years, CEC has worked to drive down fossil fuel use for transportation, support a healthy and just local food system, better manage waste, and green the grid. Over 800 households have gone through CEC’s Solarize program, which provides bulk-purchased solar panels to make the green transition more affordable. CEC has helped install over 850 electric vehicle charging stations on the Central Coast, working toward California’s goal of putting five million zero emission vehicles on the road by 2030 – including getting low-income drivers behind the wheel. “When paired together, rooftop solar is used to charge the electric vehicles,” Wright says. “We call it driving on sunshine.”
(photo by Matt Perko)
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Even still, Wright recognizes that the climate crisis is unfolding rapidly and will require massive on-the-ground momentum to reverse emissions and protect the region from its impacts. To get there, CEC’s bold plan to reach Carbon Zero in the next decade is to:
Lead
• Ensure that the Central Coast has the tools it needs to meet or establish transformative climate goals for transportation, renewable energy, organic waste and nature-based carbon farming • Spur concrete action to safeguard the Central Coast from the impacts of climate threats like extreme heat, wildfire, drought, sea level rise, and storms • Build a troop of diverse climate stewards and youth activists who can build community support for action
Partner
•E stablish a local green workforce development initiative centered on climate justice • Establish a pilot community compost project and food recovery kitchens throughout the County to extend the life of fresh surplus food and prevent food waste • Establish solar-powered Resilience Centers to support vulnerable populations
Act
• Install 1 megawatt of solar on regional nonprofits and schools • Deploy cutting-edge transportation technology – including all-electric transit and school buses, and electric vehicle car share, and on-demand transportation services • Prevent the waste of 240,000 pounds a year of edible food from restaurants, caterers and grocery stores, and provide it to organizations serving people in need
(photo courtesy of Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History | Sea Center)
Going Solar
“T
he Santa Barbara Rescue Mission has been working harder than ever to serve our community during these challenging times. We had looked into going solar in the past, but the financial offer through CEC’s Solarize Nonprofit program made the decision much easier. We didn’t need to make the big upfront investment in the system, and we expect to save about $200,00 in utility bills over the life of the project.”
(photo byJ Andrew Hill)
–Tim Molloy
Santa Barbara Rescue Mission
Clear Thinking on Climate Change
“W
hen the Thomas Fire burned through our region in 2018, it became the largest fire in California. Today it is the sixth largest. Fire season is now yearround, marked by mass evacuations, mass blackouts, and unfathomable fire runs measured in acres per second. Meanwhile, the Central Coast is heating at twice the rate of other parts of the U.S. We need clear thinkers and leaders who can bring people together as a community to tackle the impacts of the climate crisis. This is what CEC does, and why I stand with them.”
– Pat McElroy
Former City of Santa Barbara Fire Chief, CEC Board Member
Leading in Fight to Reverse the Climate Crisis
C
EC has developed a comprehensive 5-year plan that builds our capacity to lead, partner and act. Our mission is to create a Zero Carbon community over the next decade that reverses the threat of the climate crisis. To carry out this bold, transformative climate action with clear, measurable goals on the Central Coast, CEC is seeking five $100,000 gifts to move forward this effort.
Community Environmental Council
Friends of CEC Dennis Allen and Jennifer Cushnie Tim and Monica Babich Diane Boss Gay Browne Merryl Brown Laura Capps Jon Clark Neil DiPaola Andrew and Carolyn Fitzgerald
www.cecsb.org Rebecca Summers, Director of Development | (805) 963-0583 ext. 116
Jim and Kelly Hallman Jack Johnson Pat McElroy and Bonnie Kerwin Charles and Betsy Newman Ron and Stacy Pulice Leanne Schlinger Michael and Nati Smith John and Suzanne Steed Tobin and Melissa White Chuck Zegar and Merryl Snow Zegar Zohar and Dana Ziv
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A Garden of California Delights
B
ounded by the Pacific to the west and the Sierra Nevada to the east, California is home to over 6,500 native plants, many of which only exist here, that serve as the backbone to our state’s diverse and increasingly fragile ecosystems. “If those species are lost in California, they are lost to the planet,” says Steve Windhager, the executive director of the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden. For Windhager, the 78-acre Garden, with its over 1,000 species of native plants heralding from southern Oregon all the way to the tip of Baja including the southern-most redwood grove, is much “more than a pretty place.” It is the home base for a three-pronged conservation effort to “understand, protect, and restore” California’s rich flora. To do this, the Garden’s growing team of researchers, conservationists, and PhD-level botanists work throughout the state to actively document the diversity of plants across the California Floristic Province. To date, their scientific repository contains over 190,000 preserved plant and lichen collections dating as far back as 1860. They are also protecting the future through widespread seed banking. “It’s an insurance policy for native plants,” Windhager says. “We put the seeds into suspended animation, to be defrosted for research or in a time of catastrophe.” And all the while, the Garden is working with large landholders, think the Department of Defense and the United States Forest Service, to better manage their lands, restore native spe-
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cies, and bring overall health to California’s rich but increasingly fragile ecosystems. Then, of course there is the Garden, a beautiful and beloved community asset set in Santa Barbara’s Mission Canyon, with sweeping views to both the Santa Ynez Mountains and out to the Channel Islands. Nearly 80,000 people visit each year to take in the seasonal splendor of quintessentially Californian nature scenes; a meadow lush with wildflowers in the Spring, a rushing stream and its riparian ecosystem springing to life with winter rains. The Garden is home to a rich tradition of public education, hosting numerous classes and lectures for adults each year, as well as one of the longest lasting school visiting programs, started in the 1950s, where Windhager says, youth “experience the importance of native plants as the cornerstone of all life on our planet.” And the Garden is also the seat of serious scholarship. In 2019, its staff and affiliated researchers published a book, nine peer-reviewed articles, and six technical reports all while DNA coding plants, lichens, arthropods, mosses, and fungi growing on the Channel Islands. “The Garden itself is the gateway for most people,” Windhager says. “For some, visiting Mission Canyon and walking through the redwoods is enough. But others, they get hooked and they want to go deeper and learn more. These are our future conservationists.” And with the near endless diversity of California’s flora, there is always more to learn and discover.
“A
Leading the Way
s a former trustee, long-time docent, and legacy society member, I see the Garden as an essential leader in not only the conservation of California’s wild, but as a pillar in the health and well-being of our community. Families have long trusted the Garden as a place for outdoor exploration and learning, and for forming an important connection to our natural world. I give to the Garden as an investment in our collective future.”
– Carolyn Kincaid
Protecting California’s Biodiversity
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gift to the Garden protects the biodiversity and resilience of the California ecosystems on which we all rely. As a center for world-class scientific research, the Garden is a leader in the conservation of native plants and habitats of the California Floristic Province with an impact stretching from Baja California to Monterey and the Sierras with significant work on the Central Coast and Channel Islands. As climate change increasingly threatens our landscapes, the Garden urgently needs your help to safeguard California’s native plants and ecosystems. Give a gift today at sbbg.org/give!
Finding the Connection
“T
he Garden is a place of curiosity, wonder, and fun. It’s helped me realize the importance of nature. With climate change happening, the world is in danger, and it’s important for the next generation to see how nature mixes with human life and the Garden helps people realize that. If we see the connection, we can start to work to fight against climate change together. We’re all connected in one big tree, I like to imagine.”
Santa Barbara Botanic Garden
www.sbbg.org Steve Windhager, Ph.D., Executive Director | (805) 690-1123
– Jaia Guilliams Age 11
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www.thegivinglist.com
The Educators “A well-educated mind will always have more questions than answers.”
– Helen Keller
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photo by Edward Clynes
The Creator of Kinko’s is no Copycat by Les Firestein
P
aul and Jane Orfalea have always empathized with those who fall “outside the system” because outside the system is where they feel like they come from. From the beginning, Paul Orfalea knew his brain “worked differently.” While in many ways this made him feel like an outsider, Paul considers what he calls his “profound ADHD and dyslexia” a blessing that allowed him to observe the world in a unique way and therefore blaze his own path. Fortunately, Paul’s parents celebrated these differences rather than try to stuff their square, redheaded peg they called “Kinko,” into a round hole. “Success is more about your imagination than anything else,” Orfalea says. And whatever Paul’s deficits in attention, he made up for them in innovation, daring and instinct. And it was as an undergrad at USC, when he should have been cramming for finals, that Orfalea instead found himself in the library studying others who were cramming for finals. It was then he overheard students complaining about paying too much for photocopies. Sensing an
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opportunity, Orfalea set up his own copy shop, charging about half what the university vendors charged. So began his round the clock office copying empire that became Kinko’s. In 2004, when Orfalea sold Kinko’s to FedEx for $2.4 billion, this windfall gave him the means to devote his life to three new loves: teaching, philanthropy, and eventually his new bride, Jane Walker Wood. In Jane, Paul found his ideological match, evident by how they finish each other’s thoughts when talking about their shared giving philosophy. Paul and Jane’s philanthropy is fueled by a mutual commitment to give away at least 85 percent of their wealth during their lifetimes. “With everything you leave to your kids, you’re also taking something away,” Jane says. Though they consider themselves “not religious,” Paul and Jane point to early influence from religious teachings as an inspiration for their commitment to philanthropy. “He who sees the face of the poor sees me,” Paul says, quoting Jesus. The Orfaleas’ philanthropic focus is inextricably bound to their
The Orfaleas’ philanthropic focus is inextricably bound to their political views, their personal philosophies, and a bit of guilt over their own good fortune. political views, their personal philosophies, and a bit of guilt over their own good fortune. “I do feel guilty about consumption and how much of the resources I’m taking out of this planet,” Paul says from the passenger seat of his Prius. But he puts that guilt to good use. Through their Audacious Foundation, the Orfaleas work to fill what they see as the gaps in Santa Barbara’s social safety nets. Jane attributes this focus to her Canadian upbringing. “I’m Canadian, so I believe in the value of supporting a society to make the whole society better,” says the Toronto native. Most recently, Paul and Jane have expressed particular concern over the disproportionate toll the pandemic is taking on lower-income children. “The pandemic made the division between rich and poor so much greater because with the wealthy kids, these families hire a tutor and have a learning pod of six kids, so they have a mini private school.” They’re also concerned about how much time kids are spending indoors. “Spending all day inside is not a healthy or happy childhood. Kids need to be outside – exercising and playing actively.” To that end they support the Wilderness Youth Project’s “Bridge to Nature” program, which mentors kids outdoors while their parents are working. To address what he sees as inequities, Orfalea tries to give back some of the emotional nourishment he received as a child. “While I hated going to school, I did in fact love learning and still do. That’s why I find it so particularly gratifying to help students, especially those who don’t like school, so they can build confidence, learn in their own unique way, and thereby flourish. Which will ultimately translate into better opportunities.” To this end, the Orfaleas describe what they call “Whole Child Development,” a system of youth oriented initiatives backed by their Audacious Foundation. The idea is that “whole” kids become the best, well-rounded adults, with the greatest breadth of opportunities. So the Orfaleas support a veritable decathlon of child development programs including almost anything that would benefit a disadvantaged kid, starting at the mouth, sponsoring nutrition and even orthodontia for youth who otherwise would not have access to it. “We discovered there was nothing
in place for kids with orthodontia. But you don’t see too many successful people in college with bad teeth,” Jane explains. The Audacious Foundation also supports, through partnerships: swimming for kids, biking for kids, science camps, and almost any connection to the great outdoors. “Many Title I kids in Santa Barbara don’t know how to swim and have never been to the beach and there was no program for getting them there,” Jane explains. “We also found there are a lot of programs to help kids with education, but not much to teach the things that kids from wealthy families learn, such as how to use a knife and fork, how to dress for a formal dinner… If you’re fortunate enough to work hard and you get through school and you get a scholarship to a good university, you’re then suddenly invited to somebody’s home for dinner and you don’t know how that system works, which can make a person feel awkward. So we try to give that advantage to kids as well,” Jane says. “So underprivileged kids can compete with privileged kids on more equal footing.” The Orfaleas see the nonprofits they support as partners. “For example, with the Boys & Girls Clubs, we went to them and said, What can we do to help you get these kids outside and exercising? They said, Give us this much money, here’s what we can do. And then the founder said, I’ll meet that match.” Another partnership the Orfaleas proudly reference is their work with Montecito Bank & Trust regarding Financial Literacy for youth. “At least half of these families don’t have a bank account and the parents don’t have financial education, so we co-sponsor an initiative where these 6th grade kids are actually doing the family’s finances. We give them financial literacy classes through Montecito Bank and Trust… We open up a bank account for the kids which starts with $50. And then we match it. And then the bank matches it, too.” For Paul and Jane, most philanthropic roads seem to lead back to helping Santa Barbara’s neediest kids. And to be sure, no one understands more than Paul Orfalea that with the proper support, even the most idiosyncratic, non-traditional, kinky-haired, square-peg learner can go very far.
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We Are Family
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n the 1960s, the Perry Preschool in Ypsilanti, Michigan laid the groundwork for our understanding of the value of early education. A sample of 58 low-income students received high quality preschool, while a control group of an additional 63 had none. Researchers then followed those children until age 40. On all measures – high school graduation, income, arrest rates – the adults that had high quality preschool did better. The return was a jaw-dropping $16 for every dollar invested. So what does Ypsilanti have to do with Santa Barbara? Well, the latter is home to Storyteller Children’s Center, a therapeutic preschool that provides high-quality early childhood education for homeless and at-risk children and comprehensive support services for their families. Founded in 1988, the school serves 80 children and their families a year. Storyteller’s recently appointed executive director, Susan Cass, sees the center’s work as “critical to breaking the cycle of poverty in Santa Barbara.” “This marginalized population that we serve is a large portion of our county,” Cass says, an allusion to Santa Barbara’s ignominious distinction of having the third highest poverty rate in California. “There are a lot of people in our community struggling without
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alternatives for childcare. Storyteller provides these families with the support they need to address and overcome their challenges so they can build a better life for themselves and their children.” Storyteller’s teachers and staff receive double the amount of required training for early childhood educators and are committed to ensuring that children and their families have the tools and resources they need to thrive. Whether it be through mental health support services offered in partnership with CALM and Casa Pacifica, monthly parent meetings, or bi-annual home visits, the children’s center is focused on much more than the child alone. “We are a whole family service,” Cass says. One desperately needed in Santa Barbara. A 2017 countywide needs assessment conducted found that more than 35,000 children were in need of early education and childcare, while the number of available slots stood at just under 18,000, after tumbling by more than 1,200 in the preceding decade. For the working poor, whom Storyteller serves, the need is even more acute. Cass envisions a future where she and her team can devote more energy to improving the lives of the entire families, which she knows – and research shows – will have a powerful ripple effect in our community, only making it stronger with each passing year.
The Key Component is Love
“T
he children and families of Storyteller are working against long odds. At Storyteller, we help families draw upon their own strengths to address their challenges and lay the groundwork for success. The key component is love, expertly delivered. Our teachers support children in their social and emotional growth, helping them to develop the skills necessary in both school and in life. Storyteller meets the needs of the whole family, and we could not do this without the tremendous financial support of our community.”
– Jon Clark
Storyteller Board Member and Donor since 2002
Telling the Rest of the Story…
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ass, the executive director at Storyteller Children’s Center, can rattle off data pointing to the long term educational, economic and health benefits of early childhood education, especially for the working poor. But extrapolations of existing data in other contexts are not enough for her. “We say we have a long-term impact,” Cass says. “But we need to close that loop by staying in touch with our children and families after they’ve left Storyteller, so that we can learn about and help address their ongoing needs. With this valuable input, we can then modify and enhance our programs to better support our families and in turn, our community.” To do so, she and her team will introduce technology as a new way to stay connected to the families they’ve grown to know and love. Through the utilization of ParentSquare, an app designed for educators to communicate with families, and the subsequent sharing of longitudinal data with our partners at the local school districts, Storyteller will be able to offer additional layers of support for those we have served and will continue to serve for years to come. Maintaining relationships and identifying needs are pillars of Storyteller’s work, and while the research, outside collaboration, and staff time invested are hard to quantify in dollars – the outcome of these efforts are invaluable to our families, as well as the community as a whole.
Paternal Motivation
“P
arents need to work, but we also want our children to have access to a quality education. Since my daughter came to Storyteller, she has grown more respectful and aware, especially when out in the community. Seeing her in school inspired me to further my own education, so recently I enrolled at the local college. Thank you Storyteller for motivating me to be the best parent and role model I can be for my daughter.”
– Rafael
father of current student in Storyteller’s preschool program
Storyteller’s Helping Hands
Storyteller Children’s Center
www.storytellercenter.org | (805) 682-9585
Kim and Chip Blankenhorn Tiffany Foster Anna Kokotovic Patty and John MacFarlane Patricia Madrigal Alixe Mattingly Lizzie and Brent Peus
Ken Radtkey Joanne and Brian Rapp Kyra and Tony Rogers Jo and Ken Saxon Kenny Slaught Carrie Towbes and John Lewis Liat and Michael Wasserman
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Black Youth Give Back to Santa Barbara
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uy R. Walker is President and Founder of Wealth Management Strategies, a boutique financial advisory firm based in Santa Ynez, California. Walker’s journey from Compton, a small suburb of Los Angeles, to Santa Ynez, a small suburb of Santa Barbara, is revealing as it relates to how he came to lead one of the oldest nonprofits serving the needs of African American students and the broader African American community on the Central Coast. Walker was himself the beneficiary of a community who looked out for him when he was growing up. Which is how he ended up attending an elite private boarding school during the 1970s. That school is the Dunn School in Santa Ynez. Guy sees the work that he is doing with Endowment for Youth Committee (EYC) as paying it forward. In 2015, Walker, along with three other community leaders (Cliff Lambert, Ben Drati, and Chris Johnson), were asked to step in to help resurrect an agency that had ceased to act as a viable nonprofit. Endowment for Youth Committee, a 34-year-old nonprofit dedicated to the educational success and advancement of African American youth on the Central Coast, had experienced a talent drain at the board level and needed to redefine itself programmatically. In the years since, he and his eight colleagues on the board have narrowed the committee’s focus on, as Walker says, “growing people up and getting them into the world to do good.” To do this, the organization’s Financial Aid program targets students grade 6 through 16. EYC partners with Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara to administer its financial awards. To qualify for the post-secondary grants, students must demonstrate academic excellence (typically GPA scores of 3.0 or better), be active in community service, and provide a personal statement and letters of recommendation. In order to be an EYC Scholar, students are expected to attend workshops and cultural activities and be accountable to their commitments.
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The way Walker sees it, developing the next generation of Black scholars in Santa Barbara is not just about contributing to those students, but to the entire community and subsequent generations. “We are creating a pipeline to create greater diversity on nonprofit boards and in corporate boardrooms – in industry and in government. There is an absence of diversity and inclusion on our nonprofit boards and in the workplace” Walker says. “You have organizations trying to serve the Black or Latino community, but they don’t have people that represent those communities on their boards or in positions of influence.” He wants EYC’s scholars to not only thrive in school but as leaders in whatever communities they live. He also wants and expects EYC alumni to pay it forward by supporting other young, aspiring African Americans students. “The expectation is that as you succeed and attain resources and have influence, consider using those resources and influence by hiring a young person or providing an opportunity for a young person to gain valuable experience.” That theory of change is in evidence with Sheona Richardson Som, who in third grade was recognized by EYC for academic efforts and community service. That recognition included funds being set aside for Sheona to eventually go to college. After graduating from Dos Pueblos High School, she attended San Diego State University, and studied abroad in Oxford. Richardson Som is currently a development director at San Diego State University. But she hasn’t forgotten her Santa Barbara roots. “I’m so thankful for the investment that EYC made in me,” Richardson Som says. “I look forward to working closely with the organization and providing opportunities for boys and girls in Santa Barbara County to be their best self and excel in their education and career paths.”
A Pathway to Success for African American Students
Board Members: Guy R. Walker, Board President Chris Johnson Warren Ritter LaDonte King Gloria Mantooth Charles Rogers Kenneth Allen Jordan Killebrew Cliff Lambert, Emeritus
ndowment for Youth has been the leading organization aimed at improving “E academic outcomes for African American youth in Santa Barbara for decades. In addition to providing scholarships, the organization offers individualized support
and guidance based on the individual student/family needs in creating a pathway to college and beyond. Now more than ever, our community can and should provide a reliable pathway for success for local African American students, and Endowment for Youth remains an essential partner in that effort.”
– Jon Clark
President. The James S. Bower Foundation
Key Supporters: J.S. Bower Foundation Santa Barbara Foundation Southern California Gas Company RTLC Donor Advised Fund Ann Jackson Family Foundation Hutton Parker Foundation Mosher Foundation Towbes Foundation Monroe Foundation Montecito Bank & Trust Union Bank Wealth Management Strategies, Inc
Community Partners: Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara Santa Barbara Unified School District Santa Barbara Young Black Professionals True Vine Bible Fellowship
More Black Board Members and Scholars
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s Endowment for Youth Committee Board President, Walker points out, Santa Barbara needs more diversity on its nonprofit boards. While EYC’s board is diverse, the organization would like to see it grow. If you are interested, they are looking for smart, dedicated leaders to join their cause. And always, EYC needs support for scholars like Sheona Richardson Som and the many that will come after her. To learn more, you can reach out at: info@E-Y-C.org or call (805) 691-9758.
Endowment for Youth Committee
www.endowmentforyouth.org Guy R. Walker, President, Endowment for Youth Committee | (805) 691-9758
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The Promise of Higher Education
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he goal was audacious: provide every recent high school graduate in the south coast area of Santa Barbara with two years of college education for free. There would be no eligibility requirements beyond a student’s commitment to enroll full time, remain in good standing, and take advantage of academic advising. Since 2016, when the Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) Promise was launched, more than 5,000 students have received free tuition, books, supplies, even bus passes and student health services. “We call it a promise for a reason,” says Geoff Green, the CEO of the Santa Barbara City College Foundation. “This is a commitment we are making in perpetuity.” The initiative has been a resounding success. It has dramatically increased the number of local students enrolled full-time at SBCC, which research shows leads to higher rates of completion and transfer to four-year colleges. In addition, SBCC Promise students’ average GPA stands above a 3.0. And with student debt hitting a whopping $1.7 trillion, what the SBCC Foundation has managed to do here is a template for the nation – a fact that the White House took notice of in 2016 when the SBCC Promise received national recognition upon its launch.
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“A century ago, America had a serious debate about whether universal public high school was even necessary” Green says. “One hundred years later and it is clear that for the vast majority of people, high school isn’t enough.” For SBCC graduate Leslie Marin, the Promise made it possible for her to be the first person in her family to attend and graduate from college. After the Promise, she transferred to the University of California, Santa Barbara on a full scholarship where she has a 3.7 GPA. “[The SBCC Promise] took a huge financial burden off my shoulders and my parents’ shoulders,” Marin says. “I wouldn’t have been able to go to college right after high school; I would have had to take a couple semesters off to pay for tuition and supplies.” This is but one example of how the SBCC Foundation stands up for its students. When COVID-19 hit, the Foundation distributed more than $2 million in emergency grants to 2,335 students in a mere three weeks to help them stay enrolled and moving forward even as stay-athome orders were creating a wave of unemployment. “So many of our students tend to live at the economic margins,” Green says. “It was our obligation when the pandemic hit to provide a bridge until other support became available.”
Supporting SBCC Runs in the Family
“I
grew up with Santa Barbara City College as a part of my world. My father was a trustee for 28 years, and a co-founder of the SBCC Foundation. As an adult, I have continued to support SBCC through the SBCC Foundation as a board member, volunteer, and donor for more than 15 years. SBCC profoundly changes lives and you can’t put a price on that. Those of us who have seen what an SBCC education can do, and have a way to help, have a duty to do so. It transforms the lives of our students, their families, and makes our community stronger.”
– Kandy Luria-Budgor
Board Member, Volunteer, and Donor
The SBCC Promise in Action
“I
’m from a low-income household, and free college through the SBCC Promise was so helpful. So much growth has happened here – I am grateful to all of my professors, counselors, and the resources at SBCC that have provided support and direction, enabling me to pursue my dreams.”
– Jenny Nnoli
SBCC Alumna now attending U.C. Berkeley
The Students Come First
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n the days and weeks following the onset of the COVID-19 crisis, the SBCC Foundation moved into high gear to provide more than $2 million of emergency aid. When asked how the Foundation was able to do this, CEO Geoff Green explained that they had dipped into their reserves – to the tune of $1.5 million – and raised an additional $500,000. When it mattered most, the Foundation did what it always does: put the students first, even if this meant making a huge financial stretch at the onset of a crisis that will have long-term economic effects. Given the incredible impact of its work, and its selflessness in a time of crisis, please consider supporting the SBCC Foundation today.
SBBC Foundation’s Supporters Laurie Ashton, J.D. Sarah de Tagyos Roger Durling Stan Fishman Edward “Ted” Friedel Mike Giles Jane Habermann
Perri Harcourt Len Jarrott Morrie Jurkowitz Steve Lew Kandy Luria-Budgor Sara Miller McCune Pedro Paz, Ph.D. Michelle Lee Pickett, J.D.
Jeff Pittman Wendy Read, J.D. Maryan Schall Frank Schipper Suzi Schomer Herbert & Bui Simon Frank Tabar N. Scott Vincent
SBCC Foundation
www.sbccfoundation.org Geoff Green, CEO | (805) 730-4411
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Santa Barbara’s Recipe for Academic Success
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he Santa Barbara Education Foundation is not your normal nonprofit supporting students. Rather it is like an educational Robin Hood, matching donors with students who need it most. Students like Antonña Mollo. During her freshman year, Mollo’s mother died of an overdose and her father was sentenced to 12 years in jail. “I grew up so angry at the world, constantly asking ‘why me?’” Mollo says. “Gangs and violence became my sense of peace. My crazy life spread through the halls at school, and for once I was placed in a program that was meant for me.” That place was the Academy for Success, a program developed by Dos Pueblos High School Math Teacher Kelly Choi. When some of her students weren’t showing up to class, Choi took the time to ask why. Some were hungry, while many others, like Mollo, had turbulent home lives. The program identifies struggling students in the 9th grade. Instead of taking courses from different teachers year to year, students stay with the same cohort of students and a team of teachers to take the classes they need to graduate. And the group “becomes a family,” says Margie Yahyavi, executive director
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of the Santa Barbara Education Foundation. With additional mental health services and counseling, the students flourish: there is a 95% reduction in disciplinary action; 98% of Academy students graduate high school; and 92% enroll in some type of post-secondary education. But this is only one of many programs that Yahyavi and the Education Foundation’s generous donors support. The nonprofit raises private funds to assist students in three ways: funding programs like Academy for Success developed within Santa Barbara Unified schools by faculty or administration; supporting outside programs that want to work within the schools; and finally by sustaining programs that the Education Foundation developed themselves. Yahyavi is particularly proud of the work the Foundation is doing to ensure that vulnerable students stay on track through long summer months. “We are tackling summer learning loss with our robust summer programs,” she says. With nearly 60 percent of southern Santa Barbara County’s students enrolled in the Santa Barbara Unified School District, giving to the Education Foundation is one of the most clear-cut ways to lift up educational outcomes for the community as a whole.
Expanding Students’ Cultural Horizons
“I
admire the Santa Barbara Education Foundation because of their work to provide empowering resources to students, especially those often underserved. I founded the Léni Fé Bland Performing Arts Fund with SBEF so that all students would have the opportunity to attend live theater. Today, students kindergarten through 12th grade are visiting our historic downtown theaters. Imagine, a senior in high school attended his first live play – The “late” Léni Fé Bland, 2013 and loved it! I’m so grateful to SBEF. Together, we ensure our students have powerful and exciting experiences and exposure to the performing arts.”
– Sara Miller McCune Sara Miller McCune, 2015
Bridging the Digital Divide
E
ven before the pandemic, Santa Barbara Education Foundation Executive Director Margie Yahyavi had heard that the parking lots around Santa Barbara schools were full at night. Why? Parents without Internet were driving their kids to pick up the school’s Wi-Fi so they could do homework. With students forced online to learn during the pandemic, the digital divide has shown even more stark. The Education Foundation jumped into action, raising funds so that internet accounts and hotspots could be set up and noise reducing headphones are provided – making education accessible to the thousands of lower income students who need it. But, as Yahyavi points out, this is a problem that won’t go away. “How are kids supposed to learn without access to Wi-Fi after this is all over?” she says. “How can they be competitive without having the information available over the Internet?” To help meet the demands today and tomorrow, please make a donation at: www.sbefoundation.org/donate.
Antonña Gives Back
“M
y grades went from all F’s and a GPA of 0.0 to graduating Dos Pueblos High School with a 4.0 and getting a $10,000 scholarship to attend a CSU. I had never even imagined myself graduating high school let alone going to college. The Academy for Success completely changed my life and I’ll forever be grateful for that. Proudly, I’m in my last year of school at Santa Barbara City College and have been interning with the Academy for Success the past four years in hopes to spread the same hope the program provided for me.”
– Antonña Mollo
Academy for Success Student
Champions of Educational Achievement Ed & Sue Birch Daniel & Mandy Hochman Jim Kearns Sara Miller McCune Joni Meisel Nick Rail Maryan Schall
Jack Mithun & Mercedes Millington - Mithun Family Foundation Walter J. and Holly O. Thomson Foundation Elaine F. Stepanek Foundation James S. Bower Foundation Santa Barbara Foundation Wood-Claeyssens Foundation
Santa Barbara Education Foundation
www.santabarbaraeducation.org Margie Yahyavi, Executive Director | (805) 284-9125
Towbes Foundation Jon Clark Daniel Meisel Jeffrey Milem, Dean, - Gevirtz Graduate School of Education, UCSB Hutton Parker Foundation Tim Cunningham - John L. Carleton Foundation Steven Glikbarg - William & Charlene Glikbarg Foundation
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Learning, Naturally
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anessa Scarlett, the science specialist at Montecito Union School, bubbles with excitement at the plans for a 2.5-acre parcel of land adjacent to the school’s bucolic campus. Over the next two years, the raw space will be transformed into the Nature Lab replete with a pond, plant beds, and even some chickens. For the elementary schoolers the lab will provide both unstructured play and rare opportunities to integrate their learning. Scarlett gives the example of students building owl boxes. First the students would model their designs in the Innovation Lab, and then use the CNC laser cutter to make those designs a reality. Once installed, they could take motion detecting cameras from the Science Lab and study whether the owls used the boxes and if so, how often. “There are these two important parts of the Nature Lab,” Scarlett says. “Giving kids freedom in a space that is so magical, and being there with intent and purpose.” “Research has shown for decades that people learn best by doing. It’s not by sitting and listening to a lecture, or reading a book. It is about doing.” For Montecito Union’s Superintendent, Anthony Ranii, the Na-
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ture Lab is a critical piece of ensuring his students are ready to make positive contributions in a fast changing world. “When our students become adults, the most complex problems they will have to face stand at the intersections between nature and technology,” Ranii says. “Climate change, wildfires, disease control, waste management, water conservation: all of these require both facility with technology and a deep knowledge of the natural world.” The organizing force behind the Nature Lab is the Montecito Union School Foundation (MUSF), the school’s charitable arm comprised primarily of parents. The foundation has invested $200,000 in the project thus far, and is looking to raise an additional $400,000 to get it done. Not only will this latest amelioration further cement Montecito Union School’s status as one of the nation’s premier public schools, but also it promises to seed generations of problem-solving youngsters with deep knowledge of the natural world. “The world is counting on our students to develop these skills to solve the most complex problems in the world today,” Ranii says.
Science specialist Vanessa Scarlett installing 3rd grade hummingbird feeders in the school garden. “We used a motion sensor camera to capture images of hummingbirds using the feeders to determine the effectiveness of our designs.“
Naming Rights It’s all about Science
“T
he Nature Lab provides children at MUS an opportunity to not only advance the cause of STEAM learning, but it also lets them get a little dirty! That’s how you really learn. Our community’s children are our most important asset. Contributing to their education and appreciation of our natural world is a very solid investment.”
O
ver the next two years, MUSF will build a gathering space called the Collaboratory, a farm, pond, and paths throughout, and is offering naming rights to help them reach their fundraising goal. 2020/21 Foundation President Tara Fergusson believes that “a strong Montecito Union is a strong Montecito”. You can contact her directly at President@MUSFoundation.com or (847)508-3374 to learn more details.
- Buck Joffrey, MD
Host of the Wealth Formula Podcast and the father of three MUS girls - donated the funds last spring for construction of the Joffrey Bridge connecting the school to the Nature Lab.
Friends of MUSF Alan Moelleken Spine & Orthopedic Center Bank of America Bunnin Chevrolet The Hermann Family Lisa and Thomas Jackson The Jenkins Family Buck Joffrey
Litchfield Builders Lizzie and Brent Peus Mesa Burger Montecito Bank and Trust Rideau Vineyard Jamie and Christopher Simon The Stoll Family Wealth Formula Podcast The Wight Family
Montecito Union School Foundation www.musfoundation.com Tara Fergusson | (847) 508-3374
Students and staff have found creative ways to use the Nature Lab space while it is under development
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www.thegivinglist.com
The Empowerers “You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”
– Jane Goodall
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“These goals of supporting our Santa Barbara community while seeking advances for the larger world around us are not mutually exclusive.�
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Finding a Community of Giving
A
s philanthropists, it is our view that wealth is both a blessing and a responsibility. We have been most fortunate to be blessed with bounty in our lives and believe that it is our moral obligation to share this bounty by giving. For us, wealth creates a sacred trust to be put to use in helping to repair our world in impactful ways to improve the lives of others and hopefully advance our human condition through our efforts in giving. Growing up, both of us experienced financial strains and sometimes even hardships. We both know what it means to struggle and so can appreciate the struggles of others. We say “there but for the grace of God go I.” We established our Zegar Family Foundation thirteen years ago as the primary vehicle through which we make gifts to others. The mission of our foundation is “to give back by improving the larger world around us and the lives of others where our gifts can yield meaningful tangible impact for a better world.” Over the years, our areas of giving have evolved and we now concentrate our giving efforts in two key focus areas – Environment and Sustainability as well as Justice and Human Rights. Yet other core values remain important to us such as arts and culture, health, education, and helping those in need especially in the community around us. Thus, when we bought our home here in Montecito six years ago, we were determined to become involved in local philanthropy and set about to learn more. With so many local not-for-profits per capita (and without the aid of this terrific philanthropy giving book guide you now have) we turned to Charity Navigator and found the highly rated Direct Relief.
Inspired by the work of Direct Relief, we not only made a grant to contribute to constructing their much needed new building, but also offered a challenge match which helped spur the capital campaign forward. By doing so, we not only helped Direct Relief, but this gift opened doors for us into the Santa Barbara giving community. We met numerous other philanthropists and good people who remain our friends to this day. From there, we began to learn of a broad range of other giving opportunities, for example, ranging from our next capital contribution made to MOXI, an educational children’s museum then being constructed, to supporting Pacific Pride’s LGBTQ programs to assisting the services of Girls Inc. for local girls by providing a grant for a new position to helping to fund performing arts at our beautiful, iconic Granada Theatre. Over the years here, we have been active caring members of the Santa Barbara giving community, stepping up to help those in need following the Montecito mudslides two and a half years ago and more recently giving multiple grants for COVID relief. Our community philanthropy and commitment is in addition to the philanthropic focus of our foundation with which we try to make change and have impact on a potentially grander scale. These goals of supporting our Santa Barbara community while seeking advances for the larger world around us are not mutually exclusive. We are so happy to be part of this caring community in Santa Barbara. There are so many ways to help improve the world and give to the many in need. We hope that you too will find a path of giving that resonates and be inspired by this guide to give back in ways that you can! – Merryl Snow Zegar & Chuck Zegar
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A H a!
Creating a Community of Heroic Youth
TM
I
n April of 1999, two high school seniors walked onto the campus of Columbine High School in Colorado with semiautomatic weapons and proceeded to kill 12 of their classmates and one teacher. The tragedy sparked incredible action and lasting change 1,000 miles away in Santa Barbara. That summer two local therapists and educators – Jennifer Freed and Rendy Freedman – experimented with a mix of social-emotional learning and creative expression to show that it is much harder to harm someone if you know who they are. The pair and some very underpaid staff led 20 teenagers through a series of exercises that brought the group closer together. AHA! – Attitude, Harmony, Achievement – was born. With the novel mission of inspiring communities to feel safe, seen, celebrated, and emotionally connected, AHA! has – over its 22 years – steadily equipped teenagers and educators with socialemotional intelligence to dismantle apathy, prevent despair, and interrupt hate-based behavior. In 2008, Carpinteria High School was experiencing conflict between Latinos and White surfers. “The parents recognized that there needed to be some type of intervention,” says AHA! cofounder Jennifer Freed. That year, Freed, Freedman, and AHA!’s growing team of facilitators introduced a 10-week “seminar” that touched every Carpinteria High School freshman. AHA! staff visited freshman classrooms weekly, delivering a curriculum that focused on emotion management, prejudice reduction, empathy, celebration of difference, and compassion. Through small group discussions and exercises, AHA! facilitators knitted classrooms and campuses together to improve climate and reduce ostracism and bullying. The results were stunning, as they have been everywhere AHA!
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on“Wthe Double Dolphin Attitude. Harmony. e wereAchievement. searching for a youth group to support, and AHA! is stellar. It exactly exemplifies and fulfills what we had in our minds. I’ve seen a lot of programs across the country, and I’ve rarely seen one with AHA!’s level of traction, track record, and understanding of how to support young people in being their most whole, best selves.”
– Jennifer Buffett, Co-President, NoVo Foundation
has set up shop since. Suspensions went down by 70%, students’ feeling of hope jumped up by 50%, and test scores increased by an average of 11%. “The only thing that breaks down prejudice is getting to know people,” Freed says. “It’s all about getting to know the person next to you instead of staring straight ahead.” In two decades, AHA! has brought social-emotional learning to 25,000 students throughout Santa Barbara and Carpinteria middle and high schools, while training 2,000 educators and supporting 2,500 parents. Every year, the organization steadily provides in- and afterschool programming to more than 2,000 young people, while training upwards of 350 area educators and scores of bilingual parents and guardians. The result: armies of young people equipped with the social and emotional intelligence to dismantle racism while creating harmony in their communities and inside themselves.
a!
Mid-year Conference 2020 Testimonials
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s
“T
he advent of distance learning has made our partnership [with AHA!] more vital and impactful than ever. I am delighted at how easily and naturally the in-person activities translate to the virtual setting. As a participant, I felt motivated and engaged… it was easy to be open and genuine with the students. It says a lot that both myself and the students were able to cross those invisible social boundaries and experience a sense of openness and connection.”
e 2020
arly Otness
– Ryan Sportel, Dean of Student Engagement,
Goleta Valley Junior High School
“A
HA! taught me so much from 8th grade up until the end of senior year. From being an introverted kid suffering from anxiety, suppressing my emotions because of being raised by a toxic father figure, I learned to socialize and communicate better with my peers and conquer one of my biggest fears (singing in front of hundreds of people). I’ve grown mentally, finding coping mechanisms that actually work and being able to freely express myself creatively. It’s an amazing program that has the potential to bring the best out of everyone.”
Giving Opportunities
– Miguel Rodriguez
now facilitator on staff
THE BEST PART of giving to AHA! is that all donations go to direct services thanks to one longtime supporter who covers operational expenses! • $5,000 provides AHA! after-school and summer groups for five youths for one year, averaging six to eight hours per week per youth with experienced mentors and facilitators • $10,000 provides three months of Littlest Little Farm programming for 16 youths • $20,000 provides 12 Hero Assemblies to schools (2,700+ students served), inspiring positive attitudes, safe communities, and brave contributions • $25,000+ enables AHA! to offer one school a customized Peace Builders curriculum emphasizing empathy, agency, and kindness and serving up to 40 students for the full school year • $30,000+ enables AHA! to offer one school in-school Freshman programming to develop social-emotional skills and social responsibility, serving 150+ students over the full school year
Friends of AHA!
AH a! TM
Peace Builders
Mid-year Conference 2020
Photos: Carly Otness
Attitude, Harmony, Achievement www.ahasb.org | (805) 770-7200
Lisa and Bryan Babcock Susan Budinger Jennifer and Peter Buffett Lucy Firestone Mary Firestone Lisa Foley Kerrilee and Martin Gore Nancy Grinstein and Neal Rabin Karen and Bayard Hollins Kristin Kirby
Beryl and Neil Kreisel Jill Martin Nora McNeely Hurley and Michael Hurley Natalie Orfalea and Lou Buglioli Marla McNally Phillips and Lee Phillips Stacy and Ron Pulice Justine Roddick and Tina Schlieske Rand Rosenberg Susan and Bobby Shand Norm Waitt
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Girls Take the Lead B
y her sophomore year of high school, Sarahi Larios Cruz had already experienced family disruption, racism and systemic inequity, but she chose the “path of most resistance” focusing on overcoming these challenges and limitations to create the future she envisions for herself. Key throughout her journey has been her confidence and resilience, which she cultivated at Girls Inc.’s Goleta Valley Teen Center where she spent almost every weekday from 2:45 - 6:00 PM. “Girls Inc. is a place of independence, support, respect and opportunity,” Larios Cruz said during the Girls Inc. 2019 Celebration Luncheon. “At Girls Inc. I am at home. It is a place I am excited to go to, and a place I don’t want to leave.” And while the space itself is “home,” it is the Girls Inc. staff – many of whom are Latina like Sarahi – that serve as her “extended family” and make her experience so transformational. In fall of 2019, Larios Cruz was selected as one of 12 teens to serve on the National Girls Inc. Teen Advocacy Council where she advises the national organization’s public policy team about the issues facing girls and teens in their respective communities. With the leadership skills she has developed from the experience, attending college is not even a question for Larios Cruz after she graduates in 2021. For CEO Barbara Ben-Horin, the strength of young women like Larios Cruz is the whole reason why Girls Inc. exists. When girls have tools and opportunities, they change their own circumstances and they also change the circumstances of others around them. “The girls are not victims, they are powerful,” Ben-Horin says. “We want them to take their power and their voices into the
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world and make their mark as leaders.” To do that, Girls Inc. uses its two facilities in downtown Santa Barbara and in Goleta to serve as many as 1,500 girls and teens every year. The programming is developed around the three words that capture the group’s mission: inspiring all girls to be strong, smart, and bold. Strong (healthy) programs are aimed at health and wellness. Smart (educated) programs focus on academic enrichment and literacy and developing girls’ interests in pursuing STEM. Bold (independent) programs cultivate girls’ social and emotional intelligence and teach girls – many of whom grow up in underresourced communities – to break through gender bias to create their place as powerful leaders as adults. These programs focus on areas such as economic literacy, leadership, civic engagement, and advocacy. After nine years at Girls Inc., Larios Cruz is the embodiment of Girls Inc.’s mission – confidently shaping her own path forward, and ready to take the lead.
“I
Creating New Paths to Serve Girls and Teens
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irls Inc. is dedicated to making its vision of empowered girls in an equitable society a reality for all families in the Santa Barbara community and beyond. CEO Barbara Ben-Horin and her staff share three goals for Girls Inc. programs: • To expand program delivery beyond the walls of the organization’s centers, serving girls and teens in schools, at community centers, and through other social sector strategic partnerships in Santa Barbara; • To expand its outreach geographically to make programming available and accessible in underserved areas throughout Santa Barbara County; • To ultimately offer programming free of charge to all girls and teens and their families. With a $7 million investment, the organization can clear the existing mortgage on its Goleta Valley Center, fund its endowment to support operations during the transition to a no-fee service model, and fund multiple start-up and satellite programs locally and in North County to serve a greater number of youth with impact.
Girls Inc. of Greater Santa Barbara https://girlsincsb.org | (805) 963-4757 of Greater Santa Barbara
share Girls Inc.’s vision of empowered girls in an equitable society, and support their work to encourage girls to learn and pursue higher education and careers in the science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) fields, in which women are widely underrepresented. Girls Inc. offers a pro-girl environment, mentoring relationships, and programs designed to encourage girls to break gender stereotypes and see the world of opportunity that awaits them. A Girls Inc. girl understands the importance of life-long learning and leadership, work-force readiness, creativity, and solid life-skills.”
– Lynda Weinman
Friends of Girls Inc. - Audrey and Tim Fisher - Stefanie and David Jackson - The Mithun Family Foundation, John C. Mithun Foundation, Mercedes Millington and Jack Mithun - Dr. Nancy O’Reilly, Women Connect4Good Foundation - Stina Hans and Joel Kreiner - She is Beautiful - Zora and Les Charles - Marcia and John Mike Cohen - Merryl and Chuck Zegar - Marsha Kotlyar
- Kathy and Mike McCarthy, Nurture Cottage Foundation - Leo and Melinda Bunnin, Bunnin Chevrolet Cadillac - Sarah and Roger Chrisman, Schlinger Chrisman Foundation - Perri Harcourt - Tracy and Stuart Jenkins - Margo Baker Barbakow and Jeff Barbakow - Claudette and Jim Roehrig - Ann Daniel - Deckers Outdoor Corporation - R. Chad* and Ginni Dreier
* Deceased
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Empowered Leaders
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onprofit leaders make it their personal mission to serve others, and in doing so, too often lose sight of themselves. Burnout or worse, anemic leadership, results in ineffective nonprofits that don’t do what they were built to do: uplift the community. Five years into his tenure as the first staff and executive director of the Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition, Ed France was drained. “I was out of energy,” he says. “I was just done.” But there was an intervention: Leading From Within – a nonprofit itself – bent on fostering “a dynamic network of publicminded leaders who know each other, trust each other, and are better able to work together to improve our communities.” Founded in 2008, Leading From Within has delivered four intensive programs aimed at building up executives, mid-level staff, nonprofit volunteers, and those interested in community impact to more than 500 social sector leaders. France took part in the group’s 18-month Courage to Lead program, where expert facilitators led him and other nonprofit executives through group sessions, poetry readings, and journaling all aimed at reinvigoration. “The program reconnected me with why I was doing the work,” France says. “It rekindled my passion.” The results were undeniable. In short order, the bike coalition
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raised enough money to buy a building, set up centers at Santa Barbara City College and in Santa Maria all while launching programs in local elementary schools. The experience was so vital to France’s professional growth that he decided to join Leading From Within as its executive director in 2020. Beyond his own personal growth, France points to the unparalleled nonprofit network that Leading From Within has developed in its 12 years, and that network’s capacity to respond to any crisis that affects the community. “Empowered leaders who build relationships of trust can collaborate for much more meaningful change,” France says. As France sees it, investing in local leaders ensures that Santa Barbara County’s rising stars stay bright, and their nonprofits work together to make the community stronger.
“O
ur local nonprofit organizations are an integral part of the fabric that makes Santa Barbara special. Leading From Within provides the critical training that enables the talented and passionate people who lead those organizations to continually increase their effectiveness. I donate to Leading From Within so that more of our dedicated nonprofit leaders are able to have access to its excellent programs.”
– Maryan Schall
Champions of Leading From Within Santa Barbara Foundation Angell Foundation Schwartz Family Foundation Mosher Foundation Natalie Orfalea Foundation & Lou Buglioli Jo & Ken Saxon Ann Jackson Family Foundation James S. Bower Foundation The Towbes Foundation Maryan Schall
Linked Foundation Mary & Jim Morouse McCune Foundation Henry E and Lola Monroe Foundation Montecito Bank & Trust Steve Glikbarg Carrie & Mike Randolph Anonymous Regina & Rick Rooney Pajadoro Family Foundation
Leading From Within
What Impact Will My Gift Have? $5,000 – Fully invest in transformative work by sponsoring a social sector leader in one of our programs. $2,500 – Offset the cost of a leadership program that promotes professional and personal growth of rising social sector leaders. $1,000 – Provide new learning material and resources for our alumni communities committed to self growth. $500 – Support our Leader Circles of peer learning within our network built on deep and intimate trust.
“P
rior to Courage to Lead, I felt like an island but now I feel like an archipelago, surrounded by very strong colleagues that are a form of support, resource and advice. Not only did it give me this incredible time for self reflection, the biggest contribution is the Leaders circle. It has been 3 years since we have graduated from Courage to Lead but we still get together at least once a month. It’s a gift that keeps on giving.”
www.leading-from-within.org Ed France, Executive Director | (805) 203-6940
– Roger Durling
Executive Director Santa Barbara international Film Festival
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Uniting the Boys & Girls Clubs D
uring 2020, when so many of us were hunkering down as COVID-19 turned our lives upside down, two Santa Barbara nonprofit leaders were busy formulating the best way to serve children, youth, and families. Quietly, in early 2020, both Boards, especially board presidents David Bolton and Tony Vallejo along with their executive committees, had a series of meetings to discuss merger details and came to an agreement. In one deft move, the pair and both Board of Directors had unified 11 Santa Barbara Boys & Girls clubs under one banner, giving all the county’s children, teens, and their families safe places to learn and grow. Laurie Leis, who recently wrote a dissertation on nonprofit mergers, understood that the merger of the 80-plus-year-old club she ran downtown with United’s 10 others including Carpinteria, Lompoc, and Buellton satisfied both agencies’ double bottom line. “Let’s just look at the mission,” she says. “It’s going to be better for the kids.” And by combining administrative costs, donors know that more of their donations go straight to programs and children. For CEO Michael Baker, a 32-year veteran of Boys & Girls Clubs on the East and West Coast, the move was all about “breaking barriers” for the young people who rely on the clubs every day. “The reason young people get into trouble and join gangs is that they are surrounded by it in many of the communities we serve, it breeds territorialism” he says. “With clubs all over the county, we can break those barriers down and bring kids that would otherwise not meet together.” For the families – Santa Barbara’s essential worker workforces – the benefit is undeniable. Parents pay $40 a year for five days a week of after school care and access to the clubs on Saturdays. That is 19 cents a day, Leis says. That helps working parents stay working and ensures the children are adequately supervised. “We give those kids a chance to become who they were meant to be. That’s our motto.” Leis and Baker are excited about 2021. Combined they have become the model for youth serving agencies, and plan to reach 5,000 children, youth, and families. Both board chairs are pleased: Board President Tony Vallejo says: “The merger between our two great organizations has allowed us to streamline operations so that we are able to use our resources more efficiently. In the short time we have been merged we are already seeing success even in these trying times and I am confident that this will continue!” Vice President David Bolton, and former BGCSB Board President, says: “Bringing two organizations together, especially in these times, helps to reduce combined operational costs which translates to more resources for the kids of our community. As one, all of our clubs are stronger. And, as one, our kids are truly the ones that will benefit most.”
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A Place to Be a Kid
“F
or me, UBGC wasn’t a place to go because I had nowhere else to go. The problem was, that a lot of the kids in the neighborhood back then were getting into trouble; where I was more into school and sports. The Club provided me with a playground, literally. I was able to go and be a kid without any worries. It was also a place where my parents knew I would be OK. I didn’t have to worry about getting jumped, or feeling pressure of being in a gang… I only had to worry about being a kid. That, for me, meant everything!”
– Marcos Alvaro, Vice President Private Client Banker and Westside Boys & Girls Club Alumnus
Uniting Makes us Stronger
Ever More Efficient
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ow truly united, the United Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Barbara are bent on ensuring that every dollar given is spent directly on programs and the young people engaged in them. To get there, they need your help, and as with their merger have a clear plan. The organization needs to build a $5 million endowment, which the annual earnings would underwrite the entire organizational administrative cost annually so that 100% of any donation made would go directly into program services. Please reach out to Laurie Leis directly at (805) 681-1315.
“H
aving the word ‘United’ in their name is highly appropriate and deserving of United Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Barbara County! The 11 clubs located throughout the county are quick to react to issues and support solutions affecting club members and their families. Uniting is what has always made us stronger. United Boys & Girls Clubs teaches our children that uniting behind strong character, academic success and supporting each other in these goals results in a safe and healthy community. I am a proud alumni of our local Boys & Girls Clubs!”
– Thomas C. Parker
President, Hutton Parker Foundation
Just some of the Adults supporting United Boys & Girls Clubs Anne Towbes Palmer Jackson Jr. Jeff and Judy Henley Dr. Carol Del Ciello Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians Bill and Christine Wilson Monte and Maria Wilson Michael and Misty Hammer Scott Linde Virgil Elings
Paul and Jane Orfalea Alan Porter Angel and Frankie Martinez Angel and Lisa Iscovich Dana Newquist Tim & Louise Casey Pat Van Every Gerald (decd.) & April Thede Norman Armour Anthony Gomez
United Boys & Girls of Santa Barbara County
www.unitedbg.org Laurie L. Leis, Executive Vice President of Advancement | (805) 681-1315
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Women, a Smart Investment W
omen’s Economic Ventures (WEV) was founded in 1991 when women earned 56 cents for every dollar earned by a man. A male college graduate earned almost twice as much as a female college graduate. Women weren’t routinely viewed as managers or executives, let alone entrepreneurs. There were only a handful of organizations in the entire country devoted to helping women start businesses. WEV was a pioneer in the arena. Fast forward to 2020. WEV has provided business training and consulting to more than 17,500 women and men throughout Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, and made over $6 million in loans to local businesses. More than 5,000 businesses have started or grown with WEV’s help, creating or sustaining an estimated 9,400 local jobs. And for those interested in ROI, every dollar spent on WEV results in $12 in tax revenue and jobs created. Small business owners have grown to depend on WEV not only to learn how to write a business plan or secure a loan, but to find a community that encourages and supports them in their personal and business growth. If you are invested in creating a better world for your children and grandchildren and are concerned about the economic stability of our country in general, then you should be interested in women’s entrepreneurship and women’s leadership. The cost of not caring is enormous. A seminal 2015 study by McKinsey & Company found that the global economy would grow by $28 trillion by 2025 if women reached parity with men in the workforce. That’s $7.5 trillion more than U.S. GDP. If macroeconomics doesn’t tug at your heartstrings, think local quality of life. “WEV is helping to create a pipeline of sustainable entrepreneurs who build businesses that are the heart of our communities,” CEO Kathy Odell says. “The businesses we rely on daily for fresh juice, dry cleaning, childcare, staying healthy and fit, personal care services, dining out – businesses that enable our prized lifestyle.” Now that is something worth investing in.
Pay it Forward
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Reyna Chavez, Scrubs On The Run
Christine Brown, Kind Cup
Jennifer Walsh, Mesa Produce
Gloria Sanchez & Ruben Mendoza, Clean Planet Smog Check and Auto Repairs
omen’s business ownership is about more than jobs and benefits, economic growth and profits. It is about freedom and options, security – and human potential. It is about empowering women to dream big dreams, to act on a bigger stage, to become leaders. WEV’s League of Extraordinary Women brings together an influential and collaborative group of high achieving women leaders who are inspired to combine their efforts and resources to help strengthen women-owned businesses and elevate women in our community. League members are successful role models and mentors who, combined with WEV’s programs, help women develop the confidence, skills, and financial security to become leaders in their business and community – and pay it forward to the next generation of women. Make an impact. Join the League of Extraordinary Women. Call Kate MacNaughton at 805.908.0091 or visit www.wevonline.org/theleague to join.
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“I
’ve been a proud supporter of WEV for more than 20 years. As a serial entrepreneur, I understand the challenges that business owners face. And, as a Santa Barbara resident, I appreciate the vibrancy and jobs that WEV businesses bring to the community. When I support WEV, I know that I am empowering the women and minorities that operate my favorite neighborhood businesses. I invite you to get to know WEV’s clients and invest in them wholeheartedly.”
– Gail Zannon
Charlotte Andersen, The Andersen’s Danish Bakery & Restaurant
Juliana Ramirez, JR Bookkeeping
Sabine Dodane, Rêves de Sabine
WEV appreciates the generous support of our Board of Directors and League of Extraordinary Women. We are also proud to recognize the following generous partners: Alice Tweed Tuohy Foundation Dianne and Robert Duva Jean Kaplan Ruth Kovacs Linda Lorenzen Hutton Parker Foundation Lynda Nahra Maryan Schall Santa Barbara Better Together Fund, a committee advised fund at the Santa Barbara Foundation Santa Barbara Foundation Tana Sommer-Belin Lynne Tahmisian The Tomchin Family Foundation The Towbes Foundation Ventura County Community Foundation Zegar Family Foundation
Pippa Baker-Rabe, Pippa’s Print Shop
“W
Martha Cantos, Ecugreen
Jessica Baggarly,
Tinkle Belle Diaper Service
EV played a critical role in helping us open our cheese shop in 2003 and ever since we have had a strong relationship with them. When the Thomas Fire came through, WEV was instrumental in helping us and our entire community. They quickly and seamlessly stepped in and acted as a de facto small business triage center, bringing all concerned parties to the table to coordinate assistance and disseminate important information. Through it all WEV has demonstrated their commitment to improving our community by helping small business.”
Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV)
– Michael & Kathryn Graham
Cheese Shop Santa Barbara
www.wevonline.org Kathy Odell, CEO | (805) 689-4739
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www.thegivinglist.com
The Equity Advocates “I wish I could say that racism and prejudice were only distant memories. We must dissent from the indifference. We must dissent from the apathy. We must dissent from the fear, the hatred and the mistrust... We must dissent because America can do better, because America has no choice but to do better.�
– Thurgood Marshall
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Better Together
How Deckers Brands Exemplifies Values-Driven Giving by Emily Heckman
H
ow many international corporations do you know that pay their employees to engage in volunteering in their local communities? Deckers Brands – a lifestyle and footwear company – does, and it was one of the employee perks that draws global talent to the company – and keeps it there. Encouraging its own community members to invest their time in giving back to the community is just one of the core corporate values that sets Deckers Brands apart, when it comes to building strong, collaborative philanthropic relationships throughout Santa Barbara County and beyond.
Values to Live By
“A
t Deckers, we strive to be a model for what a public company looks like both in terms of financial responsibility and corporate responsibility,” says Dave Powers,
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President and CEO of Deckers Brands. “Focusing on doing the right thing is part of our corporate DNA, and we know that in good times and bad, engaging with the Santa Barbara nonprofit community, and encouraging our employees to do the same, makes us all the stronger as a company and community member.” “Since our founding, we’ve been committed to supporting and partnering with organizations that focus on at-risk youth, education, the environment, and families. Most recently we’re also supporting organizations that focus on social and racial justice and diversity and inclusion,” says Michelle Apodaca, Director of Deckers Gives & Board Administration. The company is also committed to making significant change, in real-time, and is able to fearlessly pivot when needed because of its values-driven philosophy of giving. As soon as Covid-19 brought the U.S. and the Santa Barbara economies to a standstill in March 2020, Deckers sprang into
Underpinning all of Deckers’ philanthropic initiatives is the desire to set the standard for corporate giving by modeling successful long-term collaborations with organizations that share their values and are committed to helping the Santa Barbara community thrive. Dave Powers, President and CEO of Deckers Brands
action by establishing the Santa Barbara Better Together fund. “We created SB Better Together with the goal of providing grants to small local businesses so they could stay afloat.” Apodaca explains. “We saw so clearly that we were in uncharted territory with the pandemic and we sensed that it would be a long road to recovery. We partnered with the Santa Barbara Foundation, provided an initial gift of $500,000. Our first grant out of the gate was to Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV), a local nonprofit that focuses on launching and funding small businesses, and which was offering emergency Covid relief loans. We saw this as a way to fuel the engine of local recovery by supporting an organization that raises up entrepreneurs and new businesses. Then the Santa Barbara Foundation reached out to local municipalities to tell them about SB Better Together and they agreed to match our commitment and join the fund. The endowment doubled and to date, we’ve distributed more than $1 million to local small businesses, with the goal that those funds will help those businesses successfully navigate the pandemic and survive.” Another Covid-19 inspired initiative involves donating footwear to frontline workers across the country. To date, Deckers has put more than 5,000 pairs of shoes on the feet of essential workers, with no intention of stopping anytime soon. Locally, the Deckers Gives Team has watched as the pandemic has exacerbated ongoing problems like food insecurity, educational and technology insecurity, and domestic violence – at a time when so many of our children were already at risk. Deckers responded by strengthening its relationships with those organizations who are actively addressing these problems with the urgency the pandemic has brought with it.
Sustainability is Key
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hen looking for organizations to partner with, sustainability is another value that is key. Deckers is drawn to organizations that are highly rated by Charity Navigator and GuideStar, two of the gold-star charity evaluators. “We want to see financial accountability and transparency, as well as the positive impact their work has on the community,” Apodaca shares, “and we want to see that their programs are resilient and sustainable.” Creating and maintaining sustainable manufacturing and sourcing practices is at the heart of the Deckers business model, too. “As a global leader in designing, manufacturing, and distributing innovative footwear, apparel, and accessories, our worldwide scope and impact is significant. We recognize that we need to do our part and be both socially and environmentally conscious. Part of our strategy for being environmentally responsible is reflected in our partnerships with organizations that are committed to environmental stewardship.”
Better Together
“P
hilanthropy is such an important part of Santa Barbara’s culture and history, and nonprofits play an indescribably important role in ensuring that we all keep moving toward an ideal where we can live by our highest values,” Apodaca says. “We partner with more than 140 local organizations who are dedicated to solving social problems and creating a more just and equitable community model. It’s all about collaboration, and from my vantage point, I see the ripple effect of the good work our community partners do, how working together has a multiplying effect on our efforts. “If there was ever a moment when the for-profit sector should step up their support of the non profit sector, it’s now – and Deckers is 100% committed to being there for the SB community while we get through these historically uncertain times. “I think we’ve all become incredibly aware of how much better everything is when we’re in it together,” says CEO and President Dave Powers. “Especially when times are tough: we know that being of service matters more than ever and Deckers is committed to being at the forefront of giving in order to keep our community strong.”
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His Dream is Still Alive A
s a young person in 1963, E. onja Brown got on a bus at W. 138th in Harlem bound for Washington, D.C., alone. Once there, she pushed her way up into the crowd assembled before the Lincoln Memorial to hear Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speak. “People would let me go past them, because I looked like a kid,” Brown Lawson says. She made her way to the edge of the platform where Dr. King would give his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. She was so close, in fact, that as she heard his words she reached up and held the hem of his coat. “I had never heard anyone that close to me speak like that,” Brown Lawson says. And when she, as a young black woman, was initially denied entry to the college of her choice because of the color of her skin, it was Dr. King’s voice that “carried” her “through the racism” she faced. Today, Ms. Brown Lawson is the President of Martin Luther King, Jr. Committee of Santa Barbara, a purely volunteer-run organization dedicated to fostering “positive relationships between the many diverse groups in the Santa Barbara Community and the surrounding areas; to sponsor programs and events which exemplify the teachings of Dr. King; and to observe and celebrate the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday.” The committee’s primary charge is producing four days of events across Isla Vista, Goleta, Santa Barbara, and the Santa Ynez Valley to celebrate the King holiday in January every year, since 2007. This year’s series of events included a kickoff at the eternal flame at the University of California, Santa Barbara, to celebrate Dr. King; the annual Unity March; and a culminating speech by civil rights icon and King contemporary Dr. James Lawson. Throughout the year, the committee works to ensure that Dr. King’s words and actions are known and contemplated by people across the community, particularly the young. For that reason, the MLK committee organizes an annual poetry and essay writing contest where elementary and high school students win cash prizes for poems and essays centered on a theme for the year, along with Dr. King’s life and teachings. Ms. Brown Lawson laments that the achievements of the Civil Rights era did not alleviate racism, but sees incredible hope in the young people the committee tries to connect to Dr. King’s legacy every day of the year. “Listening to his words that day gave me the courage and strength to persevere despite many obstacles,” Brown Lawson says. “And that is what I believe Dr. King can do for young people today… his voice, his passion, and his resolve is the essence of the kind of person he was and what he stood for. My hope is that the younger generation can understand how he is still relevant today.”
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“The ultimate measure of a person is not where they stand in moments of comfort and convenience, but where they stand at times of challenge and controversy.”
– Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The ‘First People of Santa Barbara’ Stand with MLKSB
“I
t’s a pleasure to work alongside the MLKSB Committee. They continue to recognize the First People of Santa Barbara, to remember that we all stand on unceded territories and our painful histories are forever intertwined. Our shared value of building community keeps us working together, with learning opportunities for our youth and advocacy opportunities for the protection of our people, lands, and waters. We look forward to continuing this relationship, not only for our communities, but for our entire community to be healthier and stronger together.”
– Mia Lopez
Mia Lopez, Tribal Representative and Former Tribal Chair, Coastal Band of the Chumash Nation
A Lot with A Little
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he Martin Luther King Jr. Committee of Santa Barbara is entirely volunteer-run. This means that Committee President E. onja Brown Lawson and her colleagues manage the production of major community events and ongoing programming alone – without any staff. In the near and long term, the committee has needs. Come January of 2021 and beyond, it will need technical assistance to pull off remote and in-person programming – or combinations thereof. But long term, Brown Lawson says, the committee needs and deserves a dedicated executive director and ongoing support. In a time when our communities need moral leadership more than ever before, The Martin Luther King, Jr. Committee of Santa Barbara is a sound, righteous investment.
‘Love, Respect, Equity’
Supporters of Dr. King’s Legacy Beverly and Hartley King Chris Hudley Isaac Garrett John and Nansie Douglas Anita Blume and Ken Ralph Juliet Betita Margie Bushman
Janet Reineck Sojourner Kincaid Rolle and Rod Rolle Betsy Shelby Annell and Earl Stewart Jacques Charles Toni and Tom Schultheis Linda Tyler Ryles
Guy Walker Beverly King Delvis Stoute Judi Weisbart Gary Atkins Rosalyn Collins Rabbi Steve Cohen Frances Moore
Martin Luther King, Jr. Committee of Santa Barbara www.mlksb.org E. onja Brown Lawson | (805) 259-5782
“T
he Martin Luther King, Jr. Committee of Santa Barbara takes responsibility for creating an awareness to the struggles for racial and social equality. As a founding board member, I can think of no other time in our history when the mission and work of MLKSB is as relevant and needed. By funding MLKSB you are making it possible for our children and community members to participate in programs which promote the mission of love, respect, equity, social responsibility, peace, and nonviolence.”
– JoAnne Mead Young
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PROUD
he first person with HIV that Kristin Flickinger met was a 12-year-old boy named Carter who attended her small town school in Idaho. Flickinger, who was named executive director of the Pacific Pride Foundation in 2020, remembers the small boy sitting on the cold metal benches in the lunchroom with a backpack full of medication. She didn’t know if she should be afraid of him. “When we started back the following fall, Carter was gone,” Flickinger says. “I learned a lot from Carter. I learned you can’t get HIV from a water fountain, and I learned that you can’t be friends with someone if you are afraid of them.” The nonprofit she now runs launched in 1976 as an addiction recovery program for LGBTQ+ people. When the HIV/AIDS epidemic struck the gay community, Pacific Pride pivoted to meet the unfolding crisis. For Flickinger, who oversaw the AIDS/LifeCycle event at the Los Angeles LGBT Center for more than seven years, the connection with HIV and the COVID-19 pandemic is visceral, and points to Pacific Pride’s unique capacity to serve those most in need. “We have been through a pandemic before, we know what it looks like,” the energetic leader says. “At a time when the LGBTQ community was suffering unimaginable loss, we came together to take care of each other.”
