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We Did It Again, Together!
What an extraordinary year for the Women’s Fund. Our 15th anniversary year reinforced the power of collective philanthropy, which is the Women’s Fund’s greatest strength.
Although we’re still auditing our numbers, it looks as though we have met our goal of collecting at least $600,000 to be distributed to deserving nonprofits this spring! That’s $600,000 from us—from you!—to help local women, children and families. And it will bring our total grants since 2004 to more than $7.8 million.
We welcomed 195 new members in 2019. Our membership is now nearly 1,100 women strong! Our founders—sitting around that kitchen table 15 years ago—never envisioned growth like this.
We achieved another milestone this year as well. We have transitioned from operating as a field of interest fund of the Santa Barbara Foundation to operating as a fully independent nonprofit organization. We thank the Foundation for its ongoing support over the past 15 years and look forward to a productive working relationship going forward.
Our new Board of Directors was elected in December and began their terms on January 1, 2020. Click here to read bios of the Board. We are fortunate to have such a talented group of women leading the Women’s Fund in our first year of independent operations.
The Women’s Fund Research Committee is moving swiftly to finalize the 2019-20 nonprofit candidates to be considered for funding this year. Please mark your calendars with important dates that will lead to the announcement of our new grantees on May 6. (See story below.)
We sincerely want to thank you all—long-time members and new friends—who made our 2019 membership year such a success. We can now change more lives together!
Laurie Tumbler
Board Chair
Mark your Calendars…
…for these important 2020 Women’s Fund dates.
- March 6 – Ballot information package emailed to all 2019 Women's Fund members. This important package provides descriptions of potential 2019-20 grantees to inform our voting.
- March 10 – Ballot Review Meeting at New Vic Theatre. Learn more about the ballot choices from the research committee.
- March 11 – Ballots emailed by Survey Monkey to all eligible voters (Individual Members and Group Captains), including a link to cast electronic votes.
- March 11-28 – Window for voting. Group Captains host meetings with their groups to discuss the ballot and decide on how to cast their group votes.
- March 28 – Deadline for electronic voting by eligible voters.
- May 6 – 16th annual Celebration of Grants reception late afternoon at the First Presbyterian Church. We will announce and celebrate our new 2019-20 grantees.
Open House at Noah’s Anchorage
Noah’s Anchorage Youth Crisis Shelter has reopened after extensive renovations partially funded by a 2017 Women’s Fund grant of $65,000. Part of the Channel Islands YMCA’s Youth and Family Services, Noah’s provides homeless and runaway youth ages 12 to 17 with temporary shelter, along with basic needs and crisis resolution assistance, counseling for youth and families, and 24-hour hotline assistance. A November Open House celebration was attended by more than 100 guests.
A New Kitchen for Sarah House
Sarah House Executive Director Susan Murray, Ferguson Outside Sales Representative Michelle Jansen and Showroom Manager Caralyn de Jong.
A kitchen renovation at Sarah House was recently completed thanks to a Women’s Fund grant of $95,000 this past year, along with substantial discounts on appliances from Women’s Fund sponsor Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery.
“A serendipitous moment with this project,” says Ferguson’s Michelle Jansen, “was the day we needed to remove the old stove and learned that the Santa Barbara Rescue Mission was in need of a commercial range and would be thrilled with the donation. We called our delivery team who drove from Ventura to Santa Barbara that day to pick up and deliver the stove to the Rescue Mission.” The Rescue Mission was a 2018 Women’s Fund grantee.
For 28 years, Sarah House has been the only facility providing 24-hour residential hospice care for vulnerable, low-income and homeless individuals with terminal illnesses. The Women’s Fund grant funded a complete renovation of the kitchen including new appliances, plumbing, counters, cabinets and flooring.
“We are grateful to the Women’s Fund and Ferguson for their support,” says Sarah House Executive Director, Susan Murray. “Having a fully functioning kitchen provides a warm nurturing place where staff, friends and family can prepare and share food, giving comfort to people at the end of life.”
Membership Corner
New Members, New Groups, Happy New Year!
Thanks to all of you, the Women’s Fund has blown right past the goal of 120 new members for 2019! As of midnight on December 31, we had 195 new members—195 of your friends and neighbors that you have invited to join you in supporting our community.
Welcome to our newest members who have joined since mid-November: Emily Allen, Britt Andreatta, Holly Armour, Meichelle Arntz, Monica Babich, Mary Becker, Ashley Blevins, Susan Block, Marianne Bloom, Susan Bogue Myslik, Jessica Bowman, Elizabeth Bowman, Lindsay Broekemeier, Teresa Cahalan, Geri Campopiano, Korey Capozza, Lisa Carlos, Marybeth Carty, Geri Carty, Hilary Chapman, Diana Charles, Danuta Charwat-McCall, Jill Chase, Judith Cleary, Janey Cohen, Bonnie Crouse, Deborah Dentler, Danielle DeSmeth, Summer Dolatta, Donna Downs, Brook Eiler, Dawn Fargas, Cindy Feinberg, Monica Fishman, Carey Fitzgerald, Tina Frontado, Jennifer Gagne, Jen Gamble, Rachelle Garcia, Roberta Goldenbee, Jessica Graham, Candice Hedrick, Barbara Hoyt, Cindy Hughes, Ellen Johnson, Sharyn Johnson, Terry Kleid, Carol Koch, Claire Krock, Marcy Luikart, Patricia MacKinnon, Barbara Marx, Kate McGuinness, Lorraine McIntire, Amanda McIntyre, Holly McKenna, Rachel Michaelson, Karen Mora, Holly Murphy, Grace Neumann, Beth Ohanian, Bonnie Paul, Tiffany Pelletier, Michelle Perry, Sue Pilkington, Linda Proud, Barbara Rack, Pamela Regan, Jeannette Root, Laura Roth, Gloria Rubin, Leslie Ruffalo, Amrita Salm, Roberta Sengelmann, Janet Smith, Nasanin Sohrabi, Richeon Solis-Herman, Carolyn Styler, Jamie Throgmorton, Sophia Torrey, Kathryn Walper Henry, Karen Walsh, Donna Weinstein, Crystal Wyatt and Deann Zampelli.
Some of our new members have joined with friends and formed new Women’s Fund Groups. We are very excited to have welcomed 11 new Women’s Fund groups in 2019: ACT LOCAL, BLUFF FRIENDS, GET FOCUSED, GIVING BACK SB, HEAR OUR VOICE, HEARTS OF CARPINTERIA, HOPE RANCH LIVING, IKIGAI, M&M, MARIKA’S GROUP, PAYING FORWARD.
A Date to Remember: February 13
We hope all of our new members and their Group Captains will be able to attend a welcome reception at Garden Court on Thursday, February 13 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
The invitation to the new member reception was sent on January 5th. If you are a new member or a Group Captain with new members in your group and have not received your invitation, please contact the Membership Committee.
 
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