Silver lining (noun): a sign of hope in an otherwise negative situation.
It’s hard to imagine much of a silver lining in the middle of a global pandemic that has dramatically impacted our lives. But there is one.
In Santa Barbara, we’ve seen new and expanding partnerships of public, private and faith-based organizations rising to address the growing needs in our community – particularly among our most vulnerable populations. And the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara is helping support many of these organizations.
Service and Support in One Location
For instance, Mobile Neighborhood Navigation Centers is a pilot program designed to provide holistic support for people experiencing homelessness by bringing together a number of organizations to deliver outreach, care and referrals in one place. SB ACT, along with Doctors Without Walls/Santa Barbara Street Medicine (current year grantee), is coordinating the efforts of many local agencies.
The first Navigation Center was piloted in Alameda Park in October and brought together DWW/SBSM, the Community Food Collaborative, Adam’s Angel’s, and C.A.R.E.4Paws. Showers of Blessing (current year grantee) joined at nearby Unity Church. Meeting every Thursday since then, the collaborative is working with other local agencies to serve disenfranchised people, and plan to expand to more locations. The goal? Help 50 people exit homelessness in 2021 and more in the years after that.
A Partnership within a Collaboration
Interestingly, the CFC is a partnership within a collaboration, also organized by SB ACT. The CFC works to address hunger among vulnerable and unsheltered populations in Santa Barbara in response to COVID-19. It supports small food enterprises and restaurant workers that are part of the critical underpinning of our local food system. The collaborative provides a warm meal, plus non-perishable food so clients have access to nutrition throughout the week and weekend. Unemployed chefs and restaurant workers are hired to help buy, prepare, and distribute food.
Behind the Scenes Help
Family Service Agency of Santa Barbara County, (former Women’s Fund grantee), has assumed vital roles in ensuring that the county’s most vulnerable residents receive the assistance they need during the pandemic.
Earlier this year, FSA initiated a collaborative of 10 other nonprofits, supported by private funding, to assist isolated, low-income seniors. The Senior Outreach & Assistance Program has provided food, medications, and other essentials to more than 1,200 seniors. Although funding ran out at the end of September, many of the partner organizations are continuing with their own funds, and FSA is fundraising for others.
The public health and economic crises created by the global COVID-19 pandemic are disproportionately impacting people experiencing homelessness, communities of color and people with disabilities and/or underlying health conditions. In Santa Barbara, the Women’s Fund and many of our grantees are helping to make a difference!
Six months ago, I wondered if the Women’s Fund would be able to reach our goal of matching last year’s grants pool of $685,000. After all, none of us are immune to this year’s financial strains. Now, as year-end giving accelerates, I am a little less worried. I see members matching and even surpassing their 2019 gifts.
Just this week the Women’s Fund received a $5,000 donation from a member who prefers to remain anonymous. Although she had renewed her Group Membership earlier in the year, she explained that as she looked at her year-end giving and the desperate needs facing the community, she felt the Women’s Fund—all of us together—would know best where the funds could have the greatest impact. She was moved by the difference she saw our grants making for so many in the community and wanted to help ensure the transformative power of Women’s Fund grants for 2021.
Many of you have already decided that your membership contribution is the best way to help our community recover from the hardships of 2020—thank you!
If you haven’t renewed yet, there’s still time. To be eligible to vote in March for our 2020-21 grantees, your 2020 membership donation must be received by December 31, 2020. We hope you will be part of the Women’s Fund gift to the community in 2021!
Renewing is simple! No need to login, simply click here. Or send a check payable to the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara, 133 East De La Guerra Street, #15, Santa Barbara, CA 93101.
Even if you renew by check, please make sure to fill out the form on the website – it helps us match your membership contribution to the right account. Same for a Donor Advised Fund or IRA Qualified Distribution. And remember, those methods take more time, so plan accordingly.
And a warm welcome to our newest members who have joined since mid-November: Linda Bernson, Peggy Brentlinger, Annmarie Cameron, Jackie Carrera, Lynn Gamble, Deirdre Hade, Sara Harris, Meredith Klassen, Eryn Shugart, Courtney Smith, Ann Switzer, Irene Wellons-Stamps, and Melissa White.
Advocate for seniors and former television journalist Rona Barrett made the closing remarks at the Women’s Fund Grants in Action Educational Forum “Aging in Place Santa Barbara: Obstacles and Opportunities” on December 8. The virtual event was attended by more than 180 members and guests. Ms. Barrett’s personal life story and 20 years of work addressing the needs of aging seniors perfectly echoed the key concerns and recommendations of the other expert presenters who spoke about strategies for healthy aging, obstacles to aging in place, and how communities can support their seniors.
