Santa Barbara County is blessed with a diversity of vital nonprofit organizations dedicated to improving the health, well-being, growth, civic leadership and compassion of our community.
Charitable giving and philanthropy are part of our identity, which is why Noozhawk is proud to support the nonprofit community through sponsoring local community organizations and events.
To showcase our support of , St. Vincent’s 16th Annual Fashion Show & Luncheon, Noozhawk spoke with Annette Shimada, Communications Consultant at St. Vincent’s Santa Barbara to learn more about their event.
St. Vincent’s Santa Barbara
Question: What is the name and date of your event?
Answer: The 16th Annual Fashion Show & Luncheon, on Saturday, November 28, 2026, at Rosewood Miramar Beach in Montecito.
Q: What is the mission, goal, and/or theme of this occasion?
A: Every dollar raised supports St. Vincent’s Family Strengthening Program, Santa Barbara’s only long-term transitional housing program for single mothers with young children. The theme, if we had to name one, is transformation: an afternoon of fashion, friendship, and holiday sparkle, with a serious purpose underneath. We’re helping mothers and children rewrite the next chapter of their lives.
Q: Have you held this event before?
A: Yes! This is our 16th year. It began as a small gathering Claudia Lash and Pat Lupo organized for a few friends on St. Vincent’s campus. Sixteen years later, it fills the ballroom at Rosewood Miramar Beach, and the two of them are still at its heart. [read more about Pat and Claudia: https://bit.ly/BasketLadiesLegacy]
Q: Tell us some more details about your celebration?
A: Picture an oceanfront ballroom, a few hundred guests in their holiday best, and an entire section of the room given over to the silent auction: more than 100 baskets, each assembled by hand and ready just in time for holiday giving. They’re the worst-kept secret in Santa Barbara, and browsing them all takes a while, which is why the afternoon opens with plenty of bidding time. Deciding what to bid on is half the fun.
Then comes the fashion show. We’re thrilled to welcome local boutique BoHoJo this year for women’s styles, with children’s styles by Wildflower Women and Sandbox Kids, modeled in part by children from the program themselves, which is every bit as adorable as it sounds. KEYT anchor Tracy Lehr returns as our gracious emcee, alongside a program featuring President and CEO Rosa Paredes and a program graduate sharing her story.
Q: How do people get involved with your event? (volunteer, attend, etc.) – If your event includes ticket sales, please note the price and include a link to purchase tickets.
A: The best way is to join us on November 28. Tickets and table information are available at https://bit.ly/RSVPStVincents. Guests who can’t attend can still make a difference through our Change a Life: Adopt a Family program, which turns a gift into something tangible, from a month of diapers to the move-in costs for a mother and her children on the day they arrive.
Q: Is this a fundraising affair? If so, how will the funds raised help your organization?
A: Absolutely! The Family Strengthening Program gives a single mother and her children a home on our campus for 27 months, along with everything she needs to build an independent life: counseling, case management, parenting classes, career and legal guidance, and childcare at our Early Childhood Education Center steps from where the family sleeps, so she can work or study instead of choosing between pursuing her future and staying home with her children. The program has run this way since 1996.
The results speak for themselves. One recent graduate arrived homeless, pregnant, and with a small daughter; today she works at St. Vincent’s, guiding other mothers through the same 27 months she once lived. Another arrived midway through law school after leaving a dangerous relationship and sat for the California Bar exam this July.
Q: Who is sponsoring your event, and why is their support important?
A: Our Presentation Sponsors are Claudia Lash and Pat Lupo, the founders of the event, joined by CenCal Health, American Riviera Bank, and the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians Foundation. Our fashion partners, BoHoJo, Wildflower Women, and Sandbox Kids, bring the runway to life. Together, they keep the Family Strengthening Program running 365 days a year.
Q: Do you work with an Event Planner? If not, who are the key people who make it all happen?
A: We handle it all in-house, led by Claudia Lash and Pat Lupo, affectionately known as “the basket ladies.” Those baskets don’t appear by magic; Claudia and Pat build them by hand over many months, this year in St. Joseph’s Cottage on our Calle Real campus. We’re also grateful to the student volunteers from Bishop García Diego High School and the members of the Santa Barbara Newcomers Club, whose many hands keep the day running smoothly.
Q: Does your organization have any other upcoming events this year?
A: Yes, and we’re especially excited about this one. Next April, St. Vincent’s opens “Since 1858: A Hidden Archive Revealed,” a first-of-its-kind exhibition and reception at the Community Arts Workshop (CAW), drawing back the curtain on more than a century and a half of Santa Barbara history from our archive.
Q: What are you planning as a post-event follow up?
A: We’ll share highlights and photos with our community, along with a heartfelt thank-you to everyone who attended, bid, modeled, volunteered, and gave. And we’ll make sure our guests see where their generosity went, because the day after the luncheon, the Family Strengthening Program is already back at work.
To learn more about St. Vincent’s 16th Annual Fashion Show & Luncheon, click here.
If you would like to apply for Noozhawk’s 50/50 Match Sponsorship Program for your upcoming nonprofit event please click HERE to view our sponsorship application. The deadline for consideration is 30-45 days prior to the event. You can also contact our sales team at sales@noozhawk.com.