15th annual Fashion Show & Luncheon will take place Nov. 29 at Rosewood Miramar Beach
Annette Shimada for St. Vincents Santa Barbara
November 9, 2025 | 9:00 am
When Alicia arrived at St. Vincent’s Santa Barbara homeless with young children, she never imagined that five years later she would return as a staff member, guiding other mothers through the same journey that transformed her life.
Yet that’s what happened when the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara invested $100,000 in St. Vincent’s since 2023, part of $270,000 the organization has granted since 2016.
The funds didn’t just support another staff position, they created an innovative model gaining traction across social services nationwide: those who’ve walked the path now lead others through it.
“Alicia knows firsthand what our mothers face because she lived it,” said Rosa Paredes, CEO of St. Vincent’s. “Her presence on our team as a peer support specialist has already strengthened outcomes for families in the program. That’s the power of strategic philanthropic investment.”
The results support this approach. Since implementing peer support, St. Vincent’s has seen 52 families graduate to permanent housing and employment in four years, with participants increasing monthly income by an average of $600 — a 14% improvement that changes everything for a family in crisis.
The Women’s Fund’s investment represents more than traditional grant-making. By funding staff positions rather than one-time expenses, their grants create lasting infrastructure.
The organization’s model emphasizes measurable outcomes and sustainable systems — an approach that has distributed nearly $13 million to nonprofits across south Santa Barbara County since 2004.
For St. Vincent’s 27-month Family Strengthening Program, which has been helping homeless single mothers and their young children since 1996, the peer support position enables earlier program engagement.
When mothers arrive at St. Vincent’s, they see someone who succeeded and believe they can, too.
“At St. Vincent’s, I wasn’t my tragedy,” shares one graduate who participated in the organization’s 2024 Annual Fashion Show & Luncheon. “I was a mom who loved her child and a woman learning to be independent.”
Alicia’s journey will come full circle on Saturday, Nov. 29, when she serves as keynote speaker at St. Vincent’s Fashion Show & Luncheon at Rosewood Miramar Beach.
She’ll address an audience that includes the philanthropists whose investment made her position possible, a testament to the ripple effects of strategic giving.
Joining her will be Elizabeth, who graduates from the program in February 2026. After a difficult separation left her without housing, she was referred to St. Vincent’s from Transition House.
Nearly two years later, she is completing her first semester at California Lutheran University, pursuing a psychology degree while working two jobs.
“For nearly 30 years, our Family Strengthening Program has proven that with comprehensive support, even the most vulnerable families can transform their lives,” said Paredes. “Women like Alicia and Elizabeth represent everything we believe about human potential.”
The annual luncheon, founded 15 years ago by long-term supporters Claudia Lash and Pat Lupo, has raised significant funds to support
The event brings together community supporters, showcases women’s fashion from (IN)LARKIN collections in Los Olivos with children’s styles provided by Wildflower Women’s Boutique – Sandbox Kids.
The event also features beloved local personalities Tracy Lehr of KEYT and Drew “Mr. Santa Barbara” Wakefield as co-emcees.
The comprehensive Family Strengthening Program offers transitional housing, case management, job training, parenting classes, childcare, and therapy, helping women develop the skills and confidence to break cycles of intergenerational poverty.
In the past four years alone, program participants have achieved milestones:
One young mother attended SBCC accounting classes while her toddler thrived in St. Vincent’s Early Childhood Education Center.
A domestic violence survivor escaped a life-threatening relationship and is now working toward becoming a criminal defense attorney.
“You gave me a lifeline; you gave me my child back,” said a mother reunited with her baby within 45 days of entering the program.
St. Vincent’s 15th Annual Fashion Show & Luncheon will be at Rosewood Miramar Beach, Montecito. The event includes a gourmet luncheon, silent auction featuring custom gift baskets and experiences, raffle prizes, and student volunteers from Bishop Garcia Diego High School.
Early bird tickets are $125 through Nov. 15; Regular tickets are $150. Tables of 10 available.
Reservations accepted until Monday, Nov. 24.
For tickets and information, visit St Vincents Santa Barbara’s special events page or contact Gladis Barboza at 805-683-6381 ext. 155 or gladis.barboza@sv-sb.org.
Sponsors include American Riviera Bank and Chumash Casino, with presentation sponsor Claudia Lash and honoree sponsor Pat Lupo.
Founded in 1858, St. Vincent’s Santa Barbara is the oldest continuously operating nonprofit service agency in Santa Barbara County.
Serving more than 600 individuals daily across its 21-acre campus, St. Vincent’s provides transitional housing for homeless single mothers; early childhood education; affordable housing for families and seniors; and operates the Father Virgil Cordano Center, Santa Barbara’s only day center for people experiencing homelessness.
For more, visit www.stvincents-sb.org or www.womensfundsb.org.