One of Santa Barbara’s longest-running community-organized festivals, our Earth Day celebration is also one of the oldest in the country, and among the largest on the West Coast. Santa Barbara is widely acknowledged as the birthplace of Earth Day, as it was the infamous 1969 oil well blowout that kickstarted the U.S. environmental movement into high gear. At the time, the spill was the largest in the nation’s history, a disaster that spewed more than [...more...]
Santa Barbara Humane, founded in 1887, was one of the first animal welfare agencies in the country, opening nearly seven decades before the national organization began. Even though Santa Barbara Humane has been around for [...more...]
Giving List Matching Challenges
Youth Development
At first blush, Yaskin Solano may seem like a typical native of Santa Barbara. He grew up here, and he […more…]
“I think our youngest client this year was 10 years old. Sadly, the age has been skewing lower. Three or […more…]
It might seem disingenuous to employ the expression “a blessing in disguise” when it comes to Covid. But the truth […more…]
The Arts
Are you wondering why there’s a whole lot of hoopla about the Granada Theatre 100th birthday beyond merely marking a […more…]
Throughout its history, the Santa Barbara Museum of Art has been bringing people of all ages through a broad array […more…]
UCSB Arts & Lectures’ fall season was one for the ages, with enviable events throughout the breadth of its programming. […more…]
Social Justice
One of Santa Barbara’s longest-running community-organized festivals, our Earth Day celebration is also one of the oldest in the country, […more…]
Over the last couple of years, the Community Environmental Council (CEC) has dramatically increased its efforts to combat climate change […more…]
The Fund for Santa Barbara’s powerful catchphrase is: “Change, not charity.” In the spring of 1980, a group of Santa […more…]
Homelessness & Housing
New Beginnings’ Safe Parking program turned 20 earlier this year, a milestone you need to celebrate. On the other hand, […more…]
New Beginnings has an ambitious and lofty goal for 2025: ending veteran homelessness in Santa Barbara County. It’s not a […more…]
Global Reach
More than one billion people worldwide live with treatable vision loss due to a lack of quality eye care. While […more…]
In the wake of Maui’s tragic 2023 wildfires, relief organizations and the goodwill of the world at large poured into […more…]
In November 2022, a tornado tore through Idabel, Oklahoma, demolishing dozens of buildings, including the Kiamichi Family Medical Center. It’s […more…]
Giving Paws
In the wake of Maui’s tragic 2023 wildfires, relief organizations and the goodwill of the world at large poured into […more…]
Santa Barbara Humane, founded in 1887, was one of the first animal welfare agencies in the country, opening nearly seven […more…]
Foster Care
“With Wayfinder, we don’t feel like my son has a disability. We feel like everyone else.” This is the gift […more…]
When Gina was preparing to adopt a baby girl, she experienced a rush of thrilling emotions that comes with going […more…]
For the Children
Victoria and Bill Strong brought their baby home with that mix of gratitude and indescribable joy – the heart-squeezing hallmarks […more…]
You’d be hard-pressed to find a local nonprofit that brought its outsized quest to fruition more speedily than did the […more…]
Ever since its inception in 1984, the RiteCare Childhood Language Center of Santa Barbara (a program of the CA Scottish […more…]
Family Well-Being
Despite living with RUNX1 familial platelet disorder (RUNX1-FPD), Tim Babich lived a happy life with his wife, Monica. After the […more…]
Seniors experiencing depression or related mental health challenges have a new resource to help them retain their independence and improve […more…]
Marialena, 73, suffered an incredible loss when her husband passed away several years ago. She spoke little English, had little […more…]
Environment
Our climate is in crisis. Record-setting heat waves. Larger and more destructive wildfires. An historic megadrought, hotter and drier than […more…]
Santa Barbara Humane, founded in 1887, was one of the first animal welfare agencies in the country, opening nearly seven […more…]
Regenerative agriculture has the potential to provide meaningful work and living wages to farmers while feeding millions of people, sequestering […more…]
Education
Throughout its history, the Santa Barbara Museum of Art has been bringing people of all ages through a broad array […more…]
Santa Barbara Ritecare Language Center is now accepting applications to this summer’s Camp Chit Chat! Follow this link to apply! […more…]
On a cool September Sunday, a group of Marine Watchdog kayakers paddled into a sea cave on the rocky coastline […more…]
Community Treasures
In every great city is a community park that serves as its beating heart. Elings Park in Santa Barbara has […more…]
Victoria and Bill Strong brought their baby home with that mix of gratitude and indescribable joy – the heart-squeezing hallmarks […more…]
The California Missions matter. Historic preservation keeps alive our history and it allows us to remember the stories and experiences […more…]
Community Resilience
Until a person can eat, sleep, and have a roof over one’s head, their mental and physical energy is consumed […more…]
A teenager is much more than a preincarnate adult. The average teen’s roiling hormones and fraught search for self are […more…]
Over the last couple of years, the Community Environmental Council (CEC) has dramatically increased its efforts to combat climate change […more…]
Advocacy
In the world of TV and cinema, being shot with a handgun often has the fallout of a stubbed toe […more…]
The Supreme Court ruling that reversed the half-century old landmark Roe v. Wade decision had been handed down only hours […more…]
Santa Barbara has earned global recognition as a premier destination for “sand, sun, and sea” vacations. Yet, one lesser-known facet […more…]