21st Annual Day of Caring
Over 1,500 volunteers participated, including young people from local schools, families, churches, community service groups and workplaces at over 50 sites across the Tri-Counties. The campaign raises pledges to create and operate dozens of community based partnerships focused on achieving community driven 10 year goals in Education, Financial Stability and Health.
At 8 a.m. volunteers gathered at the Ben Page Youth Center and enjoyed a breakfast, which was generously donated by Albertson’s. At the kick-off, the Dos Pueblos Drumline marched into Ben Page Center followed by the Santa Barbara City College Cheer Squad to rally volunteers and create excitement. Congresswoman Lois Capps said a few heartfelt and encouraging words to the volunteers: “you are a community united in caring, you inspire me!” The San Marcos High School Madrigals performed the National Anthem, and Mayor Helene Schneider along with Joanne Funari, United Way of Santa Barbara County Community Campaign Chair and President of Business First Bank, closed the rally. From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. volunteers helped local non-profit agencies with “hands-on” work assignments.
Volunteer sites included Bohnett Park, Dos Pueblos High School (Goleta Valley Beautiful) and Alpha Resource Center. Projects varied between landscape work, planting, painting, habitat restoration and office work throughout Carpinteria, Santa Barbara, Goleta, and Santa Ynez. The work that was done in just four hours equals to more than $275,000 worth of improvements to the Santa Barbara County community.
Kick-off Sponsors for the 21st Annual Day of Caring included Albertsons, Cox, Mentor, Montecito Bank & Trust and Santa Barbara Bank & Trust.
For more information on Day of Caring or United Way of Santa Barbara County, click here.
About United Way of Santa Barbara County
United Way of Santa Barbara County (UWSBC) has the unique and positive vision that “in our community, everyone has a hopeful future.” Since 1923, UWSBC has served Santa Barbara County community through funding, volunteer development, and by utilizing its own unique initiatives that involve dozens of local non-profit and public sector agencies. UWSBC’s local community driven Power of Partnership™ priorities help children, families & seniors with a focus on Education, Income and Health.
