The Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara (WFSB) held its 21st year anniversary event, “Celebration of Grants” at the Lobero Theatre on Tuesday, May 20. There were over 500 in attendance including members and their guests.
This year, the WFSB provided $1.25 million in grants to eleven local nonprofits, the funding provided by its 1,426 women members.
Pre-event with WFSB Kerry Parker and new Board Chair Carolyn Jabs in the Green Room (photo by Joanne A Calitri)
The WFSB provides grants for the local organizations that support women, children and the homeless. The WFSB board declares its mission to research, vet, and provide grants with follow through on grant funding use to nonprofit organizations, many of whom return for follow-up grants to continue to serve the community. The WFSB all women all volunteer led organization states that funds raised are used at 94 cents per dollar, so less than a 10% admin fee goes to part-time contractor services for financial and IT management.
New Board Chair Carolyn Jabs welcomed attendees to the annual event. She talked about the organization, how grantees are selected and invited guests to join. Jabs, “We are the largest giving circle in the U.S., and we believe the power of collective giving expands to collective doing.” Thanks went to their sponsors and longtime members Carole MacElhenny and Fran Adams who support the WFSB education programs and operations.
Next was a slide presentation for each of the grantees, and a brief statement from their executives about where the grants are being used. The phrase of the evening was, “how transformational the funding is to their project.”
The eleven fortunate grantees this year are:
– $100,000 to Carpinteria Children’s Project for scholarships, accepted by Executive Director Teresa Alvarez.
– $75,000 to Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of SBC for upgrading the data management system and hiring a full time data management specialist, accepted by Executive Director Kim Colby Davis.
– $100,000 to Channel Islands YMCA for establishment of SBC’s first fully licensed transitional housing program for youth exiting foster care, accepted by Chief Operations Officer Jennifer Heinen-Stiffler.
– $200,000 to Children’s Resource and Referral SBC to expand child-care licensing program for 60 women, accepted by CEO Michelle Lee Graham.
– $100,000 to Domestic Violence Solutions to upgrade security measures at their emergency shelter and long-term housing for clients and staff, Director of Development Tina Ballue.
– $150,000 to Good Samaritan Shelter to purchase a fully equipped food truck, the Good Sandwich, to provide culinary training with paid employment while serving meals to those in need, Executive Director Sylvia Barnard.
– $80,000 to Mothers’ Helpers to hire a bilingual part time support center coordinator for two years, Executive Director Michelle Erickson.
– $150,000 to New Beginnings Counseling Center over two years to increase mental health care staffing, Clinical Director Shana Burns.
– $110,000 to PATH SB to purchase and install privacy partitions in the women’s dorm, Regional Director Liz Adams.
– $110,000 to SEE International to expand the SEE Vision Care Program, Vice President of Programs Arianna Castellanos.
– $75,000 to Showers of Blessing SB to purchase a news gas powered truck base for their mobile shower services providing hygiene to the homeless, Executive Director John Tamiazzo.
The event concluded with thanks and an invitation from Board Vice Chair Lauren Trujillo; “We are not standing still, we are committed to doing this. Please join us.”