In the heart of Summerland, a small farm is making a big impact on Santa Barbara County's food-insecure residents. Sweet Wheel Summerland Farm, operated by the Santa Barbara Agriculture and Farm Education Foundation (SBAFEF), continues to grow its mission of providing clean, chemical-free food to those in need while fostering community engagement and sustainable farming practices. Founded in response to the 2018 Montecito Debris Flow that left Summerland cut off from food supplies, Sweet Wheel Farms has evolved into a vital [...more...]
In 2000, Judy Koch learned something surprising about many of the workers in her sheet metal factory in Fremont, California: They didn’t read books with their kids. As a former junior high English teacher now [...more...]
Giving List Matching Challenges
Youth Development
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…]
Chuck Madson knows a lot about the possible consequences of believing that your opportunities are limited. A Central Coast native, […more…]
The Arts
It was just a year ago last November that the Santa Barbara Symphony first took the stage with a rock […more…]
The Santa Barbara Museum of Art has a long-standing tradition of uniting people of all ages through a diverse range […more…]
When Amada Cruz took over as Santa Barbara Museum of Art’s new Robert and Mercedes Eichholz Director and CEO about […more…]
Specialty Compassion Care
April is always a big time of year for the Parkinson Association of Santa Barbara (PASB). That’s when the very […more…]
Camp Chit Chat is a fun and socially interactive camp for children aged 3 ½ to 6 years old with […more…]
It’s hard to overestimate the importance of communication skills for success in life. It’s something most of us take for […more…]
Homelessness & Housing
Deborah Leigh Stevens, 68, was living on the streets of West Hollywood in 2014, within blocks of her former apartment. […more…]
A man in his 40s with tears in his eyes walked into Santa Barbara’s New Beginnings Counseling Center late one […more…]
Lauren was filled with anxiety the night she was discharged from the hospital. Six months pregnant, ill from past substance […more…]
Healthcare
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…]
Isabella Valencia has always cared for others, working as a domestic worker and caregiver for 20 years while raising three […more…]
For the Children
Thirty-seven years after its founding in the parking lot at Transition House – where the goal was simply to create […more…]
Just over a dozen years ago, the Sonrise Baby Home in Uganda was started by a young woman named Damali […more…]
Images of Boy Scouts and kids Scouting are as American as apple pie. But beyond those iconic, timeless images is […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
NatureTrack Foundation, founded by Sue Eisaguirre in 2011, began with a clear vision: to bridge the gap between K-12 students […more…]
Sue Eisaguirre, founder and Executive Director of NatureTrack wanted to document and give a huge thank you to all the […more…]
Eighteen months ago, White Buffalo Land Trust (WBLT) celebrated the culmination of its year-long pilot of the organization’s Artist in […more…]
Education
For a nonprofit whose main asset is a modest seven-acre farm in Summerland known as Sweet Wheel Farms, the Santa […more…]
In the heart of Summerland, a small farm is making a big impact on Santa Barbara County’s food-insecure residents. Sweet Wheel Summerland Farm, […more…]
Imagine a high school student in the 90th percentile or higher of their class who is enthusiastic about learning and […more…]
Community Resilience
Santa Barbara County Search and Rescue (SBCSAR), established decades ago by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department to provide vital […more…]
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
Dear readers, meet Dinkey, the potbellied pig with one hell of a story. Destined for an early date with the […more…]
If you like stories with humble beginnings told straight from the horse’s mouth, then look no further than the story […more…]
How many times has a family stared in slack-jawed wonder as the adorable new family dog tears around and around […more…]
Advocacy
ACCESS REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE has been helping people gain access to abortion and reproductive care for 30 years. As the only […more…]
Anybody who has seen a police procedural or legal drama on TV knows that criminal suspects not only have the […more…]
With the anniversary of Roe v. Wade having just passed on January 22, ACCESS Reproductive Justice wants to remind their […more…]