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SANTA BARBARA, CA – Angels Foster Care celebrated its 13th annual Al Fresco Luncheon on Thursday, April 30, at the beautiful Glen Annie Golf Club. Bringing community members and supporters together, the heartfelt afternoon raised over $135,000 to benefit local foster infants and toddlers, as well as kinship families in the Family & Friends Together Program (FFTP). The event carried special historical significance this year, as the organization proudly commemorated 20 years of community impact since the very first Angels baby was placed into a loving Angels home in 2006.
The idyllic, outdoor afternoon featured live acoustic guitar music by Michael Holland, adding a soulful touch to the unforgettable event. Guests participated in a vibrant raffle featuring generous prize drawings from prominent local businesses, including Moxi Museum, J.McLaughlin Montecito, SALT Cave, Coast 2 Coast Collection, Evolutions Day Spa and more. A special Golden Raffle also offered attendees the chance to win luxury experiences generously donated by The Ritz-Carlton Bacara and Rosewood Miramar Beach.
Angels Foster Care founder Meichelle Arntz and Board President Lori Baur served as co-emcees for the afternoon, welcoming guests and sharing the agency’s ongoing impact. Later in the program, a current Angels resource family took the stage to share a deeply moving, personal story of their fostering journey. Local personality Andrew Firestone then energized the crowd as the guest emcee for a highly successful paddle raise.
One hundred and twenty guests attended the luncheon. Highlighting the stakes of the organization’s mission, board member Kelley Barragan shared, “age 0-5 is a critical developmental stage which can heavily impact an individual’s health, ability to learn, and succeed in school and life. Angel’s Foster Care provides safe, stable, and loving homes for the most vulnerable babies and toddlers in our community who have experienced abuse, neglect, or abandonment. Angels Foster Care Parents are provided the tools and guidance from compassionate and highly skilled social workers to support and nurture these young children with the very best care.”
The success of the 13th Annual Al Fresco Luncheon was made possible by its generous event partners, including the Walman-Randall Family, Bickett Family, Steve Lyons, Kayne Anderson Rudnick Wealth Advisors, Holly and Bob Murphy, CenCal Health, Cottage Health, Deckers Brands, Franzen and Franzen, and Fidelity National Title Group Santa Barbara.
The Angels Fundraising Committee was co-chaired by Board Member and former Executive Director Holly Carmody alongside KC Adornetto. The dedicated planning committee included Lori Akers, Danielle Bolster, Charlotte Cross, Annie Kimball, Summer Knight-Wahlberg, Natalie Kunes, Holly Murphy, Shannon Neels, Christy Philip, Erin Moy Vik, Penny Wolfe, Brigitte Wright, and Carey Zimmerman.
Since 2006, Angels Foster Care have placed 332 infants and toddlers in loving Angels Foster Care homes. Additionally, 169 of these children have been adopted by their Angels parents, 59 children were reunified with their parents, and 99 children were placed with an extended family home.
Since March 2023, the Family & Friends Together Program has served 164 children and 94 kinshipfamilies. Angels Foster Care serves Santa Barbara County infants and toddlers from birth through age three, and their siblings up to age five, matching each child with a single, well-trained resource family to ensure healthy attachment and developmental stability.
All proceeds from the Al Fresco Luncheon directly support the care, safety, and emotional well- being of these vulnerable local children. For more information about becoming an Angels resource parent, donating, or volunteering, please visit http://www.angelsfostercare.org or call 805-884-0012.
