At the end of July, Direct Relief President and CEO Thomas Tighe announced his decision to step down from his role at the end of the year after 24 years leading the organization, a period that saw unprecedented expansion of the nonprofit’s critical work to improve the health and lives of people affected by poverty and emergencies around the world. “There’s never a great time to leave a job that you love, but if there [...more...]
If you like stories with humble beginnings told straight from the horse’s mouth, then look no further than the story of the nonprofit Greener Pastures Farm Sanctuary. It’s a heartwarming tale featuring all sorts of [...more...]
Giving List Matching Challenges
Youth Development
When Diego first joined the United Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Barbara County last year, severe separation anxiety made […more…]
FUTURE for Lompoc Youth was born from a passion to empower the next generation of Lompoc residents. Co-founded by Chuck […more…]
The REACH Fellowship is dedicated to serving low-income, first-generation high school students in Santa Barbara County. It combines traditional college […more…]
The Arts
It was just a year ago last November that the Santa Barbara Symphony first took the stage with a rock […more…]
UCSB Arts & Lectures turns denizens of the local community into citizens of the world. “We bring the world to […more…]
The Santa Barbara Museum of Art has a long-standing tradition of uniting people of all ages through a diverse range […more…]
Specialty Compassion Care
In the heart of Santa Barbara, the Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse (CADA) stands as a beacon of hope […more…]
It’s hard to overestimate the importance of communication skills for success in life. It’s something most of us take for […more…]
The word “Parkinson’s” invokes a certain image. If you are the Parkinson Association of Santa Barbara (PASB), the image is […more…]
Homelessness & Housing
For more than four decades, PATH has been a beacon of hope and help for people experiencing homelessness in California. […more…]
Deborah Leigh Stevens, 68, was living on the streets of West Hollywood in 2014, within blocks of her former apartment. […more…]
Lauren was filled with anxiety the night she was discharged from the hospital. Six months pregnant, ill from past substance […more…]
Healthcare
Isabella Valencia has always cared for others, working as a domestic worker and caregiver for 20 years while raising three […more…]
In Lompoc, California, where resources are scarce and needs are great, the Lompoc Valley Community Healthcare Organization (LVCHO) has quietly […more…]
When Abe Lincoln, the executive director of the healthcare clinic Savie Health, gets stressed about running an organization, he sits […more…]
For the Children
Over the past 12 years, the Sonrise Baby Home has saved the lives of more than 450 malnourished, sick, and […more…]
Images of Boy Scouts and kids Scouting are as American as apple pie. But beyond those iconic, timeless images is […more…]
In the first five years of life, a child’s brain will develop to 90% of its capacity, according to the […more…]
Family Well-Being
When Rachael Steidl’s daughter started struggling with depression and anxiety in 9th grade, her good grades, sports, charm, and active […more…]
In a world where the pressures of daily life can feel overwhelming, many families find themselves stretched thin – caring […more…]
Environment
Attention all seniors in North County High Schools. Submissions for next year’s opportunity to earn the $5,000 NatureTrack Foundation’s Nancy […more…]
California’s goal to reach carbon neutrality by 2045 can feel daunting and somewhat elusive. The Community Environmental Council (CEC) believes […more…]
White Buffalo Land Trust (WBLT) is focused on restoring our ecosystem through regenerative agriculture. Their methods represent a paradigm shift, […more…]
Education
When asked why she saved the Santa Barbara Agriculture and Farm Education (SBAFE) Foundation’s farm from development, CEO Leslie Person […more…]
Imagine a high school student in the 90th percentile or higher of their class who is enthusiastic about learning and […more…]
Community Resilience
Direct Relief navigates the war zones in Ukraine to deliver cystic fibrosis medications, transports Mpox vaccines to clinics in the […more…]
A hiker in Santa Barbara’s wilderness hasn’t returned home, a biker crashes off the trail, a runner collapses from dehydration, or […more…]
Animals
Thirty years ago this coming April, FEMA-Certified Canine Search Specialist Wilma Melville and her black lab Murphy spent a week […more…]
The Horse Project Santa Barbara has opened applications for their Better with Horses program for Women Veterans who have served […more…]
How many times has a family stared in slack-jawed wonder as the adorable new family dog tears around and around […more…]
Advocacy
In the early 1940s, Hollywood director George Cukor brought his ailing nephew over from England, along with a nurse. His […more…]
Anybody who has seen a police procedural or legal drama on TV knows that criminal suspects not only have the […more…]
Hillside’s 8th Annual Shining Light on Abilities kicks off on Saturday, December 7th and runs through December 31st at 1235 Veronica Springs Road in Santa Barbara. […more…]