Giving Tuesday invites people everywhere to give back, and here in Santa Barbara County, it’s a meaningful opportunity to support neighbors who need it most.
At Noozhawk, we’re proud to highlight the strength of our community and the difference that thoughtful, local generosity can make.
Our Good for Santa Barbara County Nonprofit Section showcases organizations working every day to uplift, protect, and empower those they serve.
Whether you choose to donate, volunteer, or help amplify their mission, your involvement plays an important role in sustaining their impact.
Take a moment to browse our Giving Guide and help bring warmth, hope, and support to community members this season.
In this feature, Noozhawk connected with Leana Orsua, Community Engagement and Development Manager at New Beginnings to learn how they are transforming lives through compassionate mental health services, housing support, and programs that restore stability and dignity for individuals and families experiencing hardship.
New Beginnings
Question: What is the name of your nonprofit, and what is its mission?
Answer: Our mission is to provide quality, affordable counseling, shelter, case management, and education that strengthen our community and provide our clients with the ability to lead healthy and productive lives.
Q: How long has your organization been serving the community, and who founded it?
A: New Beginnings has been serving the community since the late 1960s, when a group of compassionate clinicians recognized the growing need for mental health services among low-income to no-income individuals and families.
They established a low-cost, sliding-scale Community Counseling Center, staffed by volunteer clinicians and clinical supervisors working to gain licensure. This model of volunteer-driven service allowed us to keep costs affordable, and it remains a core part of our approach to this day.
Our Life Skills Parenting & Education Program, which has been running for over 20 years, teaches essential skills—such as mindfulness strategies, practical life skills, anger management tools, and parenting tools—to individuals and families who need support in creating stable, healthy home environments.
Offered at low or no cost through community centers and nonprofit organizations, this program serves at-risk youth, young parents, and low-income families.
Since 2004, we have operated the innovative Safe Parking Program® in partnership with local churches, government agencies, and businesses.
This first-of-its-kind program provides safe, overnight parking for individuals and families living in their vehicles. In addition to safe parking, we offer Rapid Rehousing services and other housing assistance, helping participants transition from crisis to stability.
Our Safe Parking Program® has become a model for communities across the nation.
In 2013, recognizing the unique challenges faced by homeless veterans, New Beginnings launched the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program. This federally funded initiative aims to end veteran homelessness by providing critical services to veterans and their families.
As one of the first providers of the SSVF program in Santa Barbara County, we have since become the leading organization serving homeless veterans in the region.
Throughout our history, New Beginnings has consistently adapted to meet the evolving needs of our community, driven by the vision and commitment of our founders and the ongoing dedication of our staff and volunteers.
Q: How is your nonprofit primarily funded, and what are its biggest needs right now?
A: New Beginnings is primarily funded through government grants, foundation support, and individual donations.
While these sources are critical, our biggest need right now is unrestricted funding. This type of support allows us to address the critical gaps that are often overlooked by restricted grants.
Unrestricted donations help cover essential expenses such as temporary motel shelter for highly vulnerable clients, housing applications, moving and storage costs, unexpected medical bills, emergency veterinary care, and out-of-pocket mental health services—costs that are crucial for individuals and families in need of housing but aren’t always funded by traditional grants.
These flexible funds give us the ability to respond to urgent, day-to-day needs and ensure we can offer not just housing and mental health counseling, but true stability to those we serve.
Q: How do you allocate your funding to support your mission?
A: We allocate our funding in a way that directly supports our mission—to provide quality, affordable counseling, shelter, case management, and education to strengthen our community and help our clients lead healthy, productive lives.
Our funding enables our ability to assist these core services, ensuring that every dollar contributes to the well-being and stability of the individuals and families we serve.
Government grants, foundation support, and individual donations allow us to maintain and expand our critical programs.
A significant portion of our funding goes toward providing safe, supportive housing and case management services, which are foundational to helping people rebuild their lives.
We also allocate funds to offer sliding-scale counseling services, mental health support, and educational services, all of which are essential for long-term success.