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Before and through the days of COVID-induced lockdowns, Pacific Pride was there not only for the LGBTQ community, but for Santa Barbara’s most marginalized as well. For LGBTQ+ youth in Santa Barbara, research shows that 45.4% seriously consider suicide. Under stay-at-home orders, these young people were particularly vulnerable, so Pacific Pride used the telephone and Zoom to bring 33% more teens into its PROUD Youth Group. The nonprofit also deploys a “health utility vehicle” to conduct HIV testing and needle exchanges for the opioid dependent across the county. For Flickinger and her dedicated team this is all about “promoting wellness throughout all of our programs,” whether individual counseling, therapy groups, or addiction services. “We are there for the folks who need us the most, when they need us the most,” she says. More than 30 years after Flickinger hesitated to make friends with a 12-year-old boy named Carter, she is now bold and proud to do whatever it takes to help those in Santa Barbara County that are too often overlooked, untouched, and left to themselves.
Partners in Pride
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or 45 years, Pacific Pride Foundation has been committed to ensuring a thriving, vibrant, and visible LGBTQ+ community in the Santa Barbara area. With the help of annual donors or “Partners in Pride,” PPF continues to provide critical services to individuals, through counseling, community education, and innovative programs for youth and seniors, as well as those who are impacted by HIV and Hep-C. Become a Partner in Pride today and you can also help to sustain PPF’s social programs such as the Pacific Pride Festival, and special events like the Royal Ball. Your strong commitment will ensure the continued success of a trusted community organization for decades to come.
Fostering Pride in Us All
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e at the Zegar Family Foundation are proud funders of Pacific Pride, not just for the much needed services provided to the LGBTQ community but for fostering Pride and Inclusivity for us all!”
– Chuck Zegar & Merryl Snow Zegar
Pacific Pride Foundation’s 2020 PROUD Prom with Ugg
Friends of Pacific Pride Foundation Ralph Barbosa, Board of Directors Vice Chair Michael & Tracy Bollag Emma Bridges Lynn Brown, Board of Directors Chair Merryl Brown, Merryl Brown Events Stephen Coyne, Board of Directors Treasurer Joyce E. Dudley, District Attorney Santa Barbara County Seyron Foo, Board of Directors Marc Normand Gelinas, Board of Directors
Mitchell & Lisa Green Tyson Halseth, Board of Directors Secretary Georgene Kennedy-Vairo, Board of Directors Marilyn Makepeace Solomon Ndung’u, Board of Directors Claude Raffin in memory of Jon Gathercole Justin Roddick & Tina Schlieske Colette Schabram & Palmer Gibbs David Selberg
Pacific Pride Foundation
www.pacificpridefoundation.org Kristin Flickinger, Executive Director, (805) 963-3636
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Dismantling Racism on the Central Coast
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n 2008, Fabiola Gonzalez-Gutierrez took part in Just Communities’ intensive CommUnity Leadership Institute designed to teach up to 40 local high school students about all the “isms” that get in the way of social justice. “All my experiences with racism and classism had been private,” Gonzalez-Gutierrez says. “For the first time those experiences were welcomed and supported. As a young person you need that validation, to know that you are not alone.” Ten years later, after graduating from the University of California, Los Angeles, Gonzalez-Gutierrez came to work for the nonprofit that had opened her eyes a decade before. That nonprofit, Just Communities, “advances justice by building leadership, fostering change, and dismantling all forms of prejudice, discrimination, and oppression.” Its staff of five helps youth, educators, and families through cultural competency trainings for organizational leaders, running education seminars for the general public, and producing leadership training institutes for students and teachers. Gonzalez-Gutierrez, Just Communities’ Development and Communications Manager, and Executive Director Melissa Rodezno-Patrino point to the outcome of a recent student seminar at a local Santa Barbara high school. There, students serving on-campus suspensions had to do so in the cafeteria. At lunchtime they were made to eat their lunches facing the wall. “It was dehumanizing,” Gonzalez-Gutierrez says. As part of the Just Communities’ model the students gave a presentation to the principal. That was in August. Come September, when school started, the practice had been dismantled. Rodezno-Patrino likens this example to the greater “sense of awakening” about racial injustice gripping the country. “Once you know what is happening there is no way to go back,” she says. “We at Just Communities have always had this conversation. We are not a regular nonprofit where you are treating the ailment with a band-aid. We are treating it directly.” Every year the staff serves more than 400 young people and adults throughout the region. And every day they are hearing from new organizations looking for tools to dismantle racism in their work. For nearly 20 years, Just Communities has been doing just that.
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Peaceful and Just Solutions
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oon after moving to Santa Barbara I met the staff of Just Communities and learned about their work to address conflicts and to create opportunities for people of diverse cultural, racial and economic groups to work together. I attended sessions where police, students, teachers and parents expressed their gratitude for the skills and understandings they gained as a result of Just Communities’ trainings and workshops. It is a privilege to endorse and support this organization that works yearround to promote peaceful and just resolutions to difficult issues in our county.”
– Mary Becker
a longtime supporter of Just Communities
Learning to Fight Injustice
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he biggest thing that I took away from CLI was that there’s so many things that are out of people’s control that they have to deal with that I personally don’t. It just made me recognize the privileges that I, myself, have. And I don’t even have to think about [it]. Just putting faces to names and really hearing firsthand experiences was so important to me, to learn who I am fighting for, and it made me very motivated to use the privileges I have to make that change.”
– Jackson Stevens
CommUnity Leadership Institute graduate and senior at Santa Ynez Valley Union High School
A Just Community Deborah Rogow and Howard Winant Jack & Deborah Rivas Anna Di Stefano Tish Gainey Georgia Noble Glikbarg Foundation Mary Becker Cox Charities Foundation Jon Walker Family Charity Fund
Case Family Foundation Alan Ewalt Deckers Outdoor Corporation Weingart Foundation Fund for Santa Barbara The James Bower Foundation Social Justice Fund for Ventura County The McCune Foundation The Towbes Foundation The Santa Barbara Foundation
Just Communities
www.just-communities.org Melissa G. Patrino, Executive Director | (805) 966-2063
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www.thegivinglist.com
The Healers “The wound is the place where the Light enters you.”
– Rumi
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Why Give?
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y parents, Michael and Gail Towbes, moved to Santa Barbara County in 1957, and from the beginning, they were deeply engaged in supporting the community where they lived. Initially, they donated their time and energy as volunteers, and my sister and I often tagged along. It was just part of who we were as a family. My parents loved Santa Barbara. Our “American Riviera” was the perfect blend between a sleepy beach town and a cosmopolitan mecca; a unique synergy between an intimate, close-knit community and a sophisticated metropolis. They believed that supporting the organizations that make this place special was our civic duty. Although my parents didn’t talk much about what motivated their philanthropy, they instilled these values in the next generation and led by example. In 1980, my parents founded the Towbes Foundation. That first year, they granted a whopping total of $500. We’ve grown a bit since then and in the past 40 years, the Towbes Foundation has granted over $20 million dollars to more than 400 organizations on the Central Coast. I grew up with philanthropy. George Mason University economics professor, Zoltan J. Acs, author of the 2013 book Why Philanthropy Matters, notes, “Philanthropy does two things. First, it reconstitutes wealth and second it creates opportunity for others.” Dr. Acs’s philosophy is at the core of why I have chosen to continue the work that my parents began. It’s a basic responsibility for those of us who have resources to give back to society. I believe in the social justice teachings at the heart of Judaism, embodied in the concept, Tikkun Olam, which translates to “repairing the world.” Tikkun Olam compels us to take individual and collective action to make the world a better place. Philanthropy can be an effective tool to catalyze large-scale social change, particularly when we get out of our silos and collaborate with other funders, government partners, and grantee organizations. The Towbes Foundation has matured over the years. Historically, like many family foundations, our original giving patterns were unstructured. My parents brought their personal interests to the boardroom and let those passions lead their giving. Although my mom passed away nearly 25 years ago, my father continued the tradition of giving a little bit of money to a lot of organizations. This approach, which I call “sprinkling,” casts a wide net, but without much depth. In recent years, and with the dedication of a talented Board, we have begun to look at grantmaking more strategically.
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Our goal is to give where we can make the greatest impact and where our investment can provide leverage.
A wise funding partner gave me some insightful advice shortly after my dad passed away in 2017. This person suggested that, given the complex and systemic nature of social problems, it helps to focus on what you know. If the target of grantmaking is lodged in an area of funder expertise, then the funder can be more of an active partner in the work. This resonated with me. My background is in education and child mental health. I was a special education teacher before becoming a child psychologist and I maintain a busy child-and family-focused psychological services practice in Santa Barbara. Giving to organizations and collaborations that address child well-being makes sense, and there are plenty of needs here to be addressed. As a result, the Towbes Foundation is undergoing a shift from “sprinkling” and toward focusing our resources in the areas we know. Our goal is to give where we can make the greatest impact and where our investment can provide leverage. COVID-19 has created a myriad of needs in our community. Simultaneously, the country’s racial disparities, amplified by the murder of George Floyd, have highlighted longstanding inequities. Many of these needs and injustices fall in the areas of our expertise: education, child well being, and mental health. These intertwined crisis points have led me to personally re-examine the ways in which I give. I think it’s critical to move away from a transactional approach where the rich (and the white) donate to the poor (and the nonwhite), without really interacting or creating community. My goal moving forward is to focus on long-term systemic change through partnership and collaboration. To quote Dana Kawaoka-Chen, the Executive Director of the Bay Area Justice Funders, “For those of us in a position to redistribute resources, this is a moment in which we must urgently act with moral clarity and choose which side of history we want to be on.” Making our little slice of paradise in Santa Barbara a better place to live for everyone is at the center of why I give. It’s meaningful work, it strengthens community, and it’s pretty fun.
– Carrie Towbes
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A Two-Front Battle Against Sexual Assault
How do you end sexual assault across an entire community?
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A Space for Healing
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tanding Together to End Sexual Assault (STESA) creates an environment where survivors heal and feel safe. Through an empowerment model, STESA advocates for and counsels survivors to take control of their life. They also educate our community to prevent sexual assault. It’s one of the best run nonprofit organizations with an equally strong Mission of social justice. For 46+ years, STESA’s Mission of serving ALL survivors has not changed. I’m so proud to contribute my time and funds to this cause.”
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– Dr. Teri Jory
STESA Board Member & Former Sexual Assault Advocate
he answer, according to the leaders of Standing Together to End Sexual Assault (STESA), is rooted at both the individual and community level. The 46-year-old agency, formerly known as the Santa Barbara Rape Crisis Center, set up the firstever sexual assault hotline in Santa Barbara in 1974. Over the years, the services have grown. Now STESA intervenes with survivors within hours of an assault, counsels those who may have delayed sharing their stories and is engaged in a full-on effort against the cultural norms that have allowed sexual violence to proliferate for so long. Executive Director Elsa Granados has been in the movement to end sexual violence since 1985. In 1997, she assumed her role at STESA. What keeps her engaged? “Overall what I see is that we really transform people’s lives,” Granados says. “They come to us in a place where they are very vulnerable, feeling pain and trauma. It’s not that transformation comes overnight. But when they make the decision to leave our services, they are in a different place.” Amazingly, STESA’s skeleton full-time staff of four hotline responders/case managers and a clutch of dedicated volunteers comprehensively meet the needs of 550 survivors and their significant others all using an empowerment model. Once a call comes into the hotline, STESA staff or volunteers are there within 30 minutes. This could be at a school, hospital or police station. They then walk survivors through their options: medical care, legal reporting, and mental health counseling. “We always ask survivors if they want to work with us,” says STESA Program Director Idalia Gomez. “One decision about their bodies was already taken from them, so we make sure they know they are in charge of their healing.” Beyond direct services, STESA is actively engaged in educating the community about the prevalence and precursors to sexual assault. They go into Santa Barbara schools, debunking myths about sexual assualt, hold community events – and even teach self-defense. “We need everyone in our community to be engaged in the issue,” Executive Director Granados says. “Not everyone has to do everything, but everyone has to do something when it comes to sexual assault.”
Prevention of Sexual Assault – “Gera”
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t was not easy for “Gera” to participate in developing an awareness campaign as sexual assault had impacted members of his immediate family. However, as he grew in his leadership role, his confidence increased and he overcame this obstacle. He helped plan the details of the campaign – a day dedicated to educating community members about sexual assault through theater performance. He said, “I want to be a film-maker and director, and want people see how this topic affects them.”
Do Something Big
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ranados has come to know the stigma that sexual assualt survivors face in a strangely institutional way: leasing office space. She recalls trying to lease an office at Mission and State. The landlord said they could rent it but couldn’t put their name on the building directory. At the time STESA was called the Santa Barbara Rape Crisis Center. When Granados asked how a client might find them, the landlord told her she could put up signage as long as the center dropped the word crisis. “No,” Granados quipped. “We can’t be called the Santa Barbara Rape Center. We aren’t raping anyone.” Another landlord ended a lunch meeting with a rape joke. “It was right there in my face - the stigma that sexual assault survivors face.” More than forty years in, and Granados knows it’s time for STESA to buy office space of its own. STESA is looking to raise $2 million to build a dedicated space to combat sexual violence of all kinds.
Surviving Sexual Assault – “Becky”
“R
obert”, 30 yrs. old exploited Becky, 16 yrs old, forcing her to have sex with multiple people for money, often being physically and emotionally abusive. STESA provided Becky with counseling and support to understand the issues surrounding sexual trafficking. With STESA’s help, after several months, Becky relocated to a program which focuses on teen survivors of human trafficking. She said, “Thank you for providing me with help and support in getting out, I don’t want to live like this again.”
Standing Together Ethan Bertrand Norean Dreier Edward St. George & Associates Debra Geiger & Eliot Crowley Lisa Guravitz & Fred Shaw Cheri Gurse and Carol Keator Adrian Gutierrez Hutton Parker Foundation Alan Irwin & Harriet Eckstein Teri Jory
June Outhwaite Foundation Glen Phillips Linda and Thorn Robertson Susan Rose Santa Barbara Foundation Tomchin Family Foundation Towbes Foundation Nancy Weiss & Marc Chytilo Wood-Claeyssens Foundation Yardi Systems Inc.
Standing Together to End Sexual Assault (STESA) www.sbstesa.org Elsa Granados, Executive Director | (805) 963-6832 x15
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Every Child Thrives
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ure, CALM (Child Abuse Listening Mediation) was the first nonprofit in the country to dive head-first into child maltreatment prevention. And yes, the organization – which provides a wide array of direct services to treat and prevent child abuse – just turned 50. But CALM’s CEO Alana Walczak doesn’t want to talk about the past. “I want to talk about the story of our next fifty years,” Walczak says. Her vision is big. Building off its research-driven clinical programs and widespread trust among partners across the spectrum of agencies that touch the lives of families and children, CALM is leading a countywide strategy to end childhood trauma. “The most important relationship in the world is between a parent or caregiver and a child,” Walczak says. “If we can keep that most precious relationship whole, we can change lives.” Childhood trauma has become a regular part of the vernacular at the highest levels of government and social change efforts. Here in California, the state’s first ever Surgeon General, Nadine Burke Harris, MD is on a crusade to root out childhood trauma. Armed with irrefutable science that shows adverse childhood experiences – abuse, neglect, domestic violence, parental incarceration, divorce – lead to a wide array of dire health outcomes, leaders like Burke Harris and Walczak are clear-eyed about the urgent need to stop childhood trauma in its tracks. “It is significantly cheaper to support families earlier,” Walczak says. To that end, CALM does the work even if the government doesn’t fund it. For example, the agency has counselors embedded in preschools and pediatric departments to intervene at the earliest signs of trauma. “That’s the wave of the future,” Walczak says. “We are not going to wait until Kindergarten to find out which kids need our help.” Santa Barbara’s size poses an exciting prospect for Walczak, the team at CALM, and their 75 partner agencies spread across the county. It may just be possible to live up to CALM’s vision of building resilient communities empowered to prevent childhood trauma and heal children and families. Roughly 5,500 babies are born in Santa Barbara County every year. Through direct services and trauma training programs across the pediatric health and education systems, CALM is building a web of support for all children and families. “If we do this right,” Walczak says, “we can build a robust continuum of care supporting children from birth with the support of an engaged pediatrician all the way through school with engaged teachers, parents and school administrators. That would be a game changer.”
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Ending Childhood Trauma in Santa Barbara County
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radicating childhood trauma in Santa Barbara County is a big ask. One that will require mobilizing services, training service providers and convincing elected leaders to invest in children and families. After 50 years, CALM is positioned to lead this charge. As Walczak says: “By changing our frameworks, our partnerships, and the very way this work is done, we create systems change that quite literally transforms the lives of children and families forevermore.” Think about how far your dollars can go via this prevention-focused, collaborative approach. The annual cost for one family to receive weekly counseling is $7,000, and the annual cost for a school-based therapist to support a school community of 500 students, their parents, teachers, and administrators is $80,000. Compare this with the estimated $400,000 per person in delayed lifetime costs of untreated trauma in health care, criminal justice, mental health and education expenses. Reach out to Ashlyn McCague, CALM’s Director of Development to learn how you can get involved: amccague@calm4kids.org.
Building a Thriving Community
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One Resilient Family
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n 2019 and 2020, one of CALM’s male therapists provided weekly therapy to a boy with episodic, intense mood swings. Within months the boy’s mother “witnessed his healing and emergence of self from a dark and confused place.” “It is difficult to imagine what this last year would have been like without the support of CALM and my son’s therapist,” she says. “When I think of his impact on our lives, I think of a calm and steady presence during a daunting time. I think of a positive, guiding, and reliable male figure dedicated to supporting a young man, and family in need. Our family is stronger, more capable, and more resilient because of his efforts. We are better equipped for these challenging times. This is precious, timely and rare, and I could not be more grateful.”
e care about CALM because we love our community. Childhood trauma affects us all given the long-term effects on its victims. We all bear the cost of mental and physical health care supports that continue throughout the lives of those who have suffered trauma. A safe, thriving, healthy community benefits us all.”
- Chana and Jim Jackson,
long-time supporters and fervent ambassadors of CALM.
Standing Together Valerie and Glenn Alger Bartlett, Pringle & Wolf, LLP Nancy and Tom Bollay Merryl Brown Events Cottage Health Deckers Brands Carolyn and Andrew Fitzgerald Elisabeth and Greg Fowler Gary and Susan Gulbransen Belle Hahn
Chana and Jim Jackson James S. Bower Foundation Cindy and Steve Lyons Montecito Bank & Trust Sheri and Jack Overall Caroline and Dave Powers Joanne and Brian Rapp Charmaine and Tom Rogers Maryan Schall The Towbes Foundation
CALM
www.calm4kids.org Ashlyn McCague, Director of Development | (805) 965-2376 x150
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Changing Course F
or nearly 75 years, the aim of Santa Barbara’s Mental Wellness Center has been to help adults living with mental illness live their best life. By providing numerous practical services including affordable housing sites and a social center called the Fellowship Club, they provide a connection to essential resources. Twenty years ago a major revelation led to the addition of a new way of addressing mental health and the aim to prevent the impact of untreated mental illness. The decision to address early intervention through education became an imperative when the CEO, Annmarie Cameron, learned a startling fact. “Fifty percent of all mental illness has its onset of symptoms by age fourteen,” Cameron says. “Young people need to know that while mental illness can feel frightening, it doesn’t need to be. Like diabetes, asthma, or any medical issue, mental illness can be treated.” Our mental health care system is built on a model that waits for a crisis to identify the illness. By giving young people basic facts about mental illness, and strategies for self-care of their own mental health we expect to improve the chances that a crisis is avoidable. The Mental Wellness Center is betting on young people. Across three privately funded programs, the Mental Wellness Center is reaching thousands of local youth and their families. Mental Health Matters is an original program developed by the Mental Wellness Center’s Education Committee. It introduces basic facts about mental health to elementary, middle and high school students. The underlying premise is that with understanding, youth will know to seek help should they or someone they know
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experience symptoms of a possible mental health disorder, knowing that early treatment tends to lead to better outcomes. In 2019, 18 trained volunteers delivered the Mental Health Matters curriculum in more than 50 classrooms throughout Santa Barbara County. The positive feedback about Mental Health Matters received from students, parents, and teachers is reaffirming of this program. Parents report that their families are impacted by mental health issues and need a way to talk about them that isn’t scary or stigmatized. Ten years ago, the Mental Wellness Center joined a growing national and international movement to widely teach the general public basic skills for Mental Health First Aid. Targeted versions of this program reach those who work with young people and youth themselves. In January 2020, the Mental Wellness Center participated in a pilot of teen Mental Health First Aid (tMHFA), the first of its kind developed for high school students in the U.S. tMHFA is designed for high school students to identify and respond to a mental health or substance use problem among their peers.“ My dream is that the teen Mental Health First Aid program is in every high school,” said Born this Way Foundation’s co-founder, Lady Gaga, who funded the national pilot initiative. The Wellness Connection Council (WCC) is the newest program of the Mental Wellness Center. The WCC is a high school leadership program that educates, empowers and engages students who raise awareness and reduce stigma around mental health by promoting self-care, kindness through connection, prevention, education, and outreach amongst their peers. In fall of 2020, the WCC welcomed 60 local high school students to their leadership council from high schools throughout Santa Barbara County. “I see this as our future,” Cameron says. “We will always provide essential services for adults that live with mental illness and we will educate young people and empower a new generation to seek support and prioritize their own mental health.” 1 in 5 youth and young adults live with a mental health condition and right now, mental health has never been more important. If you share in Cameron and the Mental Wellness Center’s youth-driving vision, donate today.
Painting of the Mental Wellness Center by Chris Potter
Pushing Back Against Mental Health Stigma
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he Mental Health Matters curricula (6th grade and high school) have evolved over the past twelve years, engaging students in interactive learning opportunities about mental health issues. I have had the honor of working with an amazing team of dedicated volunteers who are passionate about teaching youth the importance of early intervention as well as how to push back against stigma via education and information. Youth are also learning wellness practices such as mindful breathing, gratitude and kindness.”
– Ann Lippincott
Ph.D., volunteer and long-term donor and Mental Wellness Giving Society member.
“ I used to think that ADD and ADHD were different. Now I know that ADD and ADHD are considered the same disorder.”
– Anthony, 6th Grader
“I used to think that schizophrenia was a mood disorder. Now I know schizophrenia is a thought disorder.”
“ I used to think that an eating disorder was something that couldn’t be fixed. Now I know that it can be fixed and you could have a happy life.”
– Will, 6th Grader
“ I used to think that if you had ADHD you couldn’t be smart. Now I know that you could be the smartest person in class.”
– Keegan, 6th Grader
– Conner, 6th Grader
Supporting Youth and Families
“O
ur sixth-grade daughter was really struck by the personal stories shared by volunteers when participating in the Mental Health Matters program in elementary school. She learned she didn’t need to avoid or be afraid to talk about mental illness. This was a really important lesson as her cousin suffered from mental illness and had taken his own life a year ago. Our daughter hadn’t really been able to process with us the impact of this tragic loss, but after the presentations at school she was finally able to share her feelings and thoughts about her cousin. As parents, talking about mental health with our kids can be daunting. Mental Wellness Center’s program provides practical tools for kids and parents to help encourage these important conversations. Thank you again for creating these opportunities.”
– Graham Lyons
Managing Partner at Mullen & Henzell and supporter of the Mental Wellness Center
Empowering Teens
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ducating youth on mental health is important because it helps teens to learn about issues they may be dealing with or their friends may be struggling with. With this knowledge they have the ability to reach out to a trusted adult with any mental health issues they are struggling with.”
“I used to think that you had to do something to cause a mental health disorder. Now I know that if someone has a mental health disorder, they didn’t do anything to cause it and it is also not their fault.”
– Charlotte K.
a young person participating in the Wellness Connection Council program
Mental Wellness Center
mentalwellnesscenter.org Amanda Conroy | (805) 884-8440 x 3298
– Claire, 6th Grader
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(Credit: Genaro Molina; Copyright © 2016. Los Angeles Times. Used with Permission)
A New Beginning for Santa Barbara’s Most Vulnerable
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hile New Beginnings’ work began with its counseling services more than 50 years ago, it has grown into a countywide service agency not only supporting mental health, but also the homeless and vets. “We’re here to serve our most vulnerable community members with their most pressing problems,” says Development Manager Michael Berton. “We’ve identified those to be mental illness and homelessness. We’ve seen the veteran population struggle with these areas even more and have a dedicated program for them now.” A major turning point came in 2003, when the nonprofit partnered with the city and the county to launch the “Safe Parking” Program, which provides safe, overnight shelter in monitored parking lots for people living out of their cars. The 2020 homeless count found that 51% of Santa Barbara County’s unsheltered residents were living out of their cars. When Safe Parking was started, big media outlets including Rolling Stone, CNN, and The Los Angeles Times took notice, lauding the program as a way off the streets for those on the brink of homelessness. Since 2003, New Beginnings has moved more than 2,000 people into permanent housing, making Safe Parking a standout among myriad national initiatives aimed at mitigating the deepening homelessness crisis. New Beginnings is also the leading nonprofit service provider for homeless veterans in Santa Barbara County, housing 100 veterans and their families each year, all while providing comprehensive services aimed at keeping them off the street. The agency’s 50-year-old Counseling Center in downtown Santa Barbara provides mental health counseling and psycholog-
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“I
have been homeless for 40 years. The day I found out I could move into a new home, I discovered I had cancer. I lost all hope and wanted to die. The staff at New Beginnings wouldn’t allow it. I can’t put into words what they mean to me. They are the most intelligent, passionate, and reliable people I’ve ever met. I now have my own home blocks away from my treatment center and know I have a whole team of people supporting me.”
– David Keith
ical testing and assessment to more than 600 at-risk individuals and families in the greater Santa Barbara area each year. It’s 30plus masters and doctoral level counselors offer their services at an average of $13 per session thanks to the nonprofits exceedingly lean operation: 91% of revenue is spent on programs and clients. In 2020, the agency put more than a quarter of its $2 million a year budget – $600,000 – back into the community; buying mattresses for its homeless clients, renting storage spaces, and covering rental costs. Whatever it takes to help. For donors looking to make an impact and who want to know that their money is going straight into helping people, Berton frankly says: “New Beginnings is the most bang for your buck.”
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t is tragic that mental illness and homelessness are so prevalent. Fortunately, our community has the resources and ability to address these issues head on. What we need is an organization to guide us. New Beginnings’ leadership has the expertise, entrepreneurial spirit, and compassion needed to make real and long-lasting change in our community. I urge you to join me in advancing the mission of this wonderful organization.”
– Honorable Susan Rose
Susan Rose, who helped launch Safe Parking when she was a County Supervisor, with her late husband, Allan Ghitterman, who served on New Beginnings’ Board for many years and focused on the Counseling Center.
Safe Parking Goes Countywide
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very night about 150 people living out of their cars find a safe haven in scattered church, business, and nonprofit parking lots each night. The program keeps a low profile, with no more than one to fifteen clients at a site. They are in at 7 pm and out at 7 am. New Beginnings is expanding Safe Parking into northern Santa Barbara County, where the needs are acute and growing. The agency spends roughly $1,000,000 on the program per year. An initial government grant is providing seed funding for the expansion, so New Beginnings is seeking charitable donations and grants of at least $250,000 to build program capacity.
Friends of New Beginnings
New Beginnings
www.sbnbcc.org | (805) 963-7777
Glenn and Amy Bacheller Mary and Gary* Becker Lalla and Rinaldo Brutoco Andrew and Liz Butcher Patty and Bob Bryant Claude and Susan Case Mary Howe-Grant Jacqueline and Paul Kurta Lehrer Family Lillian Lovelace
Francie and Rich Monk Sara Miller McCune Dana and Andrea Newquist Diane and Terry Pannkuk Susan Rose and Allan* Ghitterman John and Cynthia Sanger Maryan Schall Carolyn and Phil Wyatt Zegar Family Fund * in memoriam
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Never Giving up in the Fight Against Pediatric Cancer A t age 12, Axel Penaloza was diagnosed with brain cancer. “I was so scared,” Penaloza says. “I was thinking, why is this happening to me? I just want to go to school and be free from cancer.” He was not alone in his fears. His older brother suffered as he saw his little brother go through treatment, and his parents – both first generation Americans from Mexico– struggled to manage the unknown that is a cancer diagnosis. Thankfully, there was a nonprofit to help them: Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation (TBCF). TBCF provides three core programs aimed at supporting children and their families through pediatric cancer: financial, emotional, and educational support. Low and moderate-income families residing in Santa Barbara, Ventura, and San Luis Obispo can receive up to $5,000 for expenses at the time of an initial cancer diagnosis. “A cancer diagnosis is an incredible economic hit,” says TBCF board member Sheela Hunt. Additionally, up to $2,500 is available to families whose child relapses after their cancer treatment. In the most tragic moments imaginable, TBCF will cover funeral costs of up to $2,500. Through its emotional support program, Teddy Bear provides family counseling groups, events aimed at family connection, and “care for the caregivers” like a Mother’s Spa Day. Anything to bring some normalcy in such a horrific time for a family. Finally, the organization helps children regain their feet in school. Not only do children miss days for treatment, but treatment can also cause cognitive delays. TBCF provides up to $1,000 for tutoring and covers the cost of neuropsychological testing, so that children who experience cognitive issues can get the help they need in school. For the Penaloza family, this enveloping support helped get their boy through. Now, 14, Axel wants to be an inspiration for all the children fighting cancer today. “I know it takes a long time, but I struggled and struggled with all my heart, and I tried everything and did not give up,” he says. “Now I am free from cancer. “Say to yourself, ‘I will never give up.’ Say it so loud that everyone can hear you. You can do this. Never, never, never give up.”
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Giving Back
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fter 30+ years working in the Aerospace industry, I just released my first children’s book, Dragons on the Purple Moon. Our son survived brain cancer in 2017 and I wanted to give back. After moving to Santa Barbara, I looked for an organization aligning with my vision of bringing joy and happiness to children with cancer. Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation was an excellent choice – they provide financial, emotional, and educational support that is extremely important for families during this time.
– Peter Martin
Helping Families Now, Forever
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eddy Bear Cancer Foundation serves more than 800 individuals every year. Incredibly, they do this with a budget of $1.2 million. In 2021, TBCF will step up outreach to hospitals so they can help even more families. Teddy Bear needs your help. You can sponsor a family for $5,000, provide relapse or funeral funds for a family for $2,500, or pay for tutoring for a child for $1,000. TBCF is completely funded through the generosity of community members, and any amount helps. And if you believe, as we do, that TBCF needs to be serving the region for years to come, visit its planned giving page – www.tbcflegacy.org – and consider a bequest.
Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation www.tbcflegacy.org (805) 962-7466
Family Heroes Earl Minnis Mark & Sonya Schroeder, the Ida Eagle Foundation Jeffrey & Margo Barbakow Cancer Foundation of Santa Barbara Santa Barbara Foundation Michael and Sylvia Schulte Molony Hutton Parker Foundation Mike & Kathy McCarthy The Linden Family Foundation Charity Auto Donation
Arthur & Kate Coppola The Towbes Foundation Richard H. Patterson Jr. Southern California Edison Yardi Systems, Inc. Bruce Heavin & Lynda Weinman St. Francis Foundation of Santa Barbara Greene Family Foundation Montecito Bank and Trust Leifur Thordarson
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www.thegivinglist.com
The Nurturers “I have the audacity to believe that people everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education and culture for their minds and dignity, equality and freedom for their spirits.”
– Martin Luther King, Jr.
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photo by Edward Clynes
To Truly Make a Difference by Joe Donnelly
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ne risks straining credulity when asserting that a person radiates warmth over a Zoom call. Nonetheless, here is Dr. Ed Birch, dressed for success in a crisp, pale-blue Oxford, doing just that as he reaches across the great pandemic divide from a computer in his study. As we speak, Birch, who is steady but not studied and accomplished without a trace of arrogance, manages the neat trick of making a virtual stranger feel like a friend at a time when we all could use such things. I suppose this small gift of humanity would come as no surprise to those who have been long basked in the warmth of Birch’s sun. For all his apparent humility, Dr. Birch is, after all, no buried treasure. It was just a few years ago that the Santa Barbara Foundation named the president and CEO of the Samuel B. and Margaret C. Mosher Foundation its Man of the Year. The Mosher Foundation focuses on healthcare, education, and the arts and Birch was lauded then for helping Santa Barbara’s struggling neighborhood clinics regain their financial footing.
