Building on the success of February’s inaugural We Are Isla Vista: Community Care Project, four local groups are hosting another week of volunteer events aimed at fostering community pride, connection and sustainability in Isla Vista.

Participating partners are Isla Vista Community Services District (IVCSD), Isla Vista Recreation & Park District (IVRPD), UC Santa Barbara’s Sustainability Internships and Community Resources Department, and the Edible Campus Program.

“The series invites residents to imagine a vibrant Isla Vista where neighbors know each other by name, streets are clean and inviting, and everyone contributes to the community’s wellbeing,” IVCSD organizers said. “Together, the partnering organizations are turning that vision into action through a series of hands-on volunteer opportunities.”

The Neighborhood Cleanup will be 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 16 starting at St. Michael’s University Church, 6586 Picasso Road, Isla Vista.

Participants are invited to wear their brightest outfits and closed-toed shoes as they gather to clean streets throughout Isla Vista.

All supplies will be provided, and volunteers of all ages are welcome. Residents are also urged to bring shelf-stable food donations to contribute to the We Are IV Food Drive.

Sign up here for the Neighborhood Cleanup.

Following the cleanup, all helpers are invited to a Volunteer Appreciation, 1-2 p.m. at St. Michael’s University Church for a free lunch, an opportunity to connect with neighbors, and a moment to celebrate the collective impact of Isla Vista’s volunteers, IVRPD said.

The week of events began with Stewardship Saturday x Saturday Morning Live on Nov. 8, co-hosted by IVRPD and the Edible Campus Program. Nearly 30 volunteers joined the effort, painting murals on garden beds and weeding the food forest.

The series continues with Compost Sifting with IVCSD’s Compost Collective on Nov. 13 and a Gardening and Litter Pickup by the Edible Campus Program Nov. 15, leading up to the Nov. 16Neighborhood Cleanup and Volunteer Celebration and Lunch.
All events in the We Are Isla Vista: Community Care Project are open to the public and free to join.
The Isla Vista Community Services District is Isla Vista’s first broad based local government, achieving 47 years of community advocacy for self governance.

The IVCSD is empowered to provide eight key services including public safety, housing mediation, community facilities, parking, graffiti abatement, lighting and sidewalks, and both a municipal advisory council and area planning commission.

The board is composed of five publicly elected directors and two directors appointed by UC Santa Barbara and the County of Santa Barbara.