Midterm Reports: The Women’s Fund takes good care of your donations! Many thanks go to Melissa Brooks for once again compiling the reports from our recipients. She must ask each recipient (9 this year) for the needed information, edit the recipient information, and, in turn, write reports to the Orfalea Fund who has matched these grants. Both the Women’s Fund and the Orfalea Fund monitor our grants at midterm and year-end to ensure the funds are being used for the purposes intended. The first article below is one of the reports. Be sure to read the last paragraph.

September 16, 4th Annual Site Visit: Chair Jan Baxter, offers Women’s Fund members and their guests two options for this exciting event.
The FIRST OPTION is fun and learning from 9:30 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. Women meet at Earl Warren Showgrounds. The Airbus, underwritten by Carolyn Novick, leaves at 9:30 a.m. sharp and takes you to see Storyteller’s new school, CASA’s new headquarters, and Transition House. By noon the bus takes you to  the new Girls Inc. facility for a delicious lunch, underwritten by Carole MacElhenny. You will hear short talks from the rest of the 2007 recipients (Angels Foster Care, Casa Pacifica, Family Service Agency, Isla Vista Youth Projects and People's Self-Help Housing) and tour  Girls Inc. The SECOND OPTION is planned for women who work or have less time, noon to 1:30. It starts with lunch at Girls Inc, hearing the speakers, and touring the facility. Park free in the front of Girls Inc. With either option, you will enjoy a superbly planned outing where you will learn a lot about our recipients, and you will have fun chatting with other Women's Fund members and their guests. Be sure to ask a friend to join you. Invitations will be mailed August 12.

A Personal Story: The second article below tells how Isla Vista Youth Projects, Inc. has helped “Rosa” with the funds given by the Women’s Fund for gap funding to pay salaries for a family advocate and a counselor this year. And you will hear from “Rosa” herself.

A Woman's Guide to Giving in the June Town and Country magazine focuses on what and how women are giving today. Under a subtopic "Leveraging Power" the article mentions giving collaboratively. "Set up a giving circle to learn about philanthropy and leverage your dollars," it reads. Well, ladies, that is what we are doing in the Women's Fund.

Jo Gifford,
2008 Oversight Co-chair

1) Brief Project Description: The Orfalea Fund and the Women’s Fund awarded a $50,000 grant to Transition House to pay for the salary and benefits of a new staff position, the Homelessness Prevention Program Manager (HPPM). The HPPM works with very low income members of the community who are in immediate danger of losing their housing and becoming homeless. To date, this new program has served six client individuals and five families. Services offered include anti-poverty case management, free classes in career development, advocacy with landlords and the court system and referrals to other agencies.

2) Based on your projected goals, please share any challenges your organization is facing that may directly affect your ability to accomplish your objectives: The primary challenge at this point is outreach. As the program is both new and unique to Santa Barbara, outreach must be ongoing. Transition House is working with other area agencies, the Legal Aid Foundation, Rental Mediation Task Force, and the Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara. It has been found that some agencies are still learning about the eligibility criteria and a couple of potential clients have been referred who do not meet the criteria. Education still needs to occur as to what types of clients qualify for the homelessness prevention counseling program.

3) What activities and/or strategies will your organization put into place to accomplish the program objectives within the term of your grant? Transition House advertised for the position and hired Wayne Mellinger, a homeless outreach worker, in April 2008. During the first two months of his employment, Mr. Mellinger created a program description and eligibility requirements for potential new clients. He also met with referral agencies to introduce the program and market its services. In June, he began working with clients. The agency also wishes to offer emergency rental assistance to families who are experiencing a financial crisis that prevents them from paying rent, yet who can demonstrate an ability to sustain housing in the future. With program eligibility criteria now defined, the HPPM will begin offering that assistance, with the help of $18,000 state funding that was received to help obtain referrals for counseling.

4) If you have been collaborating with partner organizations, foundations, schools, etc., please elaborate how this has helped or hindered your progress: The referral agencies above are the first point of contact for those facing eviction and they send clients to the program. Some have been appropriate, some have not.  Transition House is continuing to educate staff at these referral agencies so that they may better match potential clients with the services provided by this program.

5) Please fill out the Financial Summary below with your expenditures to date for funding provided.

Line Item: Salary and Benefits $50,000
$ Budgeted:  $50,000
$ Expended: $9,976
$ Remaining: $40,024
% Remaining: 80%

Please use this space for any additional information or comments you would like to share with us:  One client is a single mother with three children who suffers a mental health disability.  She is unable to work, yet receives SSDI and holds a Section 8 voucher.  Her expenses are too high, including the cost of her apartment, so the HPPM is working with her on a housing search for a cheaper residence, money management techniques and improved organizational skills.

"Thank you for everything you do to help us. I am very lucky living near IVYP where I can get a lot of services. The CBET-Family Literacy School Readiness Class will have counseling sessions again at IVYP. How grateful I am that you will provide this service. Many of my friends are also in need of this service. It would be most welcome and is very much needed. You're wonderful! Thanks again, you always go the extra mile. Sincerely, Rosa."                                           

           IVYP Counselor listening to "Rosa."

Here is Rosa's story: She lives in Isla Vista with her husband and two children. Both children attend elementary school; one has special needs. Rosa has participated in a variety of Family Resource and School Readiness programs to help her learn English, improve her parenting skills, access resources for her children and gain leadership abilities. She has become a strong advocate for her children, especially her daughter who has special needs. She participates in Counseling to help her parent her children more effectively and to support them in school. 

Her son is not achieving to his full potential in school and is exhibiting behavioral problems. Her daughter is often a victim of bullying and her special needs result in some challenging behavior patterns. She is trying to balance family life, contribute to the financial stability of her family and be a good parent to her children.