Gifts, Party Brighten Holiday for Foster Children

The holidays can be a difficult time for foster children who are living away from their birth families. Our annual gift drive and holiday party made the holidays a little brighter for those children.

19 Children Adopted in One Day

Stuffed animals, tears of joy, and snapshot-taking aunties abounded at a festive gathering at the Santa Maria juvenile courthouse November 30, as 19 children exited foster care and were welcomed to the hope, love and care of adoptive homes. The event was part of National Adoption Month, a nationwide event that encourages people to become adoptive parents. 

Packed Up, Ready to Learn

WCBN members surround DSS Deputy Director Delfino Neira with good vibes...and backpacks.

Imagine being a kid on your first day back at school, and not having a backpack or school supplies…maybe because you don’t have parents looking out for you. Thanks in part to a local nonprofit’s donation of 48 spiffy new backpacks and school supplies, youth in our foster care system didn’t find themselves short of those school tools when the school year began.

DSS Employees Give Big to Charity

Students using Reading Plus software

DSS employees pledged $32,848 to local nonprofits this year through the annual United Way Charitable Giving Campaign—supporting programs right here in our own community to increase reading ability in children, improve access to health care, educate low-income families on financial planning, and more. The funds, donated by 154 DSS employees in a campaign ending October 28, represent a $2000 increase over last year’s total.

20th Annual Day of Caring

It was a Saturday in Santa Barbara, but these folks weren’t planning a day at the beach – instead, the team of 45 volunteers from the Santa Barbara County Department of Social Services got up early and got to work on community beautification projects.  

Paid Work Experience Program: a win-win-win

Santa Barbara County's Paid Work Experience (PWEX) program, a limited-term subsidized employment program, had a very successful run from September 2009 to September 2010. The program proved to be a winner for employees, employers, and the community, and led to ongoing employment for many participants.

Transportation Assistance Program: Road to Recovery

We all need transportation…to get to school, or get to work, or find work, and so on. But if you’re struggling financially, then feeding your family comes before dealing with car expenses.  Unfortunately, if repairs go unmade, or tickets or insurance go unpaid, then pretty soon you’re off the road and out of luck: the car won’t run, or it gets impounded, or you’re not allowed to renew your license and registration. Things can go downhill quickly from there. 

That’s where the AUTO (ARRA Utilization for Transportation Opportunities) program came in.

A Job for the Summer, Skills for Life

At the height of the recession, when it was almost impossible for a young person to find any kind of job, the 420 youth of the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) earned more than one million dollars in wages, while gaining invaluable work and life experience.

Job Training Program Changes Lives

Hundreds of local adults and dislocated workers have benefited from job skill training, thanks to American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds associated with the Workforce Investment Act (WIA).