The true spirit of the holiday comes from giving thanks and giving back. Join in on #GivingTuesday by donating to the local nonprofits that work to make Santa Barbara a beautiful place. Join Noozhawk this #GivingTuesday and make a donation to a local nonprofit.
Noozhawk is teaming up with local nonprofits to encourage you to take part in the international day of giving, which takes place on November 30th, 2021.
It is no secret that this past year and a half has been full of challenges. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, local nonprofits need your support now more than ever.
Our Good for Santa Barbara Nonprofit Section provides all the resources you need to donate this holiday season, including a full Giving Guide with a list of local nonprofits who need your help this Giving Tuesday.
In this interview, Noozhawk spoke with Erica Neumann, Associate Development Director at Los Padres Council, BSA, to learn more about how the nonprofit is dedicated to serving the youth in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties.
Los Padres Council, Boy Scouts of America
Question: What is the name & mission of your nonprofit?
Answer: Los Padres Council, Boy Scouts of America serves boys and girls ages 5 to 20 on the central coast. The council promotes a family-based program designed to instill values in young people and to prepare them for life while making ethical and moral choices over the span of their lifetime. Los Padres Council supports experiences to promote higher education and leadership.
Q: How long has your nonprofit been in service?
A: BSA was first started in 1910 in Europe by Sir Robert Baden-Powell. Not far behind, Los Padres Council first started to serve youth on the Central Coast in 1919– Over 100 years ago! Los Padres Council look forward to our next 100 years of service.
Q: What was the inspiration behind your nonprofit?
A: The legend goes that in 1909, Chicago publisher William Boyce was lost in the streets of London due to heavy fog. A Boy Scout came to his aid. After guiding Boyce to his destination, the boy refused a tip, explaining that as a Boy Scout he would not accept payment for doing a good deed. This anonymous gesture inspired Boyce to organize the Boy Scouts of America, leading to our organization today!
Q: How is your nonprofit primarily funded and what are your greatest needs?
A: Los Padres Council is primarily funded through private gifts and foundation grants. Our Friends of Scouting giving campaign is run year-long and is a very significant source of revenue to provide the many resources needed for our programs. To donate, you can go to www.lpcbsa.org <http://www.lpcbsa.org> to make your donation online or submit your donation via cell phone by texting FOSBSA to 56512.
Currently, Los Padres Council’s biggest needs are support both for our operating expenses as well as our capital campaign to rebuild our home camp, Rancho Alegre after the devastating Whittier Fire in 2017. Rancho Alegre is also home to The Outdoor School, which provides fifth and sixth grade public school children with unique outdoor learning experiences including hands-on environmental educational activities, hiking and exploring nature, learning new life skills and forging friendships that last a lifetime.
Q: How has COVID-19 impacted your nonprofit?
A: Due to extended statewide lockdowns and the many unprecedented challenges that this virus presented, our organization saw a decline in both fundraising and membership participation across the council. Nevertheless, Los Padres Council remained committed to doing everything possible to keep our Scouting families and dedicated supporters safe, including providing them with virtual resources and socially distanced opportunities. For most of 2020 and part of 2021, this meant no in-person programming or fundraising opportunities. It is not a surprise that Los Padres Council has had to stretch our reserves thin to ensure we continue to provide programming to our families and fulfill our mission.
Thankfully, the council is still in a good financial standing and is extremely grateful to the steadfast supporters of our programs. It is because of these organizations and individuals that the council can positively impact the lives of youth on the central coast.
We are pleased to report that, although membership numbers bottomed out in the middle of the year at approximately 760 youth members, we have seen a steady increase over the last six months. We now offer the program to over 1,000 Scouts with a projection to increase that number exponentially.
Q: What types of fundraisers and/or programs does your nonprofit run?
A: Cub Scouts serves youth ages 5 to 10 and its purpose is related to the overall mission of the Boy Scouts of America – to build character, learn citizenship, and develop personal fitness. Adult volunteer leaders are key to leading for the youth in a Pack and receive specific training and council support to deliver a quality program.
Our Scouts BSA program serves youth ages 11 to 18 and its purpose is to provide a program for community organizations that offers effective character, citizenship, and personal fitness training for youth through outdoor activities. In Scouting the volunteer leader serves as a mentor as well as a guide to help youth achieve the Troop’s goals that the Scouts have set for themselves.
The Venturing program serves youth ages 14 to 20. The purpose of Venturing is to provide positive high adventure experiences to help youth mature and to prepare them to become responsible adults. Adult leaders serve as coaches and mentors to support the youth’s goals.