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It’s hard to imagine how the foundation’s stated goal “to truly make a difference” could be any more urgent as we face challenges on multiple fronts from public health to the economy to educational access and efficacy. Birch brings a wealth of experience to bear on all these issues. An economist with a Ph.D from Michigan State University, he has breathed the rarified air of bank boardrooms overseeing billions of dollars in assets – he is the former chairman of Santa Barbara Bank & Trust – and has duked it out in the trenches of higher-education. Indeed, it was a post as vice chancellor at UC Santa Barbara that brought the then-vice president of Ohio Wesleyan University to Santa Barbara in the first place more than 40 years ago. “I’m thinking it was one stop along the way, and we didn’t know a lot about Santa Barbara. We were here just a short span of time, then my wife and I looked at each other, and, you know, we’re going to figure out how to stay here,” says Birch, smiling broadly, his Midwestern lilt still intact as he reflects back to when
“I believe that when you are part of a wonderful place, you have an obligation to play a role, whether it’s giving of your resources, or giving of your time.” he and his wife, Suzanne, first landed on the American Riviera. “And, we have a love affair with Santa Barbara, and in Santa Barbara, people do care. This is not a transitory town. They come for the right reasons and stay for the right reasons.” As Birch’s love affair with Santa Barbara grew, so did his desire to contribute to the community. “I believe that when you are part of a wonderful place, you have an obligation to play a role, whether it’s giving of your resources, or giving of your time,” says Birch, in whose capable hands Margaret Mosher left her foundation upon her passing in 2002. “When we aligned our foundation we focused on Southern Santa Barbara County for two reasons. One, we wanted to have the resources that we had to give make a difference and not just spread like Johnny Appleseed all over the world, but basically devote our resources to this community to make it better. The second reason is that the quality of life, the people that are here, there’s a commonality among all.” One of those commonalities, and something Birch likes best about Santa Barbara, is that “no one here really cares about blowing their own horn… You don’t have to feel like you’re on
a perch above someone else, but, rather, you just roll up your sleeves, and, whether you’re working with Direct Relief or working with CALM (Child Abuse Listening Mediation) or the hospitals, or education, you’re making a difference. You’re there with everyone else. “ Birch knows about rolling up his sleeves to meet enormous logistical, tactical, and resource challenges. He was Peter Ueberroth’s right-hand man when they defied conventional wisdom and turned “ungovernable” 1984 Los Angeles – the setting for many contemporaneous Hollywood dystopias – into the staging ground for the most successful Olympics in the modern era. In doing so, Birch helped establish not only a blueprint for all Olympics that followed, but showed that an unfathomably divergent place could pull together as a team. It’s an apt metaphor, but one Birch handles with characteristic understatement. “It takes a village, right? If you build teams, you will bring people together.” Currently, in the face of the extraordinary demands on capital – human and otherwise – brought about by the pandemic, Birch wants to help make sure Santa Barbara’s nonprofit teams can stay in the game at a time when Birch says, “The demand is so much greater than our ability to meet those demands. That’s where the rubber meets the road.” To help fill the gaps and ensure safe passage for nonprofits to the other side of this crisis, Birch says the Mosher Foundation “decided that we would pivot and move away from programmatic funding and deal, essentially, with ensuring that the nonprofit sector stays alive and provide the funds to allow that to happen.” Meanwhile, Birch says he and his wife and daughter have remained active in the nonprofit community, even as he’s continued to lead the Mosher Foundation. His family stays determinedly active as grassroots volunteers as well as on various boards. They know the lay of the land and given his extensive background in the nonprofit sector, Birch also knows what it’s like to be on both sides of the table: the giving and the asking. His philosophy is to keep things simple; his goal is “to make it as easy as I can for a nonprofit to secure grants.” In practical terms, that means reducing redundancies, looking for efficiencies, and thinking outside the box in a results-driven approach. “My opening statement when I meet with a nonprofit, is to start by saying, ‘don’t give me what you think I want, give me something that is going to make a difference.’ I look at you as the brains. I’ll put the money with your brains,” explains Birch. “I want to make a difference with the funds I put on the table.” It’s reassuring to talk to a steady steward like Ed Birch. He’s been there and done that and he is optimist about the silver linings we are all looking for these days. “I’m convinced that we’re going to be better people, we’re going to be better agencies, we’re going to be better foundation as we go forward,” he says, “because we are working harder to figure out how we can continue to do what we’ve been doing, but do it better.”
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Feeding Hungry People During a Rolling Crisis
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hen disaster struck in the form of COVID lockdowns and an unfolding economic crisis, the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County was ready. In response to the deadly double blow of the Thomas Fire and debris flow, the Foodbank developed a comprehensive “Emergency Feeding Plan,” which mapped out how to respond to a wide range of disasters. It hinges on coordinating emergency feeding plans across the county and alongside at least 300 partner agencies. “The need immediately jumped by 250% after COVID,” says Marketing and Communications Manager Judith Smith-Meyer. “Relationships are a cornerstone of the Emergency Plan. When we needed to act, we were ready and we did it.” A sad truth about the economic crisis wrought by the pandemic is the profile of those coming to the Foodbank. In South Santa Barbara County, an area so reliant on tourism, service workers have found themselves scrambling to make ends meet. Carpinteria saw needs rise some 300%, according to Smith-Meyer. “Precipitous job losses have left thousands of households facing food insecurity for the first time, and many struggle even more than usual to make ends meet,” says Foodbank CEO Erik Talkin. “We’ve seen countless new visitors hesitate to receive food, saying, ‘I don’t want to take food from someone who needs it more.’” When a Foodbank client named Kathy’s new full-time job fell through in April, 2020, she didn’t know what to do. She had to feed her children, and came to rely on a no-contact drive through run by the Foodbank. “At least I don’t have to worry about my kids having enough healthy food to eat until we get the job thing sorted out,” Kathy says. By press time she was still unemployed. As federal stimulus programs fade, and those on the margins are crushed by an ailing economy, the Foodbank will be there. “The most important thing the Foodbank wants our community to know is that we are ready, and we are here for everyone,” Talkin says.
A Valiant Effort to End Food Insecurity
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ver the past couple decades we have witnessed the Foodbank increase the population it serves, expand its services, and develop programs to meet the issue of food insecurity in a holistic fashion. It has been particularly nimble in its response to the economic crisis the community faces right now. In this city, in this country, in this age, it’s criminal that anyone would not have access to quality sustenance. We believe that those of us who can must step up and support the Foodbank in its valiant effort to end food insecurity. We believe in the hope the Foodbank provides.”
One Dollar = 8 Meals
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aced with the COVID-19 crisis this year, the Foodbank leveled up its already impressive food sourcing to provide healthy groceries, fresh fruits, and vegetables to more than twice the number of residents they usually serve. The current economic crisis is forecast to deepen throughout 2021 as families face ongoing unemployment and underemployment, dig out from mountains of debt and try to avoid eviction and foreclosure. Now more than ever, donations are critical to ensure healthy food is available to everyone facing hunger here at home. The Foodbank turns $1 into 8 meals thanks to volume purchasing, relationships with farmers, retail and wholesale partnerships, and being the primary distributor of USDA foods in our county.
Foodbank of Santa Barbara County
www.foodbanksbc.org Dan Thomas, Chief Development Officer | (805) 357-5751
– Fred and Sarah Kass
Fred and Sarah Kass met in Boston while Fred was in medical school and moved to Santa Barbara after his fellowship. Fred is a medical oncologist. Sarah is an OB Ultrasound tech.
Friends of the Foodbank George and Joy Bean Leslie and Ashish Bhutani The Bollag Family Marge Cafarelli Ann Daniel Deckers Brands Connie Frank Jim and Pamela Houck Nora McNeely Hurley Fred and Sarah Kass
Dorothy Largay and Wayne Rosing LinkedIn The Mansbach Family Natalie Orfalea Maryan Schall The Sheldon Family Warren and Mary Lynn Staley Vibeke Weiland Wood Claeyssens Foundation Yardi Chuck and Merryl Zegar
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A Century of Dignity and Respect
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or more than 100 years, Unity Shoppe, a multifaceted nonprofit serving Santa Barbara’s residents, has maintained an unwavering focus on dignity and respect in their service to others. Today, the organization has grown to use every inch of its 31,000 square feet of building space to steadily serve 20,000 individuals referred by over 300 partner agencies across Santa Barbara County every year. In some 80,000 annual visits, clients come to Unity Shoppe’s Essential Services Center where they select from a wide array of nutritious groceries presented as if at a high-end food market; or families can shop for new clothes and school supplies entirely free-of-charge. This question of choice is as old as Unity Shoppe itself. During the 1930s the organization heralded volunteers who amassed gifts to give to the working poor during the holiday season. Unity Shoppe, then called The Council of Christmas Cheer,
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had a clear policy regarding the paramount importance of client choice. For Barbara Tellefson, who has run Unity Shoppe for nearly 50 years, this concept is what first attracted her as a volunteer, and what keeps her passionate about the organization well into her 80s. “Dignity is essential to the human spirit,” Tellefson says. “It signals that you are valued for who you are, and how you live your life. We’ve never assumed we know better than the people we serve.They have their own ideas about what is important to them and their families. When we give them the opportunity to choose and then show respect for their decisions, we are saying ‘You are worthy; You CAN do it.’” And Unity Shoppe is there every step on the journeys of its tens of thousands of clients. For those low-income men, women and youth who are actively seeking employment, the organization’s Job Smart program provides resumé assistance, job interview coaching, and
appropriate work attire so they can put their best foot forward and land the job. When they are hired, they can choose more outfits to help them feel confident in their new workplace. Every year, Unity Shoppe’s 1,700 volunteers ensure that all programs are imbued with respect and TLC towards clients. Many among the bevy of volunteers are seniors who do everything from hand-making and wrapping holiday gifts to assembling customized care packages for other seniors. Able-bodied and disabled youth volunteers are trained in practical job skills and gain valuable work experience, while others accrue necessary community service hours to complete high school. For Tellefson this is the beauty of Unity Shoppe, “People from all walks of life, races, and religions join together to be of service to people that need help. We hear again and again from both clients and volunteers how Unity has changed their lives.”
A Safety Net for All
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hat a pleasure it is to be an integral part of Unity Shoppe’s mission for over 30 years. The critical essentials that Unity provided to those affected by the Thomas Fire and Montecito Debris Flow showed your consistent dedication to our Community. And now, during this tragic pandemic, you’re at it again! You have always treated everyone in need with the kindness and respect they deserve. We are so honored to have played a part in sustaining this incredible organization.” – Jelinda DeVorzon and Kenny Loggins
Striving to Become Debt Free
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ulfilling its mission and running a nonprofit at the scale of Unity Shoppe is a costly endeavor. A key component of maintaining sustainability is eliminating overhead. Currently Unity Shoppe is carrying $3.5 million in mortgage debt before it owns its property and is able to apply annual fundraising dollars entirely to support programs and services for Community residents in need. Donations designated to pay down the mortgage will be matched up to $1 million dollars by an anonymous donor.
I Never Thought This Would Happen to Me
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uardian angels have shown up throughout my life: my husband moved from New York for me, my district manager encouraged me to become a retail store manager, and last year it was Unity Shoppe. We lost our lease without warning and needed to move into a hotel with our children. Unity provided us with months of needed groceries. Today, we’re in our own place and eager to give back. We want others to know they’re not alone – it’s okay to ask for help!”
– Laura Symmonds
Our CommUNITY of Givers and Doers Pearl Chase * Pierre Claeyssens * Clair Tellefson * Larry Crandell * Richard Berti Jelinda & Barry DeVorzon
David Gonzales Kathy Hughes Don Katich KEYT Kenny Loggins Jeff Martin
Unity Shoppe
Noone Family Paisley Family Annette & Harold* Simmons Smith Family Unity’s essential services employees Our beloved senior volunteers from yesterday and today * deceased
www.unityshoppe.org Pat Hitchcock, Donor Relations Director | 805-979-9511
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Making it Home F
rom 2015 through 2020, homelessness in Santa Barbara County grew by roughly 10% to 1,897 men, women and children. The deep and worsening economic crisis brought on by COVID-19 suggests that this trend will not simply continue but accelerate. Enter PATH (People Assisting the Homeless), a statewide nonprofit dedicated to ending homelessness and equipped to help many of our neighbors experiencing homelessness move off the street and into homes of their own. “We could end homelessness in this community,” says Tessa Madden Storms, PATH Santa Barbara’s regional director. “It has been done with larger populations.” Across the state, PATH serves 20% of the homeless population and has housed more than 10,000 individuals. While this may seem like a drop in the bucket compared to the state’s 150,000plus homeless population, it is an astounding feat considering it was accomplished by a single nonprofit. The trick, Madden Storms explains, is the agency’s comprehensive, research-driven approach. Alongside permanent supportive housing, PATH runs rapid re-housing, housing navigation, interim housing, and employment programs. A cornerstone effort the organization is undertaking here in Santa Barbara focuses on housing and intensive care for the county’s 24 most-in-need houseless individuals. “These neighbors are the most visible. The people you see panhandling on State Street,” says JB Bowlin, associate director of philanthropy and volunteers. “The highest utilizers of public services.”
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y experience with PATH over the last five years has been eye opening. I have learned first-hand just how challenging and serious the issue of addressing homelessness is. I have also seen the enormous impact that PATH is making for our local homeless as well as well as our community. I strongly believe in PATH’s Housing First approach to ending homelessness and I am excited to see their continued success and impact in our community in the years to come.”
– Dylan Ward
PATH Advisory Board
A seminal study out of Denver, where a similar program was launched, found that half had better health outcomes, mental health improved for 43 percent, while substance abuse dropped significantly. While expensive, moving chronically homeless individuals off the street and surrounding them with intensive support services is 45% cheaper than doing nothing. PATH’s interim housing program serves some 600 people a year, many of whom take advantage of the organization’s suite of other programs. “We are focused on ending homelessness holistically, and we understand how to get there from every different angle,” Madden Storms says. “Our vision is to end homelessness across the community. We strive to make sure everyone can make it home permanently.”
Renee Finds a PATH Home
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enee is a Santa Barbara local who grew up in the foster care system. Like many others in foster care, she aged out of the system without a place to call home. Renee found herself on the streets, staying around 7-Eleven near the West Beach area of Santa Barbara. Renee was ready to change her life, and found PATH. She entered our program when she was pregnant, and two months later, she found a home! The day that I found out I got the apartment I cried. It was a huge burden that was lifted off of my shoulders.” – Renee
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Welcome Home
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oving off the streets is an opportunity for someone who has experienced homelessness not to just find a place to rest his or her head, but also a chance to regain independence and stability. Understanding this, PATH makes sure that every person placed in housing moves into their new home with dignity – by providing clients with “welcome home kits” including household essentials. All private donations help fund critical programs and move people off the streets and into homes here in Santa Barbara. For every $1,000 we raise, PATH can help an individual take the final steps into a home of their own.
PATH
Champions of PATH Sue Adams Barbara Allen Mark Asman Denny & Bitsy Bacon David & Alice Boyd Dan & Meg Burnham Don Bushnell
www.pathsantabarbara.org John “JB” Bowlin, Associate Director of Philanthropy | 805.979.8710
Nancy Fiore Ron Fox Jodi & Johnny Goldberg Robert Kemp & Melinda Goodman Robert Grayson Geoff Green
Brian McTeague Juliana Minsky David Peri Nancy Read Rochelle Rose Leslie Von Wiesenberger Victoria Ward
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United in Crisis and Community
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or the nonprofits that matter, mission statements are much more than words on paper. They are the foundation of that organization’s future, and statements of commitment. In 2020, after four months of board-led strategic planning, the nearly 100-year-old United Way of Santa Barbara County updated its mission and vision to better reflect its role and responsibility in guiding the community during times of natural, economic, and public health crises, as well as times of stability. “To enrich the lives of children and families and build resilient communities by leading local programs and partnerships that
Decades of Support
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y family and I have supported United Way for decades, first in Minneapolis and now Santa Barbara. We first knew United Way as our trusted community fundraiser. When United Way of Santa Barbara County expanded its mission to provide direct life-changing research-based services to children and adults, my support only became stronger. Their work to increase access to early childhood education for children and families is particularly dear to my heart and I am proud to support United Way educational programs.”
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– Maryan Schall
donor and board member
improve school readiness and academic achievement, financial empowerment, and crisis response and recovery.” As with declining local and national academic scores, the Thomas Fire or the debris flow, United Way coordinated a powerful community-wide mobilization in the wake of COVID-19. While only having a full-time staff of 17 and 45 temporary staff each year, the organization expands its capabilities by engaging with partners in philanthropy, the nonprofit community, and public agencies to: raise $10.1 million for COVID-response efforts; support 2,500 individuals and families with funding to meet basic needs; all while providing 40,600 students with unique academic programming in partnership with school districts. One of those students, an eight-year-old girl, was failing to attend her virtual classes because she was so busy helping her two younger siblings with their remote learning and homework. “We have been here as a solid organization that adapts quickly and then delivers results,” says President and CEO Steve Ortiz, himself a 15-year-veteran of United Way. For Ortiz, assessing and responding to varying community needs is what United Way was built for. The organization is built on measuring results so that every one of its programs – whether supporting students or mitigating the fallout of the deepest public health crisis our generation has known – is built out of data and continuously improved. And unlike most other nonprofits, its history gives it credibility as a convener, a quality it uses to forge the partnerships needed to respond to the most pressing issues the community faces. “We are too small to be able to accomplish everything we do alone,” Ortiz says. “If we are able to set goals that are aligned with one another, we bring together our strengths for a much stronger result” – the united way.
An Engine of Recovery
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teve Ortiz, United Way of Santa Barbara’s president and CEO, doesn’t see a short-term end to the needs of local residents suffering through the pandemic and its longterm economic impact. While United Way was able to quickly disburse some $4 million in aid to 2,500 individuals and families and 130 nonprofits, there were thousands more applications than could be processed; thousands of people in need. To sustain Santa Barbara’s recovery, United Way needs your help.
A Board United Cliff Lundberg, Chair – Vice President Emeritus, Westmont College Diane B. Doiron, CLU, Vice Chair – Owner, Doiron Financial Associates Susan Hersberger, Vice Chair – Retired Public Relations Executive Leo Hamill, Treasurer – Senior Vice President/Regional Manager, City National Bank Steve Ortiz, Secretary – President & CEO, United Way of Santa Barbara County Rick Scott, Immediate Past Board Chair – Nonprofit Executive Lance Connor – Reliable Engineering Services David Flattery – Vice President of Business Development, DuPont Displays
United Way of Santa Barbara County
www.unitedwaysb.org Steve Ortiz, President & CEO | 805-965-8591
Robert Hollman – Commercial Real Estate Developer & Owner Terrance Holt – General Partner, Red Barn Investments Alex Koper – President & CEO, Global Mortgage Group Terri Maus-Nisich – Assistant CEO, County of Santa Barbara Art Merovick – Retired Executive Rosemary Mutton – Community Volunteer Kevin Nelson – Director of Corporate Compliance, Cottage Health Patrice Ryan – Retired Executive Maryan Schall – Community Volunteer & Philanthropist
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Lifesaving Soup
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nthony Carroccio, Executive Director and founder of Organic Soup Kitchen, has a profound vision for his 120-gallon steam kettles. “We see ways to use the medicinal value of whole organic food to make a difference in Cancer recovery.” Since 2009, Anthony and his team have been working alongside leading Cancer specialists to formulate metabolically charged soup recipes high in phytonutrients. “The correlation between organic food and disease is a powerful one,” Carroccio says. “If you had Cancer, or your mom had Cancer, and you only had two to three tablespoons of anything to give her a day, our soup is what you would give her.” Carroccio and his team stick to a rigorous schedule to ensure that more than 600 Cancer patients and immune-compromised residents in Santa Barbara County are delivered the nutrient packed soups every week. Ninety-five percent of their clients are over 65 and facing financial hardship. All SoupMeals are handcrafted weekly at the Organic Soup Kitchen’s downtown Santa Barbara, environmentally conscious, industrial sized kitchen. It all starts with a Sous-Chef and a team of trained kitchen workers slicing and dicing 500-600 pounds of organic produce – 90 percent sourced locally. After the soups are slowly cooked and hermetically sealed for safety in 24-ounce containers, they are hand delivered by a team of delivery drivers. The recent addition of bone broth to the plant-based menu gives clients additional quality options and
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provides the extraordinary healing properties of the vitamins and minerals extracted from organic, free range chicken bones. “We’re meeting a critical need locally, but the reality is that the crisis of food scarcity and a poor diet exists across our country,” Carroccio says. “We’d love nothing more than to expand our reach and help even more people in need of clinical nutrition.” For a 10-year-old boy named Atlas battling T-Cell Leukemia, the Organic Soup Kitchen has been a saving grace: “Staying nourished has been a priority and a struggle throughout. Your beautiful soups are helping me to continue this quest for wellness. Thank you so very much!”
Be a SouperHero
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onthly donors are the heartbeat of our organization. Join a community of compassionate heroes on a mission to bring about positive change in the lives impacted by Cancer and chronic illness. To be a part of this life-giving organization, please visit www.organicsoupkitchen. org/hero.
The Soup Kitchen’s Supporters Jane Orfalea Hollye Jacobs Tom Parker Russell Steiner The Geiger Family - B & B Foundation Berna Kieler Nina Terzian Christoper and Lisa Llyod Wendy Foster
Cheryl and John Doty The Giefer Family The Roehrig Family Michael McDonald Salud Carbajal Lois Capps Janet Wolf Patricia Bragg Dr. Peter Alden Dianna Joiner Cat Cora
Organic Soup Kitchen
www.OrganicSoupKitchen.org Andrea Slaby, COO | (805) 364-2790
“I
’m inspired by the thousands of community members Organic Soup Kitchen supports, as well as the dozens of people who volunteer their time to create such a fantastic product and valuable service. I’m a huge fan of their soups. They don’t just taste fantastic, they are also packed with vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients that boost the immune system and increase energy. I love that my purchases and donations help provide soup to nourish and heal community members struggling with cancer or chronic illness. It’s a shining example of this organization’s impact on those most in need.”
– Jane Orfalea
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www.thegivinglist.com
The Performers “Music and the arts make a bridge across the world in a way nothing else can.”
– Julie Andrews
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Philanthropic Joy by Emily Heckman
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ara Miller McCune has been discreetly and powerfully fueling the performing arts, education, social justice, and the Jewish community in Santa Barbara County for decades. The renowned publishing trailblazer (she founded SAGE Publishing as a single woman in 1965 and remains Executive Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of this international scholarly publishing empire), is also the co-founder of the McCune Foundation (in 1990), a locally focused philanthropic organization whose mission is to build social capital in both Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties. Sara, who was raised in a working-class Jewish family in Queens, New York, recalls being introduced to philanthropy early. Her family embraced the ancient Jewish tradition of Tzedakah, which in Hebrew literally means “righteous behavior.” It’s also the closest word in the Hebrew language to “philanthropy” but it encompasses so much more than just charitable giving. As she describes it, “Tzedakah” isn’t just about being generous; it’s the moral and ethical imperative for all Jews to put contributing to the greater good of one’s community at the center of one’s life. She recalls that there was always a box set aside in her childhood home, where family members would deposit their spare change. This money would then be used as part of the family’s charitable giving – their good deeds, or mitzvot. Giving from this mindset, which values connection and mutual support above all else, taught her (and her younger brother) that when a neighbor’s social or economic burdens are lifted, everyone benefits. Philanthropy, as Sara points out, isn’t about charity: it’s about relationship building, and she learned how valuable and joy-inducing this work is at the feet of her parents. “For me, growing up this way, I wound up discovering eventually, especially over these past few decades, that being a philanthropist makes me very happy. And I feel lucky that I get to give back.” Sharing resources, Sara has found, releases a very unique and powerful kind of joy into a community. It’s hard to put this feeling into words, but she describes how it frees people to step into creativity and self-sufficiency and problem-solving in really unique ways.
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“Philanthropy, when it’s done right, strengthens a local economy. It’s woven into the fabric of community life. And what could be better than that?” – Sara Miller McCune Teach Your Children Well
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nd this philanthropic joy doesn’t depend on the size of your gift. Sara shares how, based on the example of former SAGE Board Member and publishing colleague Jerry Kaplan, she began the practice of giving her young grandchildren a modest amount of money at Thanksgiving. She instructed them that this money (which was separate from any holiday gifts they’d receive) was theirs to give to any cause or organization they felt passionate about. Then, come spring, during Passover, they’d tell her what they’d done with that money. “I loved hearing what they were excited about because it let me get to know them better and brought us closer together. One granddaughter was passionate about ferrets one year, another grandchild wanted to help save the environment, two grandkids gave to a classmate whose house had burned down, and so on. I got to see each of them experience that indescribable philanthropic joy for themselves.”
Philanthropy as an Engine for Change
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ara has become keenly aware of how vital philanthropy is for real, meaningful societal change. Philanthropists are incredibly in tune with what’s happening in their local communities and are often able to identify problems quickly. She points out the entrepreneurial nature of philanthropy, and the smart risks philanthropists are able and willing to take in order to solve a problem before it escalates and negatively impacts the broader community. But again, this isn’t about largesse. “People don’t realize that philanthropy provides a lot of employment and creates jobs, on both sides of the equation. Philanthropy, when it’s done right, strengthens a local economy. It’s woven into the fabric of community life. And what could be better than that?”
Finding the Right Philanthropic Partners
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iller McCune understands that strong philanthropic relationships are built on cultivating and expanding a shared passion. For instance, the Board of a performing arts organization should seek out philanthropic organizations that already have a demonstrable commitment to funding the arts: in other words, like attracts like. “I look for good leadership within the organization,” Miller McCune shares. “Especially with regard to their treatment of staff, their fiscal clarity, and how they are achieving their mission and goals.”
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The Community’s Theatre N
ot only is the Lobero the longest running theatre in California (founded in 1873), but it is relentless, with over 200 nights of performances a year serving more than 70,000 people. For Executive Director David Asbell, whose 23year tenure seems short given the Lobero’s history, the job is all about serving Santa Barbara and its vibrant performing arts scene. “The staff and board, we look at our role really as stewards of this great building and tradition,” Asbell says. “The most important thing we can be doing, job number one, is all about our community. The collaborations we are most proud of are with local arts organizations and local artists.” The Lobero has four pillars of performance: classical music, jazz, dance, and theatre. While the theatre has been – and is regularly – graced by world-class performers, the Lobero’s staff is heavily focused on photo by Patrick Price giving local artists and youth a platform to thrive and grow into their craft. “We are not going to make the music, but we will make sure that a local musician or dance company has the best opportunity at succeeding,” Asbell says. “The most important goal for us is to complement and support the local arts scene.” To accomplish this, the theatre heavily subsidizes or gifts the space whether for the Santa Barbara Youth Symphony, a nonprofit youth service provider like AHA!, or the Santa Barbara Vocal Jazz Foundation’s “Journey Through Jazz” residency. Journey Through Jazz is a seven-week in-classroom program during which local grade schoolers learn about jazz music and history, which culminates in a performance at the Lobero. Jim Dougherty is the Lobero’s Director of Planned Giving. For him, the Journey Through Jazz performances have their own “special magic” because of the audience that comes through the doors. “These are not your typical theatregoers,” Dougherty says. “You have whole families. The best is watching a sibling watch their siblings up on stage. I just love to see the families’ reactions. It’s absolutely sweet.” That is what he misses the most about the theatre being closed for such a long stretch of 2020. For Asbell, Dougherty, and the entire Lobero team, it is moments like those that the theatre was built for: community.
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I’m With Her, Sara Watkins, Sarah Jarosz, Aoife O’Donovan (photo by David Bazemore)
A Life-Transforming Experience
“A
HA!’s signature fundraiser, Sing It Out, has been held at the Lobero Theatre since spring 2017. For teen participants – most of whom have never dreamed of performing in front of a live audience, much less on the stage of such a majestic theater – this is a life-transforming experience. “The success of this inspiring yearly event is due in great part to engaged, gracious support from the Lobero’s Board, staff, and volunteers. We are grateful for their commitment to arts access and their passion for uplifting all members of the Santa Barbara community.”
– Molly Green
Development Director, AHA!
Proven Value
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AHA! Santa Barbara performs on the Lobero Stage
Another 150 Years
or nearly 150 years, the Lobero has proven its value as a venue which brings world-class talent to our town. I’ve long enjoyed coming to this theater, and have enjoyed countless diverse performances on this historic stage. It’s simply a great place to enjoy a show. And just as meaningful, it is Santa Barbara’s community theater – collaborating with local schools and youth arts organizations. I’m proud to not only support the Lobero, but also honored to serve as President on its Board of Directors.”
– Steve Hayes
Board President
I
n 2023, the Lobero Theatre will celebrate its 150th anniversary. For Director of Planned Giving Jim Dougherty, the moment will be as much about celebrating the past, as cementing the Lobero’s legacy into the future. Although 60% of annual revenue comes from ticket sales and venue rentals, the theater relies on charitable donations for the balance. “Our true endowment going through the years has been this community,” Dougherty says. “The community members have always stepped forward in times of crisis and exerted an ownership over the theater. This is their theater.” To coincide with the 150-year anniversary, Dougherty plans on expanding the current endowment of $3 million to $10 million, and is seeking your help. If you want to be a part of the Lobero tradition and future, you can reach him directly at: jdougherty@lobero.org.
The Lobero’s Board of Directors Steve Hayes, President Charles de L’ Arbre, Vice President Melissa Fassett, Secretary Bridget Foreman, Treasurer Tim Casey, At Large John Gerngross, At Large Amy MacLeod, Past President Stephen Cloud
The Lobero Theatre
Mindy Denson Jeff DeVine Brett Hodges Michael Jaffe Laurie Bentson Kauth Janet McCann Bill Nasif Ben Trosky Bo Willis David Anderson, Director Emeritus
www.lobero.org Jim Dougherty, Director of Planned Giving | (805) 679-6009
Santa Barbara Vocal Jazz Foundation – Students performing “Journey Through Jazz” (photo by David Bazemore)
2020 Lobero Fund Spokespersons Jeff & Susan Bridges John Kay
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Relight the Marquee Y
ou are sitting up front in the ornate Granada Theatre. It has been too long since you have had an experience like this. The motionless curtain tantalizes. Impatient for its revelations, you look around and up to the balcony: so many people (1,500) sharing the same exhilaration. You feel a richness coming back to life. Then–the curtain rises. For Hayley Firestone Jessup, the Granada’s vice president of advancement, that moment, when it comes, will be “relief, huge emotional relief.” “It will be the lights, the sounds, the visuals, the excitement,” Firestone Jessup says breathlessly. “The beauty of live artists again. The color of the stage. The sound of the musicians.” For Firestone Jessup and her colleagues, who have seen the theater’s staff drop from 35 to 10, the long months of the pandemic have made it all too apparent “that without music, theatre, and dance one’s life becomes incredibly flat.” The theater itself is a beacon of culture for not only Santa Barbara, but the entire state and country. Following a top-to-bottom seismic upgrade and architectural restoration in 2008, the Granada was reborn as the downtown home for eight resident companies including the Opera Santa Barbara, The Santa Barbara Symphony, and State Street Ballet. To accommodate the varied performances showcased in the now 96-year-old venue required intensive alterations to what had most recently been a multiplex cinema. This included enlarging the stage for the opera, making the floor flexible for dancers, enhancing acoustics for the symphony, and widening the proscenium arch for Broadway tours. The result is a venue where Yo-Yo Ma, the Peking Acrobats, and the Beach Boys all find the amenities and high quality that bring them back time and time again. Beyond the performances within the theater, the Granada provides Santa Barbara and the region with so much more. Tourists take selfies by the entrance of Santa Barbara’s highest “skyscraper” – the city’s icon of the performing arts and the cultural vibrancy to be found on this particular stretch of California’s coast. “The Granada adds a dimension to the community life of Santa Barbara just by its presence, just by the lights on the marquee,” Firestone Jessup says. “While we have taken an intermission, we will be back!”
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Help Sustain the Granada through Challenging Times
T A Bridge to the Future
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tate Street Ballet’s artistic director Rodney Gustafson, reflecting on the Ballet’s 25th anniversary season this year, said: “The Granada Theatre is a wonderful, iconic venue that I was able to see restored to the most beautiful place, and as a resident company we are all so proud of that place. It gives the Symphony, us, and so many other arts organizations a PLACE, as we build our bridge to the future. I hope we all continue to support the joyous work that comes through that theater.”
hroughout its 97-year history, the Granada Theatre marquee has shone as a vibrant reminder of the cultural richness of Santa Barbara. With the forced closure of the theater during the pandemic, all performances have been canceled or postponed and the marquee has been dark. Your donation in support of the Granada Theatre during this vital time will sustain the organization through this challenging time. Please consider how you can help the Granada Theatre once again stand tall for the arts. With your help, and the support of the entire community, the theater will reopen, and we will Relight the Marquee.
Performance is Vital
“T
he Performing Arts remind us of our humanity and provide opportunities for creativity and virtuosity unique to humankind. We are deeply honored to be able to support The Granada Theatre as the heart and soul of Santa Barbara’s performing arts. During the shut down, we have been reminded just how vital live performance is in our lives and how much we miss The Granada Theatre. We cannot wait to be back in the audience experiencing the beauty and artistry from this historic stage.”
– Sarah and Roger Chrisman
The Granada Theatre Board of Directors Palmer Jackson, Jr. - Executive Chair Timothy O. Fisher - Vice Chair Roberta Griffin - Treasurer Blake Jones - Secretary Jan Bowlus
Dan Burnham Sarah Schlinger Chrisman David Cronenbold Brooks Firestone Yvette Giller Charles C. Gray Mark S. Manion R. Robert Miller III Leanne Schlinger Merryl Snow Zegar
The Granada Theatre
www.granadasb.org Hayley Firestone Jessup, Vice President of Advancement | (805) 899-3000 x130
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Ensemble Means Together A
“Husbands and Wives’ 2017 (photo by David Bazemore)
“Cookin’ at the Cookery” 2018 (photo by David Bazemore)
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s the pandemic set in, Santa Barbara’s renowned Ensemble Theatre Company was poised to open American Son – a gripping Broadway show. The play centers on a bi-racial couple’s discovery that their 18-year-old son was missing and may have been picked up by the police. But, of course, going to the theater during the unfolding spread of an airborne virus stopped the theater company in its tracks. The company’s artistic director, Jonathan Fox, laments that Ensemble couldn’t be there to help the community reckon with both the pandemic and the racial unrest that erupted in the wake of George Floyd’s murder by a Minneapolis police officer. “Through our work, we help the community make sense of our world, whether Shakespeare, a comedy, or a play like American Son,” Fox says. “The sad thing about being shut down was that this was the time they needed us most.” But instead of retreating, Fox and his team set up a virtual town hall where more than 100 Santa Barbara residents discussed American Son’s fraught exploration of how racism creeps into so many relationships – even that of man and wife. The event marked how Ensemble is turning the pain of 2020 into a chance for not mere resumption of operations as usual, but rather a reformation of what theater means to community. As reopening begins, Ensemble is looking forward to not only raising the curtains of The New Vic, its resplendent 300-seat, Victoria Street theater, but also to relaunch its community building programs: the Young Playwrights Festival, and its Student Matinees that allow Santa Barbara students to enjoy the theater for free. “We work incredibly hard to make theater available to the widest audience, and make it possible for anyone who wants to see a show,” Fox says. Fox sees a bright future for his company and theater in general. “We are all champing at the bit to have real live inperson experiences,” Fox says. “To get out of virtual reality and back into ‘reality.’” And when that happens, Ensemble will do what it has always done best: bring Santa Barbara together.
“Emma” 2020 (photo by David Bazemore)
“S
anta Barbara is a town known for its love of the arts – museums, music organizations, dance companies, and theater. Among all the stellar arts organizations in Santa Barbara which deserve our support, I am proud to invest in the groundbreaking theater produced by Ensemble Theatre Company at The New Vic.”
