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Grants in Action: Forum Spotlights Homelessness and the Working Poor
Out of Cal ifornia’s 58 counties, Santa Barbara ties with Orange for the second highest child poverty rate. Grim statistics show that homeless children are three to four times more likely to become homeless adults. These are among the startling facts shared by local experts on September 26 when the Women’s Fund hosted an information-packed evening entitled Homelessness and the Working Poor: Creating a Bridge to Hope.
This forum was the first of an expanded series of Grants in Action programs featuring our 2018-19 Women’s Fund grantees and the issues they are tackling. Long-time Women’s Fund member Carole MacElhenny sponsored the Grants in Action program series.
More than 150 members and guests listened intently as featured speaker Jennifer McGovern (President/CEO, Housing Trust Fund of SB) spoke about the roots of homelessness, especially poverty and the lack of affordable housing.
Of single mothers in the county, 77 percent live without the ability to provide for basic household needs, including food, health care and child care. Of 46,463 families in the county living without the ability to provide for household needs, 62 percent are Latino. A “two working parent” household, earning a minimum wage of $42,000, would need a third full-time minimum wage job to achieve economic stability. In our county, a family of four needs to earn $90,000 to afford housing, food, transportation, child care and taxes.
Why is the situation so dire? Panel moderator Susan Salcido (SB County Superintendent of Schools) spoke briefly about poverty and homelessness from the perspective of our local schools before introducing the panel of Women’s Fund grantees who lead organizations working to provide solutions: Tessa Madden Storms (Regional Director, PATH), Kathleen Baushke (Executive Director, Transition House) and Brian Clark (Client Resources Regional Coordinator, Catholic Charities of SB).
Click here to read more on our website.
Grants in Action: Holistic Defense Helps Women in Jeopardy
During an informative panel discussion held in October at the County Administrative Building, Women’s Fund members learned more about the Holistic Defense program, a collaboration between Family Service Agency and the Santa Barbara Public Defender’s office. The presentation was part of the Women’s Fund’s new Grants in Action educational series, designed to help members better understand the agencies and programs we fund.
Holistic Defense mobilizes compassionate advocacy and legal representation to help improve outcomes for women with legal issues. This year the program received a Women’s Fund grant of $65,000 to pay for a second part-time advocate to work exclusively with women and their children.
According to Santa Barbara County Public Defender Tracy Macuga, women’s legal offenses tend to be what are often called “survival crimes” – low-level, non-violent misdemeanors or felonies such as theft, fraud and drug possession. Since women are often primary caregivers for minor children, female incarceration can have a lasting impact on entire families. When the underlying reasons for criminal behavior are not addressed, the likelihood of becoming a repeat offender is high, especially for women who are traumatized or desperate.
Because the program is still in its early stages, services are limited to clients selected and screened by attorneys. Together, the attorney, client and advocate address the legal case, as well as the underlying problems plaguing the client. Holistic Defense tackles five major areas: lack of housing, unemployment, substance abuse, mental health, and legal issues such as probation, child custody, or immigration status. Holistic Defense advocates provide depth and dimension to a case, allowing judges to see the human being standing before them, rather than just reading a file. The program provides a voice for women susceptible to being invisible in the community and the court system.
According to an initial study, clients were sentenced to 50 percent fewer days in jail than their control counterparts. This translated into a savings of roughly $250,000 for the county generated by 48 Holistic clients in a period of a little over a year. Holistic Defense clients also had a 60 percent greater likelihood of having the charges against them dismissed and were 26 percent less likely to plead guilty. All in all, a great success.
Panelists for the presentation included: Robin Steinberg, CEO of The Bail Project, Founder and Former Executive Director of the Bronx Defenders; Tracy Macuga, Public Defender, Office of the Public Defender - County of Santa Barbara; La Mer Kyle-Griffiths, Director of Training and Complex Litigation, Still She Rises - Tulsa, Oklahoma; Erica Bottorff, Holistic Defense Advocate, Office of the Public Defender - County of Santa Barbara; and Gabriela Dodson, Holistic Defense Program Manager, Family Service Agency.
