For one survivor, escaping domestic violence wasn’t the end of the story. It was the beginning of building a new life rooted in safety, independence, and hope. She arrived at Domestic Violence Solutions (DVS) with four children and an uncertain future. Traditional employment meant paying for childcare she couldn’t afford, creating another barrier to providing [...more...]
As the largest generation in American history moves into assisted living, more senior dogs than ever are landing in shelters, rescues, or on the street. They are the dogs people hesitate to adopt: older, sometimes [...more...]
For the Children
Ten years before the World Cup came to Los Angeles, the Play Equity Fund was already asking a question most […more…]
The grandmother started crying almost as soon as she walked into Storyteller’s pantry. She had recently gained full custody of […more…]
DL spent her formative years living on the streets and spending time in and out of juvenile hall. She and […more…]
Advocacy
Currently gun violence is the #1 cause of death for children in the United States. Read that again if you […more…]
In 2012, Seth Rogen and Lauren Miller Rogen launched a fundraiser that they called Hilarity for Charity (HFC). The memorable […more…]
There is a particular kind of loneliness that comes from believing the most essential thing about you must be explained […more…]
Bright Futures
In 1969, a young father in Santa Barbara, unequipped and overwhelmed with his new parental role, shook his six-week-old child […more…]
Sometimes the problem isn’t a shortage of well-meaning nonprofits. It’s that those nonprofits tackling the same problem don’t have the […more…]
Creative Endeavors
For 85 years, Santa Barbara Museum of Art has united people of all ages through inspiring art experiences. Located in […more…]
“Anytime anybody voices a concern about the quality of life that we’re going to be leading, we’re called environmentalists. And […more…]
Every year, UCSB Arts & Lectures brings some of the world’s most celebrated artists and speakers to Santa Barbara, creating […more…]
Critical Response & International Impact
Kerri Murray keeps a photograph that has stayed with her. It’s the face of Esther, a young Nigerian woman whose […more…]
Direct Relief began during a time of war, geopolitical tension, political division, and global economic instability. More than 80 years […more…]
When disasters strike, power is often the first thing communities lose — and one of the most important things they […more…]
Earth First
In 1926, philanthropist Anna Dorinda Blaksley Bliss bought 13 acres of Mission Canyon as a memorial for her father, Henry […more…]
Steelhead trout are the canary in the coal mine of Southern California creeks. They are the harbingers of watershed health. […more…]
Most people picture plastic pollution as floating islands of trash in the ocean or sea turtles tangled in six-pack rings. […more…]
Nature's Advocates
The Gulf of California holds more than a third of all the marine mammal species on earth. UNESCO calls it […more…]
From the Los Padres National Forest to the Channel Islands, the Central Coast of California contains some of the most […more…]
For one survivor, escaping domestic violence wasn’t the end of the story. It was the beginning of building a new […more…]
Education
In 1962, a group of education advocates came together to help area students pay for college or vocational school. Just […more…]
If you ask Sue Eisaguirre what NatureTrack is really about, she won’t begin by talking about trails or field trips. […more…]
Connor was only eight months old when he had his first debilitating seizure. His mother rushed him to the emergency […more…]
For the Animals
A man recently walked into Santa Barbara Humane, prepared to make a heartbreaking decision: surrender one of his two dogs. […more…]
Roughly 85,000 wild horses and burros roam public rangelands across 10 Western states. But their existence is threatened by encroaching […more…]
Bowie had been in a rescue’s care for five months when dog trainer Anthony Sorosky got the call. The German […more…]
Homelessness & Housing
It has been a perfect storm. Santa Barbara County’s unsheltered count has been rising. Santa Barbara County’s public health department […more…]
The phone calls all ended the same way. Older adults who desperately needed to move would ask about the cost, […more…]
On a vacant parking lot in downtown Santa Barbara, a village of small, private rooms rose during the pandemic, built […more…]
Health & Wellness
Joan was a 78-year-old woman in Santa Barbara County living on the street. Joan’s medical condition made unsupported independent living […more…]
Every great center begins with a vision – and the heart to carry it forward. As Cottage Health brings together […more…]
Going to the doctor can quickly become going to several doctors, several offices, and several appointments. Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics […more…]