– Dana White
Closing Out the Endowment
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eginning in 2009, Ensemble undertook a $12.6 million renovation of the Victoria Hall Theater. It reopened as the New Vic in 2013. Artistic Director Fox, who oversaw the fundraising campaign and renovation, knew that the new theater would put Ensemble on the national theater map. He was right. Soon, accomplished actors including Tyne Daly, Piper Laurie, and Patrick Cassidy were appearing on stage – and Santa Barbara could boast about its stature as a professional theater destination. Part of the fundraising campaign included a $4 million endowment. During the pandemic the $3 million Fox and company had raised towards that endowment sustained the company as its budget was more than halved. Contact the company’s development team if you want to help them raise the $1 million needed to reach their goal. “Macbeth”, 2016 (photo by David Bazemore)
Ensemble Theatre Company
https://etcsb.org | Jill Seltzer (805) 965-5400 x105
“T
he excitement of working with Jonathan Fox in creating The New Vic theater has been a major highlight in my life in Santa Barbara. We now have a perfect size, comfortable legitimate theater where we can all enjoy ‘Big time theater’ in a wonderfully intimate environment! I am thrilled to have been part of this!”
– Lee Luria
Friends of Ensemble Theatre Eve Bernstein Paula Yurkanis Bruice Meg and Dan Burnham Elaine and Mike Gray Ruth and Alan Heeger Donna and Dan Hone Ellen and Peter O. Johnson Herb Kendall Elly and Jim Langer Lillian Lovelace
Lee Luria Sara Miller McCune John C. Mithun and Mercedes Millington Sybil Rosen Joan Rutkowski Missy and Chuck Sheldon Debby and Peter Stalker Anne Smith Towbes Dana White Merryl and Chuck Zegar
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www.thegivinglist.com
The Physicians “The aim of medicine is to prevent disease and prolong life, the ideal of medicine is to eliminate the need of a physician.”
– William J. Mayo
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photo by Edward Clynes
Leslie Ridley-Tree gives, “because there’s a great big hole in the world, of emptiness, of people who need, people who are hungry.” 158
The Hands-on Giver by James Buckley
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eslie Ridley-Tree’s prodigious philanthropical career began more than 30 years ago, precisely on February 14, 1988 upon her marriage to Paul Ridley-Tree and the couple’s subsequent move from the Los Angeles area to Montecito. Ms Ridley-Tree is a member of the Church of England – Anglican – and as such, has “always tithed,” meaning she was accustomed to donating 10% of her income (“before taxes,” she stresses) to the church, or to any worthy cause of her liking. “The more you have, the more you share; it’s just part of life,” she adds. We can classify Ms Ridley-Tree as a “hands-on” giver, in that she attempts to learn as much as possible about an organization before deciding to donate funds to it. She, in a notable example, became a member of the board of directors and ultimately president of the Santa Barbara Museum of Art to learn exactly what the museum did. Other questions she considers before making a final determination to give are: How are things administered? How is the money going to be used? How many organizations in the area are duplicating the same service? How long has it been in service and how many times has it turned over? And, she does all the research herself, including visiting their offices and sitting down with the CEO or Director. If a CEO moves from more than one organization to another, she wants to know why; what it is about the organization he or she currently heads that is better than the previous one. There are good answers and notso-good answers. She says too that if someone under consideration begins dodging questions, or is not prepared to present their program properly, she will likely “stand back and wait awhile” before committing. Large salaries are a no-no (“If they’re paying big salaries, you’re definitely not going to be interested, because that’s not
what it’s about,” she says). Overly high administrative costs are also troublesome. Ms Ridley-Tree has a yearly budget, so when she begins to consider something new to support, she often has to reduce an amount another nonprofit has been receiving. Sometimes, she even drops that support entirely. Next year, for example, a recipient of her largesse that has been with her for more than 20 years won’t be receiving anything: not because of anything they’d done or not done, but because the money is needed elsewhere. She confesses that it is always painful to have to tell someone they won’t be getting anything, but that “it has to be done.” She tells them in person, and never uses a go-between. Ms Ridley-Tree’s list of giving includes UCSB (whose KITP graduate science area is of special attention, as are some 40 scholarships for young people with disabilities), SBCC (30 single-parents-returning-to-education scholarships), Westmont (next year’s plan includes the launch of the Ridley-Tree Nursing Program, complete with 33 scholarships at Westmont, which currently doesn’t have a nursing program), Cottage Hospital and Sansum Clinic (the Ridley-Tree Cancer Center received over $10 million), Ms Ridley-Tree has been involved in the Santa Barbara Zoo for over 30 years (“since the day I arrived,” she reports). There are and have been many recipients of her generosity, too many to list. To sum up: Leslie Ridley-Tree gives, “because there’s a great big hole in the world, of emptiness, of people who need, people who are hungry. There are needs to be filled, whether it’s in education or medicine or hunger, there’s just not enough to go around evenly and there are areas where you just have to share. It doesn’t mean you have to give it all away and walk barefoot, but it does mean that you have to share; there’s that need, and you can’t look at it and walk by.”
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Healing by Fostering Hope I
n 1997, a group of breast cancer survivors and others came together to talk about having a place where women and men could come to receive practical advice and emotional support addressing the realities of a breast cancer diagnosis. Today, with 23 years of service to the Santa Barbara community, the Breast Cancer Resource Center continues to stand at the ready with an unwavering message of hope and perseverance. When Georganne Lubin, a mother of four, was diagnosed with breast Marcela Rojas cancer, the road ahead – chemo, surgery, the unknown – was daunting, but client the center’s home-like atmosphere, Reiki, Reflexology, and staff, many cancer survivors themselves, proved a salve. “What I found at the BCRC was a place of encouragement and hope during a time when my world was turned on its head by a cancer diagnosis with multiple treatments and surgeries,” Lubin says. Silvana Kelly, Executive Director of the BCRC, is a survivor. Nearly two decades ago, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She watched her hair fall out, fought through months of treatment, recovery, and marveled at how after treatment, health improved daily and her physical strength returned. So when a young woman with a recent diagnosis walks into the center, Kelly can, from a place of knowing, tell her that yes, you can get through this, your hair will grow back; and you will have the strength to play with your children again, and learn how to ask for help. Like Kelly, the center’s director of programs, outreach coordinator, and mammogram coordinator are all survivors. “We are not the doctors to provide a cure, but we are the support system and family that will encourage and uplift clients, so they have the stamina to move forward while maintaining a semblance of mindful wellness,” Kelly says. While the organization’s programs primarily focus on women because 99% of breast cancer cases affect them, Director of Donor Engagement Armando Martinez recently launched Men in Pink, a distinguished group of compassionate and philanthropic leaders dedicated to raising awareness and money to help the Breast Cancer Resource Center of Santa Barbara with their mission to support individuals facing breast cancer. “Breast Cancer affects everyone,” Martinez says. “It also affects the lives of those standing strong, supporting a loved one through their journey” Whether men supporting women as sons, friends, or partners, or women survivors helping those in the throes of breast cancer, the Breast Cancer Resource Center is at the heart of providing better lives for everyone touched by this terrible disease. “We know how to support and love and be there for you,” Martinez says. “That’s what we do, and that’s all we do.”
Romance of the Inner Self
“I
Amara
client with daughter
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am a mother of 2 young girls, and social worker at Hospice of Santa Barbara. At 38, I was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. Throughout my mastectomy recovery, chemotherapy and radiation treatment, the Breast Cancer Resource Center was a vital source of support. I attended support group, utilized the library and amazing complimentary therapies. My favorite workshop ‘Romance of the Inner Self’ was about helping to heal, allow self-care and acceptance of the illness. It was a wonderful break from my treatment life, allowing me to be creative and reflective. I am so grateful to Donors that make it possible to provide free BCRC services and support.”
– Amara Maliszewski
BCRC client
BCRC client models at fashion show fundraiser
A Daughter’s Gratitude
“M
y mom found BCRC as this incredible support group for her. Family can offer so much, yet you need to step outside and be with a group of people who are also going through this horrible time in their life. To be able to walk into a door with bright faces and uplifting spirits, you come in feeling low and walk out feeling better having connected with other people going through what you are going through.”
– Dariel Sidney
Vice President, Global Philanthropy and Ethos, Athena Cosmetics Inc.
A Lasting Gift
D
Paul Lommen BCRC volunteer
uring the pandemic, the Breast Cancer Resource Center was forced to dip into its $250,000 in reserves to maintain operations. In order to ensure the BCRC can plan for the future and its services remain available to all who can benefit from its programs, is to build a BCRC endowment. Your financial support and family legacy will directly reverberate through time and affect those who will be dealing with this disease in the future to find support and heal from the inside out. To support the BCRC, reach out to Director of Donor Engagement Armando Martinez directly: armando@bcrcsb.org
Supporters of The Breast Cancer Resource Center of Santa Barbara RevitaLash Cosmetics Union Bank Santa Barbara Auto Group Santa Barbara Women’s Imaging Center Sotheby’s International Realty Cottage Health
Evie Sullivan Rose Hodge Carol and David Roe Ellen and Tom Fogel, M.D. Pacific Plastic Surgery Santa Barbara Plastic Surgery
The Breast Cancer Resource Center of Santa Barbara www.bcrcsb.org Silvana R. Kelly, Executive Director | (805) 569-9693
Sara Yegiyants MD FACS Plastic Surgery Scheinberg Orthopedics Cancer Foundation of Santa Barbara & Ridley Tree Cancer Center Farmers & Merchants Trust Company American Rivera Bank Montecito Bank & Trust Armand Hammer Foundation & Misty and Michael Hammer Hutton Parker Foundation
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Community Health Requires Healthcare for All
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anta Barbara Neighborhood Clinics is the south county’s firewall against communal public health threats. Every year, its eight clinics in Isla Vista, Goleta, and Santa Barbara serve more than 22,000 people, 91% of whom are lowincome and often lack adequate resources to pay for care. The clinics’ physicians, physician assistants, dentists, and nurse practitioners provide a wide range of primary care from substance use treatment to managing chronic illness and behavioral health. “This is the best job I have ever had,” says CEO and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Charles Fenzi. “The folks we are taking care of are so grateful that we are here. And I get to rub elbows with such passionate and dedicated people.” Fenzi, a family medicine doctor, spends one day a week seeing patients in an effort to keep up with his highly qualified medical staff. All services are provided on a sliding scale, so that everyone who comes through the doors is provided “high quality, comprehensive, affordable healthcare… regardless of their ability to pay, in an environment that fosters respect, compassion, and dignity.” Without the neighborhood clinics – many of these patients wouldn’t have many other options for care other than the emergency room. “The ER is very expensive,” Fenzi says. “You have no continuity, and it’s not a place where you can provide care for people with chronic health conditions.” Inasmuch, the role Neighborhood Clinics plays in helping the patients it does extends to the whole community. “If you can’t provide access to everyone in the community, you simply won’t have a healthy community.” For the first six months of 2021, Fenzi is focused on “a triple target to keep essential workers healthy”: managing chronic
health conditions, ensuring children are vaccinated, and when a COVID-19 vaccine is developed, administering it to the thousands of patients he and his colleagues see. As the on-the-ground provider for so many uninsured, undocumented essential workers, Fenzi and the clinics will have to show people that it is safe to take a new vaccine and will be a lead agency administering the vaccinations themselves.
Hal’s Story
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y age 52, Hal, a patient at SBNC’s Bridge Clinic, was going through a life-threatening withdrawal from a lethal mix of alcohol, Ativan, heroin, fentanyl and methamphetamine. The minute he met Dr. Paule, one of the clinic’s addiction specialists, Hal knew he had found someone who had empathy for his patients. “Addicts are intuitive;’ said Hal. “We know when someone doesn’t care or is burned out from their job. Dr. Paule was different. He was patient, and I remember the first thing he said to me: ‘Hal, you’re one of those guys who is going to stay sober or going to die while trying.’” Hal has been seeing Dr. Paule and the staff at the Bridge Clinic for almost a year, where he is receiving Medically Assisted Treatment. “Dr. Paule symbolizes hope to me…for all of us. We have to deal with so much stigma and suffering. To have a man willing to treat us with compassion, coupled with genius skills, gives me hope and hope for others who are suffering. I have received the finest treatment by a one-in-a-million doctor for free…and this is the best way I can give back.”
Filling the Gap
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anta Barbara Neighborhood Clinics doesn’t turn patients away. As a result, the Federally-Qualified Health Care Center runs high medical bills, roughly $2.5 million a year. To fill this gap, Neighborhood Clinics lean on individual donations. One way to get involved individually or by joining our “Good Neighbors” who commit to donations of $1,000 a year earmarked for where the funds are needed most.
A Community Treasure
“F
or 49 years, the Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics have been a cornerstone of our community. They provide essential and compassionate care to anyone, and partner with myriad other entities to ensure a connection and continuity of care. As I look to the future, the need for healthcare is great. Please join our family in supporting this critical community treasure.”
– Elisabeth Fowler
SBNC supporter
Supporting the Neighborhood Cottage Health Dorothy Largay Direct Relief David & Anna Grotenhuis Health Resources and Services Administration (HERSA) Lady Leslie Ridley-Tree
Alice Tweed Tuohy Foundation The Center at Sierra Health Center for Care Innovations - Fund of Tides Foundation Delta Dental Community Care Foundation Elaine f. Stepanek Foundation G.A Fowler Family Foundation ABC Channel 3
Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics
David Lee Gibbs Victoria & Robert Hazard James S. Bower Foundation Lewis-Towbes Family Fund The Linked Foundation Jack Mithun and Mercedes Millington Maryanne Mott, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Mosher Foundation Sansum Clinic
www.sbclinics.org Maria W. Long, Director of Development & Community Awareness | (805) 617-7866, ext. 1115
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Medical Excellence in Santa Barbara
anta Barbara offers a temperate climate for yearlong enjoyment of ocean and mountain recreation, world-renowned arts, and a topflight university. It’s also home to a premier regional health system. Founded by 50 community volunteers in 1888, Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital has grown into Cottage Health, now including three acute care hospitals, a children’s medical center, a medical rehabilitation hospital and multiple Urgent Care centers and specialty clinics. Cottage Health reaches across the region to uplift the health of the entire population. More than 700 physicians on Cottage Health’s medical staff help patients with specialized care – from pediatrics to neuroscience and vascular health. Cottage is also a teaching hospital and a career destination for residents from the world’s top medical schools. Cottage quality is recognized in government ratings that put Cottage hospitals among the top 10% of all hospitals in terms of patient care nationwide. In 2019, Cottage Health provided inpatient care for 21,000 individuals, treated 80,000 patients in its three emergency departments, and helped mothers deliver 2,100 newborns. And that was all within the walls of its hospitals in Santa Barbara, Goleta, and the Santa Ynez Valley. The health system now reaches beyond those walls, recognizing that good health starts outside the hospital. The Cottage Center for Population Health works to improve the health and wellness of the entire community, focusing on equity for the most vulnerable – in the hospitals and in the community. The Center brings together partners – schools, government agencies, community organizations, and employers – creating collaborations for sustainable wellness initiatives.
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Strengthening a World-Class Healthcare System
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hilanthropic support from local families and organizations made it possible for Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital to open its doors in 1891, and for the past 129 years, those doors have never closed. Today, charitable gifts continue to strengthen and sustain the hospitals of Cottage Health. Philanthropic priorities include: • Enhancing excellence in clinical programs such as cardiology and the neurosciences, supporting educational programs for caregivers – including a new patient care simulation training center, investing in research; • Strengthening Cottage’s Emergency, Trauma, and Critical Care programs; • Building and sustaining the Cottage Children’s Medical Center; • Improving the health of the broader community through the Cottage Center for Population Health; • Supporting Cottage Rehabilitation Hospital’s move to a modern, patient-centered space at the Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital campus; • Acquiring new CT scanning technology at Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital. To learn more about how your outright gift, multi-year pledge, or estate-plan gift can improve health care in our region, please call the Cottage Health Advancement office at (805) 879-8980, or visit: cottagehealth.org.
Caring for You, Your Friends and Neighbors
“B
arry and I became passionate supporters when Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital began its major rebuilding program in 2004 – and we remain committed to making sure the hospital and its caregivers have the resources needed to maintain the level of medical excellence we currently enjoy this close to home. The Cottage hospitals are nationally recognized for quality of care, an extensive range of specialized services, engaged employees, and patient satisfaction. Cottage cares for our family, friends, and neighbors. Supporting this important privilege and an honor.”
work is a
–
Jelinda DeVorzon
Montecito resident, volunteer supporter, and Chair of Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital’s Reaching Higher Together Campaign
Co-
The Helpers’ Helpers Edward S. Bentley, MD Susan Christol Deacon Thomas J. Cusack Gregory F. Faulkner Pamela B. Gann Dorothy Largay, PhD Nancy Nielsen Ernesto Paredes Gamble T. Parks Richard S. Ponce, MD
Anne O. Rodriguez, MD Ginger Salazar Mark P. Scott, MD Steven C. Zola Jelinda DeVorzon Peter MacDougall, EdD Babji Mesipam, MD Gretchen Milligan Robert Nourse Lady Leslie Ridley-Tree Marshall “Chip” Turner
Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital Foundation
www.cottagehealth.org/donate David Dietrich, Vice President for Advancement | (805) 879-8980
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www.thegivinglist.com
The Saviors “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
– Margaret Mead
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Simon Pivots to Social Justice by Joe Donnelly
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achel Simon would be the first to admit she was blessed by the circumstances of her birth. Her father is Herbert “Herb” Simon, the Indianapolis-based real-estate billionaire (and owner of the Indiana Pacers!), and her mother is Diane Meyer Simon, the notable political and environmental activist who founded Global Green, U.S.A. Her father, Simon says, gave his kids “just enough room to make our own way, but was always there to instill the most important core values.” Diane Meyer Simon was an active figure in the populist progressivism of the early Kennedy era. “My mom was just, you know, this super-cool woman, she worked for Bobby Kennedy and had all these awesome stories,” Simon says. “She was an environmental activist and so a lot of my interests probably followed from watching her do her work. [My parents are] both extremely engaged in the community and politically active. So, I mean, I lucked out. We all did.” Together, Simon says, her parents created in her “a very environmentally conscious and progressive thinker.” That progressive thinker is now leading the second generation of philanthropy at the Herbert Simon Family Foundation, based in Indianapolis, but with a regional and even global reach focusing on the environment, education, art and culture, and issues of social justice and sustainability. As lucky as Simon is to have cool parents with a desire to
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give back to their communities and the means to do it, she is also grateful for the gifts that come with being the daughter of two distinct regions that are integral to the country’s cultural fabric – the American Midwest and the American Riviera. Simon was born in Indianapolis and spent a good part of her childhood as a Hoosier, before her parents took up primary residence in Montecito. She returned to Indianapolis to attend the Herron School of Art and Design in the early 2000s. She majored in painting, something she laments she doesn’t find enough time for these days, and stayed in Indianapolis upon graduating. Simons says she loves the seasons and close-knit community there, but admits that California and Montecito are never far
As director of the Herbert Simon Family Foundation, Rachel Simon is bringing her diverse geographic and cultural influences together as she leads the foundation into a new decade brimming with urgent challenges
from her mind. Montecito had a familiar small-town feel as her early childhood, and yet the West Coast opened her cultural horizons and helped hone a keen interest in climate and sustainability. “As much as Indianapolis raised me, Montecito raised me,” she says. “If I hadn’t spent so much time in California, I definitely wouldn’t think the way I think, and wouldn’t be aware of the things I’m aware of… the social issues that are the forefront of the brain.” As director of the Herbert Simon Family Foundation, Simon is bringing her diverse geographic and cultural influences together as she leads the foundation into a new decade brimming with urgent challenges, especially related to climate change, sustainability, and social justice. Simon says the foundation has just finished a strategic planning session that will keep its philosophy intact but will focus efforts more directly in some key areas. “We are still focused on the environment, arts and culture, and basic needs,” she says, “but social justice will be its own impact area.” She says the foundation will also work to sharpen its mission and message, especially working with grassroots,
community-based organizations. “You know, you can support the education and then you can support equity in education. You can support the environment and then you can support environmental justice, and depending on how you tailor your focus, it could be in a bunch of different areas,” says Simon. “The intersectionality of [environmental and social justice] is so important for people to recognize right now.” Getting back to parental influences, Simon says she’s “a huge basketball fan” but she won’t give her love to the Lakers, even though she attended USC, just down the road from Staples Center, for a couple years. That’s understandable as Simon is active with Indiana Pacers Foundation. For the Pacers, she has love, for the Lakers, it is “respect.” Hey, we can live with that, after all, love and respect is what it’s all really about and that, in the end, seems like Simon’s true inheritance. “Speaking of my parents, one of the most important things that they taught us was that we were so blessed and so fortunate… Every day that I work on foundation work, I feel grateful and blessed that I have the opportunity to give back because of the hard work of my parents. So, it’s an awesome responsibility that I’m grateful for.”
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Preparing Every Day for the Worst Day Ever
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erri Murray, a veteran disaster relief professional, first saw ShelterBox in action in 2010 as Haiti was reeling from a devastating earthquake that killed 250,000 people. “A million and a half people lost their homes in an instant,” Murray, who now leads ShelterBox USA as its president, says. “ShelterBox was one of the first organizations on the ground in Port-au-Prince, and it was among the largest providers of shelter aid.” While deployed to Japan after the devastating earthquake and tsunami, and after super Typhoon Haiyan leveled communities across the Philippines, Murray again witnessed ShelterBox on the frontlines of disaster, providing its iconic green ShelterBoxes, replete with humanitarian relief tents, cooking sets, blankets, water purification, mosquito nets, and solar lights. “Whether you are displaced during a disaster, conflict, or now a global pandemic, shelter is one of the most tangible differences you can make in someone’s life,” Murray says. “It is the first step in recovery. And, during this COVID-19 pandemic, home is crucial to our health and well-being.” It is clear, the work of ShelterBox has never been more important than now, and they are scaling up and adapting their efforts to help more people during the pandemic. For Murray, taking the opportunity to lead the organization in 2015 was a no brainer. “One of the biggest issues plaguing our planet is the massive displacement of people. With more than 104 million people displaced due to conflicts, natural disasters, or by the
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consequences of climate change, there are more people displaced today than any time in recorded history.” Shelter is an essential human need. With a U.S. headquarters in Santa Barbara, 17 global offices, a paid staff of 130, and hundreds of highly trained, response-team volunteers being regularly deployed in the world’s hot spots, ShelterBox provides shelter to 250,000 people a year. ShelterBox is Rotary International’s official project partner in disaster relief. Their work to deliver lifesaving shelter in the world’s most extreme conflict zones earned ShelterBox two Nobel Peace Prize nominations in 2018 and 2019. But the challenge is mounting at a dizzying clip. Murray recalls giving a speech at the United Nations/Rotary day last year. At that time, the number of displaced stood at 88 million. Within a year it had surged nearly 20%. To meet the need, Murray wants to quadruple ShelterBox’s footprint to shelter one million people a year. And while a daunting challenge, she is heartened by her Santa Barbara neighbors, who, unfortunately, know all too well how fast disasters can destroy lives. “We live in a community with an innate drive to give back and make a difference,” Murray says. “There are so many people that care about the work of ShelterBox and believe that shelter is a basic human right. Our supporters want to help people who have lost everything, people they will never meet, but whose lives they can transform.”
Life-Saving Shelter
“I
serve as a ShelterBox Response Team (SRT) member, am chair of the Board of Directors for ShelterBox, and am a longtime donor myself. I see directly how efficient, effective, and transparent we are with donor money. I also witness how those charitable dollars translate into life-saving shelter and supplies to families who have lost everything in disaster and conflict situations. Donors truly make the work of ShelterBox possible.”
– Katherine Fick
Senior Privacy Counsel, IBM Corporation. Volunteer SRT and Board of Directors at ShelterBox
Meeting a Global Crisis
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helterBox currently spends about $20 million a year globally to provide a quarter of a million people the shelter and supplies to rebuild. “Our goal is to scale to shelter one million people a year.” A feat that will necessitate, as Murray says, “raising a lot of financial support. Shelter is the first in recovery and it is an area that is chronically underfunded and overlooked. Shelter is deeply connected to livelihood. When you have a place to call home, you can get back to work and your children can get back to school.” To get there requires donors like you. ShelterBox makes it easy to support the work with a registry where you can “Stock A Box” with everything a family needs to rebuild, including emergency tents. For $1,000 you can cover the cost of an entire box for a displaced family. To help, visit: www.ShelterBoxUSA.org
Social Distancing in a Refugee Camp
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anne, a 30-year-old mother of eight, lives in Minawao Refugee Camp in Cameroon. She was forced to flee when violent extremist attacks by Boko Haram destroyed her home in Nigeria. “I had lost everything. This is an indescribable feeling; you can’t imagine unless it happens to you.” Upon arrival at the camp, her family lived in a crowded collective center for three months at risk of contracting COVID-19. In June 2020, Fanne received a ShelterBox tent, solar lights, blankets, water carriers and more. She now has a private shelter where she can socially distance, protect her family from COVID-19, and begin to rebuild her life. “I feel safe in my tent. Thanks to our donors we can avoid crowded places by staying in the shelter and we wash our hands several times a day.” With her family safely sheltered, Fanne can now focus on their future: “I wish to start a business that might help me send my children to school.”
– Fanne, Cameroon, 2020
ShelterBox Aid Recipient
ShelterBox USA
www.shelterboxusa.org Carrie Baptista, Individual and Special Gifts Officer | (805) 608-2400 ext. 203
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An Expression of Santa Barbara’s Global Philanthropic Reach
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n 1948, an Estonian immigrant named William Zimdin – who had experienced the ravages of World War II – founded what would become the largest charitable distributor of medical supplies in the world: Direct Relief. Importantly, Zimdin did so right here in Santa Barbara. Direct Relief’s global work begins at home, and has long worked closely with and supported both local and statewide firefighting and public health agencies as well as colleague Santa Barbara nonprofit health organizations, including the Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics and the Santa Barbara Bucket Brigade. Over the last decade alone, the charity – which is entirely funded by private philanthropy – has provided $7.8 billion in medical aid to more than 100 countries and every single U.S. state. Across the United States, Direct Relief partners with 1,300 safety-net clinics and health centers, which serve more than 30 million people who are unable to pay for care. It is the largest provider of charitable medicines in the world, largest supplier of free PPE during the COVID-19 pandemic, and uniquely accredited among nonprofits to distribute Rx medications in all 50 states. The organization’s motto is to serve anyone at any time, and its mission is “to improve the health and lives of people affected by poverty or emergencies – without regard to politics, religion, or ability to pay.” To do so, Direct Relief leverages donations of medicine and medical supplies from 150 of the world’s largest medical and pharmaceutical companies, so that it can in turn give those vital resources to the people who need them most – whether on the tail end of a hurricane, a fire, or during a raging global pandemic. This highly leveraged business model has allowed Direct Relief to expand the frontiers of its work efficiently, and with all of its fundraising costs covered by a supporting foundation endowed by bequests. When Hurricane Maria laid waste to Puerto Rico, it took the island’s medical infrastructure with it. In short order, 84% of the territory’s temperature-sensitive medicines were lost, and Direct Relief quickly realized it couldn’t send insulin with the grid – and the refrigerators attached to it – knocked out. So the nonprofit quickly set up battery backups and solar power generation at 89 Puerto Rico clinics to provide refrigeration for medicines. The project was so successful that the nonprofit is launching a similar initiative in California, where an ever-growing fire season and rolling blackouts threaten the medical system’s ability to respond in times of emergency. Direct Relief’s headquarters is powered by the first microgrid approved in the continental U.S. and allows it to fulfill critical roles here locally in during power outages. But for all this work across the globe and nation, Direct Relief remains rooted to its home: Santa Barbara.
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Vetted Excellence Direct Relief is one of the world’s premier nonprofits. Here are but a few examples of the recognition the organization has received: • Four Star Charity and 100% rating, Charity Navigator • Top 10 Most Innovative Not-for-profit Companies, Fast Company • Peter F. Drucker Award for Nonprofit Innovation, The Drucker Institute • #1 Top 10 Charities Changing the World, CNBC
Expanding Impact
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or the past thirty years, I have traveled to war zones and other dark places with international human rights and humanitarian organizations. During these trips, I would learn the specific needs of refugees and other devastated populations and then take that information to Direct Relief when I returned home. Direct Relief became my ‘go-to’ organization, because it always responded immediately by shipping desperately needed medical supplies. Since I joined the board, the organization has grown so much and its impact has greatly expanded, both in the United States and around the world. I am very proud to be part of Direct Relief’s life-saving work.”
– Jane Olson, Board Member
Direct Relief; Former Chair, International Board of Human Rights Watch; Former Chair, Women’s Refugee Commission and the Landmine Survivors Network
There During the Most Difficult Moments
“D
irect Relief knows what it is to help, support, and work hand in hand with us, so that the health and stability of our communities is under control. Direct Relief supports us so that we can plan and respond quickly and effectively to emergency situations. Everyone would like a partner like them, they always come first in the most difficult moments.”
– Ivonne I. Rivera
Executive Director, Health Pro Med, Puerto Rico
Bridging the PPE Gap
“D
irect Relief came to our aid during our darkest hours of this (COVID-19) crisis. You helped us bridge a gap when PPE for our staff was day-to-day as to whether or not we would have enough to keep our staff safe. You sent us meds when the supply chain dried up. You sent us oxygen concentrators to help facilitate patient discharge, decrease length of stay, and make beds available for new patients. You are amazing!”
– Mark Geller, MD President & CEO
Montefiore Nyack Hospital, New York
Direct Relief’s Inner Circle Billy Baldwin and Chynna Phillips Thomas and Carrie Cusack Virgil Elings Patrick and Sally Enthoven Betty and Stan Hatch Angel Iscovich, M.D. and Lisa Iscovich Jim and Chana Jackson/The Ann Jackson Family Foundation Ellen and Peter Johnson Dorothy Largay and Wayne Rosing Janice and Fritz Leutheuser
Mark and Kim Linehan Jane Lynch Trung and Phuong Mai/Sonos Siri and Bob Marshall Jane and Ronald Olson Katy Perry Denis and Jennifer Sanan Santa Barbara Vintners Foundation Lynda and Mark Schwartz Nancy Schlosser Merryl and Chuck Zegar
Direct Relief
www.directrelief.org Heather Bennett, Vice President - Partnerships and Philanthropy | (805) 879-4934
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Taking Care of Those Who Take Care of Us the likes of Yardi Systems, Inc., One805 immediately poured $1.4 million into three custom mobile command centers for the county’s fire, police, and sheriff’s departments to protect the community from future disasters. The safety of Santa Barbara county is central to the mission of One805. “We quickly learned that [first responder] budgets move at a glacial pace,” Weston-Smith quips. “Real life doesn’t work like
“O
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y the time the Thomas Fire turned toward Montecito in December 2017, Santa Barbara County’s first responders had already spent weeks preparing for the worst. Eric Phillips, whose home sits at 1,060 feet above the sea, knew his family was particularly exposed. When the fire struck, he didn’t need news reports because he watched from his security cameras. Firefighters scurried about as smoke poured over them. “It looked like midnight, but it was three in the afternoon,” he says. Then the cameras went out. “I figured ‘that’s it, the house is gone.’” But it wasn’t. Like for so many others throughout the region, incredible effort by firefighters, police, and sheriff’s deputies paid off – saving homes and lives. “I was pretty blown away,” Phillips says. “I thought, ‘we have got to do something for these heroes.’” He and others considered a thank you barbeque. Then, on January 9, 2018, a historic rain storm hit the scorched mountainsides causing the devastating debris flow that killed 23 of our neighbors. The weary first responders jumped into action again. With friends like Kirsten Cavendish & Richard Weston-Smith, John Thyne III, Ursula & Pat Nesbitt, Pat Smith and Sheila Herman, Phillips’ idea of a “little barbecue” to thank the first responders snowballed. In February 2018, these friends along with an army of volunteers, and a growing list of stars including Katy Perry, Alan Parsons, David Crosby, the group Wilson Phillips, David Foster and Kenny Loggins hosted “The Kick Ash Bash” on the grounds of Nesbitts’ Bella Vista Ranch. Battle-fatigued first responders, their families, and the community’s many thankful residents enjoyed a benefit concert with local celebrities, raising $2 million for charity. Supported by
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ne805 has been a valuable partner for first responders in Santa Barbara County. They are dedicated to supporting community preparedness, public safety, counseling services and financial support for un-budgeted equipment. One805 recently purchased sanitizing foggers to help keep us safe from COVID-19 and also provided QRET helicopter harnesses for the County Air Support Unit. Thank you for making a difference here in our local community.”
– Santa Barbara County Fire Chief Mark Hartwig that. In a disaster, things are destroyed and they need up-to-date equipment and safety gear right away.” Following the success of “The Kick Ash Bash”, Weston-Smith, Phillips, and Thyne launched One805, a nonprofit serving public safety agencies equitably across Santa Barbara county. The organization’s only staff member is Executive Director Angela Binetti Schmidt, the wife of a first responder herself. This low overhead and active board allows One805 to convert donations into fast action, quickly buying 45 decontamination foggers to protect the community from COVID-19, personal protective gear and other emergency equipment. The group collaborates with an advisory council made up of Department Heads from over a dozen Santa Barbara first responder agencies who decide where donations are needed most. One805 is also intent on supporting the mental health needs of our essential workforce, whose ranks regularly are witness to terrible tragedy. Today, One805 is a permanent 501(c)(3) public charity, raising funds for Santa Barbara county public safety initiatives and assisting all three Fire, Police, and Sheriff Departments– purchasing equipment, counseling, and taking care of those who take care of us.
“O
ne805 is an extraordinary organization. Through the selflessness of its members and the generosity of our community, the public safety agencies of Santa Barbara County are obtaining otherwise unaffordable assets that help us save lives and protect property.”
– Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown
Social Solidarity
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hrough local natural disasters and COVID-19, the team at One805 has recognized the power of Santa Barbara’s “social solidarity” – the interdependence between individuals in a society – to survive a crisis together. Despite the glamour of One805’s first benefit concert, the charity is dedicated to including ALL county residents in equitable safety initiatives. Future benefit concerts titled “One805 Live!” will further the tradition of live music to raise funds for public safety emergencies. “One805’s mission is to support the public safety needs of our Supporting Our First Responders community in an efficient, equitable fashion,” says Executive Director Angela Binetti Schmidt. “We are not another black-tie charity. We are stronger as ONE and are asking everyone to join. Our $25 members are just as appreciated and important as our honorary board $10,000 members.” Honorary board members meet with public safety Department Heads to collaborate on donation expenditures. Together we are One805. Visit One805.org to learn more, become a member and donate. © Photos by Priscilla
The One805 Advisory Council comprised of representatives from each Santa Barbara City and County Fire, Police and Sheriff Departments
We Need Your Help One805 | Prepare • Equip • Support Our First Responders need support from their community, just as they are www.one805.org | (805) 698-2209 always here for us! Much of the high-tech and safety equipment needed is beyond their budgets, as are services provided by the At Ease counseling program. One805 is now offering membership programs so that individuals and businesses can become ongoing supporters. Your involvement will help all three Fire, Police and Sheriff departments within Santa Barbara County. Please consider joining One805 to help with funding emergency equipment,
One805 Supporters Katy Perry Ellen DeGeneres Kenny Loggins Alan Parsons Jeff Bridges Olivia Newton-John Yardi Systems, Inc. Tracy & Michael Bollag Ginni Dreier Misty & Michael Hammer Sheila Herman & Dr. Richard Sibthorpe Nora & Michael Hurley
Michelle & Hank Hurst Luci & Rich Janssen Pauline & Dr. Marc Lowe Ursula & Patrick Nesbitt Karla & Tom Parker Nina & Eric Phillips Kirsten Cavendish & Richard Weston-Smith Olesya & John Thyne III Jennifer & Patrick Smith Nina Terzian Anne Smith Towbes Amanda & Travis Twining
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From Rescued to Rescuer W
hen the debris flow hit Montecito on January 9, 2018, Riley was ready. Having been deployed to the tsunami in Japan and a devastating earthquake in Nepal, Riley and his partner, a Santa Barbara County fire captain named Eric Gray, search for survivors amid the scenes of unbelievable chaos. Unlike Gray, Riley is a yellow lab, who was too rambunctious for the family that had adopted him. The pair was one of 18 National Disaster Search Dog Foundation (SDF) teams working the devastating aftermath of the debris flow in Montecito. That Riley and his fellow canines are so exceptional is no surprise given the impressive nonprofit organization that does their training. SDF was founded in 1996 by Wilma Melville, a FEMA-Certified canine handler who worked the Oklahoma City Bombing where 168 people lost their lives. Melville quietly made a commitment to train 168 search dog teams for every one of those victims, a goal recently achieved by the organization. To get there, Melville and her successors, including current CEO George Haynes, built a 125-acre training center in the mountains of Santa Paula. Board Chair George Leis calls it a “simulated search city,” replete with a downed airplane,
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derailed train, and replicas of buildings torn apart by earthquakes, tornadoes, and hurricanes. It is here that dogs like Riley go through an intensive eight-to-twelve-month training ahead of the stringent FEMA or state certification process. During the debris flow, 13 of the teams stayed overnight at the Santa Paula campus, turning it from a place to train for future disasters, to a staging area for an unfolding one. Beyond preparing search teams for the herculean task of saving lives during disaster and tragedy, the SDF team is also saving dogs from otherwise certain fates. “Most of our dogs come from shelters,” Haynes, the CEO, says. “These are extremely high-drive, intense dogs. Absent them being rescued, likely they would be euthanized.” And once in the SDF family, the organization ensures each dog is cared for through its entire life. In 2019, after 11 years of service, Riley retired and Gray took on another SDF search rescue dog – a Belgian Malinois, aptly named Waffles, who was, himself, a shelter rescue. Now, over the next decade or so, Gray and Waffles will serve Santa Barbara, their country, and the world when called upon to respond in the aftermath of a disaster.
Disasters Happen. It’s Not a Matter of If, But When…
Find. Rescue. Empower.
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T
o address a critical national need, Wilma Melville founded the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation (SDF) in 1996. It has grown into a nationwide organization that recruits, rescues, and trains shelter dogs to become search dogs, looking for survivors in the wreckage of natural and human-made disasters. SDF has proudly served the Santa Barbara community since 1999, and search dogs based here have been deployed to Ground Zero after 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, the La Conchita mudslide, the devastating Japan earthquake and tsunami in 2011, the Nepal earthquake in 2015, and the Montecito mudslide in 2018. Santa Barbara’s newest community hero is Waffles, a Belgian Malinois and former shelter resident turned search dog, who is partnered with Captain Eric Gray of the Santa Barbara County Fire Department. SDF provides ongoing training and veterinary care for these search teams. Dogs unable to complete training are career changed or placed in loving homes. Once rescued, they will never need to be rescued again.
– George Leis
Chair, Board of Directors, National Disaster Search Dog Foundation President & Chief Operating Officer, Montecito Bank & Trust
hen I began my career as a firefighter with Santa Barbara County Fire Department, I looked forward to helping our community. My first partner Riley and I have been honored to serve not only Santa Barbara but the world since 2009 as an internationally deployable FEMA certified canine disaster search team with CA-TF2.
I was fortunate to be introduced to the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation (SDF) after they rescued and trained Riley and turned his rambunctiousness into a spectacular search dog – then paired him with me. On January 9, 2018, many of our lives were changed forever by the deadly Montecito mudslide. Riley and I were staged in the area and began searching right away. A total of 18 SDF-trained canine disaster search teams answered the call for help and for over a week, these former shelter dogs and their handlers combed through mud and debris, searching for survivors. Though Riley officially retired last year, I received the leash to my second SDF-trained search dog, Waffles, on September 27, 2019, and stand ready to serve our community and beyond when called upon to help.
– Captain Eric Gray
Santa Barbara County Fire Department, Handler of search dogs Riley and Waffles
Board Of Directors George Leis – Board Chair President and COO, Montecito Bank & Trust
Richard Butt Retired EVP, Executive Creative Director, VMLY&R
Dennis Kuykendall – Board Vice Chair Project Executive, Balfour Beatty Construction
Robert Dodge, M.D. Family Physician, Brent Street Family Practice Identity Medical Group
Mike J. Diani – Secretary President, Diani Building Corp.
Robert Harris Battalion Chief, Los Angeles County Fire Department
George R. Haynes, Ph.D. Executive Director/CEO, National Disaster Search Dog Foundation Wilma Melville Founder, National Disaster Search Dog Foundation Jeff Wenig Owner/President, Precision Cooling Co., Inc. Crystal Wyatt Leadership in Board Governance and Creative & Sustainable Philanthropy
National Disaster Search Dog Foundation
www.SearchDogFoundation.org | 1-(888)-4K9-HERO
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www.thegivinglist.com
The Wild Ones “I think that I cannot preserve my health and spirits, unless I spend four hours a day at least – and it is commonly more than that – sauntering through the woods and over the hills and fields, absolutely free from all worldly engagements.”
– Henry David Thoreau
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The Great Outdoors by Joe Donnelly
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ome Zoom backgrounds are better than others, like the one of Deer Valley, Utah’s mountains just starting to show some autumnal gold that frames Natalie Orfalea during a recent call. Had I reached the perpetually youthful and outdoorsy Orfalea just a couple days earlier, it would have been the Absaroka Range along the eastern boundary of Yellowstone Park in Paradise Valley, Montana, where Orfalea has a ranch, comprising the backdrop. Let’s take our delights where we can get them! Speaking of, the Absarokas don’t just provide the original entrance to arguably the most famous national park in the world; they also served as a gateway of sorts to Orfalea’s life in philanthropy. It was there that the Orfalea Foundation
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started a program to bring kids from underserved communities into the wilderness to help confidence and lifebuilding experiences. The project, and Orfalea’s affinity for the outdoors, has deep roots. “I grew up in humble beginnings,” says Orfalea. “So, our way of recreating, or, if you will, vacationing, was camping, and that was a place that I remember in my soul and in myself as, you know, a place that fed me.” One of six siblings, Orfalea was born in North Carolina. Her father was a career Marine before joining the civil service and the family moved to Orange County, California, when Orfalea was a young girl. Being the eldest daughter in a family that revered institutions such as the church, community, and Semper Fi, she was thrust into a care-giving role at an early age. “My dad and mom were raising six kids on their own and, you know, the kind of traditional thinking of the culture at the time was, of course, the oldest daughter would take on a lot of the help.” Being part of a sprawling family comes with its challenges, but Orfalea says it also instilled the values she carried forward in life even as her business success greatly expanded her personal horizons. “I think I’d always had a heart for giving and I think that was taught a lot from my family,” she says. “We were definitely taught to be kind and giving and generous in spirit.” And in that spirit, Orfalea has taken the Giving Pledge. The idea, the brainchild of Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett, is for the nation’s wealthiest individuals to commit to giving the bulk of their wealth to philanthropy in the hopes of spurring “a new standard of generosity” among the wealthy. When jokingly asked how her two grown sons feel about it, Orfalea smiles and says both are “very supportive” and active Natalie Orfalea Foundation board members helping to represent the next generation of philanthropy with new and innovative approaches. That may be so, but her two sons were also partly responsible for where this particular story started – in the mountains! When her sons’ school friends would come visit their ranch in Montana during the summertime and experience nature on an epic scale, Orfalea was taken aback by how these privileged, cosmopolitan kids – “that were going to Europe and all that” – were “so blown away.”
Orfalea started to imagine what such an immersive experience would mean to youth who had “never, ever seen what a large mountain range looked like or had never seen a river without a dam on it.” So was born a program that brought hundreds of kids who hadn’t previously imagined such experiences were available to them deep into nature and deeper into their own potentialities. Through the course of the summer program, which sunsetted along with the Orfalea Foundation and Orfalea Fund a few years ago, Orfalea learned much about effective programming. For example, after originally starting with middle-school kids, the program found that the leadership skills and confidence gained at the program translated into better college and career outcomes when serving older cohorts. A culture of effective, inclusive planning and programming is something Orfalea says carries over from her experience with helping to grow Kinko’s from a single, niche-serving shop into the national powerhouse it became. “That culture had a lot to do with respecting each person… everyone had a voice,” says Orfalea. “When we started the Orfalea Foundation and Orfalea Fund, that entrepreneurial spirit and that culture just was brought into the giving and brought into the community that we serve.” The Orfalea Foundation and Orfalea Fund may have sunset a few years ago, but the Natalie Orfalea Lou Buglioli Foundation is carrying on the entrepreneurial spirit as well as a culture of marrying programming to best practices. “Rather than just write checks to nonprofits or agencies to meet their budgets, you’re trying to put money towards specific programming that has directed action and gets results.” Examples include the Partnership for Resilient Communities in the wake of the Thomas Fire and the ensuing disastrous mudflows as well as the Emergency Child Care Initiative targeting clean and safe childcare centers for frontline health workers. Orfalea has also turned attention to an emerging need – health and palliative care for aging Baby Boomers. The Natalie Orfalea Foundation has been working with Sansum Clinic Palliative Care and Hospice of Santa Barbara. Of course, interest in child development, education, and the benefits of integration with the natural world remains strong; including bringing underserved communities into the Jack and Laura Dangermond Preserve. Recently, the Natalie Orfalea Foundation has invested in social change through storytelling, primarily in documentary films. The foundation has supported a slate of well-received and highly impactful films, among them: The Social
“We want to be effective and we want to see results.” – Natalie Orfalea Dilemma; US Kids, which tells how the Parkland shootings turned Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School students into passionate activists; 16 Shots, which investigates the shooting of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald by Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke; and Biggest Little Farm, which tells how a 200-acre patch of arid dirt in Moorpark was turned into a sustainable farm. In all of these endeavors, Orfalea says partnerships are the key to success. “I would like to think and I hope people are coming to our organization because they want to work with a partner who wants to be a thought partner as well as someone who has resources. I’d like to make the highest use of those resources with that organization through our partnership. We want to be effective and we want to see results.” As we speak, Orfalea’s beloved silver Labrador Bella comes on camera and sits down next to her. In some ways, Bella is an apt metaphor. Several years ago Bella survived an encounter with a mountain lion that left her with hundreds of puncture wounds and in need of multiple surgeries. She recovered and never lost her spirit and now the dog is by Orfalea’s side wherever she goes. “I just consider her my Bodhisattva,” says Orfalea, “because, somebody who goes through that…” She doesn’t finish the thought. She doesn’t need to.
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Kinetic Joy: Youth in Nature C
hildren today spend as much as 90% of their lives indoors, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. The effects on health are obvious. But, brain development? A California Department of Education study found that at-risk students who participated in outdoor education programs saw their science scores jump 27%, while boosting self-esteem and motivation to learn. This is something the team at Santa Barbara’s Wilderness Youth Project (WYP) knows intrinsically. The 21-year-old nonprofit has a simple slogan: “Spending time in nature makes children smarter, healthier, and happier.”
Alongside afterschool services, summer camps, and teen camping trips, the organization’s marquis program is “Bridge to Nature,” a program that takes 4th graders on a 3.5-hour nature-based adventure once a month. Despite having more than 80 percent of its students receiving free or reduced lunch, Franklin Elementary on Santa Barbara’s Eastside has become an oasis of promise with vibrant afterschool programs, dedicated teachers, and the Wilderness Youth Project. “For me as a classroom teacher, I have really seen a change in the students in regards to how they view nature,” says 4th grade teacher Marlen Limón. “I love how they come back and are so excited and want to share how
Effective Outdoor Education
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ilderness Youth Project is doing exactly what I’ve been talking about for the last twenty years as I work with educators towards outdoor education. You hit every single point I discuss as criteria for an effective outdoor education program.” – David Sobel
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renowned author and educator
their day went. They are writing narratives about WYP, understanding science through hands-on learning, and just vocalizing how they love to be outdoors.” On a recent Thursday, one of Limón’s students joined a pair of WYP’s experienced mentors and his classmates on a trip to Lizard’s Mouth, 20 minutes up into the Santa Barbara mountains. The group made time to play “coyotes and fawns” – a nature-based version of tag. They journaled and they made the steep hike to the top, with its sweeping views down over the shining blue expanse of the Pacific. “I look out and see the ocean, the town, the world,” the 4th grader wrote from his perch. “This is one place where I can just be who I am: I can run, jump, sit, hide, and explore. I am amazed by this place and wonder what extraordinary animals live here.” The WYP team loves seeing that kind of exuberance from their young charges. It’s that “kinetic joy” children get when exposed to nature. WYP doles out nature-based joy to 1,000 children and adults every year.
Bridge to Nature
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YP’s Bridge to Nature School Day Program serves low-income 4th graders within the Santa Barbara school district. Not only does the program conform to California education standards, but also as Development Director Michelle Howard also points out, Bridge to Nature is critical to keeping kids from developing “nature deficit disorder,” when “the benefits of nature have tremendous impacts for physical and social health and lifelong learning.” Going outdoors is one of the best ways to keep kids excited about learning and to build their connection with the natural world. A case in point is the 2005 study by the California Department of Education which found that at-risk children who participated in outdoor education programs raised their science test scores by 27 percent, improved their conflict resolution and problem-solving skills, and experienced better self-esteem and motivation to learn. Bridge to Nature costs WYP $335,000 per year to offer.
Fight Nature Deficit Disorder
“N
ature Deficit Disorder is a serious risk in our community, even right here in nature-rich Santa Barbara. Wilderness Youth Project (WYP) provides a powerful antidote. WYP makes kids smarter and healthier and happier. That’s why Kyra and I invite you to join us in supporting this strategic philanthropy. Through their Bridge to Nature program, WYP partners with local low-income schools, so we know our donations reach the kids who are least likely to access the healing powers of nature.”
– Anthony Rogers, M.D.
Family Physician at the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department and Trustee for Wilderness Youth Project
WYP’s Board and Supporters Kyra Rogers, MSW Board Chair Laura Russell, CPA, Treasurer Dr. Anthony Rogers, M.D., Secretary Graciela Cabello, Trustee Carrie Kappel, PhD, Trustee Lena Morán, MA, Trustee April Price, MS, Trustee
Amy Schneider, Trustee Jane and Paul Orfalea/ the Audacious Foundation Brook and Jasper Eiler Blake and Emily Jones James S. Bower Foundation Ryan and Sarah Muzzy
Pete Muller Brittingham Family Amber and Ben Sprague Schlinger Chrisman Foundation Dana White Amy and Nicholas Schneider Jen Gamble and Jared Ficker Elisabeth and Steven Zahm
Wilderness Youth Project
www.wyp.org Michelle Howard, Development Director | (805) 964-8096
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Our Wild Neighbors A
riana Katovich, Executive Director of the Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network, winds her way through Montecito, a Great Horned Owl in a crate in the backseat. Today’s mission is nothing new to Katovich, who returned to Santa Barbara to usher the Wildlife Care Network into a new age three years ago. From a clutch of sheds, trailers, and other buildings in the Goleta hills, she, anywhere from 15-32 staff (depending on the season), and an army of nearly 300 volunteers rescue, rehabilitate, and return to the wild sick, injured, orphaned, or oil-impaired wild birds, reptiles, and small mammals in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. The volume is daunting: 40 intakes a day of 200 species ranging from badgers to Brown Pelicans during the spring, a helpline that rings 12,000 a year and as many as 6,000 feedings a day of baby birds from sunup to sundown. “We are working as hard as we can to make sure animals get the best treatment they deserve,” Katovich says. To accomplish that, the 32-year-old nonprofit is entering a transformational stage of its growth: building a true wild animal hospital that will help Katovich and her team mitigate human impacts to the region’s wildly diverse fauna. Katovich says that 90% of the animals that the network cares for are there because they were hit by cars, attacked by cats or dogs, poisoned, or caught in a fishnet. The result is orphaned baby animals, and complex injuries that require full-blown surgery. “The hospital will allow us to serve thousands of animals every year,” Katovich says. “To provide services that we have never been able to provide, from complex surgeries to raptor care.” For Katovich, who as a UCSB undergrad started the “UCSB Coastal Fund,” which has since raised $5 million to preserve the idyllic campus’ coastline, rehabilitating wildlife is a defining aspect of local citizenship. “I feel like it is our responsibility to take care of these wild neighbors,” she says. “It’s what makes Santa Barbara home. The hummingbirds, the
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pelicans, and even the skunks. People recognize that part of our local identity is to care for and appreciate wildlife.” The sun is getting low in the hills of Montecito. Katovich pulls up to board member Connie Pearcy’s house. She and Wildlife Veterinarian Dr. Avery Berkowitz take the crate out of her car, open the door, and watch as the owl flies up into a sprawling oak. Half an hour later, she and Pearcy are enjoying a glass of wine and watch as the owl flies from tree to tree, finally settling. It looks out over Montecito’s natural splendor, the home it knew before its wing was entangled in a net and the owl spent eight days in care.
Patricia and Paul Bragg Foundation
T
he Santa Barbara Wildlife Center is definitely one of our favorite animal care centers and they work under some trying conditions while waiting for their new facility to be funded and built. They take in thousands of animals, birds and other wildlife every year. So many volunteers work tirelessly to take care of the injured, who for the most part would have no chance of survival without that dedication. We love what they do and hope that all people can help to contribute, big or small, to help fund the facility they need to build.
– Patricia Bragg
The Animal Hospital
T
he Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network plans to break ground on its state-of-theart wild animal hospital in 2020, an event that Executive Director Ariana Katovich sees as the realization of a long-time dream for the organization. “We started from very humble beginnings,” Katovich says. “Volunteers caring for animals in their bathtubs and kitchens. We evolved from a robust network of home rehabbers to having our own property.” The next phase is an animal hospital that will ensure that the region’s diverse wildlife can thrive in the face of human encroachment into their habitat, and increasingly harmful effects of climate change. To get there, the network needs to raise $2.4 million to close out its $6 million capital campaign.
Caring for the Wildlife Around Us
“A
ll of us are thinking about keeping each other safe during this pandemic. The wildlife among us need helping hands now as always. We are fortunate to have the Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network. A local place to take injured or sick wildlife is so important. Several friends have discovered injured animals and have been grateful to have a place to provide loving care for our fellow creatures. As we care for each other, we need to be aware of the wildlife around us, and care for them as well. I am so proud of SBWCN and the continuing work that they do.”
– Tipper Gore
Wildlife Care Network Well-Wishers Joyce and Roland Bryan Kandy and Aaron Budgor Mindy Denson Ginni Dreier Vasanti and Joel Fithian Rebecca Gaal
Tipper Gore Paula Kislak Darcy and Richard Kopcho Gretchen Lieff and Miles Hartfeld Kaitlin Lloyd Kimberley and Dwight Lowell
Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network
www.sbwcn.org | Helpline (805) 681-1080 Ariana Katovich, Executive Director | (510) 927-5055
Marilyn Makepeace and Anne Maczulak Wendy P. McCaw Foundation Nora McNeely Hurley, Michael Hurley, and Manitou Fund Connie and John Pearcy Colby Sellman Ann Smith Arthur von Wiesenberger and Animal Zone With special thanks to the 300 volunteers who save and serve wildlife
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An Oasis for Animals and Humans Alike A
fter three months of being closed to the public in response to the pandemic, the Santa Barbara Zoo reopened in June. “The Zoo has been an amazing respite where families can congregate in a safe way,” says Board Chair George Leis. “That has been very meaningful for me; a touch of normalcy in a very confused world.” But it isn’t just humans finding respite at Santa Barbara’s worldrenowned zoo. Through its conservation programs and the exciting opening of its new Australian Walkabout exhibit in summer 2021, the Zoo is busy protecting animal species ranging from California’s Western snowy plover to Australia’s Bennett’s wallaby. The Zoo’s President and CEO, Rich Block, points to the Zoo’s now 18-year commitment to bring the California condor back from the brink of extinction. Part of a broad coalition of other zoos and federal agencies, the Santa Barbara Zoo has helped bring the population back from a mere 22 birds in 1987 to more than 500 today. In wild condor country (such as the Sespe Wilderness), Zoo staff can regularly be seen scaling sheer cliffs to get eyes on chicks and ensure their safety. And they assist in rounding up the birds each year to check the population’s health. “The people who work with them know these birds like avid soap opera fans,” Block says. “They know all the characters, know all the bonds, and all the cheating. It’s an incredible drama.” Within the Zoo’s walls, the deaths in 2018 and 2019 of beloved elephants Sujatha and Little Mac created a physical and emotional void that impacted the entire community. The Zoo’s experienced Animal Care team, along with outside partners, researched a multitude of options before narrowing down species
and experiences that would be best for the animals and Zoo guests. Rooted in its conservation focus, the Zoo team landed on an “up close and down under” experience which will allow visitors to actually walk through the exhibit and get close to kangaroos, wallabies, and emus. While Australia has incredible biodiversity – more than 100,000 species of animals have been described so far – the wildfires of 2019-20 helped propel it to the dubious distinction of having the most rapid rate of mammal extinctions worldwide. “This new immersive exhibit is exciting for us and our Zoo guests. It perfectly complements our mission of bringing people and animals together for safe, inspiring, educational, and fun experiences. This will be a totally different Zoo opportunity, providing a wonderful added new dimension for visitors while supporting our commitment to conservation,” commented Block.
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Be a Part of the Zoo’s Mission
I
n the summer of 2021, the Santa Barbara Zoo will open its brand new “up close and down under” exhibit experience. The Australian Walkabout will allow guests to get up close and personal with some of the Land Down Under’s most iconic animals. The cost of the entire project is $3 million. The Australian Walkabout replaces the elephants’ old enclosure and yard. Given the enormous cost of taking care of elephants, Zoo President/CEO Rich Block anticipates that the Zoo will be able to absorb the care and feeding costs of the new residents. All donors who give $1,000 or more will be featured on the official Australian Walkabout donor board at the Zoo.
A Lifelong Connection to the Zoo
“W
e’ve been fans of the Santa Barbara Zoo since it opened and have been lifelong members. We raised our kids at the Zoo with help from Zoo Camp and all the wonderful events that they and eventually our grandchildren enjoyed so much. The Zoo is beautiful and staffed by the most kind and courteous people. We’ve been able to see so many animals up close and personal; among our favorites are the Humboldt penguins and the island foxes. As proud sponsors of the Zoo’s upcoming Australian Walkabout, we are excited for the exhibit to entertain generations of visitors to come.”
