“Changing more lives together” chanted Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara members at the close of their 2016 Site Visit Kick-Off at The Fess Parker on Sept. 29.
Site Visit Chair Shelley Hurst challenged members and their guests to stretch their goals over the next few years to serve even more women, children and families in south Santa Barbara County. The membership responded by adding, “more” to their Changing Lives Together motto.
Attendees gathered to “follow the money” – $470,000 in grants this year. They heard from the seven 2015-16 grantees about how their money was being used. The panel discussion format, moderated by Carla Whitacre, featured agency representatives who detailed the work the grants made possible. Armed with examples and stories of success, the panelists thanked the Women’s Fund for helping them make a difference in the community.
Garden Court, Inc. ($100,000): Chris Tucker cited the importance of this lead gift from the Women’s Fund to build Gardens on Hope to provide housing and services to low-income seniors. “One in 14 Santa Barbara seniors are very low income,” Chris said. “We have 500 on a wait list, and have purchased the land to begin building. We think of
ourselves as a community center first.”
Doctors Without Walls ($65,000): Jason Prystowsky noted that it takes a village to address all the needs of the most vulnerable in our community without access to health care. He cited how the mobile clinic donated by the Women’s Fund will expand and extend the reach of their many volunteers who are dedicated to the humanitarian spirit of health care for all.
Easy Lift Transportation ($55,000): Ernesto Paredes described the transit-dependent populations in Santa Barbara, and how the Women’s Fund grant is targeted to help children through the Children’s Accessible Transportation program. Paredes emphasized the way agencies in the county help each other.
Isla Vista Youth Projects ($75,000): Paredes spoke on behalf of LuAnne Miller. The Women’s Fund grant provides capital funds for the Children’s Center purchase, supporting childcare for low-income families.
Isla Vista Public Improvement Corp.($65,000): Rodney Gould described the impact the permanent covered outdoor center at Children’s Park will change the lives of children in Isla Vista.
Academy for Success ($60,000): “We aim to change the trajectory of these kids’ lives,” said Kelly Choi, citing the 100-percent graduation rate of the first Academy for Success students. She praised the Women’s Fund grant which is enabling the Santa Barbara School District to expand the program of mental health to prevent dropouts to all three area high schools.
TRADART Foundation ($50,000): “The Women’s Fund support for our Tiny Houses project has changed the mindset of everyone,” said Caleb Chadwick. He praised the visibility it has brought to the program and how their sale of the houses at the end of the year should provide funds to continue the program indefinitely.
In closing the program, Laurie Tumbler, steering committee co-chair, thanked members for their contributions, challenged them to bring in more members, and reminded the women of the tremendous effect of their collective contributions — impacts on the community that none of them could accomplish alone.
A reception in the rotunda of The Fess Parker allowed members to access the Doctors Without Walls mobile clinic, bought with this year’s Women’s Fund grant. Volunteers answered questions, detailing how they serve the marginalized in the Santa Barbara area who have no other access to medical care. An Easy Lift van that transports children to programs was also on display.
Women’s Fund members said the Site Visit Kick-Off experience gave them insight into how “connected” the service agencies are, helping one another assist those in need in our community.
“I am so moved,” one member said. “I am motivated by their dedication and passion. I feel so good that my small contribution can make such a huge difference in people’s lives.”
The Women’s Fund is a field of interest fund of the Santa Barbara Foundation. The Foundation provides valuable fiscal and administrative support to the all-volunteer Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara. It has grown from 68 members to almost 700 in 12 years. More than $5.6 million has been donated to 78 local nonprofit programs in that time, with projects benefiting more than 90,000 women, children and families. For more information, visit the Women’s Fund website at www.womensfundsb.org.
Leslie Dinaberg for the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara
