Tag archives: nonprofit
Santa Barbara Beautiful plants trees. A lot of trees. Thirteen thousand of them in its 57-year history, so far. They even name a Tree of the Month, with a photo and profile of the individual palm, evergreen, jacaranda, or other species, a series that is quite popular with locals and visitors alike. To be precise, […]
It’s no accident that Rodney Gustafson landed in Santa Barbara to launch his State Street Ballet dance company almost three decades ago. The company’s executive and artistic director had targeted returning to town ever since he’d performed as a dancer with the famed American Ballet Theatre (ABT) at the Arlington Theatre many years before. “I […]
The Santa Barbara Library Foundation’s director Lauren Trujillo is in a celebratory mood. The foundation’s $5.4 million capital campaign to revitalize the historic plaza at the Santa Barbara Library, a once bustling pedestrian thoroughfare that had fallen into disrepair, has been fully funded. The organization raised nearly 60 percent of the dollars from private contributions […]
Everything seems to move quickly these days, but the speed of growth and expansion of the Santa Barbara County Food Action Network (SBCFAN) is fast enough to turn heads. It was just six years ago that the Community Environmental Council and the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County created the Santa Barbara County Food Action Plan […]
A record 160 guests turned out for the fourth annual Compassionate Care of Carpinteria lunch at the Rincon Beach Club raising more than $40,000 for the nonprofit that deals with end-of-life care. The fête, chaired by Marybeth Carty, was emceed by brothers Ed and Winfred Van Wingerden, with Virginia Benson Wigle, who lost her husband […]
Exactly one month from this issue’s publication, the Environmental Defense Center (EDC) will be having a 45th anniversary celebration at its headquarters in downtown Santa Barbara, a special community gathering that marks the first public event in the space in three years. Think of it as a one-shot revival of TGIF!, the environmental organization’s much-beloved […]
The Santa Barbara Symphony is proud of its upcoming 2022-23 season, which marks the organization’s milestone 70th anniversary. Understandably so, as the season’s nine concerts boast an impressive list of guest artists including pianist Alessio Bax, jazz saxophone legend Ted Nash, Sinatra crooner Tony DeSare, and two different Grammy-nominated violin soloists in Guillermo Figueroa and […]
Sanctuary Centers has been around for 46 years, and while the nonprofit’s array of services and team of experienced clinical providers has grown to encompass both inpatient and outpatient care, as well as an integrated approach and supportive housing to form a comprehensive system of care, the organization hasn’t wavered from its mission. Their range […]
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 […]
Anyone who has ever watched a police drama on television in the last 50 years is familiar with the fact that everyone who has been accused of a crime has a right to free legal counsel if they can’t afford their own attorney. But that bright line ends when it turns to civil matters, even […]
The Santa Barbara-based Fish Reef Project is establishing a blue carbon bank to draw down carbon through kelp restoration and create carbon offsets in the process. Founded in 2012 by Chris Goldblatt, the Fish Reef Project is a nonprofit working to restore kelp and coral reef ecosystems around the world. Their invention, the Sea Cave, […]
The Supreme Court ruling that reversed the half-century old landmark Roe v. Wade decision had been handed down only hours before, but The Fund for Santa Barbara was already scrambling to respond in the wake of the decision. “It’s a national issue, but there’s actually so much that could be done at the local level […]
Estimates say that there are nearly 2,000 nonprofits in Santa Barbara County, each with a mission of supporting the local or at-large community in some way. But as far as we know, only one organization – The Elephant Project – has exactly one full-time employee. But don’t underestimate the impact of Kristina McKean, the founder […]
The Santa Barbara School of Squash (SBSOS) recently gave its annual gala fundraiser in a unique venue – the courtyard at La Arcada Plaza around the turtle pond at Eleven14 restaurant. It was a beautiful setting for 100 folks seated at the round dinner tables and a fun place to mix and mingle. The theme […]
CommUnify (formerly CAC/Community Action Commission) just held its 55th Anniversary dinner at Alisal Ranch & Resort on the River Grill patio. CEO Pat Keelean welcomed the group and asked them to celebrate the local champions who do so much to improve the quality of life for all of Santa Barbara County’s residents. As Pat said, […]
“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell just as sweet.” Shakespeare employed that now famous line in his play Romeo and Juliet to imply that the naming of things is irrelevant. The Riviera Ridge School might beg to differ. The highly-esteemed independent educational institution that serves […]
In one of the funnier moments in the famous 1967 film The Graduate, a friend of Ben’s parents takes him aside to deliver some advice about his future: “I just have one word for you: Plastics.” Back then, of course, plastics was becoming a burgeoning field, as the material seemed to be an incredible scientific […]
In the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Santa Barbara native, realtor, and local volunteer Adam McKaig dedicated himself to building a team and creating solutions for the lack of support for the community of people experiencing homelessness. What started as a spontaneous movement of people wanting to make a positive impact during the pandemic has […]
On May 30, Senator Monique Limòn nominated Mothers’ Helpers as the 2022 California Nonprofit of the Year. California Nonprofits Day allows legislators from across California to highlight a Nonprofit of the Year in their district and have the organization recognized at a celebratory luncheon in June. Mothers’ Helpers was established in 2009 and strives to […]
Clay Studio Founder and Executive Director Patrick Hall credits working with clay for a dramatic shift in his life from an ADHD-addled kid who couldn’t focus, to one who runs a studio that serves as an artistic home and more to many members of our community. “I couldn’t concentrate to even read a paragraph or […]



