If the name CommUnify doesn’t ring a bell, Patricia Keelean, the nonprofit’s chief executive officer, thinks she knows why. “We are our own best-kept secret,” Keelean said. There’s a good reason for that – CommUnify is actually the new DBA for what used to be called the Community Action Commission of Santa Barbara County – [...more...]
When Rachael Steidl’s daughter started struggling with depression and anxiety in 9th grade, her good grades, sports, charm, and active social life masked the severity of her condition. Teachers overlooked her symptoms, and a therapist [...more...]
Giving List Matching Challenges
Youth Development
On Ellwood Mesa, a second grader watched dolphins crest the waves and whispered, “Pinch me so I know I’m not […more…]
In Santa Barbara County, vulnerable youth face an invisible crossroads every day. Some are on the verge of dropping out […more…]
Homelessness
What does street medicine look like in real life? It looks like compassionate care delivered directly to our unsheltered neighbors […more…]
In the late 1960s, a small group of volunteers in Santa Barbara launched what would become one of the county’s […more…]
Villa Majella is SB County’s only maternity home, providing safe shelter, 24/7 support, transportation, warm meals, and access to vital services. […more…]
Health & Wellness
A dam was just 23 when he suffered a stroke that nearly took his life. He spent two weeks in […more…]
In a world where anxiety and stress affect children at unprecedented rates, one Santa Barbara organization is teaching our youngest […more…]
Cottage Health is entering a new era of innovation while staying true to its mission of providing exceptional, compassionate care. […more…]
For the Environment
NatureTrack Foundation invites the community to its May Special Screening, From Wings to Waves, an inspiring evening of films that […more…]
Dear Giving List Community, As Earth Month invites both reflection and renewed resolve, we’re delighted to share theClientEarth Americas 2025 […more…]
“My goal was always to change the world. You know, nothing too dramatic,” Dr. Sam Dover, co-founder and director of […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…]
In the face of a devastating diagnosis that would break most spirits, 13-year-old Ava Decker chose to fight not just […more…]
In a classroom at Santa Barbara High School, a student named Arturo sat slumped in his chair, disengaged from another […more…]
For the Arts
After a nationwide search, UCSB ended up turning to its own backyard to find the new Miller McCune Executive Director […more…]
A cool breeze blows as a group of students walk through the Carpinteria salt marsh and down to the beach. […more…]
The Santa Barbara Museum of Art has long united people of all ages through inspiring art experiences. In the heart […more…]
For the Animals
“My goal was always to change the world. You know, nothing too dramatic,” Dr. Sam Dover, co-founder and director of […more…]
Wilma Melville founded the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation in 1996, a year after witnessing the dearth of rescue dogs […more…]
In the sun-drenched expanses of Santa Barbara County, where coastal breezes carry whispers of isolation, a white cat named Snow […more…]
Emergency Services
The Search Dog Foundation (SDF) has announced the deployment of seven specialized canine disaster search teams to Washington state as […more…]
Direct Relief has a new President and CEO, Amy Weaver having taken the reins from retiring Thomas Tighe, who over […more…]
Santa Barbara County Search and Rescue (SBCSAR) was ready when an experienced paraglider had an issue with equipment and was […more…]
Education
The first five years of a child’s life lay the foundation for how they’ll do in school and beyond – […more…]
The Central City East neighborhood of Downtown Los Angeles goes by another moniker – one familiar to the public and […more…]
Olive Crest’s Hope Refuge Campus in Santa Barbara County provides a safe place for young survivors of sex trafficking to […more…]
Community Resilience
In an era where technology dominates our daily lives, you might wonder if public libraries still matter. According to Lauren […more…]
On May 20, 2025, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors officially proclaimed the month of May as Search and Rescue Month, honoring the […more…]
Direct Relief navigates the war zones in Ukraine to deliver cystic fibrosis medications, transports Mpox vaccines to clinics in the […more…]
Advocacy
Anybody who has seen a police procedural or legal drama on TV knows that criminal suspects not only have the […more…]
In the early 1940s, Hollywood director George Cukor brought his ailing nephew over from England, along with a nurse. His […more…]
When disasters strike the Central Coast, not everyone has equal access to help. For those in the 805 community who […more…]