In addition to the previous funds mentioned, unrestricted funds enable us to cover other vital expenses: such as housing and security deposits, unexpected medical bills, veterinary care, and out-of-pocket mental health services.
We use these funds and respond to the immediate, often urgent needs of our clients, ensuring that we can provide the comprehensive, wraparound support necessary to help them achieve stability and self-sufficiency.
Ultimately, unrestricted funding helps fill in the gaps and strengthens the full spectrum of services we offer, empowering our clients to build healthier, more productive lives.
Q: What types of events or programs do you run to engage your community and raise funds?
A: Traditionally, we host one large annual fundraiser in the fall that is typically a live performance designed to educate people about our key programs and the issues we address, e.g., mental health, homelessness, and veteran services.
In 2025, we stepped it up a notch and presented two shows, with two performances each for a 4-night benefit at the Center Stage Theater in Santa Barbara.
We entertained audiences, raised funds, and increased mental health awareness with the U.K. British comedy show Jonny & The Baptists and the wildly popular one-man show, Every Brilliant Thing from October 23-October 26.
Each year we also host five Educational luncheons in north and south county, with each luncheon focusing on the social and human service work we provide through one of our four core programs.
This gives us the unique opportunity to raise awareness and strengthen ties with our community partners, so that we can build momentum for continuous collaboration.
Q: How is your team structured? Have there been any major changes in your operations since you started?
A: In 2024, through the support of an $8 million dollar grant received through the state of California, New Beginnings added 25 new staff members to the agency with the goal of resolving 21 vehicle encampments countywide.
In June 2024, there were 521 individuals living in these vehicle encampments. We have been able to reduce that number to 182, representing a 65% countywide reduction in just over a year. The new staff roles include housing navigators, housing retention specialists, outreach staff, and service coordinators.
In 2025, a $150,000 grant provided by the Women’s Fund expanded our counseling clinic’s intake staff allowing us to hire two full-time clinic-intake specialists and expand the role of our bi-lingual intake coordinator.
Q: How can people get involved with your nonprofit or volunteer?
A: If you’re interested in supporting New Beginnings, there are many ways to get involved! We offer a range of opportunities, from job openings to volunteer roles across our programs, including Life Skills, the Counseling Center, the Safe Parking Program, and the Veterans Program.
Volunteer roles include, for example, providing administrative help, serving on event committees, providing clinical supervision to our volunteer counselors, serving on one of our boards, providing workshops and recurring classes for our clients in Permanent Supportive Housing or at our new south county Collaborative Center, transporting clients to healthcare appointments and to run household errands, delivering meals to senior and disabled clients, and assisting clients with decluttering.
People may also donate through one of multiple options and provide in-kind support for events and other needs or become a landlord partner to help us house more families and individuals.
To learn more or get involved, please reach out to our Development Department at development@sbnbcc.org or call us at 805-963-7777, ext. 122.
Q: What sets your nonprofit apart from similar organizations?
A: What sets New Beginnings apart from other organizations is our unwavering commitment to three core principles:
1. Low-Barrier Access for Those Who Need Us Most: At New Beginnings, we pride ourselves on offering low to no-barrier access to our services, ensuring that clients can find a safe, welcoming place with us. Often, we are the last resort—the safety net for those who have nowhere else to turn. When clients come to us at their lowest, we embrace them with compassion and without hesitation.
2. Client-Centered, Judgment-Free Support: We provide a truly judgment-free environment. We believe in a client-driven approach to service, working collaboratively to develop a treatment plan that centers on the individual’s unique needs and aspirations. We listen first, focus on the barriers that are holding them back, and empower them to grow and succeed at their own pace, with dignity and respect.
3. A Dedicated, Empathetic Team: Our team is at the heart of everything we do, and it’s what makes New Beginnings extraordinary. Our staff is a group of compassionate, skilled professionals who bring both expertise and lived experience to their work. Many of our team members have faced challenges themselves, which enable them to connect with our clients in a deeply empathetic way. This unique blend of dedication, kindness, and understanding creates an environment where healing and growth can truly thrive.
Q: Can you share a fun fact or little-known detail about your nonprofit that would surprise people?
