United Way of Santa Barbara County

United for literacy: since 1923, uwsbc has worked in close partnership with local schools, districts, and educators in our community to support students in creating a stronger foundation for academic success. Through direct services and programs, uwsbc works in tandem with local districts to narrow the achievement gap for students in low-resource communities. Uwsbc provides three programs to support students k-12, including the fun in the sun summer learning program, the United learning center tutoring support program, and the early learning success institutes. Within each program is a focus on data-driven academic curriculum, social-emotional learning, and access to the ongoing tools and support that students need to build a brighter future. As the needs of our local community evolve, uwsbc adapts its programmatic infrastructure to best support the students and families we serve. Uwsbc provides three direct service programs within this initiative, including the fun in the sun summer learning program, the United learning center, and the early learning success institutes.

Financial empowerment: uwsc's mission is focused on creating a more resilient community. At the core of this approach is helping local individuals and families build a strong financial foundation to increase their capacity to meet basic needs and achieve long-term financial stability. Uwsbc's financial empowerment initiative includes programs like the volunteer income tax assistance program and the resiliency grants program, which address the obstacles that face those in low-resource communities countywide. With robust partnerships with local school districts, financial institutions, government agencies, corporations, and community organizations, uwsbc connects individuals and families with a robust network of tools and resources to increase income, build savings, and gain and sustain assets.

Fun in the sun: the fun in the sun summer learning program is United Way's largest academic program, with over 25 years of providing hundreds of local students in low-resource communities with a comprehensive network of support throughout the summer. The six-week summer program provides a full spectrum of services, including individualized academic instruction and literacy remediation, field trips and enrichment activities, community engagement and volunteering opportunities, and a robust social-emotional learning curriculum. Fun in the sun serves a total of 400 students from 3rd to 12th grade and their families at six campuses throughout Santa Barbara County, with sites at local schools in carpinteria, goleta, guadalupe, Santa Barbara, and solvang.

Crisis response & recovery: as a result of United Way's expanded focus in the field of crisis response, the organization has magnified its role as a community leader in recovery efforts in response to recent disasters. From the expansion of established educational programming to the development of new programs in areas of basic needs assistance, rent relief, and childcare, United Way leverages a diverse network of partners and resources to quickly adapt to the changing needs of residents in the immediate aftermath and recovery from a disaster. United Way operates in collaboration with local organizations, disaster response officials, and the County of Santa Barbara. United Way remains committed to identifying emerging challenges, establishing dedicated networks of resources and leaders, and investing in new collaborative strategies that directly support families, organizations, and school districts in need.