United Way of Santa Barbara County

Funds over 80 local non-profits & initiatives; online volunteer match find an org. that fits your interests & availability. Participate in DAY OF CARING!

United Way of Santa Barbara County (UWSBC) has been serving the local community since 1923. UWSBC currently funds over 80 local non-profits as well as a variety of our own unique initiatives, such as Fun in the Sun (a summer enrichment program for poverty-level and homeless children), Volunteer SBC! (a website which puts volunteers in communication with organizations), Day of Caring (a community-wide day of volunteering each September), and our Pre-Kindergarten Institutes (which prepares young children for entering Kindergarten).

UWSBC seeks to create lasting, meaningful solutions rather than cosmetic remedies to community problems through our Power of Partnership and by connecting and empowering local resources. Our focus is to support four key segments: successful children and teens, strong families, vital and independent seniors, and a better community. United with community leaders, volunteers, non-profits and businesses, we can provide a hopeful future for everyone in Santa Barbara County.

DAY OF CARING

An opportunity to give back to the community through a morning of helping out the various nonprofits in our community.Following the Kick-Off BreakfastatBen Page Youth Center, teams of volunteers and families from across the county will gather to complete much needed tasks such as painting, landscaping, gardening, sorting goods and general repairs. SIGN UP >

Fun in the Sun

Fun in the Sun is a 6 week summer learning program for local academically and financially at-risk children and families. It is Santa Barbara Countys oldest and largest public/private partnership dedicated to long-term improvement in the lives of low-income children and families. In 2012, FITSwas named the winner of the National Excellence in Summer Learning Award by the National Summer Learning Association.

The program directly addresses summer learning loss and the achievement gap between low-income students and their middle/upper-income peers. Fun in the Sun does this through hands-on, project-based lessons, utilizing the best services and ideas from more than 70 local public and private organizations. SIGN UP>

ADDITIONAL VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

UNITED WAY has many opportunities ranging from mentoring youth to administrative needs in the office. Lunch Bunch Mentors needed during the summers for an hour. Sign up to become an IRS certified tax preparer for the tax season & support low income families prepare their taxes. Participate in DAY OF CARING that happens every September teams of volunteers and families from across the county will gather to complete much needed tasks such as painting, landscaping, gardening, sorting goods and general repairs.