Click here to learn more about Holistic Defense in recent article from the Santa Barbara Independent.
Foodbank of SB Honors Women’s Fund
 Pictured above are members of the Women’s Fund leadership team (from left to right): Michelle Saltoun, Researcher; Sabina White, Research Co-Chair; Maureen Ellenberger, Research Co-Chair; Laurie Tumbler, Board Chair; Shelley Hurst, Board member.
On a lovely September evening at their Montecito estate, Betsey and John Moller hosted the eighth Annual Table of Life Gala for the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County. The event honored the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara, “which typifies the powerful impact of women taking collective action for the common good,” as Noozhawk said in its write-up. With more than 1,000 members, the Women’s Fund has been one of the most potent forces in local philanthropy for 15 years. Last year it awarded the Foodbank a grant of $95,000 for a new refrigerated truck.
Women’s Fund Featured in Cover Story
The October issue of Hope Ranch Living features the Women’s Fund on the cover and in a beautiful four-page spread highlighting the purpose and value of the Women’s Fund.
The magazine editors were so impressed, they’ve started their own Women’s Fund group!
Click here to see the photos and read the story.
Alpha Resource Center Shows Off New Van
Women's Fund members have enjoyed a series of site visits to Alpha Resource Center, which serves individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Our grant of $65,000 this year provided a custom van to transport special-needs clients so they can engage in community activities.
Membership Corner
Meet Adrienne Jones: New Captain of a New Gro up “A Team”
Adrienne Jones has lived in Santa Barbara since 1990 and with her husband Alan, an “actual rocket scientist,” they have raised three daughters. Now she works as a dental hygienist and operates two businesses designed to improve human health. She also volunteers as a member of Las Aletas and reads to a kindergarten class at Franklin School.
How did you hear about the Women’s Fund?
I heard about it from one of my clients, Barbara Hauter Woodward. She described it as philanthropy made simple. It sounded cool. She gave me a copy of the annual brochure. I read it and signed up. For me it was as easy as it could get.
What prompted you to start a group?
Group Captain Liaison Stina Hans played matchmaker to find the right group for me. I went to a meeting of an established group. They were welcoming, but I felt it was going to be difficult for me to attach to a group that was already established. Then I thought maybe I should form my own group.
How did you select the people to invite to your first meeting?
I chose some friends but I also wanted to branch out a bit. I wanted it to be a way to create other communities for myself. I sent out a bunch of emails and did lots of talking. Then I reached out to friends and suggested that we include friends of friends. That was the key. Then Stina mentioned another woman who might be interested in joining so we went on a “blind date hike” and hit it off.
Does your group have any common interests?
The common thread is that we are all around 50 with older children or no children. We are diverse. I like the diversity, but also think it’s important to have a common thread.
How did the process work?
In terms of the Women’s Fund, they made it very easy. I was probably too wordy on my initial invitations. My advice: Keep your invitations and description of the Women’s Fund short and sweet. Basically, it’s easy. As Barbara said, it’s philanthropy made simple. It’s a no brainer.
New Members
We are thrilled to be more than 80 percent of the way to our goal of attracting 120 new members in 2019! Welcome to our newest members who have joined since mid-September: Nancy Anderson, Alisa Baur, Naomi Broomberg, Misha Cooper, Kathryn Courain, Amy Gunn, Sadie Hall, Annette Holdman, Alison Jordan, Mieko Kusano, Carolyn McQuay, Toni Meyers, Alexandra Nordahl, Kerry Parker, Susan Renfrew, Lori Sullivan and Kimberley Yaeger.
Renew Now and Beat the Rush!
We hope your 2019 Women’s Fund experience has been rewarding on every level—philanthropic, social and educational.
- If you believe your Women’s Fund donations make vital change in our community that has real impact for women, children and families…
- If you have enjoyed meeting and working with other smart community-minded women…
- If you have learned more about how you can have an impact on the most troubling challenges facing our community…
- If you are looking forward to how much we can accomplish in 2020…
…then please renew your Women’s Fund membership today. The Women’s Fund values your participation and the community needs your support.
Renewing is simple! No need to login, simply click here.
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