– Mr. Thomas Crawford III & Mrs. Nancy Crawford proud Zoo supporters
Notable Zoo Supporters Jeffrey & Margo Barbakow Thomas & Nancy Crawford & Family The Dill Family The Dreier Family Hind Foundation Nora McNeely Hurley & Michael Hurley - Manitou Foundation The Hurst Family Robyn & Jess Parker - Hutton Parker Foundation The Maurine M. Hotchkis Family
Santa Barbara Zoo
The Kallman Family Mericos Foundation Mimi Michaelis Montecito Bank & Trust Yvette Birch Giller & Jeff Giller - Mosher Foundation Mimi & Dennis Muraoka Anna & Gary Nett Ellen Lehrer Orlando & Thomas Orlando - Lehrer Family Charitable Fund Amy & Jeff Pryor Ken & Charlotte Richardson Lady Leslie Ridley-Tree Alice Tweed Tuohy Foundation The Wyatt Family
www.sbzoo.org Elaine K. Mah Best, Vice President of Advancement & Marketing | (805) 679-8450
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Santa Barbara County Nonprofits:
Brice Fabing Memorial Fund Bricklayers & Allied Crftsmn 41 Lo Un 11 Of Ca Apprntchp Tr Fund Bricklayers Joint Arbitration Board Of San Diego And 12 Stars Ministry Alpha Resource Center Of Santa Barbara Assistance League Of Santa Barbara Imperial Counties 1600 Club Of Santa Maria Alta Vista Foundation Inc Associated Students Of The University Of Ca Santa Barbara Bridge Relationships 1997 Lydia Freeman Charitable Foundation Alternative Neurological Solutions Inc Association For Computing Machinery Bridges Of Hope International 1to4 Alternatives To Violence Project California Association For Global New Thought Bridging Heaven & Earth Foundation 2005 Tomchin Fam Charitable Tr Alternatives To Violence Project Santa Barbara Association For Senior Care Brightstar Foundation 2nd Louise Mollath Charitable Remainder Trust Altrusa International Foundation Inc Association Of Biomedical Research Brittingham Family Foundation 2nd Story Altrusa International Inc Association Of California Caregiver Resource Centers Brotherhood Of Carpinteria Motorcycle Club Inc 5 To Live By Amateur Athletic Union Of The United States Inc Association Of Compost Producers Brown Family Foundation 805 Baseball Club American Academy Of Cannaboinoid Medicine Association Of Korean Adoptees Broz Foundation 805 Elite Fastpitch Inc American Association Of University Of Women Inc Association Of Notre Dame Clubs Inc Bruce Porter Fund For Student Resilience A Compas Inc American Association Of University Women Inc Association Of Old Crows Bstronglife Inc A Different Point Of View American Begonia Society Association Of Women In Communications Santa Barbara Chapt Buck4change A Hand Up Transitional Living Program Inc American Buddhist Meditation Temple Inc Assured Life Association Buddhist Church Of Santa Barbara A Heart Thing American Charities Foundation Athena Girls Wrestling Club Buellton Chamber Of Commerce A Just Difference American Chemical Society Athletes For Life Foundation Buellton Community Educational Foundation Aaple Academy Foundation American Dance And Music Inc Atrium Apartments Inc Buellton Historical Society Abc Center For Women Inc American Dream Career Museum Company Atterdag At Home Inc Buellton Rotary Club Foundation Abilities For Kids Inc American European Bethel Mission Inc Audacious Foundation Buena Ventura Youth Football Association Abrams Ramat Gan Foundation American Federation Of Government Employees Aurora Communications International Inc Bunnies Urgently Needing Shelter Abundant Grace Fellowship Inc American Federation Of Musicians Of The US & Canada Aurora Foundation Burt E & Anne L Fugate Educational Foundation Inc Abundant Life Fellowship And Ministries American Federation Of Teachers Avasol Foundation Buynak Foundation Academy Of Advanced And Challenge Enthusiasts Aace American G I Forum Education Foundation Of Lompoc Awakenings Institute C A R E 4 Paws Inc Incorporated American GIForum Education Foundation Of Santa Maria Ca B & B Foundation C Dog Inc Academy Of Imaginal Arts And Sciences American GI Forum Of The U S B Aesthetic Ethics Ca Central Coast Chapter 73 Of The International Footprint Assn Academy Of Underwater Arts And Sciences American Guild Of Organists Ago B P Moser Trust Ca Central Coast Cops N Kids Inc Accessible Yoga American Harp Society B4t9 Womens Cycling Team Cabrillo Football Boosters Accordion International Music Society Of Santa Barbara American Indian Health & Services Corporation Back To Basics Equine Assisted Recovery Inc Cabrillo High School Alumni Association Act Ii Valley Community Theatre American Inns Of Court Foundation Bahais Of Carpinteria Cabrillo High School Athletic Booster Club Active Education Foundation Inc American Institute Of Architects Santa Barbara Chapter Bahais Of Goleta Cabrillo Instrumental Music Foundation Adams Legacy Foundation A Delaware Nonprofit Corporation American Institute Of Commemorative Art Inc Bahais Of Lompoc Cabrillo Wrestling Boosters Adelante Charter School Parent Teacher Student Organization American Legion Bahais Of San Luis Obispo Co South Cahuayaxi International Benefit Organization Inc Adelle Davis Foundation American Legion Auxiliary Balanced Connections Adaptive Equestrian Program Inc Cal Chiefs Ems Section South Adio Community Wellness American Postal Workers Union Band Forever Inc Cal Skate Roller Derby Adobe Creek Private Water Company - Well A American Production And Inventory Control Society Bangladesh Street Kids Aid Caleb Kruse Foundation Adrian Family Foundation Chapter 240 Barbara N Rubin Foundation Cali Life Church Adsum Education Foundation Inc American Region Of The Josephite Fathers Charitable Trust Barbareno Band Of Chumash Indians California Abalone Association Adventure Foundation American Rose Society Baron Canyon Mutual Water Company California Academy Of Nutrition & Dietetics Adventures In Caring Foundation American Scandinavian Foundation Santa Barbara Bath Street Apartments Inc California Association For The Education Of Young Children Aero Medicos American Support For Afghanistan Asa Battistone Foundation California Association Of Clerks And Election Officials Affordable Housing Key Partners American Veterans Of World War Ii Amvets Santa Barbara Post 3 Because Of Hope California Association Of Machine Embroidery Afghanistan Dental Relief Project Inc American Volkssport Association Inc Becker Family Foundation California Association Of Police Training Officers Africa Schools Of Kenya Americans For Medical Advancement Inc Beekeepers Guild Of Santa Barbara California Avocado Festival Inc African Women Rising Amigos Marinos Belgian Tevuren Club Of Southern California Inc California Bottled Water Association Agape House Anacapa High School Believers Edge California Cattlewomen Aglow International Anatman Foundation Bellosguardo Foundation Inc California Center For Public Policy Agnes B Kline Memorial Foundation Ancient & Accepted Scottish Rite Of Free Masonry Southern Bellowe Family Foundation California Coastal Protection Network Aha! 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& Girls Club Of Santa Barbara Inc Californians For The Ethical Treatment Of Animals Aloha Spirit Arthur E Guedel Memorial Anesthesia Center Boys & Girls Club Of The Central Coast Calvary Baptist Church Of Santa Barbara California Alpha Chi Omega Fraternity Inc Arthur N Rupe Foundation Boys Team Charity Calvary Chapel Of Guadalupe Inc Alpha Chi Omega House Corporation For Santa Barbara Chapter Artist Advocacy Foundation Inc Bragg Health Foundation Calvary Chapel Of Lompoc Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc Arts Mentorship Program Inc Brander Family Foundation Calvary Chapel Of Nipomo Alpha Kappa Psi Fraternity Arts Outreach Brander Museum Of Folk Art Calvary Chapel Of Santa Barbara Alpha Phi Omega Artspace Inc Brandon L Harper Foundation Inc Calvary Chapel Of Santa Maria Alpha Pi Charitable Organization As You Go Ministries Inc Brandon L Harper Memorial Scholarship Cambridge Drive Community Church Alpha Project International Inc Askman Charitable Foundation Breanna Nicole Rodriguez Memorial Scholarship Foundation Cambridge Foundation For Peace
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Camerata Pacifica Cancer Core Recovery Project Inc Cancer Foundation Of Santa Barbara Cancer Guide Foundation Canp - Santa Barbara County Chapter Cappello Foundation Caps Of Santa Barbara Inc Capture Collective Inc Careervision Inc Caring Companions Of Santa Barbara Inc Carob Tree Foundation Caroline And Albert Gazin Carpenters Local 1800 Training Corporation Carpinteria Arts Center Carpinteria Beautiful Carpinteria Boys And Girls Club Foundation Inc Carpinteria Childrens Project Carpinteria Community Church Carpinteria Community Theatre Inc Carpinteria Creative Arts Carpinteria Education Foundation Inc Carpinteria Foursquare Church Carpinteria High School Booster Club Carpinteria Lions Building Assoc Carpinteria Masonic Temple Association Inc Carpinteria Movies In The Park Inc Carpinteria Public Improvement Corporation Carpinteria Rotary Charitable Foundation Carpinteria Senior Citizens Inc Carpinteria Skate Foundation Inc Carpinteria Valley Association Carpinteria Valley Chamber Of Commerce Carpinteria Valley Foundation Carpinteria Valley Historical Society Carpinteria Valley Youth Athletic Association Carpinteria Woman’s Club Building Foundation Inc Carpinteria Women’s Club Carriage And Western Arts Museum Of Santa Barbara Cars Are Basic Casa Del Herrero Casa Dolores Casa Of Hope Inc Casa Omega Casa Serena Castillo Homes Inc Catalyst For Cats Inc Catalyst For Thought Cate School Cathcart Millennium Foundation Inc Catholic Center Of Formation Catholic Daughters Of The Americas Cbcsbc Inc Cbmc Inc Ccspca Inc Center For Global Dialogue Center For Human Understanding And Growth Center For Injury Research Center For People Food And Environment Center For Successful Aging Center For The Study Of Social Structures Center For Urban Agriculture At Fairview Gardens Center Foundation Inc Centers For Spiritual Living Central California Chapter Ncrs Inc Central California Chapter Of Iahcsmm Central California Convention And Events Inc Central Church Of Christ Of Santa Maria Central City Soccer League Inc Central Coast Association Of School Psychologists Central Coast Athletics Assocation Central Coast Ca Chapter 184 Of The Korean War Veterans Association Central Coast Church Inc Central Coast Commission For Senior Citizerns Central Coast Community Education Program Central Coast Corvettes Central Coast Economic Forecast Central Coast Film Society Central Coast Future Leaders Inc Central Coast Greenhouse Growers Association Central Coast Headway Inc Central Coast Hunting Retriever Club Central Coast Indian Cultural Center Central Coast Islamic Center Central Coast Junior Golf Inc Central Coast Lions Foundation Central Coast Literacy Council Central Coast Marksmanship Center Inc Central Coast Missionary Baptist Church Central Coast New Tech High School Boosters
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Crosswind Christian Fellowship Church Inc Crusaders Futbol Club Culpepper Society Inc Cultural And Creative Arts Center Of The Santa Maria Valley Cultural Research Solutions For Development Cupcakes For Cancer Cuyama Christian Academy Cuyama First Southern Baptist Church Cuyama Valley Family Resource Center Cuyama Valley Football Foundation Cuyama Valley Scholarship Foundation Inc Cypress Ridge Womens Golf Club An Unincorporated Association Cypress Tree Apartments Inc D E S Club Of Santa Maria Valley D&Js Counseling And Support Services Inc D&L Wood Family Foundation Inc Daily Double Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation Dakini Land Foundation Dale Okinaka Memorial Softball Scholarship Dana Adobe Nipomo Amigos Inc Danish Sisterhood Of America Daughters Of Vartan Daveys Voice Foundation For The Protection Of Animals David & Leila Carpenter Foundation David Bermant Foundation David Mission Association Dawg Founders Fund Inc De La Guerra Y Pacheco Chapter 1-5 E Clampus Vitus Inc Dean Brown Leadership Foundation Debra Takayama Junior Pheasant Hunt Delta Gamma Fraternity Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity Inc Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc Delta Tau Delta Fraternity Delta Tau House Corporation Delzell Foundation Inc Demolay International Design Studies Forum Inc Destined For Grace Diana Basehart Foundation Dijo Productions Theatre Company Dingman Family Foundation Direct Relief Direct Relief Foundation Disabled American Veterans Diskant Family Foundation District Export Council Of Southern California Djdk Memorial Fund Inc Djernaes Telos Foundation Doberman Pinscher Club Of America Dobyns Educational Foundation Doctors Without Walls-Santa Barbara Street Medicine Dog Adoption And Welfare Group Dogstar Theater Company Doing His Time Prison Ministry Dolotta Family Charitable Foundation Inc Domestic Violence Solutions For Santa Barbara County Doreen J Putrah Cancer Research Foundation Dorothea Lange Elementary School Parent Teacher Organization Dos Pueblos Band Boosters Dos Pueblos Charger Associates Athletic Booster Club Dos Pueblos Engineering Academy Foundation Dos Pueblos Girls Volleyball Boosters Dos Pueblos High School Beach Volleyball Dos Pueblos High School Foundation Dos Pueblos Little League Double Taurus Animal Foundation Downs Syndrome Parents Teachers & Friends Inc Downtown Organization Of Santa Barbara Inc Dphs Class Of 1971 Dramadogs Dream Factory Project Inc Dreams Of The Heartland Foundation Dunn School Dyranomics Inc Dyslexia Project E-Eshor Inc Earl Warren Showgrounds Foundation Earth First Living Easy Lift Transportation Inc Echelon Santa Barbara Echo Group Eco A Convenant Order Of Evangelical Presbyterians Eco Angel Enterprises Eco Club Five Cities Economic Alliance Foundation Economic Alliance Of Northern Santa Barbara County Ed Boasso Ministries
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Edelweiss Choir Of Santa Barbara Edgecomb Foundation Education Ag Tech Educational 3d Printing Inc Educational Excellence Foundation Educational Kinesiology Foundation El Concilio De Lompoc El Montecito Presbyterian Church El Padrecito Ministries El Pescadero Stupa Fund Electrical Training Trust Of Santa Barbara County Element Christian Church Eleventh Hour Prayer Network Elings Park Foundation Elizabeth Firth Wade Endowment Fund Elks Recreation Inc Ellilta International Emanuel Chapel Embroiderers Guild Of America Inc Emory Foundation Employee Development Association Empowerment Works Inc Endowment For Youth Committee Endowment Fund Of The Solvang Lutheran Home Endowment Fund Of The Unitarian Society Of Santa Barbara Enduring Word Energy Equality For All Energy Kinesiology Association Inc Engaging In Molding Choices Inc Engineers & Technicians Association Of Santa Barbara County Ensemble Theatre Company Of Santa Barbara Inc Entruste Environmental Defense Center Epic Impact Society Equalitech Equine Podiatry Education Foundation Equine Sanctuary Of Ojai Eric Okerblom Foundation Erica Crystal Patterson Foundation Ernest Brooks Foundation Errett Fisher Foundation Etc Foundation Eucalyptus Hill Improvement Association Evangelical Free Church Of Santa Maria Inc Every 7th Everything Peace Excutive Womens Golf Association Inc Experience Music Foundation Experimental Aircraft Association Lompoc Chapter 275 Experimental Aircraft Association Santa Maria Chapter 499 Inc Experimental Aircraft Association Sport Aviators Chapter 491 Explore Ecology Exploring Solutions Past The Maya Forest Alliance Eyeshine Faculty Association Of Allan Hancock College Faculty Club University Of California Santa Barbara Inc Fair Education Santa Barbara Faith Baptist Church Of Goleta Inc Faith Bible Church Faith Life Community Church Faithful Apostolic Church Families Act Family Chapel Santa Barbara Family Life Fellowship Of Santa Barbara Family Matters Consulting Family Resource Educational Servicehelp Incorporated Family Service Agency Of Santa Barbara County Family Therapy Institute Of Santa Barbara Father Junipero Serra 250th Anniversary Association Fathers Arms Foundation Faulding Hotel Inc Federal Correctional Institute Lompoc Employees Club Festivals 4 A Cause Inc Festive United Network Inc Fielding Graduate University Fifi Soccer Foundation Fighting Back Santa Maria Valley Filipino Community Association Inc Filipino Community Of Santa Maria Valley And Vicinity Filipino Seniors Association Of Santa Maria Valley Find Empowerment Through Canine Helpmates Aka Fetch Finlandia Foundation National Inc Finnish Lutheran Ministry Fire Chiefs Association Of Santa Barbara County Fire Service Training Institute First Apostolic Church Of Lompoc First Assembly Of God First Baptist Ch Vandenberg Vill First Baptist Church Of Guadalupe
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Gaucho Aquatics Gaucho Lacrosse Alumni Assocs Gaviota Coast Conservancy Gay And Lesbian Business Association Scholarship Fund General Association Of Regular Baptist Churches Carpinteria Valle General Council Of The Assemblies Of God Generations United Church Of God Genuine Concern For Others Inc Geoffrey Claflin & Alison Wrigley Rusack Family Foundation George & Dale Cavalletto Charities Tr George B Page Foundation George E Handtmann Iii Foundation George V And Rena G Castagnola Family Foundation George W Holbrook Jr Foundation Inc George Washington Carver Scholarship Club Inc German-American Club Of Santa Barbara Get Focused Stay Focused Inc Get Loud For Kidneys Get Oil Out Incorporated Get Out Stay Out Giles 2000 Tr Giraffe Conservation Alliance Girl Up Initiative Uganda Girls Incorporated Of Carpinteria Girls Incorporated Of Greater Santa Barbara Girls Rock Sb Glad Tidings Assembly Of God Glen World Glendon Association Glenn E And Gleeola Brun Charitable Glenn H Robinson Charitable Foundation Global Knowledge Fund Global Leadership Connection Inc Gods Grace Christian Fellowship Gods House Of Santa Barbara Gold Coast Professional Photographers Association Gold Wing Road Riders Association Golden Circle Of Champions Golden Trout Natural History Workshop Goleta Church Of God In Christ Goleta Education Foundation Goleta Entrepreneurial Magnet Goleta Noontime Rotary Club Charitable Fund Goleta Old Town Christmas Parade Goleta Old Town Community Association Goleta Valley Beautiful Goleta Valley Chamber Of Commerce Goleta Valley Community Center Goleta Valley Community Church Inc Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital Foundation Goleta Valley Cycling Club Inc Goleta Valley Girls Softball Assoc Goleta Valley Historical Society Goleta Valley Professional Buildings Inc Goleta Valley South Little League Inc Gombin Jewish Historical And Genealogical Society Gone With The West Goo Education And Legal Fund Inc Good Samaritan Shelter Goodland Presbyterian Church Goodland Revive Gospel Lighthouse United Pentecostal Church Gospel Mentoring Corporation Grace Baptist Church Grace Brethren Church Of Santa Barbara Grace Brethren Church Of Santa Maria California Grace Church Of Santa Barbara Inc Grace Housing Inc Grace Lutheran Church Grace Temple Missionary Baptist Church Grace Through Faith Ministries Inc Gracepoint Santa Barbara Grand Lodge Of Dania Of California & Nevada Grateful Lead Environmental Recovery Gray Whale Wisdom Inc Gray Whales Count Great Expectations Inc Greater Hope Missionary Baptist Church Greater Santa Barbara Ice Skating Association Greener Pastures Farm Sanctuary Of San Luis Obispo Greenlight Foundation Inc Gretler Foundation Griswold Charitable Tr Grower Shipper Assoc Of Santa Barbara & San Luis Obispo County Growing Agricultural Awareness Through Education Foundation Inc Growing Solutions Restoration Education Institute Grupo Cleofas
Guadalupe Community Church Guadalupe Firefighters Association Incorporated Guadalupe Kids Come First Foundation Guadalupe Nipomo Dunes Center Guadalupe Sports Hall Of Fame Inc Guadalupe Teachers Association Guadalupe Wrestling Club Guilty Project Inc Gutsche Family Foundation Gwendolyn Strong Foundation Gyro International Habitat For Humanity International Inc Hacienda Oholland Animal Care Foundation Inc Hager & Dowling Charitable Foundation Haight Charitable Tr Created Udt Dtd 11-21-13 Hair Usa Halecroft Inc Halsell Foundation A California Public Benefit Corporation Hammer International Foundation Hancock College Boosters Inc Happy Endings Animal Rescue Sanctuary Happy Kids International Hardened Electronics And Radiation Technology Society Harding School Foundation Inc Hargus Family Ministries Internat- Ional Inc Harley Owners Group Santa Maria Chapters Inc Harold Parma Tr Fbo Parma Park Harp Foundation Harvard Club Of Santa Barbara Harvest Community Center Inc Hawaii Performing Arts Festival Inc Hawkins Foundation Hazel Heath Horton Philanthropic Tr Hd Support & Care Network Incorporated Heal The Ocean Healing Heart Sanctuary Healing Opportunities Inc Healing Rooms Of Santa Maria Valley Healthy Boundaries Inc Healthy Child Healthy World Inc Hearing Loss Association Of America Inc Heart Of Rafiu Heartlight Foundation Inc Hearts Of A Feather Hearts Therapeutic Equestrian Center Heavens Healing Touch Ministries Inc Helen And Stuart Over Md Center For Holistic Living Help 4 Hd International Help Of Carpinteria Helping Hearts Thrift Store & Donation Ctr Inc Helping Humanity Henry E & Lola Monroe Foundation Henry Peterson Foundation Heritage Evangelical Presbyterian Church Hermitage Santa Barbara Hesed Christian Ministries Inc Hezekiah Incorporated Hhv-6 Foundation Hidden Wings Higgins-Trapnell Family Foundation Highridge Church Inc Hillel The Foundation For Jewish Campus Life Hillside House Hirsch Family Foundation His Island Outreach Historical Diving Society Historical Railway Museum Of Santa Maria Holy Cross Church Honor Society Of Phi Kappa Phi Hope Community Church Hope Community Church Of Santa Maria Inc Hope Counseling Center Hope For Santa Maria Hope Refuge Inc Hope School District Educational Foundation Hope4marriages Horizon Ministries Horse Emergency Evacuation Team Hospice Of Santa Barbara Inc House Of Judah House Of Pride And Equality House Of Restoration Housing Foundation Of Santa Barbara Housing Tr Fund Of Santa Barbara County Inc How International Inc Howard N Gilmore Foundation Howard School Hugh E & Marjorie S Petersen Foundation Inc Humain Nc Humananatura Inc
Humanity In Need Huskies Hutton Foundation A Delaware Corp Hyperion Historical Alliance Ian Fleming Foundation Ian M Hassett Foundation Ice In Paradise Figure Skating Club Igl Monte Sion Assembly Of God Buellton Iglesia Bautista El Buen Pastor Iglesia Bautista La Palabra De Dios Santa Barbara California Iglesia Bautista La Roca De Vida Lompoc California Iglesia Cristiana Hechos 4 11 Iglesia Cristiana Restauracion Iglesia Cristiana Restauracion De Las Asambleas De Dios Iglesia De Cristo Miel Costa Central Lompoc Iglesia De Cristo S B La Biblia Abierta Inc Iglesia De Dios El Cuerpo De Cristo Iglesia De Dios Torre Fuerte Sb Inc Iglesia De Jesucristo De Las Americas Inc En Santa Maria Ca Iglesia De Jesucristo El Templo Monte Horeb Iglesia De Jesucristo En Santamaria Ca Templo Iglesia De Jesucristo Palabra Miel Iglesia Del Dios Vivo Columna Y Apoyo De La Verdad La Luz Del Mund Iglesia Internacional Casa De Dios Iglesia Los Del Camino Iglesia Luterana Santa Cruz Iglesia Ministerio Betel Inc Iglesia Puerta Del Cielo Illuminating Engineering Society Immigrant Hope Santa Barbara Ca Inc Immigration Legal Services Complaint Resolution Center Importa Santa Barbara Incredible Life Foundation Incubators 2000tm Independent Assemblies Of God Independent Automotive Professionals Association Independent Living Resource Center Inc Independent Order Of Odd Fellows Indian Association Of Santa Barbara Inc Inlight Connection Inspired Works Institute For American Research Institute For Congregational Trauma And Growth Institute For Herpetological Research Institute For The Advancement Of Critical Thinking Institute For The Renewal Of The California Dream Institute Of Applied Psycology Institute Of Compassionate Awareness Institute Of Real Estate Management Of The Natl Assn Of Realtors Institute Of Sathya Sai Education-Usa Institute Of World Culture Intercity Church Of Santa Maria Interfaith Initiative Of Santa Barbara County International Alliance Theatrical Stage Employees & Moving Picture International Apostolic Ministry International Association For The Preservation Of Early Californio B International Association Of Fire Fighters International Association Of Lions Clubs International Association Of Machinists & Aerospace Workers International Brotherhood Of Electrical Workers International Chiari Association International Church Of The Four Square Gospel International Live Events Association Inc International Pentecostal Council Inc International Perinatal Stem Cell Society Inc Interplay Inward Bound Healing Journeys Inc Irene F Anderson Foundation Irene Mcculloch Foundation Irvin Storni Foundation For Disabled American Veterans Iscovich Foundation Isla Vista Community Development Corp Isla Vista Public Improvement Corporation Isla Vista Student Network Isla Vista Youth Project Inc Islamic Center Of Lompoc Islamic Society Of Santa Barbara It Starts With Us Inc Italian American Boot Club Italian American Foundation Of Santa Barbara Italian Cultural Heritage Foundation Of Santa Barbara Ivy S Pregozen Memorial Scholarship Trust J & J Family Foundation Tr Jacks Family Foundation Jacobus-Iacobucci Foundation Jacquemain And Gledhill Creekspirit Foundation Jaimie Jenks Foundation
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James C Page Charities James D Scheinfeld Family Foundation James S Bower Foundation Jean Klein Foundation Jeff Eggers Ministries Jeremy Shuck Ministries Inc Jessie Hopkins Hinchee Foundation Jewish Federation Of Greater Santa Barbara Jim Draggoo Scholarship Foundation Jim S Closet Incorporated Jim Twitch Inc Jimenez Elementary Ptc Jobs Daughters International Jodi House Inc John L Carleton Foundation John Percival & Mary C Jefferson Endowment Fund Johnson Temple Church Of God In Christ Join-Up International Inc Joseph & Helene Pollock Foundation Joseph B Hernandez Memorial Food Drive Josh Yaro Foundation Joy Center Jubilee Christian Church Julia Child Foundation For Gastronomy And The Culinary Arts Julie Meyer Ministries June G Outhwaite Irrv Charitable Tr 010298 Junior League Of Santa Barbara Inc Jurkowitz Family Foundation Just Communities Central Coast Juvy Project Inc K-9 Heroes Rescue K-9 Placement And Assistance League Inc Ka Naia Outrigger Canoe Club Of Santa Barbara Kairos Film Foundation Kappa Alpha Theta Fraternity Kappa Kappa Gamma Fraternity Inc Kappa Sigma Fraternity Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum Katherine Estes Rogers Foundation Inc Kee Kitayama Research Foundation Kei Lin Foundation Keith Hudson Ministries Inc Kelly - Laustsen Family Foundation Kerry Blue Terrier Foundation Kevin And Masha Keating Family Foundation Kids And Bikes Kidz Engineering 101 Inc Kincares Inc Kindergarten Unit Inc Kingdom Impact Equipping Church Kingdom Kids Intl Kingsmen Ministries Inc Kinohi Institute Inc Kiwanis Club Of Lompoc Foundation Inc Kiwanis Club Of Santa Maria Valley Foundation Inc Kiwanis Foundation Of Santa Barbara Kiwanis Foundation Of The South Coast Kiwanis International Inc Kmklink Ministries Inc Knights Of Columbus Knowlwood Tennis Club Knox School Of Santa Barbara Knudson Memorial Scholarship Inc Korean American Association Of Central Coast Korean Community Church Of Santa Barbara Kreitzberg Family Foundation Kultur Inc Kuvasz Fanciers Of America Kuyamu Park Association L A Soccer 94 Foundation La Casa De La Raza La Cuadrilla Foundation La Cumbre Foundation Inc La Cumbre Golf And Country Club La Cumbre Mutual Water Co La Goleta Scholarship Association La Luz Del Mundo Iglesia Del Dios Vivo Columna Y Apoyo De La La Purisima Audubon Society La Purisima Conception La Tienda La Vida Education Inc La Vista Club For The Sightless Inc Lacentra-Sumerlin Foundation Ladies Recovery 4 Life Lags Recovery Centers Inc Laguna Blanca School Laguna Cottages For Seniors Lake Los Carneros Swim Club Inc Lakeview Masonic Hall Association
Lambert Foundation Inc Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network Inc Las Positas Tennis Group Latin American Social Organization Latina Leadership Network Of The California Community Colleges Inc Latino Coalition For Community Leadership Layden Schimberg Foundation Leadership Santa Barbara County Leading From Within League Of Women Voters Of Santa Barbara League Of Women Voters Of Santa Barbara Education Fund League Of Women Voters Of Santa Maria Valley Legacy Philanthropy Works Legacy- Whats Yours Inc Legal Aid Foundation Of Santa Barbara County Legal Secretaries Incorporated Legends Futbol Academy Legionaire Insurance Trust Liberty Baptist Church Of Santa Maria Liberty Cap Foundation Library Dances Life Network Inc Life Options Vocational And Resource Center Life Way Fellowship Lifechronicles Inc Light And Life Isla Vista Lights Up Theater Lil Orphan Hammies Linden Family Foundation Lindisfarne Foundation Linked Foundation Lions Club Of Carpinteria Lit Moon Theatre Company Little Angels Preschool Little Bit Of Give Little Green Feet Environmental Services Little House By The Park Little League Baseball Inc Little Star Pony Foundation Little Town Club Little Village Foundation Live Oak Unitarian Universalist Congregation Living Faith Center Living In America Foundation Living Peace Foundation Lobero Theatre Foundation Local Government Finance Corp Lois And Walter Capps Project Lojo Foundation Lompoc Boxing And Training Lompoc California Concert Association Inc Lompoc Civic Theatre Inc Lompoc Community Bridge Club Inc Mary Cook Lompoc Cooperative Development Project Lompoc Crisis Pregnancy Center Lompoc District Libraries Foundation Lompoc Family Youth And Infant Foundation Lompoc Filipino-American Club Lompoc Firefighters Foundation Lompoc Football Boosters Lompoc Foursquare Church Lompoc Gardens Inc Lompoc Girls Softball Association Lompoc Gloryland Faith Center Assembly Of God Lompoc High School Alumni Association Lompoc Hispanic Foursquare Church Lompoc Hospital District Foundation Lompoc Knights Of Pythias Building Association Lompoc Little League Inc Lompoc Mural And Public Arts Coalition Lompoc Museum Associates Inc Lompoc Music Association Lompoc Police Activities League Lompoc Police Foundation Organization Lompoc Police Officers Association Lompoc Pops Orchestra Lompoc School District Community Education Foundation Lompoc Theatre Project Corporation Lompoc Tsunami Aquatics Lompoc Valley Agriculture Youth Booster Club Lompoc Valley Art Association Lompoc Valley Botanic And Horticultural Society Lompoc Valley Chamber Of Commerce Lompoc Valley Chamber Of Commerce Community Development Foundation Lompoc Valley Community Healthcare Organization Lompoc Valley Festival Association Inc Lompoc Valley Festival Foundation Lompoc Valley Historical Society Inc
Lompoc Valley Master Chorale Lompoc Valley Parks Recreation & Pool Foundation Inc Lompoc Valley Visionary Foundation For Community Betterment Lompoc Vaulters Lompoc Veterans And Associates Council Lompoc Veterans Memorial Building Foundation Lompoc Wine Alliance Lopker Family Foundation Los Adobes De Los Rancheros Los Alamos Foundation Los Alamos Senior Apartments Inc Los Alamos Valley Senior Citizen Inc Los Olivos Business Organization Los Olivos Community Organization Inc Los Olivos Rotary Club Foundation Los Olivos School District Foundation Los Padres Artists Guild Los Padres Forest Association Inc Los Padres Forest Watch Los Padres Trail Riders Los Rancheros Pobres Lost Highway Foundation Lotus Chamber Music Festival Lou Grant Parent-Child Workshop Loud Cry Evangelistic Medical Ministry Louise Mollath Third Charitable Remainder Unitrust 070197 Love & Service 4th & 5th Step Inc Love & Service Inc Lscfsm Inc Lucky Few Inc Lucky Paw All Animal Rescue Luria Foundation Lutah Maria Riggs Society Lutheran Campus Council Of Santa Barbara California MERRAG Maasai Wilderness Conservation Fund Mackenzie Park Lawn Bowls Club Inc Made For This Inc Mahakankala Buddhist Center Mahamati Foundation Maharlika Christian Fellowship Main-Begg Farmhouse Maitreya Temple Of Divine Wisdom Make It Space Mane Prairie Sanctuary Inc Mantle Of Elisha Ministries Manzanita Public Charter School Marian Elliott And John A Elliott Foundation Inc Marian Regional Medical Center Foundation Marine Corps League Mark And Dorothy Smith Family Foundation Marriage Forum Inc Marthas Meals Inc Martin Luther King Jr Committee Of Santa Barbara Mary Beth Vogelzang Foundation Marymount Of Santa Barbara Inc Marynn Vilarino Photography Foundation Masonic Properties Of Santa Barbara Inc Mastick Foundation Matthews Salazar Imagitas Foundation A K A Tmsi Foundation May And Bill Allison Foundation Mayfair Fifth Foundation Meals On Wheels Finance Committee Of Lompoc California Media Labs International Inc Media4good Inc Medical Staff Of Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital Medicine Arm-In-Arm Inc Melfred Borzall Foundation Mena Kdec Ministries Mending Broken Vessels Inc Mental Health Association In Santa Barbara County Mentorship Works Mercedes-Benz Club Of America Mercy Church International Mercy International Mesa Business Association Mesa Harmony Garden Metro Bridging The Gap Inc Mexican Ladies Social Club Of Santa Maria Inc Micah Mission Inc Michael J Connell Memorial Fund Trust Michele And Arnold Brustin Foundation Micro Boom Academy Mid-Coast Veterans Alliance Inc A California Nonprofit Corporation Midland School Corporation Military Order Of The Cootie Of The United States Military Order Of The Purple Heart Of The Usa Military Order Of The World Wars Inc Milpas Community Association
Miltons Mutts Inc Mindful Heart Programs Mindworks Inc Minerva Club Building Preservation Fund Inc Minerva Club Of Santa Maria Minerva Club Trust Fund Inc Ministerios Lion De Juda Lion Of Juda Ministries Mission Canyon Association Mission City Church Santa Barbara Mission City Roller Derby Mission Heritage Trail Association Mission House Inc Mission Isla Vista Mission Nannys Mit Enterprise Forum Inc Miyb California Inc Mmrc Modern Quilt Guild Inc Moms Club Montecito Community Church Of Religious Science Montecito Community Foundation Montecito Covenant Church Santa Barbara Ca Montecito Creek Water Company Montecito Firefighters Charitable Foundation Montecito Friends Of The Library Montecito Historical Archives Inc Montecito Protective & Improvement Association Inc Montecito Montecito Retirement Association Montecito Trails Foundation Montecito Union School Foundation Montessori Center School At Santa Barbara & Students Inc Mooney Foundation Inc More Mesa Preservation Coalition Moriah Bible Fellowship Morning Rotary Of Carpinteria Charitable Foundation Inc Mothers Helpers Inc Motion Theatre Company Corp Mount Calvary Mountain Drive Community Association Mountain Ember Team Mountain View School Foundation Mozilo Family Foundation Mu Delta Fraternity Muom Museum Of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara Inc Music Academy Of The West Music And Arts Conservatory Of Santa Barbara Music Teachers Association Of California Music Without Borders Inc Nami Southern Santa Barbara County Nanum Church Of Santa Maria Naples Coalition Natalie Orfalea Foundation National Active And Retired Federal Employees Association National Air Traffic Controllers Association National Association For The Advancement Of Colored People National Association Of Church Musicians Inc National Association Of Insurance Women National Association Of Letter Carriers National Association Of Womenbusiness Owners Santa Barbara Chapt National Charity League Inc Santa Ynez Chapter National Charity League Inc-Santa Barbara National Council Of Teachers Of English National Council Of Young Israel National Electrical Contractors Association California Central Cha National Exchange Club National Organization Of Mothers Of Twins Clubs Inc National Reined Cow Horse Foundation Inc National Society Daughters Of The American Colonists National Society Of The Children Of The American Revolution National Society Of The Daughters Of The American Revolution National Society Of The Sons Of The American Revolution National Society Of Tole And Decorative Painters Inc National Society United States Daughters Of 1812 National Spiritualist Asn Of Churches Natural History Museum Santa Maria California Nature Track Foundation Navy League Of The United States Nbcc Nebula Dance Lab Netlink Church Consulting Inc Neurofighters Inc Neurological Health International New Beginnings Christian Church New Beginnings Missionary Church Inc