A: In 2018, we celebrated 50 years of service to the Santa Barbara County Community. Which included an intimate reception featuring actor, Harrison Ford.
Guests had the opportunity to meet the iconic actor, snap a photo with him, and witness an extraordinary interview with the iconic actor, pilot, and environmental activist Harrison Ford, led by local resident Cheri Steinkellner, a well-known TV writer/producer.
All guests received a signed, numbered poster from Harrison. To attend the event, we asked for a $5,000 donation to the agency to advance our work in the community with veterans, the homeless, and community members experiencing mental illness.
Our Safe Parking Program has been highlighted in stories by Rolling Stone Magazine, USA Today, HBO’s VICE News, Los Angeles Times, The Nation, CNN, People Magazine, and more!
Q: Could you share a story or two about individuals whose lives have been positively impacted by your organization?
A: In 2004, 70-year-old Ricky Middleton found himself without a stable place to call home. Nights were spent moving from one friend’s couch to another, and when privacy was possible, the backseat of his van became his refuge.
Middleton once served proudly as a Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s deputy, but after retiring in his mid-50s due to severe knee injuries, his financial situation began to unravel. Living on a $2,000 monthly pension, he stretched his income by driving school buses, but with rent costs rising faster than his earnings, he found himself falling behind.
That changed in 2025, when he crossed paths with the New Beginnings Housing Navigation team, who encouraged him to apply for the Veterans Housing program. Having served in the Air Force, Middleton qualified for New Beginnings’ Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) Program and soon moved into his own apartment under the temporary housing assistance program.
When Housing Specialist Christian Morgan reviewed Middleton’s finances, he discovered that most of his pension was being withheld for an unnecessarily high health premium. By switching his insurance through the Central Coast Commission for Senior Citizens, Morgan reduced the cost by almost one-fifth.
This August, with continued guidance from New Beginnings’ case management staff, Middleton transitioned into permanent senior subsidized housing through the City of Santa Barbara — finally regaining a safe and stable home. “I must thank my case manager, Christian. He was on my hip almost throughout this whole process—getting me into the program and working through my finances and vet benefits.”
Q: How do you share your nonprofit’s impact and updates with the public?
A: We publish three to four newsletters each year, keeping the public informed with the latest news, updates, and stories.
In addition, each year we release an Annual Report that highlights the previous year’s achievements, key metrics, and impact.
We also send out a holiday mailer that shares client stories and agency outcomes, occasional email updates to our supporters, featuring exciting press releases, client success stories, staff highlights, and more.
Also, we produce Public Service Announcements that run regularly on local network television, post on social media, table community events, conduct local media interviews, and update our website regularly.
We invite you to stay connected by signing up for our mailing list on our website: https://sbnbcc.org/
Q: What makes your organization trustworthy for donors, and are there other ways people can support your cause beyond donations?
A: Our organization earns the trust of donors through transparency and accountability in all our operations. We are open about our needs, and we provide clear details on how funds and resources are allocated. We prioritize building strong, honest relationships with donors, foundations, and government partners, both locally and nationally.
Additionally, we are proud to hold a CARF accreditation, a Platinum Transparency Rating from Candid’s GuideStar, a Four-Star Rating and a perfect 100/100 “Give with Confidence” rating from Charity Navigator, all of which reflect our commitment to responsible stewardship.
Beyond financial support, there are many other ways people can contribute to our cause. We are always looking for community partners, including landlords, property managers, parking lot owners, vehicle repair services, storage facilities, and volunteers.
Our work is often limited by resource constraints, so any help, whether in-kind donations, service partnerships, or volunteer time—can make a significant impact as we continue our mission to end homelessness, facilitate mental wellness, and support our community members in need.
Your involvement helps us move closer to creating lasting change in our community.
Click here to support New Beginnings’ mission to provide compassionate counseling, housing assistance, and life-changing services that help individuals and families achieve stability and hope.
Check out Noozhawk’s Guide to Giving for a full list of nonprofits to donate to this giving season.
If you would like to include your nonprofit in our Good for Santa Barbara section and Giving Guide click HERE.