In the April 2021 issue…

• Get Ready to Celebrate!
• Sneak Peek: Helping Troubled Kids Succeed
• Volunteer Engagement Corner—We’re Thankful
• Membership Corner—We’re Growing

Get Ready to Celebrate!

It’s almost time to celebrate the power of collective giving and how it can change the lives of women, children, and families in our community. After months of rigorous research, careful selection and analysis, and thoughtful voting, we are almost ready for the high point of the Women’s Fund year.

In this photo, the “Be the Change” group enjoyed a socially distanced voting meeting (including young future members) to discuss the agencies on this year’s ballot.

Voting closed on March 27, the totals have been tabulated, and the board has confirmed our choices. Join us on May 5 at 5:00 PM PT to learn which agencies were selected for our record-breaking $750,000 grants pool. We’ll be using Zoom again, so you can meet and hear from representatives of each of the deserving agencies.

You’ll come away inspired by the stories and potential for change because of your generosity. Don’t miss it! And guests and potential members are welcome too. Invitations went out to members on April 1 or you can find the information here.
 

Sneak Peek: Helping Troubled Kids Succeed

The following article is a sneak peak from the 2020-2021 Women’s Fund brochure–your copy will arrive in your home mailbox soon after our Celebration of Grants on May 5. And this is just a preview of the heart-warming stories, facts and figures, and great information you’ll find in your copy. You’ll be able to share electronic versions of the brochure with your family and friends–look for details online in May.

“David” is a smart guy who entered high school with serious problems at home—a mother mired in substance abuse and an abusive father who could not accept his gay son. Caring for his mother, avoiding his father, and struggling with his own identity, David had no confidence and, by his own admission, was unlikely to make it through school.

Enter the Academy for Success, a local high school program that provides academic and emotional support for students who identify themselves as not likely to make it to graduation. “The Academy changed my life,” said David—who not only graduated, he went on to earn a college degree in psychotherapy and is working on his master’s. “I want to focus my work on under-represented populations, especially Latino families.” Starting at home, David helped his mom into a treatment program and has established a relationship with his father.

272 Academy for Success students have graduated since 2008. The program has a 98% graduation rate. A $60,000 Women’s Fund grant in 2016 funded mental health services and helped the Academy expand to all three Santa Barbara high schools. Learn more about the Academy here.
 

Volunteer Engagement Corner—We Are Thankful

The Volunteer Engagement Committee would like to thank the many volunteers who made this year’s growth and progress possible. Your efforts have been amazingly successful in a year fraught with challenges.

Special thanks to two of our newest volunteers: Mary Beth Carty has joined the Membership Committee and Shirley Mileca has joined the Information Technology Committee.

If you feel inspired to volunteer, your help would be appreciated. You can contact us at volunteer@womensfundsb.org. Or, learn about some of the current opportunities by visiting our website.
 

Membership Corner—We’re Growing!

The Women’s Fund continue to grow—we’re happy to welcome these new members this month: Suzanne Brown, Susan Burk, Toby Donner, Elaine Gray, Pamela Powers, and Suzanne Weintraub.

Remember, the Celebration of Grants is a great chance to introduce other women to the Women’s Fund. If you’d like to invite someone to share the celebration, you can forward this link to them, so they can register themselves.