LEAP Celebrates One Year Anniversary of New Name
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Goleta, Calif., May 13, 2024 — On May 10th, LEAP: Learn. Engage. Advocate. Partner. celebrated the one-year anniversary of its new name. Formerly Isla Vista Youth Project (IVYP), LEAP is a prominent child care agency that has been supporting Goleta families for over 50 years.
“I can’t believe it has been a year since we became LEAP. So many good things have happened in that time. By changing our name to LEAP, we could think differently about our work,” said Lori Goodman, Executive Director of LEAP.
LEAP’s programs include 0-5 early childhood care and education, and Family Resource Center resources for immigration support, community workshops, monthly food distribution, emergency food pantry and more. LEAP founded and operates the only Diaper Bank in Santa Barbara County, which has provided nearly 200,000 diapers since 2021, serving hundreds of families countywide from Santa Maria, Lompoc to Carpinteria.
“When we first started looking at our data back in 2022, we learned that about 20% of our families live in Isla Vista proper, 60% in Goleta, with others in Santa Barbara and north of Goleta,” said Goodman. “We learned during the pandemic that geography did not need to be a barrier for us, and that we could reach even more families.”
The new name has allowed LEAP to expand its impact beyond Goleta. LEAP is poised open a third branch of its Children’s Center at the Trinity Church of the Nazarene in Lompoc. The new center will serve up to 52 children annually, ages 3 months to 5 years old. LEAP aims to open the facilities fall of 2024. This exciting development marks a significant stride toward fulfilling the increasing need for affordable and high-quality child care services in the Central Coast community.
“Becoming LEAP has opened up doors and allowed us to tell our story to more people. I am so proud of our roots in Isla Vista and our potential for growth throughout Santa Barbara County,” said Goodman
About LEAP
LEAP: Learn. Engage. Advocate. Partner. mitigates the effects of poverty, racism, and trauma by providing high-quality, trauma-informed child care, comprehensive, culturally sensitive family support, and visionary community leadership.
We envision a community where children are loved, valued, and respected and families are supported to reach their highest potential. For more information, visit www.leapcentralcoast.org
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