One of Santa Barbara’s longest-running community-organized festivals, our Earth Day celebration is also one of the oldest in the country, and among the largest on the West Coast. Santa Barbara is widely acknowledged as the birthplace of Earth Day, as it was the infamous 1969 oil well blowout that kickstarted the U.S. environmental movement into high gear. At the time, the spill was the largest in the nation’s history, a disaster that spewed more than [...more...]
Santa Barbara Humane, founded in 1887, was one of the first animal welfare agencies in the country, opening nearly seven decades before the national organization began. Even though Santa Barbara Humane has been around for [...more...]
Giving List Matching Challenges
Youth Development
Roxana Petty is understandably proud that AHA! is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2024, marking a quarter-century since the nonprofit’s […more…]
It might seem disingenuous to employ the expression “a blessing in disguise” when it comes to Covid. But the truth […more…]
A child is a sponge, soaking up experiences and building a worldview. These foundational beginnings are formative. These beginnings can […more…]
The Arts
Who are we? The Visual Arts and Design Academy (VADA) at Santa Barbara High School is a unique “school within […more…]
Throughout its history, the Santa Barbara Museum of Art has been bringing people of all ages through a broad array […more…]
Like all arts organizations, the Santa Barbara Symphony was hit hard by the Covid pandemic, as theaters everywhere were forced […more…]
Social Justice
Blind Lady Justice’s proffered balance scales make an eternal and sacrosanct point: Everyone is equal before the law and will […more…]
On a recent morning at Holocaust Museum LA (HMLA), Betsy, a docent, was leading a tour group of 20 LA […more…]
Over the last couple of years, the Community Environmental Council (CEC) has dramatically increased its efforts to combat climate change […more…]
Homelessness & Housing
New Beginnings’ Safe Parking program turned 20 earlier this year, a milestone you need to celebrate. On the other hand, […more…]
New Beginnings has an ambitious and lofty goal for 2025: ending veteran homelessness in Santa Barbara County. It’s not a […more…]
In 2015, Casa Esperanza joined forces with PATH, a statewide nonprofit that for 40 years has provided services to more […more…]
Global Reach
More than one billion people worldwide live with treatable vision loss due to a lack of quality eye care. While […more…]
In the wake of Maui’s tragic 2023 wildfires, relief organizations and the goodwill of the world at large poured into […more…]
In November 2022, a tornado tore through Idabel, Oklahoma, demolishing dozens of buildings, including the Kiamichi Family Medical Center. It’s […more…]
Giving Paws
Santa Barbara Humane, founded in 1887, was one of the first animal welfare agencies in the country, opening nearly seven […more…]
In the wake of Maui’s tragic 2023 wildfires, relief organizations and the goodwill of the world at large poured into […more…]
Foster Care
“With Wayfinder, we don’t feel like my son has a disability. We feel like everyone else.” This is the gift […more…]
When Gina was preparing to adopt a baby girl, she experienced a rush of thrilling emotions that comes with going […more…]
For the Children
Victoria and Bill Strong brought their baby home with that mix of gratitude and indescribable joy – the heart-squeezing hallmarks […more…]
As centennial celebrations go, the commemoration may not be as center-of-attention as that of the Granada Theatre or Old Spanish […more…]
Until a person can eat, sleep, and have a roof over one’s head, their mental and physical energy is consumed […more…]
Family Well-Being
Family Service Agency (FSA) of Santa Barbara County, also known as Santa Maria Valley Youth and Family Center and Guadalupe’s […more…]
A teenager is much more than a preincarnate adult. The average teen’s roiling hormones and fraught search for self are […more…]
Blind Lady Justice’s proffered balance scales make an eternal and sacrosanct point: Everyone is equal before the law and will […more…]
Environment
One of the most iconic public gardens in the world, Lotusland is a 37-acre wonderland of more than 20 distinct […more…]
Over the last couple of years, the Community Environmental Council (CEC) has dramatically increased its efforts to combat climate change […more…]
At a moment when news about the fate of the Earth may seem apocalyptic, White Buffalo Land Trust is providing […more…]
Education
Santa Barbara Ritecare Language Center is now accepting applications to this summer’s Camp Chit Chat! Follow this link to apply! […more…]
Most locals are probably aware of the best Santa Barbara place to visit every Memorial Day weekend for a glimpse […more…]
NatureTrack took a field trip to Pismo Beach and we’ve got the pics to prove it! While you’re checking out […more…]
Community Treasures
One of the most iconic public gardens in the world, Lotusland is a 37-acre wonderland of more than 20 distinct […more…]
In every great city is a community park that serves as its beating heart. Elings Park in Santa Barbara has […more…]
The California Missions matter. Historic preservation keeps alive our history and it allows us to remember the stories and experiences […more…]
Community Resilience
Blind Lady Justice’s proffered balance scales make an eternal and sacrosanct point: Everyone is equal before the law and will […more…]
When M.E.R.R.A.G. was formed in 1987 as Montecito Emergency Response and Recovery Action Group, the uber-local organization started serving a […more…]
Roxana Petty is understandably proud that AHA! is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2024, marking a quarter-century since the nonprofit’s […more…]
Advocacy
Anyone who has ever watched a police drama on television in the last 50 years is familiar with the fact […more…]
In the world of TV and cinema, being shot with a handgun often has the fallout of a stubbed toe […more…]
Hillside Santa Barbara is hosting two upcoming events so start marking those calendars! On April 6th, Hillside will be hosting […more…]