Ms. Barrett created the Rona Barrett Foundation in 2000. She recognized the oncoming exponential growth in the aging population and that communities and the nation were not prepared to meet their needs for affordable housing and adequate programs and services assuring health, wellness, and safety. In 2016, the Foundation established the Golden Inn & Village in Santa Ynez.
Similarly, to expand programs supporting affordable housing and access to health and wellness services for seniors and disabled people, the Women’s Fund granted $180,000 to 2nd Story Associates and to Easy Lift Transportation in May 2020.
2nd Story Associates - Housing Authority of Santa Barbara received $100,000 to provide case management and health support team for 500 low-income seniors living in four HACSB communities including Garden Court and Gardens on Hope.
Easy Lift Transportation received $80,000 to establish greatly needed same-day transportation services for eligible seniors and individuals with physical or mental challenges.
The forum started with statistics about seniors in Santa Barbara County, followed by a keynote presentation by Caroline Cicero, Ph.D., Associate Professor at USC Davis School of Gerontology, who provided a national and regional overview of our senior population. She shared new models for healthy living that show great promise.
Leaders from the local nonprofits -- Chris Tucker, Executive Director, Garden Court; and Ernesto Paredes, Executive Director, Easy Lift Transportation – joined Dr. Cicero in a panel discussion, moderated by Linda Stafford Burrows, Education Events Chair. They presented examples of how these two nonprofits are serving our community and utilizing the grant funding they received. In fact, Chris mentioned that Women’s Fund grants have helped double the number of affordable housing units for low-income seniors in Santa Barbara!
Thanks to Mary Brown, who chaired the planning for this event. If you missed it, you can watch the replay here.
This is the time of year we say thanks for all the things we’re grateful for – family, friends and volunteers. The Women’s Fund is no exception. We’re thankful for all our volunteers, and especially the members who have skills with Zoom events.
When COVID-19 changed our world, we relied on a core team of Zoomers to help present our events, starting with the Celebration of Grants last May. As the change became the norm, we invited more help. True to the Women’s Fund spirit, five women came forward. They are now actively engaged in learning to produce Zoom events, including Grants in Action Site Visits and Educational Forums, membership meetings, and more.
So, here’s a big thank you to our new Zoom webinar producers:
Holly Cook
Virginia Johns
Bobbie Ruh
Ann Steinmetz
Lynda Whitley
And we can’t fail to thank our first core team of Zoomers:
Jamie Dufek and Mary Luthy, Communications Committee
Kathy Hollis, Volunteer Engagement Committee
Lynn Karlson, Membership Committee
Lauren Trujillo, Membership Committee
Karin Wegrzynowicz, Group Captain
The webinars have been enthusiastically well-received. Our deep appreciation goes out to these members who have worked so tirelessly. Thank you all for keeping us informed and connected during the challenges of COVID-19.
We also welcome several new volunteers: Janey Cohen, Membership Committee; Claire Montgomery, Membership Committee; Ellen Broidy and Joan Ariel, currently working to improve our website’s library under the auspices of the Information Technology Committee.
It’s hard to imagine much of a silver lining in the middle of a global pandemic that has dramatically impacted our lives. But there is one.
holistic support for people experiencing homelessness by bringing together a number of organizations to deliver outreach, care and referrals in one place. SB ACT, along with Doctors Without Walls/Santa Barbara Street Medicine (
Earlier this year, FSA initiated a collaborative of 10 other nonprofits, supported by private funding, to assist isolated, low-income seniors. The Senior Outreach & Assistance Program has provided food, medications, and other essentials to more than 1,200 seniors. Although funding ran out at the end of September, many of the partner organizations are continuing with their own funds, and FSA is fundraising for others.
Just this week the Women’s Fund received a $5,000 donation from a member who prefers to remain anonymous. Although she had renewed her Group Membership earlier in the year, she explained that as she looked at her year-end giving and the desperate needs facing the community, she felt the Women’s Fund—all of us together—would know best where the funds could have the greatest impact. She was moved by the difference she saw our grants making for so many in the community and wanted to help ensure the transformative power of Women’s Fund grants for 2021.
Obstacles and Opportunities
The forum started with statistics about seniors in Santa Barbara County, followed by a keynote presentation by Caroline Cicero, Ph.D., Associate Professor at USC Davis School of Gerontology, who provided a national and regional overview of our senior population. She shared new models for healthy living that show great promise.
Holly Cook
