Charitable Organizations

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS

It’s amazing to see how many organizations and people are involved in helping others in our county. Whether it’s kids or seniors, the homeless, sick or helpless, there are charitable organizations that can assist in making this holiday season one of hope for those in need. You can take part in this effort by volunteering or giving your donations to be part of bringing joy to others less fortunate.

ADVOCACY INC 5274 Scotts Valley Dr., Ste 203, Scotts Valley (831) 429-1913 • www.advocacy-inc.org

Advocacy, Inc. is an independent nonprofit agency serving Santa Cruz and San Benito counties for over 40 years. Our agency is comprised of the LongTerm Care Ombudsman Program and the Patients’ Rights Advocate Program. We act as a voice for those patients/ residents who are unable to speak for themselves because of prejudice, fear and/or disability, Train and consult with medical and mental health professionals on patients’/residents’ rights, quality of care, treatment and quality of life issues.

APTOS ADOPT-A-FAMILY 9601 Soquel Drive Ste A, Aptos 831.688.7549 • cathe@cyber-times.com

The Aptos Adopt-A-Family Program sponsors families that are experiencing medical and/or financial catastrophes within their family. This year especially we can use all the help we can get! In order for families to enjoy the season with a minimum of stress, our volunteers “adopt a family” and help them out with their holiday needs. You can help by sending in a donation or offering to sponsor a family yourself! This is your way to give back to the community. “Neighbor Helping Neighbor”!

ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION SANTA CRUZ CHAPTER 550 Water St. Ste L-2, Santa Cruz 831.647.9890 • www.alz.org

The Santa Cruz Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association offers countywide services for families coping with Alzheimer’s disease. These include: Helpline, 1-800-272-3900, support groups, an informational library, a newsletter, and a wanderer’s identification program. If you would like to learn about Alzheimer’s more please call The Alzheimer’s Association Santa Cruz at 464-9982 or visit our website.

AMERICAN RED CROSS - SANTA CRUZ COUNTY CHAPTER 2960 Soquel Avenue, Santa Cruz 800.733.2767 • www.redcross.org

The American Red Cross is a humanitarian organization led by volunteers and guided by its congressional charter. The International Red Cross Movement provides relief to victims of disaster and helps people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies. Get your disaster preparedness kits and register for CPR and First Aid classes at www. redcross.org

BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF SANTA CRUZ COUNTY 1500 41st Avenue, Ste 250, Capitola 831.464.8691 • www.santacruzmentor.org

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Santa Cruz County’s mission statement is: To assist children and youth to achieve their highest potential by providing quality mentoring relationships.” For over 27 years they have served youth by creating mentoring relationships between children and carefully screened adult volunteers who provide guidance, friendship and appropriate role modeling. Please call us or visit our website if you are interested in volunteering.

CASA -- COURT APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCATES FOR CHILDREN 813 Freedom Blvd., Watsonville 831.761.2956 • www.casaofsantacruz.org

CASA volunteers are everyday people, trained by CASA, and then appointed by judges to advocate for the safety of children who have been removed from their homes because of abuse or neglect. CASA empowers volunteers to influence life-changing decisions for a child in foster care. If you love children and want to offert your support, please feel free to contact us for the next training date. Your support will mean a lot to a child in need.

CENTRAL COAST CENTER FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING 1350 41st Ave. #101, Capitola 831.462.8720 • www.cccil.org

CCCIL’s Mission Statement: “Many people with disabilities are excluded from full participation in society. CCCIL is an advocacy and information center organized by and for people with disabilities, serving Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Benito Counties. Our purpose is to make our communities more accessible, and to empower people with disabilities with information and skills to live fulfilling lives in our communities.” CCCIL’s services include housing assistance, personal assistance services, peer support, independent living skills training and systems advocacy.