The Exploring program serves youth ages 10 to 20. Exploring exists to teach important life and career skills to young people from all backgrounds through career experiences and mentor-ship provided by community and business leaders. The purpose is to equip young people with character, leadership and life skills that can be used both today and in their future careers. Exploring is based on a unique and dynamic relationship between youth and the organizations in their communities. The result is a program of interactive activities that helps youth pursue their special interests, grow, and develop.
A program that is unique to Los Padres Council and is offered at the Council’s camp property, Rancho Alegre, is the Outdoor School. The Outdoor School which is fully owned and operated by Los Padres Council, is a week-long overnight nature science camp for youth in 5th and 6th grade. We work with local San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara county schools to help make a major contribution to physical and environmental education while enhancing many other curriculum areas. Approximately 4,000 fifth and sixth graders participated in the Outdoor School annually. Qualities such as a sense of responsibility and a purpose in life are nurtured while emphasizing the outdoor setting. Broadening students’ horizons by creating a love and sense of responsibility about or local and global environments creates a ripple effect that will last long after they depart Rancho Alegre.
Los Padres Council makes sure to organize a variety of fundraisers to support the Council as well as our Scouts. For example, every year the Council organizes a popcorn drive and any Scout who wishes to participate and sell popcorn is able to. This fundraiser helps many Scouts earn their way through the Scouting program completely on their own!
Q: How do people get involved/volunteer for your nonprofit?
A: Great question! We love hearing from new people and families who want to get involved. There are a number of ways, but the easiest one would be to go to www.lpcbsa.org and click the “Join Now” button to find a family unit near you.
You can also email our District Director, April Wright-Litchfield:
April.Wright@ Scouting.org.
She will be happy to help you find the best way to get involved!
Q: What makes your nonprofit different from others?
A: Scouting helps youth develop academic skills, self-confidence, ethics, leadership skills, and citizenship skills that influence their adult lives.
Los Padres Council provides youth with programs and activities that allow them to:
- Try new things
- Provide service to others
- Build self-confidence
- Reinforce ethical standards
While various activities and youth groups teach basic skills and promote teamwork, Scouting goes beyond that and encourages youth to achieve a deeper appreciation for service to others in their community.
Scouting provides youth with a sense that they are important as individuals. It is communicated to them that those in the Scouting family care about what happens to them, regardless of whether a game is won or lost.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, Scouting promotes activities that lead to personal responsibility and high self-esteem. As a result, when hard decisions have to be made, peer pressure can be resisted and the right choices can be made.
Since 1919, Los Padres Council has helped mold the future leaders of this country by combining educational activities and lifelong values with fun. The BSA believes and, through more than a century of experience, understands that helping youth puts us on a path toward a more conscientious, responsible, and productive society.
Tangible statistics as to the success of our programs were made available after the publication of the Tufts Study in 2015. Tufts University followed nearly 1,800 Cub Scouts over the course of three years and compared them to nearly 400 boys of similar backgrounds who were not involved in Scouting. Cub Scouts showed significant positive development in attributes of being cheerful, helpful, kind obedient, trustworthy, and hopeful. Non-scouts did not show a positive development in these areas. The study also showed that the kids who spent more time in Scouting had higher positive character attributes.
Without organizations like BSA, many children would not have a chance to enhance their quality of living or experience the benefits of self-reflection that is built into our programs.
Q: Can you share one or two stories of individuals whose lives have been changed because of your organization?
A: The Garcia family wanted to find a local pack for their two children but were limited financially and could not afford the costs of registration or uniforms. Due to the support of generous donors, Los Padres Council has built a scholarship fund for Scout families in need. With this scholarship fund, both children were able to participate in Scouting. Los Padres Council was also able to provide the Garcia family with uniforms at no extra cost thanks to an anonymous Friend of Scouting donor. Mr. Garcia later approached the Council to say thank you, stating that this would have never happened for his kids without help. After joining, the Garcia family participated in the Council’s annual popcorn fundraiser and were able to cover all their Scouting costs for an entire year. The family just had their 1st ever camping experience at Rancho Alegre last summer.
Q: Why should donors trust your organization and are there other ways to help outside of donations?
A: Los Padres Council prioritizes transparency in all aspects of our fiscal management. Your investment in Los Padres Council transforms parents into Scout leaders, kids into Scouts and troops into families. As a donor, your gift is not only appreciated but 100% tax deductible. If you wish to make sure your gift is designated to a specific project, Los Padres Council will be more than happy to help you.
Donations are extremely important at this time, but Los Padres Council values all gifts, including gifts of time and talent as well. Volunteering and expertise in a variety of fields are such a blessing for our organization.
For all other questions regarding partnering with us through donating, please feel free to reach out to Erica Neumann at Erica. Neumann@Scouting.org.
Click here to support the Los Padres Council, BSA mission to prepare young people in all of our communities to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.