New Beginnings Counseling Center Community Champions Award honorees Amy and Glenn Bacheller at the organization’s fifth annual Changing Lives Gala. 
Keynote speaker the Honorable Wendy Greuel, left, with New Beginnings Counseling Center Executive Director Kristine Schwarz and Santa Barbara Mayor Helene Schneider. 
New Beginnings board member Adam Liff and board president Diane Pannkuk. 
From left, Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara representatives Tonie Hood, Frank Quezada, Veronica Loza and Executive Director Rob Fredericks. 
Sandy DeRousse, left, with Barbara and Sam Toumayan. 
New Beginnings board member Terence Ford, left, with Mission Wealth CEO Seth Streeter. 
Gabriella Forrester, left, of New Beginnings with Susan and David Cavalli of Union Bank. 
Sal Robledo, left, Cottage Health’s director of population health with Katy Bazylewicz, vice president of marketing and population health. 
New Beginnings Safe Parking Program coordinator Cassie Roach, left, with Judy Hawkins of Ruby Road Leadership. 
The New Beginnings Gala dinner at the Belmond El Encanto Hotel.
New Beginnings Counseling Center celebrated its Community Champions awardees Glenn and Amy Bacheller at its fifth annual Changing Lives Gala on Oct. 12 at the Belmond El Encanto Hotel on Santa Barbara’s Riviera.
“New Beginnings is extremely grateful for the guidance and support provided by the Bachellers not only for helping us turn our organization around in a time of uncertainty, but also in helping us to grow and strengthen our homelessness and housing programs such as Safe Parking, to become such a high-caliber, model program that is being replicated across the country,” New Beginnings board president Diane Pannkuk said.
“We really couldn’t have done it without your steadfast commitment and business acumen, which is why we are so honored to present you both with our 2017 Community Champions Award. To many more years of successful collaboration!”
After a pleasant social and refreshments hour enjoyed on the hotel’s veranda, Santa Barbara Mayor Helene Schneider opened the program and greeted the 160 guests in the lovely dining room.
Pannkuk then addressed the crowd and expressed her gratitude for the generosity of donors and sponsors that have made it possible for New Beginnings to make a difference and improve lives.
The mission of the nonprofit organization is to provide quality, affordable counseling, shelter, case management and education that strengthens the community and provides clients with the ability to lead healthy and productive lives. Programs include the Donald J. Willfong Counseling Clinic, the Safe Parking Program, life skills parenting education classes, the supportive services program for the Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara, and supportive services for veteran families.
After dinner, a video tribute message from John Robbins — the only son of the founder of the Baskin-Robbins ice cream empire and the founder of Earth Save International and co-founder and president of The Food Revolution Network — was viewed.
“Glenn and Amy Bacheller are the kind of people who will see a problem, and then they’ll bend over backwards to see if they can be a part of the solution,” Robbins said. “They’re the kind of people who, instead of giving you a piece of their mind, will give you a bit of their hearts. It’s with profound respect and admiration for Glenn and Amy that I join everyone at New Beginnings in thanking them for giving so much of themselves, for doing so much for the Santa Barbara community, and for their partnership in creating a world where compassion prevails.”
Keynote speaker the Honorable Wendy Greuel, vice chairwoman of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, spoke about the efforts in Los Angeles to deal with the homelessness issue and the importance of providing supportive services when providing housing to vulnerable populations.
Remarks about the progress of New Beginnings programs were made by Executive Director Kristine Schwarz, as well as Andrea Cabanas, team leader of the 10 Now Program for the Central Coast Collaborative on Homelessness.
The gala was supported by the board of directors, including Pannkuk, vice president Jacqueline Kurta, secretary Ann Marie Plane, treasurer Sarah Barbieux, Ziad Elkurjie, Irina Kerdman, Adam Liff, Terence Ford, Guy Smith and director emerita Kathryn LePage.
Top sponsors included the Coeta & Donald Barker Foundation, Glenn and Amy Bacheller, Mary and Gary Becker, Lalla and Rinaldo Brutoco, Omega Point Institute, Maryan Schall, Laurie Ashton and Lynn Sarko, the Honorable Susan Rose and Allan Ghitterman, Union Bank, John and Marcia Cohen, David Jackson and Stephanie Sohn Jackson, Kathryn LePage, Mission Wealth, Montecito Bank & Trust, Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine at Cottage Health, John Sanger, the SBCC Foundation, Frank Thompson, Housing Consultants and others.
The New Beginnings management team includes Schwarz and Clinical Director Crystal Ramirez. The event producer was Judi Weisbart, helped by New Beginnings' Gabriella Forrester and Ariel O’Hara. Musical entertainment was provided by pianist David Grossman, guitarist Michael Holland and A la Carte, with a special appearance by Schneider.
New Beginnings Counseling Center is located at 324 E. Carrillo St., Suite C in Santa Barbara. Click here for more information, or contact Gabriella Forrester at 805.963.777 x112 or gforrester@sbnbcc.org.
— Noozhawk contributing writer Rochelle Rose can be reached at rrose@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkSociety, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Become a fan of Noozhawk on Facebook.