COMMUNITY BRIDGES 519 Main St., Watsonville 831.688.8840 • www.communitybridges.org

Since 1977, Community Bridges has been a catalyst for a brighter future by providing basic resources for the people of Santa Cruz County. Our family of ten vital programs across 20 different sites serves thousands of local children, families, and seniors each year. Every day, we provide services that lead to positive change in people’s lives. Our programs give community members access to transportation, healthy food, health care, and senior daycare. We offer early education, grade school tutoring, and classes in breastfeeding, parenting, and literacy. We provide these and other services without charge, or at very low cost.

EASTERSEALS CENTRAL CALIFORNIA 9010 Soquel Drive, Aptos 831.684.2166 • www.easterseals.com

Easterseals Central California (ESCC) has been helping individuals with disabilities and special needs, and their families, live better lives since 1947. From child development centers to autism services and job training for people with disabilities, Easterseals offers a variety of services to help people with disabilities address life’s challenges and achieve personal goals.

FAMILIES IN TRANSITION OF SANTA CRUZ COUNTY 406 Main St. #326, Watsonville 831.728.9791 • wwwfitsantacruz.org

Since 1992 Families In Transition has been serving members of Santa Cruz County by providing temporary rental assistance and case management to families who are homeless or at imminent risk of becoming homeless. Our case managers work closely with program participants to identify barriers to housing and come up with individualized housing stability plans to ensure client success.

FAMILY SERVICE AGENCY OF THE CENTRAL COAST 104 Walnut Avenue, Ste 208, Santa Cruz 831.423.9444 • www.fsa-cc.org

Family Service Agency of the Central Coast is a private, non-profit agency offering a variety of clinical, crisis, educational, outreach and supportive services designed to maintain and strengthen family and community life. Their programs include: Counseling Services, Senior Outreach, Suicide Prevention, I-You Venture and Renaissance.

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY 108 Magnolia St., Santa Cruz 831.469-4663 • www.habitatsc.org

Habitat for Humanity Santa Cruz County is an independent locally operated and funded affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International. Our mission is to build decent, affordable homes and provide home ownership opportunities to qualified families who live and work in Santa Cruz County. Families purchase our homes with a down payment, sweat equity, and a 0% interest monthly mortgage. Please visit our Restore at 19 Swift St. in Santa Cruz! We accept donations of, and then resell, new and used building materials, furniture, hardware, tools, and appliances at a fraction of the normal retail price.

HOSPICE OF SANTA CRUZ COUNTY 940 Disc Drive, Scotts Valley 831.430.3000 • www.hospicesantacruz.org

Hospice of Santa Cruz County provides expert medical care, emotional and spiritual support to patients and families in our community so that the final months of life can be spent at home - in comfort and with dignity. The H.U.G. (Healthy Understanding of Grief) program helps hundreds of children each year sort through their feelings of grief and loss in a healthy manner. Clients & families are helped in creating a network of support and are offered assurance and education regarding end-of-life planning.

JACOB’S HEART CHILDREN’S CANCER SUPPORT SERVICES 680 West Beach St., Watsonville 831.724.9100, • www.jacobsheart.org

Since 1998, we have served more than 600 children and 2,500 of their family members who have heard the devastating words, “Your child has cancer.” Through the years we have celebrated remission for hundreds of children and have grieved with families at the loss of a precious child. Through it all, we remain steadfast in our mission; our reason for existence is an unwavering dedication to providing support to parents and families of children with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses in Monterey, Santa Cruz, San Benito and South Santa Clara Counties.

LIVE OAK SENIOR CENTER 1777 Capitola Rd. Santa Cruz, CA 95062 831.476.3272 • https://seniorcenter.us

The Live Oak Senior Center was established in 1974 by a group of Live Oak residents committed to providing a place for resources for seniors. Today many of the original non-profits continue to provide services to seniors in the Santa Cruz community. In addition, we provide space for groups to meet on a weekly, monthly or one-time basis. Our location in Live Oak, easily accessible by bus and with ample parking, allows us to provide a place for the community to meet for a variety of reasons: to get advice on Medicare supplements, to have lunch, to play bridge, to paint, to discuss current events and to exercise. 2020 Holiday Gift & Dining Guide -

PAJARO VALLEY SHELTER SERVICES 115 Brennan Street, Watsonville 831.728.5649, • www.pvshelter.org

Pajaro Valley Shelter Services provides families with a path to stable, selfsufficient futures through short- and longer-term housing and supportive services. Pajaro Valley Shelter Services has an emergency shelter and sixteen units of transitional housing where families can stay up to two years.

