The power of collective giving was on display on May 20th when the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara awarded an unprecedented $1.25 million in grants to 11 local nonprofits —showcasing the power of collective giving in the Santa Barbara community. This accomplishment was made possible through the generosity of 1,426 local women members who have combined their charitable contributions into a substantial grants pool.
On a spirited evening at the iconic Lobero Theatre, more than 500 members, guests, sponsors, and community supporters gathered to celebrate and learn about the vital projects funded this year. Board Chair Carolyn Jabs welcomed attendees and said, “The Women’s Fund is based on a deceptively simple premise: together, when we pool our resources, we can achieve far more than we ever could alone.”
Since its inception, the Women’s Fund has awarded a staggering total of $12,845,000 in grants to 163 programs at 73 nonprofits, positively impacting over 100,000 women, children, and families. This year’s significant grants pool underscores the ongoing commitment of local women to enrich the lives of those in need and strengthen the fabric of south Santa Barbara County.
The 2024-2025 grant recipients listed below will tackle some of the most critical needs facing our community, including the following:
- Support for homeless individuals
- Mental health care initiatives
- Nutritional assistance for seniors
- Educational opportunities for low-income children
- Vision care services
- Reliable transportation for youth
- Hygiene facilities for those in need
Carpinteria Children’s Project – $100,000 to provide scholarships for 20-40 low-income students in CCP’s Dual Language Immersion Program, enhancing kindergarten readiness and supporting families with access to additional resources and services.
Court Appointed Special Advocates of Santa Barbara County – $75,000 for upgrading CASA’s data management system and hiring a full-time data management specialist to improve advocacy for children in foster care.
Channel Islands YMCA – $100,000 to establish the county’s first fully licensed transitional housing program for youth exiting foster care, providing intensive case management and support for nine young adults.
Children’s Resource & Referral of Santa Barbara County – $200,000 over two years to expand their child-care licensing program, guiding 60 women through the licensing process to create up to 480 new licensed child-care spaces in underserved communities.
Domestic Violence Solutions – $100,000 to upgrade security measures at their emergency shelter and long-term housing facility, enhancing safety for 162 clients annually through new fencing, security systems, and training for staff.
Good Samaritan Shelter – $150,000 to purchase a fully equipped food truck, the Good Samwich, providing culinary training program graduates with paid employment while serving 14,000 meals annually to the community.
Mothers’ Helpers – $80,000 over two years to hire a part-time bilingual support center coordinator, enhancing operations to serve over 600 low-income families annually while improving volunteer management and reducing response times for parent requests.
New Beginnings Counseling Center – $150,000 over two years to increase mental health care staffing by hiring a full-time front desk staff member and expanding intake coordinator hours, improving client intake, and reducing wait times for approximately 860 clients annually.
PATH Santa Barbara – People Assisting the Homeless – $110,000 to purchase and install privacy partitions in the women’s dormitory, improving the living conditions for an average of 114 women annually and enhancing their well-being within the shelter.
SEE International – $110,000 to expand the SEE Vision Care Program by hiring additional staff and increasing service days at their Goleta clinic, enabling the organization to serve an additional 1,126 patients and reduce appointment wait times.
Showers of Blessing – $75,000 to purchase a new gas-powered truck base, ensuring reliable transportation for their mobile shower services and enabling continued access to hygiene facilities for 800 clients, providing a total of 7,000 showers each year.
More information about each of these grantees can be found here: https://womensfundsb.org/gifts.html
Membership in the Women’s Fund is open to all women passionate about making a collective impact. To join or learn more, visit www.womensfundsb.org
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