Habitat for Humanity of Southern Santa Barbara County celebrated achievements and previewed its latest plans at the Denim & Diamonds gala May 19 at the Carriage and Western Art Museum.
Overall, the benefit raised more than $210,000 in sponsorships, ticket sales, and paddle-raise donations. All funds raised support Habitat Santa Barbara’s programs including critical home repairs, neighborhood revitalization, and new homeownership projects – many of them led by volunteers.
The highlight of the evening was a personal story from Raquel, a local Habitat homeowner, that underscored the long-term benefits of affordable homeownership, including creating the stability that allowed her and her daughter to pursue their education and career goals.
Raquel, who once lived in transitional housing for low-income families told how she bought a Habitat home with her then six-year-old daughter in 2011.
“Habitat changes lives and we are living proof of that,” she said.
Raquel explained how she and her daughter have thrived since moving into their Habitat home, with Raquel becoming a licensed therapist and her daughter heading off to college this fall.
“Habitat not only builds houses and condos, but it also builds people and communities up,” she said.
“We will forever be indebted to kind, caring people like you — people who want to make our community a more accessible, welcoming, and a better place for all,” she told the sold-out audience.
Habitat Santa Barbara CEO, Jessica de L’Arbre, led the event which showcased Habitat Santa Barbara’s volunteer efforts, disaster response initiatives, and various affordable homeownership programs.
Other event participants included Santa Barbara Mayor Randy Rowse; Habitat Santa Barbara Board Chair Janet Burki; U.S. Bank and Diamond Sponsor representatives Vincent Caballero and Lora Fisher; and Janet Garufis, chairman/CEO of Montecito Bank & Trust, who led the paddle raise.
More than 200 guests attended dressed for the theme in various combinations of denim attire and sparkly embellishments.
Event sponsors were: Diamond Sponsor, U.S. Bank, along with The Sage Trust, Warren & Mary Lynn Staley, AppFolio, Cox Communications, Merrill Lynch, Northern Trust, Procore, Santa Ynez Bank of Chumash Indians, Maureen McDermut & Associates, Menemsha Solutions, Montecito Bank & Trust, Pacific Western Bank, SBCC Foundation, and Doug and Linda Wood.
Habitat’s homeownership model is a unique program in which homeowners build alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. Habitat Santa Barbara has built 22 new homes for 84 people, 50 percent of whom are children, as well as helped rebuild and repair more than 180 homes on the South Coast
Habitat Santa Barbara is currently working on its fifth affordable housing development.
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