Tag archives: children
Brandon (10) and his brother Legend (7) asked their parents, Jessica Ivey and Samuele Jenkins, if they could walk to the Food Lion supermarket and Subway; less than ten minutes walk from their Gastonia, NC, apartment. The parents were very protective of their kids and reluctantly said yes, but they had to stay on the […]
The United Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Barbara County’s mission is to enable all young people – especially those most in need – to reach their full potential as productive, caring, and responsible citizens. The clubs, now five strong stretching from Carpinteria to Santa Ynez – including locations on Santa Barbara’s west side and […]
Recently, I’ve heard directly from youth in our schools – many carrying a weight far too heavy for their young shoulders. Some are afraid to leave their parents and family members, fearful that someone might swoop in and take them away. Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity in and around Santa Barbara County is […]
Santa Barbara County’s Head Start program, a vital community resource since 1967, is now facing an uncertain future as federal budget discussions threaten its existence. The program currently supports nearly 600 children and their families across the county, providing early education, health services, and family support. If proposed federal cuts move forward, these services could […]
I recently participated in an all-day conference on prisons and recovery, co-sponsored by the Humanist Society of Santa Barbara. One recurring theme? The ACE score: Adverse Childhood Experiences. Here is a simplified list of ten such adverse childhood experiences: Physical abuseEmotional abusePhysical neglectEmotional neglectSexual abuseViolence toward motherSubstance abuse in householdHousehold mental illnessHousehold member incarceratedParental separation […]
When a child is removed from their home due to abuse or neglect, they are faced with something no youngster should ever have to go through: navigating a confusing world of court proceedings amid competing interests with their future hanging in the balance. The children are provided a lawyer, but their attorney likely has hundreds […]
On April 13, 2023, the Santa Barbara Woman’s Club-Rockwood was abuzz with excitement as 200 community members came together to celebrate the 9th annual Lunch with Love event, hosted by Storyteller Children’s Center. Among the distinguished guests were Santa Barbara County Supervisor Laura Capps, Santa Barbara Mayor Randy Rowse, Santa Barbara City Police Chief Kelly […]
Jeanette Petrus Le Renard gets to play every day with her clients, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. “I work with babies on their level – and their parents as well. My goal is to meet them where they are and help them get where they need to be!” As a pediatric physical […]
John Daly was in his mid-60s and had already enjoyed a highly successful career as an international event producer who advised his Fortune 100 corporate clients on proper protocols at the Olympics and World Cup and other such events around the world. But his awareness that the overwhelming need for more civility and social skills […]
Two years ago, on July 28, 2020, The Santa Barbara Independent published my article “An Unfair and Forced Choice: Objections to Cannabis Retail at Santa Claus Lane.” There I explained that the decision to place a cannabis retail outlet in either Summerland or Santa Claus Lane was forced because the county arbitrarily insists there must […]
When we connected last week, Santa Barbara RiteCare center director and speech-language pathologist Julie DeAngelis was particularly excited to talk about Camp Chit Chat, the nonprofit’s fun and socially interactive camp for preschool-age children with mild-moderate speech and language delays. The program helps children keep up with essential communication skills during the summer when regular […]
Head Start, the federal early childhood education program, was established in 1965 as part of President Lyndon Johnson’s War on Poverty with a goal of promoting school readiness to young children from low-income families through providing health, educational, nutritional, and social services. Two years later, Community Action Commission, or CAC, incorporated as a nonprofit to […]
“And remember… It’s a Rally – not a Race.” The statement was met with general merriment from the crowd of drivers and navigators meeting in Hope Ranch the night before the Rally 4 Kids was to be held. As the meeting continued, Michael Baker, CEO of the United Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Barbara […]
Save the date for the 2nd Annual Teddy Bear Picnic at the Montecito Club, scheduled for Sunday, May 15. Along with all the other nonprofit organizations in the tri-counties, Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation (TBCF) learned how to be flexible in their event planning and fundraising over the past two years. By re-imagining their signature events […]
Fighting Back Santa Maria Valley (FBSMV) does some very important and impactful work. Since its founding in 2003 as a response to the methamphetamine epidemic in the Valley, the nonprofit has taken a proactive approach to the issues, creating programs that focus on protecting kids not only from drugs and other substance abuse but also […]
The other day I was invited to a breakfast in Carpinteria at 7:30 am. Really! I’m so glad I went because I learned about Carpinteria Children’s Project (CCP). It began in 2009 when only 15% of kindergarteners in Carpinteria were rated ready for school. Last year, 49% were ready, with another 37% close to ready. […]
You’d be hard-pressed to find nonprofits with an origin story more organic and homespun than NatureTrack. The organization was founded 11 years ago by Sue Eisaguirre, who, after raising her own kids with lots of outdoor time, returned to work heading up the docent and K-12 outreach programs for the UCSB Sedgwick Reserve. “It was […]
Spring is almost here and the Montecito Library is keen to bring back some weekly programs for younger children! Our answer? Stay and Play, an outdoor opportunity for little ones to play and their grownups to chill. No rushing to get anywhere at a certain time or abrupt transitions, just a wide window of time […]
Elizabeth Gardner, Westmont assistant professor of communication studies, examines a protest by children and adolescents in South America on Thursday, November 11, at 7 pm in Westmont’s Global Leadership Center. The Paul C. Wilt Phi Kappa Phi Lecture, “Child Workers Redefining a Bolivian Childhood in the Código Niña, Niño y Adolescente,” is free and open […]
It was just about a month into the pandemic when the United Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Barbara (UBGC) fully united, as the downtown club agreed to merge and fully centralize the 83-year-old organization. That might seem like a strange time to be making structural changes, as the merger was completed in April 2020, […]