New Civic Forum New Covenant Presbyterian Church New Covenant Worship Center New Directions For People With Disabilities Inc New Friendship Missionary Baptist Church Of Santa Barbara New Generation Pentecostal Church Inc New Hope For Troubled Lives New Media Studio New Noise Music Foundation Newgrit Newlove Christian Church News Label Foundation Nipomo Area Recreation Assoc Inc Nipomo Area Senior Center Nipomo Bible Church Nipomo Christian Church Nipomo Community Services District Public Facilities Corporation Nipomo Firefighters Association Nipomo Food Basket Nipomo Football League Inc Nipomo High School Agriculture Friends Nipomo High School Boosters Club Nipomo Missionary Baptist Church Nipomo Native Garden Nipomo New Beginning Community Church Of The Nazarene Nipomo Parks Conservancy Nipomo Womens Club Corporation Noor Omid Inc North Avenue Baptist Church North County Rape Crisis And Child Protection Center Northern Santa Barbara County Athletic Roundtable Inc Northern Santa Barbara County Bar Association Inc Northern Santa Barbara County United Way Inc Northern Santa Barbara Neighborhood Safety Alliance Northwest Health Center Notes For Notes Incorporated Novim Group Nuclear Age Peace Foundation Nueva Vida Foursquare Church Oak Trail Ranch Mutual Water Co Oak Trails Estates Mutual Water Co Oaks Bible Church Oaks Parent Child Workshop Oasis Inc Oasis Rescue Ocean Futures Society Inc Ocean Hills Covenant Church Santa Barbara Ca Oceans Unmanned Inc Odiyana Institute Old Mission Church Santa Barbara St Barbara Church Old Mission Santa Barbara Old Mission Santa Ines Old Spanish Days Old Town Orcutt Revitalization Association Inc Olde Towne Nipomo Association Olde Towne Quilters Of Nipomo Olive Grove Charter Schools Inc Omega Point Institute Once Upon A Dream Cares Inc One Community Action One For The Team Inc One Sport Foundation One Vision One World One805 Inc Open Alternative Educational Foundation Open Heavens Miranda Ranch Operation Rescue Inc Operation Webs Women Empowered Build Strong Opportunities For Training Pediatric Therapists Inc Optimist International Opus Archives And Research Center Inc Orcutt Academy High School Athletic Booster Club Inc Orcutt Academy High School Spartatroniks Robotics Boosters In Orcutt Aquacenter Inc Orcutt Babe Ruth League Inc Orcutt Childrens Art Foundation Inc Orcutt Christian Church Orcutt Community Theater Orcutt Cutters Orcutt Lc Community Foundation Inc Orcutt National Little League Inc Orcutt Polo Association Orcutt Presbyterian Church Orcutt United Soccer League Orcutt Youth Football League Inc Orcutt Youth Lacrosse Association Order Of Ahepa Order Of The Amaranth Inc
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Order Of The Amaranth Inc Supreme Council Order Of The Eastern Star Of California Organic Soup Kitchen Orthodox Church Of The Annunciation Orville Armstrong Library Osherenko-Young Foundation Osho Academy Inc Our Earth Foundation Our Lady Of Guadalupe Our Lady Of Guadalupe Church Our Lady Of Mt Carmel Church Our Lady Of Sorrows Our Lady Of The Most Blessed Sacrament Magnificat Chapter Our Lady Queen Of Angles Our Mesa Neighborhood Incorporated Our Redeemer Lutheran Church Out Of The Box Theatre Company Inc Overall Family Foundation Pace Universal Pacific Boys Rowing Inc Pacific Riptides Volleyball Club Inc Pacifica Graduate Institute Alumni Association Padaro Association Paddling Athletes Defying Disabilities Limitations Enjoying Page Youth Center Painted Cave Mutual Water Company Painted Cave Volunteer Fire Department Inc Pajadoro Family Foundation Panther Valley Water Polo Paradise Canyon Improvement Corp Parent Booster Usa Inc Parents For Aliso Corporation Parents For Canalino School Pfc Parents For Summerland Foundation Parkinson Association Of Santa Barbara Parks And Recreation Community Foundation Partners For Christ Partners In Community Renewal Partners In Housing Solutions Inc Partnership Schools Of The Central Coast Pathpoint Patty Sheehan Foundation Paulist Fathers Foundation Of Santa Barbara Paws Parks Of Santa Ynez Valley Inc Pcpa Foundation A California Nonprofit Public Benefit Corp Peabody Charter School Foundation Peabody Charter School Inc Peace Of Wisdom Ministries Peacehenge Inc Pearl Chase Society Peebles Sheen Charitable Foundation People Against Violence People For Leisure And Youth Inc People Of Action Peoples Foundation For Connecting Community Military & Veterans Peoples Justice Project Inc Pepper Hill Homes Association Performing Arts Scholarship Foundation Perseverations Literary Inc Pett Animal Haven Foundation Inc Pflag Santa Barbara Parents Families And Friends Of Lesbians Phi Sigma Rho National Sorority Phoenix Bread Rising Phoenix Of Santa Barbara Inc Phoenix Rising Catholic Foundation Photos For Preservation Pi Beta Phi Fraternity Pi Mu Epsilon Inc Pierre Claeyssens Veterans Museum And Library Foundation Pilgrim Terrace Cooperative Homes Pilgrims Provision Ministries Pioneer Park Foundation Inc Pioneer Valley High School Boosters Pirate Youth Football League Syv Pismo Creek R V Resort Place Of Grace Of Lompoc Inc Planned Parenthood Affiliates Of California Inc Planned Parenthood California Central Coast Playfest Santa Barbara Plenitud Cristiana La Vina Polo Park Foundation Inc Polo Training Center Santa Barbara Post 7139 Veterans Of Foreign Wars Of The United States Postpartum Education For Parents Power Of God Christian Ctr Praise Inc Pratt Charitable Foundation Inc Prelado De Los Tesoros De La Purisima
Preservation Of Los Olivos Preservation Of Santa Ynez Preston B And Maurine M Hotchkis Foundation Prime Time Band Primo Boxing Club Prince Of Peace Lutheran Church Of Santa Barbara Priory Fund Prism Leadership Group Inc Prison Yoga Santa Barbara Pritchett Foundation Pro Deo Foundation Producing Unit Inc Project Heal Of Santa Barbara County Project Lexi Brown Foundation Project Rescue Flight Project Uplift Project-Angels Bearing Gifts Providence Educational Foundation Providence Landing Park Association Providence School Psi Chi The National Honor Society In Psychology Psycho Tour Psychoheresy Awareness Ministries Pta California Congress Of Parents Pta California Congress Of Parents Teachers & Students Public Interest Press Inc Publicsquare Inc Quadrex Foundation Queenship Publishing Company Quilt Project Gold Coast Quilters Etc Quinn Family Foundation Inc R M Matovu Memorial Child & Maternal Medical Centre Ltd Radiant Love Foundation Rage Youth Hockey Rainbow Parrot Conservatory Rainbow Plaza Inc Ranch - A Calvary Chapel Church Rancheros Vistadores Rancho De Guadalupe Historical Society Rancho Del Refugio Rancho Marcelino Water And Service Co Rancho Palomino Santa Barbara Inc Rancho Santa Ynez Christian School Rancho Victoria Commercial Park Owners Association Rancho Ynecita Mutual Water Company Ray Anderson Rise And Achieve Youth Sports Parks And Recreation Raytheon Employees Valley Ventures Club Reality Carpinteria Reality Church Of Santa Barbara Reap The Harvest Reason In Government Recovery Outreach Inc Recovery Santa Barbara Inc Red Bird Foundation Red Oak Soccer Referee Association Red Shorts Foundation Redeemer Community Church Of Carpinteria Redeemer Presbyterian Church Redemption Street Disciples Redwood Family Institute Reeds Of Hope Rejoice Inc Religious Science International Removed Film Renegades Softball Inc Research Institute Of Human Movement Rihm Resolve Resqcats Inc Restorative Community Network Resurrection Christian Center Of Santa Barbara Retired Employees Of Santa Barbara County Inc Return To Freedom Inc Revival Centers International Rexfest Foundation Richard And Kathleen Zacky Family Foundation Ridley Foundation Righetti Football Boosters Righetti High School Band Boosters Inc Rios Promise Risb Foundation Rivendell Stewards Trust Dtd 022385 Rivers Of Living Water Ministries Riviera Association Riviera Hotel Inc Riviera Robotics Road Runners Club Of America Robert & Christine Emmons Foundation Robert And Carol Jackson Charitable Foundation
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Robert Bruce Ptc Robert K & Barbara J Straus Family Foundation Roberta-Anne Inc Roberts Bros Foundation Rona Barrett Foundation Roosevelt Elementary Educational Foundation Rosario Park Mutual Water Company Inc Rotary Club Of Carpinteria Sunset Charitable Foundation Inc Rotary Club Of Los Olivos Rotary Club Of Montecito Foundation Inc Rotary Club Of Nipomo Foundation Inc Rotary Club Of Santa Barbara North Charitable Foundation Rotary Club Of Santa Barbara Sunrise Charitable Foundation Rotary District 5240 Charitable Foundation Rotary International Roy & Ida Eagle Foundation Royal Arch Masons Of California Royals Theatre Production Fund Rudi And Berta Schulte Angels Charitable Trust Rudi Schulte Family Foundation Rudi Schulte Research Institute Rumi Educational Center Runx1 Foundation Russell Rescue Ca Inc Ruyang Microbiology Institute S B Bike Club Inc S G Foundation S L O County Toy Run Inc S M O O T H Inc Saddhamma Foundation Saddleback Valley Vineyard Safelaunch Safety Research Institute Saint Therese Classical Academy Saints Band Boosters Saints Football Boosters Salmos 133 Inc Samaritans Compass International Samarpan Foundation Usa Samoyed Club Of America Inc Samuel B Mosher Foundation San Augustin Mutual Water Company San Felipe Supported Living Inc San Fernando Rey Mission San Francisco Stage & Film San Lorenzo Foundation San Marcos High School Alumni Foundation San Marcos High School Athletic Booster Club San Marcos High School Class Of 64 San Marcos High School Royal Band Boosters San Marcos High School Royal Pride Foundation San Marcos Kids Helping Kids Foundation San Marcos Mutual Water Co San Marcos Parent-Child Workshop Inc San Ramon Chapel Preservation Committee San Roque Parish San Roque School Charitable Tr Sanctuary Centers Of Santa Barbara Inc Sandalwood Foundation Sangham Foundation Sansum Clinic Sansum Diabetes Research Institute Sant Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital Foundation Santa Aguila Foundation Inc Santa Anita Mutual Water Company Santa Barabara Master Chorale Santa Barbara - Patras Sister City Committee Santa Barbara Acoustic Music Association Santa Barbara Affordable Housing Group Santa Barbara Amateur Radio Club Inc Santa Barbara Angel Fund Santa Barbara Apartment Assoc Inc Santa Barbara Area Chapter American Payroll Association Santa Barbara Art Association Santa Barbara Arts Collaborative Inc Santa Barbara Assoc Of Realtors Inc Santa Barbara Associates Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table Santa Barbara Audubon Society Inc Santa Barbara Baseball Parents Association Inc Santa Barbara Beautiful Inc Santa Barbara Beekeepers Association Santa Barbara Bible Truth Chapel Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition Santa Barbara Birth Center Santa Barbara Blues Society Santa Barbara Bmw Riders Inc Santa Barbara Botanic Garden Inc Santa Barbara Bowl Foundation Santa Barbara Bridge Center
Santa Barbara Bucket Brigade Santa Barbara Cemetery Association Santa Barbara Center For The Performing Arts Inc Santa Barbara Century Santa Barbara Chamber Of Commerce Santa Barbara Channel Keeper Santa Barbara Channel Swimming Association Santa Barbara Chapter 525 Women Of The Moose Santa Barbara Charter School Santa Barbara Chinese American Association Santa Barbara Chinese School Santa Barbara Chptr Of The Ca Assoc Of Marriage & Family Therapists Santa Barbara Christadelphian Ecclesia Santa Barbara Christian Homesteaders Inc Santa Barbara Cinco De Mayo Festival Santa Barbara Citizens Council On Crime Inc Santa Barbara City College Instructors Assoc Santa Barbara City Firefighters Charitable Fund Inc Santa Barbara Club Santa Barbara Club Preservation Foundation Santa Barbara Coalition For Responsible Cannabis Inc Santa Barbara Community Church Santa Barbara Community Housing Corporation Santa Barbara Community Youth Performing Arts Center Santa Barbara Conference And Visitors Bureau Santa Barbara Conservancy Santa Barbara Contractors Association Inc Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital Foundation Santa Barbara Country Dance Society Santa Barbara County Action Network Santa Barbara County Animal Care Foundation Inc Santa Barbara County Bar Association Santa Barbara County Bar Foundation Santa Barbara County Caer Santa Barbara County Cattlemens Association Santa Barbara County Courthouse Docent Council Santa Barbara County Electrical Workers Labor Mgmt Coop Committee Santa Barbara County Energy Coalition Santa Barbara County Fair Auction Sales Association Santa Barbara County Farm Bureau Santa Barbara County Finance Corporation Inc Santa Barbara County Fire Safe Council Santa Barbara County Firefighter Benevolent Foundation Santa Barbara County Firefighters Charity Fund Santa Barbara County Flower And Nursery Growers Association Santa Barbara County Genealogical Society Santa Barbara County Horticultural Society Santa Barbara County Immigrant Legal Defense Center Santa Barbara County Medical Society Inc Santa Barbara County Park Foundation Inc Santa Barbara County Psychological Association Santa Barbara County Riding Club Inc Santa Barbara County Search And Rescue Inc Santa Barbara County Sheriffs Aerosquadron Santa Barbara County Sheriffs Relief & Benefit Association Santa Barbara County Taxpayers Association Inc Santa Barbara County Trails Council Santa Barbara County Vintners Association Santa Barbara Courthouse Legacy Foundation Santa Barbara Dance Alliance Santa Barbara Dance Institute Santa Barbara Deputy Sheriffs Foundation Santa Barbara Dermatopathology Society Santa Barbara Documentaries Incorporated Santa Barbara Dragon Boat Association Santa Barbara Education Foundation Santa Barbara Eighteen Forty Eight Corporation Santa Barbara Electrical Workers Building Corporation Santa Barbara Employer Advisory Group Santa Barbara Equine Assistance & Evacuation Team Inc Santa Barbara Estate Planning Council Santa Barbara Faith Center A Nonprofit Corporation Santa Barbara Family Care Center Santa Barbara Family Child Care Association Santa Barbara Festival Ballet Santa Barbara Fiber Arts Guild Santa Barbara Firefighters Alliance Santa Barbara Flyers Dog Sports Santa Barbara Flyfishers Santa Barbara Flying Club Santa Barbara Foresters Santa Barbara Foster Foundation Santa Barbara Foundation Santa Barbara Foursquare Church Santa Barbara Friends Meeting Santa Barbara Fund For Public And Educational Access Santa Barbara Girlfriends Adventure League
Santa Barbara Girls Lacrosse Association Inc Santa Barbara Graduate Inst Center For Clinical Studies And Research Santa Barbara Gymnastics Team Santa Barbara Hacker Space Inc Santa Barbara High School Alumni Association Santa Barbara High School Aquatics Boster Club Santa Barbara High School Band Boosters Corp Santa Barbara High School Computer Science Academy Foundation Santa Barbara High School Theater Foundation Santa Barbara Hispanic Foursquare Church Santa Barbara Historical Museum Santa Barbara Hospice Foundation Santa Barbara House Of Prayer Santa Barbara Housing Assistance Corporation Santa Barbara Human Resources Assn Santa Barbara Humane Society For The Prevention Of Cruelty To Anima Santa Barbara Immigration Community Center Inc Santa Barbara Industrial Association Santa Barbara Institute For Consciousness Studies Santa Barbara International Film Festival Inc Santa Barbara International Orchid Show Inc Santa Barbara Intra-School Science Fair Inc Santa Barbara Japanese Heritage Language School Santa Barbara Jazz Society Santa Barbara Judo Club Santa Barbara Junior Golf Tour Santa Barbara Kennel Club Santa Barbara Knights Of Columbus Home Association Santa Barbara Korean Presbyterian Church Santa Barbara Lacrosse Association Santa Barbara Landscape Gardeners Association Inc Santa Barbara Lawn Bowls Club Santa Barbara Lighthouse Foundation Santa Barbara Lodge No 605 Loyal Order Of Moose Santa Barbara Lodging Association Santa Barbara Lower Westside Community Center Santa Barbara Mariachi Festival Inc Santa Barbara Marine Mammal Center Santa Barbara Maritime Museum Santa Barbara Meals On Wheels Santa Barbara Mens Adult Baseball League Inc Santa Barbara Mens Golf Club Santa Barbara Middle School Santa Barbara Mission Archive-Library Inc Santa Barbara Mountain Bike Trail Volunteers Inc Santa Barbara Moww Foundation Santa Barbara Museum Of Art Santa Barbara Museum Of Natural History Santa Barbara Music Club Santa Barbara Music Foundation Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics Santa Barbara New House Santa Barbara Newcomers Club Santa Barbara North & South County Breastfeeding Coalition Santa Barbara Opera Association Santa Barbara Outrigger Canoe Club Santa Barbara Paralegal Association Santa Barbara Partners In Education A Calif Non Profit Public Ben Corp Santa Barbara Peace Corps Association Santa Barbara Permaculture Network Santa Barbara Pharmaceutical Assn Inc Santa Barbara Pickleball Santa Barbara Police Activities League Santa Barbara Police Foundation Santa Barbara Police Officers Association Santa Barbara Polo And Racquet Club Management Company Inc Santa Barbara Pops Orchestra Santa Barbara Preferred Health Partners Inc Santa Barbara Premier Water Polo Santa Barbara Pro-Choice Coalition Inc Santa Barbara Public Library Foundation Santa Barbara Puerto Vallarta Sister Cities Committee Santa Barbara Radio Control Modelers Inc Santa Barbara Rescue Mission Santa Barbara Resource Group Inc Santa Barbara Response Network Santa Barbara Revels Inc Santa Barbara Rotary Charitable Foundation Santa Barbara Rugby Association Santa Barbara Sailing Club Santa Barbara School Of Squash Inc Santa Barbara Sea Shell Association Santa Barbara Semana Nautica Association Inc Santa Barbara Shakespeare Co Santa Barbara Sheng Zhen Society Santa Barbara Sheriffs Managers Association Santa Barbara Showgrounds Foundation Santa Barbara Ski Club Corporation
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Santa Barbara Soaring Association Inc Santa Barbara Soccer Club Santa Barbara Social Club Santa Barbara Speaks Santa Barbara Special Enforcement Team Support Foundation Inc Santa Barbara Sports Association Santa Barbara Strings Santa Barbara Student Housing Santa Barbara Summer Stock Santa Barbara Summit For Tibet Santa Barbara Swim Club Santa Barbara Swiss Club Santa Barbara Symphony Orchestra Association Santa Barbara Symphony Orchestra Endowment Trust Santa Barbara Teen Legal Clinic Santa Barbara Theatre Company Santa Barbara Theatre Organ Society Santa Barbara Thoroughbreds Mutual Water Company Inc Santa Barbara Trail Riders Inc Santa Barbara Transgender Advocacy Network Santa Barbara Triathlon Club Santa Barbara Trust For Historic Preservation Santa Barbara Unico Italian-American Society Santa Barbara Urban Creeks Council Santa Barbara Urban Wine Trail Santa Barbara Veterans Foundation Santa Barbara Veterans Memorial Building Foundation Santa Barbara Vintners Foundation Santa Barbara Vizsla Lovers Rescue Santa Barbara Vocal Jazz Foundation Santa Barbara Volleyball Club Santa Barbara Water Polo Club Inc Santa Barbara Water Polo Foundation Inc Santa Barbara Wellness Center Inc Santa Barbara Wellness Initiative Santa Barbara Wellness Outreach And Partnership Institute Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network Santa Barbara Womans Club Santa Barbara Women Lawyers Foundation Santa Barbara Womens Soccer Organization Santa Barbara Yacht Club Inc Santa Barbara Yacht Club Womens Foundation 10252000 Santa Barbara Young Black Professionals Santa Barbara Young Professionals Club Santa Barbara Young Professionals Club Foundation Santa Barbara Youth Baseball Santa Barbara Youth Ensemble Theatre Inc Santa Barbara Youth Foundation Santa Barbara Youth Project Santa Barbara Youth Ultimate Santa Barbara Zen Center Santa Barbara Zoological Foundation Santa Barbara-South Coast Youth Football League Inc Santa Barbara-Toba Sister City Organization Inc Santa Cruz Island Foundation Santa Maria 4 Wheelers Santa Maria Arts Council Inc Santa Maria Bethel Korean United Methodist Church Santa Maria Bmx Corporation Santa Maria Boys And Girls Club Foundation Inc Santa Maria Breakfast Rotary Foundation Inc Santa Maria Chapt No 463 Women Of The Moose Santa Maria Civic Theatre Santa Maria Club Santa Maria Columbian Club Inc Santa Maria Cornerstone Santa Maria Country Club Inc Santa Maria Covenant Church Santa Maria Fairpark Foundation Inc Santa Maria Ffa Santa Maria Ffa Boosters Santa Maria Firefighters Benevolent Foundation Santa Maria Foursquare Church Santa Maria Girls Softball Inc Santa Maria High School Santa Maria High School Alumni Association Santa Maria Japanese Community Center Santa Maria Karting Association Santa Maria Kennel Club Santa Maria Kiwanis For Kids Inc Santa Maria Korean Church Santa Maria Korean Presbyterian Church Santa Maria Lawn Bowling Club Santa Maria Lodge No 719 Loyal Order Of Moose Santa Maria Museum Of Flight Inc Santa Maria Orchid Society Incorporated Santa Maria Pacific Christian Center Santa Maria Philharmonic Society Santa Maria Police Council Inc
Santa Maria Police Officers Association Santa Maria Police Officers Benevolent Foundation Inc Santa Maria Public Library Foundation Santa Maria Rifle Club Inc Santa Maria Rotary Foundation Santa Maria Swim Club Inc Santa Maria Valley Bike Run Santa Maria Valley Chamber Of Commerce Santa Maria Valley Community Foundation Santa Maria Valley Contractors Association Inc Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum Santa Maria Valley Fish Santa Maria Valley Foursquare Church Santa Maria Valley Genealogical Society Santa Maria Valley Hispanic Seventh-Day Adventist Church Santa Maria Valley Historical Society Santa Maria Valley Humane Society Santa Maria Valley Media Ministry Santa Maria Valley Open Space Santa Maria Valley Packers Santa Maria Valley Quilt Guild Santa Maria Valley Railway Historical Museum Santa Maria Valley Senior Citizens Club Santa Maria Valley Sportsman Association Santa Maria Valley Ymca Foundation Santa Maria Valley Young Mens Christian Association Santa Maria Womens Net Work Santa Maria Youth Football League Santa Maria-Bonita Capital Facilities Corp Santa Maria-Lompoc Chapter Moaa Santa Rita Hills Winegrowers Alliance Santa Rita Water Co Santa Ynez Chamber Of Commerce Santa Ynez Fellowship Church Inc Santa Ynez High Boosters Inc Santa Ynez Rancho Estates Mutual Water Company Inc Santa Ynez Valley Airport Authority Santa Ynez Valley Alano Club Inc Santa Ynez Valley Arabian Horse Breeders Association Santa Ynez Valley Association Of Realtors Santa Ynez Valley Bar Association Santa Ynez Valley Bocce Foundation Inc Santa Ynez Valley Botanic Garden Foundation Inc Santa Ynez Valley Boys Baseball League Inc Santa Ynez Valley Center For Metaphysical Studies Santa Ynez Valley Charter School Inc Santa Ynez Valley Chorale Santa Ynez Valley Christian Academy Santa Ynez Valley Christian Fellowship Santa Ynez Valley Coalition Santa Ynez Valley Coalition Education Fund Santa Ynez Valley Community Aquatics Foundation Santa Ynez Valley Concerned Citizens Inc Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital Inc Santa Ynez Valley Cycling Club Santa Ynez Valley Dog Training Club Santa Ynez Valley Education Foundation Santa Ynez Valley Equestrian Association Santa Ynez Valley Family School Santa Ynez Valley Foundation Santa Ynez Valley Foursquare Church Santa Ynez Valley Girls Softball Association Santa Ynez Valley Historical Society Santa Ynez Valley Hotel Assn Inc Santa Ynez Valley Humane Society Santa Ynez Valley Jewish Community Santa Ynez Valley Natural History Society Santa Ynez Valley Opportunity Shop Santa Ynez Valley Outreach Center Santa Ynez Valley People Helping People Santa Ynez Valley Riders Santa Ynez Valley Rotary Club Foundation Santa Ynez Valley Senior Advisory Council Santa Ynez Valley Senior Citizens Foundation Santa Ynez Valley Therapeutic Riding Program Santa Ynez Valley Union High School Building Corp Santa Ynez Valley Western Heritage Foundation Santa Ynez Valley Wind Ensemble Santa Ynez Valley Wine Country Association Santa Ynez Valley Womens Club Santa Ynez Valley Youth Recreation Santa Ynez Valley Youth Soccer Santa Ynez Valley Youth Sports Foundation Santa Ynez Valley Youth Tennis Santa Ynez Valley Zen Sangha Inc Sarah House Santa Barbara Sb Athletic Association Inc Sb Tide Club Softball Sb Youth Music Academy Sbrm Support Corporation
Sca Foundation Schafer Family Foundation Inc Scholarship & Loan Foundation Of American Assoc Of University Women Scholarship Foundation Of Santa Barbara Sci Research Advancement Scifund Challenge Scottish Rite Properties Of Santa Barbara Inc Seafaring Opportunities For Those in Need Softin Inc Second Baptist Church Seeds Of Hope International Ministries Self Enquiry Life Fellowship Semillas De Salud Inc Serve Santa Maria Inc Service Employees International Union Set Free Christian Fellowship Santa Maria Seven Seas Foundation Inc Seven Seas Press Shaa Dann International Benefit Organization Shadows Fund Incorporated Shajarah Mubarakah Shalom Shalom Shekinah Christian Fellowship Inc Shoes For Students Shoreline Community Church-Santa Barbara Siddhartha Foundation International Sigma Chi House Corporation-Univ Of California Santa Barbara Sigma Pi Fraternity International Inc Sign Post Byway Inc Simply Aloha Sisters Of St Francis-Mt Alvernomarian Residence Sitio De Arte Popular Inc Sjl Foundation Slavic Baptist Church Of Santa Barbara Smith Walker Foundation Socal Monarchs Fastpitch Inc Social Justice Foundation Social Media Hall Of Fame Social Skills America Sociedad Funeraria Local Society For Technical Communication Society For The Study Of American Women Writers Society Of Auditor Appraisers Society Of Women Engineers Society Of Women Engineers Sojourn Inc Sol Soccer Club Solid Rock Foundation For Children Inc Solutions For People Inc Solvang Chamber Of Commerce Solvang Danish Days Foundation Solvang Friendship House Solvang Heritage Associates Solvang Lutheran Home Inc Solvang Parent Teacher Organization Solvang Rotary Club Foundation Solvang School Education Foundation Solvang Theaterfest Solvang Visitors Bureau Inc Sons Of Norway Soroptimist Safety Town Of Santa Barbara Soul Survivor Central Coast South Coast Church South Coast Community Aquatic Center South Coast Community Media Access Center South Coast Community Youth Cultural Center South Coast Montessori South County Visitor Services South Santa Maria Rotary Foundation Southern California Artists Painting For The Environment Southern California Rugby Referees Society Southern California Trawlers Association Southern California Youth Rugby Association Inc Southland Farmers Market Association Inc Southland Title Childrens Foundation Southwest Section Of The Ninety-Nines Inc Soutni Sowers Field Inc Spark Rescue Santa Barbara Speak Out California Spirals Foundation For Gymnastics Spirit And Science Foundation Inc Spiritual Assembly Of The Bahais Of Santa Barbara Spiritual Assembly Of The Bahais Of Santa Barbara County North Spiritual Assembly Of The Bahais Of Santa Maria Spiritual Paths Foundation Spotlight Kids Camps Inc St Andrews Presbyterian Church St Anthonys Community Association
St Barbara Monastery St Francis Foundation Of Santa Barbara St John Neumann St Josephs Church St Josephs High School St Louis De Montfort Church St Mark Preschool St Marks In The Valley Endowment Fund St Marks University St Marys Church A Corp St Marys Episcopal Church St Paul Missionary Baptist Church Of Santa Maria Incorporated St Raphaels Church St Timothys Orthodox Church St Vincents Institution St Vladimir Russian Orthodox Church Stalwart Clean & Sober Inc Standing Together To End Sexual Assault Star Jasmine Foundation Star Of Bethlehem Lutheran Church Stardusters Dance Club Starr-King Parent-Child Workshop State Street Ballet Stearns Wharf Business Association Steven Adrian Private Foundation Stone Family Foundation Stop Oil Seeps California Inc Storyteller Childrens Center Inc Students Against Sexual Assault Students With Hearts Inc Sudan Education For Liberty Foundation Sumanas Retreat Summer Solstice Celebration Inc Summerdance Santa Barbara Summerland Citizens Association Summerland Presbyterian Church Incorporated Sun Salutation Foundation Sunburst Church Of Self Realization Sunburst Commities Inc Sunflower Foundation Supporting Orcutt Academys Academic Resources Foundation Inc Surf Development Company Inc Surf Happens Foundation Surf Like A Girl Inc Surfing For Life Foundation Surgical Eye Expeditions International Inc Susan & Bruce Worster Foundation Sustainable Agriculture And Food Systems Funders Sustainable Bolivia Sustainable Health Enterprises Inc Swedish Womens Educational Association Sweeney Youth Homes Sweet Adelines International Sweetwater Collaborative Swift Foundation Swim On Swimdo Syv Fruit & Vegetable Rescue Tabasgo Foundation Tailwinds Bicycle Club Of Santa Maria Tau Beta Pi Association Inc Teachers For The Study Of Educational Institutions Teaching Beyond Textbooks Teal Journey Ovarian Cancer Foundation Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation Teen Press Inc Temple Of Set Templo Calvario Templo Cristiano El Salvador De Las Asambleas De Dios Templo El Salvador De Las Asamblaes De Dios Ten Lives Foundation Inc Ten Usa Tennis Patrons Association Of Santa Barbara Inc Terra Marine Research & Education Inc Terrace Foundation Terramar Research Tgop Tgp International The Agape Way The Architectural Foundation Of Santa Barbara The Barristers Club Of Santa Barbara The Bible Translation & Exegesis Institute Of America The Breast Cancer Resource Center Of Santa Barbara The Bridge Central Coast Inc The California Academy Foundation The California Water Impact Network The Catholic Church Of The Beatitudes The Cecilia Fund The Church Of His Cross Of Santa Barbara Inc
The Clearwater Project Inc The Congregation Of The Hands Of Christ Inc The Crowd The Dalmatian Dreams Foundation The Daniel A And Edna J Sattler Beneficial Trust The Ear Foundation The Ellis Hickman Rice Memorial Masonic Scholarship Trust The First Baptist Church The Foundation For Girsh Park The Foundation For Santa Barbara City College The Friendship Paddle The Ghitterman Rose Foundation The Herbert And Elaine Kendall Charitable Foundation The Jack Jennings Foundation The Janet Langdon Handtmann Family Foundation The John C Mithun Foundation The Land Trust For Santa Barbara County The Lompoc Valley Arts Council The Los Alamos Valley Mens Club The M And M Foundation The Mcintyre Foundation The Miller Family Fund The Neal Taylor Nature Center At Cachuma Lake The Nurture Foundation The Ojai Valley Lavender Festival Incorporated The Other Americas Radio The Pacific Pride Foundation Inc The Paix Alia Foundation The Pythagorean Sangha The Raintree Foundation The Ralph And Victoria Casparian Foundation The Rhythmic Arts Project Incorporated The Rock Christian Fellowship The Roehrig Family Foundation The Roney Family Foundation The Santa Barbara Bird Sanctuary The Santa Barbara Choral Society The Santa Barbara County Sheriffs Benevolent Posse The Stephen Hahn Foundation The Trauma Recovery Institute The Turner Foundation - Since 1958 The United States Pony Clubs Inc The Village Chapel The Vineyard Christian Fellowship Of Goleta The Westmont College Foundation The Wildling Museum The@Bert R Cohen Family Foundation Theoretical And Applied Neurocausality Laboratory Theosophical Book Association For The Blind Therapeutic Journeys With Dolphins Horses People And The Arts Inc Therapy Dogs Of Santa Barbara Inc Thistle & Rose Foundation Thornhill Mutual Water Company Threshold Ministries Inc Thresholds To Recovery Inc Thunderbird Autism Assistance Foundation Inc Toastmasters International Together To Empower Tomorrows Green Tops Club Inc Touch The Future Inc Towbes Foundation Tradart Foundation Train Me Home Transformation Ministries Transition House Transitional Resourse Unification Support Technology Tree Amigos Of Orcutt Tri Valley Rc Modelers Tri-Counties Association For The Developmentally Disabled Inc Tri-Counties Community Housing Corporation Tribal Trust Foundation Inc Trinity Baptist Church Trinity Baptist Church Of The Santa Ynez Valley Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church Of Santa Barbara True Vine Bible Fellowship Turn The Page Uganda Turpin Family Charitable Foundation Twelveintwelve Two Trees Ministries Uc Santa Barbara Foundation Ucp Work Inc Ucsb Alumni Association Ucsb Global Medical Training Uffizi Order Ugly Duckling Foundation Inc Ulric Jelinek Foundation Inc Uncle Bean Foundation Inc
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Underwood Family Charitable Foundation Unico National Union Plaza Unitarian Society Of Santa Barbara Unitarian Universalist Womens Alliance Of Santa Barbara Unite To Light United Association Of Journeymen & Apprentices Of The Plumbing & Pipe United Boys And Girls Clubs Of Greater Santa Barbara County United States Bowling Congress Inc United States Jiu-Jitsu Federation United States Pony Clubs Inc United States Power Squadrons United Way Of Santa Barbara County Inc United World Church Group Unity Chapel Of Light Unity Of Santa Barbara Unity Rising Unity Shoppe Inc Universal Peace Organization Universal Theosophy Fellowship University Educational Student Housing Corporation University Of California Santa Barbara University Religious Conference Of Santa Barbara Us-Taiwan Literature Foundation Usa Mentors Usui Reiki Center Inc V O I C E To My World Project Vafb Jets Booster Club Vairotsana Foundation Valle Verde Residents Association Valley Art Gallery Valley Club Of Montecito Valley Dance And Arts Alliance Valley Haven Valley Of Flowers Half-Century Club Valley Penning Association Valleys Fountain Church Vandenberg Spouses Club Vandenberg Village Association Vandenberg Village Concerned Citizens Inc Vandenberg Village Park & Playground Coalition Vandenberg Village Youth Football Association Vaqueros De Los Ranchos Vaya Con Dios Foundation Ventura Santa Barbara San Luis Obispo Master Painting Contractors Veronica Springs Neighborhood Association Vest Christian Ministries Inc Veterans Coordinating Council Inc Veterans For Peace Veterans Of Foreign Wars Department Of California Veterans Of Foreign Wars Of The United States Auxiliary Vibrant Lands-Institute For Satoyama Arts Research And Residen Victory Outreach Inc Vida Center Vida Raiz Farm Works Vietnam Veterans Of America Inc Viking Charities Inc Villa Caridad Villa Majella Of Santa Barbara Inc Village Country Club Inc Village Farmers Market Association Village Kids Village Properties Teachers Fund Vineyard Christian Fellowship Of Santa Maria Valley Vineyard Valley Theatre Company Vinovium Org Visions Of Hope Sb Inc Visit Lompoc Visiting Care & Companions Inc Vista Del Mar Foundation Vista Hills Mutual Water Company Vista Volunteers Vistas Lifelong Learning Inc Vitamin Angel Alliance Inc Viva Volunteers For Inter-Valley Animals Vna Health Vna Health Foundation Voice For Salone Voiture Nationale La Societe Des 40 Hommes Et 8 Chevaux Volentine Family Foundation Vos Family Foundation Vtc Enterprises W Robert Yaco Scholarship Fund Inc Waldorf Association Santa Barbara Walking M Ranches A California Non-Profit Mutual Benefit Corporat Walsh Ministries Wanda T Toro Charitable Foundation Warrior Boosters Club Of Righetti High School
Washington School Parent Teacher Organization And Foundation Inc Watatu Foundation Inc Watermens Alliance Watling Foundation Inc We Are Sonar We Support The Troops Inc Wei-Tuo Foundation Welsh Foundation Wendy P Mccaw Foundation West Coast Believers Church Of Santa Barbara West Coast Central Moose Legion No 214 West Highland White Terrier Club Of California Western Baptist Home Mission Western Lions Ear Foundation Western Urainian Evangelical Baptist Convention Westmont College Westside Church Wheels N Windmills Car Show Inc Wheelzup Inc White Buffalo Land Trust White Lotus Foundation Why Forests Matter Wild Farmlands Foundation Wilderness Youth Project Incorporated Wildland Residents Association Wildlife In Need Wildlife Information Literature Data & Education Service Inc Willbridge Of Santa Barbara Inc William And Charlene Glikbarg Foundation William And Renee Curtis Fam Foundation William Birdwell Charitable Tr William Dana Elementary School Pto William H Kearns Foundation William Lion Penzner Foundation William P Neil Foundation Williams Foundation Williams-Corbett Foundation Winchester Canyon Gun Club Winther Way Preservation Association Wisdom Of The Fool Inc Wisdom Today Ministries Wolfs Reign Women Beyond Borders Women To Women International Womens Athletic Performance Foundation Womens Economic Ventures Womens Environmental Watch Womens Fund Of Santa Barbara Womens Literary Festival Santa Barbara Wonderfully Made Wonheart Wood Glen Hall Wood-Claeyssens Foundation Woodglen Hall Endowment Trust Word Of Grace Christian Centre Word Of Hope Ministries Word Of Life Santa Barbara Wordtruth Inc Work Foundation Inc World Business Academy World Dance For Humanity World Kickboxing Gym World Telehealth Initiative Worldhealer Wright Family Foundation Write Writer Family Foundation Yale Club Of Santa Barbara Yardi Foundation Ye Ole Gang Yosemite Charitable Foundation Your Childrens Trees Your Orcutt Youth Organization Youth Evolution Activities Youth Innovation Club Inc Youth Sports Imua Ypo Inc Ystrive For Youth Inc Zaca Center Preschool Zaca Charitable Foundation Inc Zaca Lake Foundation Inc Zamichow Jabs Foundation Zannon Family Foundation Zatz-Cassidy Foundation Zenbycat Zimrat Yah Zona Seca Zond Energy & Sustainability Institute Zulu Dance Foundation
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“It’s Better to Light a Candle than to Curse the Darkness.” – William L. Watkinson
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Giving Back
S
ince 1976, Silverhorn Jewelers has been hand crafting exquisite pieces of jewelry of the finest materials and enduring quality. Traveling the world seeking out rare and unique gemstones, the Silverhorn designers win awards for creativity and craftsmanship year after year. Each piece, created with the gemstone in mind, is crafted using artisan methods and exacting precision. Silverhorn is dedicated to and a longtime generous supporter of many notfor-profit causes in the Santa Barbara community. In addition to cash and fine jewelry donations, Silverhorn’s owners and employees commit personal time to volunteering. Through their marketing programs they encourage their clients and the community to join them in support of worthwhile causes. Our collaboration with The Giving List provides an additional opportunity to invest in our community. Mention The Giving List and we will donate 15% of any purchase, in your name, to any one of the 52 highlighted organizations in The Giving List doing vital work in Santa Barbara County. Please visit our internationally recognized Silverhorn Design Studio at 1235 Coast Village Road, Montecito, California 93108, 805.969.0442 www.Silverhorn.com.
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