Events & News

Announcement –July 16, 2008

In its first year, the Women’s Fund of Northern Santa Barbara County surprised three local non-profits—Catholic Charities, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), and Good Samaritan Shelter—with grants totaling $55,000 at its presentation reception Wednesday, July 16, at the Historic Santa Maria Inn.

Chairperson Lawnae Hunter presented a $15,000 check to Catholic Charities for its weekly mobile food distribution program and its monthly satellite FDA food distributions at Guadalupe and Cuyama. The Women’s Fund $15,000 gift to CASA provides additional funding for its staff to increase the number of volunteers in the community to serve as advocates for an additional 100 children. Good Samaritan received $25,000 for a new van for its Project PREMIE, allowing the staff to transfer the existing van to the new program in Lompoc.

For the last year a dozen or so local women met monthly as an advisory committee to create this charitable giving circle in partnership with Northern Santa Barbara County United Way. Hunter explained, “There is a growing cadre of charitable giving circles nationally that gather women interested in philanthropy and enable them to pool their money and time so that they can have a bigger financial impact than they would by donating individually.” Some experts estimate that over 390 such groups exist, and most have formed since 2000.

Since October over 50 women have joined the fund by contributing $500 each or by forming a group to collectively pay the membership fee. A special group contributed $1000 each to become founding members, entitling them to name recognition on all of the fund’s materials in perpetuity. The membership recognized 19 women as an honorary advisory committee for their continued leadership and philanthropic endeavors benefiting the community.

As its mission states, the Women’s Fund responds to the community most urgent needs by making substantial gifts in North County. In March, the Fund’s Research Committee asked the members to determine the community needs that they were most interested in supporting. The membership selected unstable housing (foster care, homelessness), health, and education. Based upon these fields of interest, the Research Committee investigated organizations and programs that fit within those interests and presented a ballot to the members in June.

A grant for administrative costs from the Orfalea Fund, which focuses on collaboration between organizations and collective funding on community issues, enabled the Fund to return all of its membership dollars to the North County programs. Judy Hearn and Blanche Hollingsead generously hosted the presentation reception.

Much of the credit for the formation of the Women’s Fund in North County goes to Raynette Cornejo, Vice President, Resource Development, United Way. Having worked with other women’s funds, Cornejo wanted to offer women here the opportunity to become forces of change. She stated, “We all know that for centuries women have pooled money, gathered clothing and food, and worked together to meet the needs of their community.”

With a goal of adding 45 new members for 2008-2009and establishing a larger fund, the Women’s Fund of Northern Santa Barbara County should have greater success in meeting the needs of the women, children, and families in North County.