More than 450 supporters joined Hospice of Santa Barbara (HSB) recently for its 9th Annual Heroes of Hospice virtual event that raised $170,000 to help support HSB’s work throughout the community.
Throughout the pandemic, the demand for HSB’s services has been growing. Funds raised from Heroes of Hospice support the organization’s mission of providing free care to anyone experiencing the impact of a serious illness or grieving the death of a loved one.
The event honored local heroes who play a key role in service to those in the Santa Barbara community, including Mi Vida, Mi Voz (Partnership Award); Beloved Bear Program (Volunteer Award); Van Do-Reynoso, county’s Public Health director (Medical Award); and Gary Simpson, owner of Home Improvement Center (Legacy Award).
Keynote speaker was New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Gilbert, who spoke on creativity, how to release fear, and how to become more resilient, especially during the tumultuous time of COVID-19 and re-entry back to “normal” life. She shared her personal experiences with hospice and addressed why the work HSB does is so important.
“It was an honor to have Elizabeth Gilbert join us to share her powerful messages about creativity as well as share her personal experiences with Hospice care,” said David Selberg, CEO/Hospice of Santa Barbara. “We are especially proud of this year’s event and want to extend a special thank you to Geoff Green for being our emcee, Elizabeth Gilbert, our local heroes, our sponsors and all those who attended and donated. We wouldn’t be able to continue to do the work we do without your support.”
To learn more or to donate to HSB, visit https://hospiceofsantabarbara.org/.