THE PREGNANT MARE RESCUE FOUNDATION P.O. Box 962, Aptos 408.540.8568 • PregnantMareRescue.org

The Pregnant Mare Rescue is a temporary horse sanctuary serving the communities of Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties. We provide a safe haven for unwanted mares to have their babies, and a place for orphaned foals to grow. We have developed children’s programs where the unwanted horse heals the troubled child. What we discovered is horses help everyone, not just children. People from every walk of life benefit from the various nonriding programs offered at our ranch. We have created an environment that supports and encourages the horsehuman connection.

SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK OF SANTA CRUZ & SAN BENITO 800 Ohlone Parkway, Watsonville 831.722.7110 • www.thefoodbank.org

The Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Cruz County provides food and necessities to people in need throughout our community. It serves 60,000 working poor families, seniors, and children each month. Second Harvest provides food to 180 programs and agencies operating pantries, shelters, soup kitchens, group homes, childcare, rehabilitation programs and more. Call 662-0991 from 9:00am to 4:00pm, Monday - Friday, if you or someone you know needs food. For more information go to thefoodbank.org. Every $1 donated provides five meals.

SPECIAL PARENTS INFORMATION NETWORK (S.P.I.N) 294 Green Valley Rd., Ste. 313 Watsonville 831.722.2800 • www.spinsc.org

Parents of children with special needs may feel isolated and overwhelmed with the medical, emotional, financial, educational and social issues they face as they raise their child. SPIN is a non-profit parent-to-parent support and information network serving parents, guardians and families in Santa Cruz and San Benito Counties who have a child or children with special needs of any age. SPIN is a Family Empowerment Center on Disabilities.

TEEN KITCHEN PROJECT P.O. Box 1853, Soquel 831.316.4540 x707 • teenkitchenproject.org

A nonprofit organization that brings young people into the kitchen to learn to cook delicious and nourishing food. Teen Kitchen Project offers our delicious, locally sourced and organic food philosophy to events from parties and business meetings, to fund-raising events for fellow nonprofits like the United Way of Santa Cruz County, PEO Sisterhood, and Team G Childhood Cancer Foundation.

COMMUNITY FOUNDATION SANTA CRUZ COUNTY 7807 Soquel Drive Aptos, CA 95003 831.662.2000 • www.cfscc.com

Community Foundation Santa Cruz County is a tax-exempt public charity serving people who share a common interest to improve the quality of life in Santa Cruz County, and beyond, through philanthropy. Founded in 1982, we provide individuals, families and businesses with ways to make giving simple, powerful and personal. We offer professional advisors resources and tools to help you meet your clients’ charitable goals.

THE VOLUNTEER CENTER 1740 17th Ave, Santa Cruz 831.427.5070 • www.scvolunteercenter.org

The Volunteer Center was founded in 1967 to address the pressing needs of our local community through volunteer service. We offer 22 programs that engage young people, families, seniors, working professionals, and people with disabilities in meaningful service. We have the capability of connecting people with volunteer opportunities on the web, by phone, or at one of our Centers.

VALLEY CHURCHES UNITED MISSIONS 9400 Highway 9, Ben Lomond 831.336.8258 • www.vcum.org

Valley Churches United Missions is hosting its Annual Valley Christmas Project providing food, toys, gifts, necessity items, and gift certificates to families, seniors, disabled and homeless. Donations of cash, food, food vouchers, gift certificates, new toys, cookies, senior gifts, Christmas trees, gift-wrap, poinsettia plants, new blankets, socks, jackets and teenage gifts are accepted. Send cash donations to Valley Churches United Missions, P.O. Box 367, Ben Lomond, CA 95005.