Category: Family

CSU Channel Islands English student uses her grant-writing skills to help rescue dogs

CAMARILLO — The power of the written word enabled CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) English alumna Tracy Moore to procure a new van to transport dogs to and from Santa Paula’s Canine Adoption & Rescue League, or CARL.

With what she learned in English Lecturer Rachael Jordan’s Introduction to Grant Writing class, Moore was able to write a grant that resulted in CARL receiving $3,500 toward a new transport van. The grant was later reworked by a CARL volunteer and brought in another $25,000.

“I’ve always looked for an opportunity to use my writing to give back to the community,” Moore said. “I volunteered with CARL and loved working with them so much, so I decided to write this grant to help them replace their old van. It’s such an important cause for me. People don’t understand the impact they have on the community when they go out and save dogs’ lives.”

Bilingual report — ¡Viva el Arte de Santa Bárbara! Presents Three Free Performances (Jan. 19, 20, 21) of Mariachi Reyna de Los Ángeles

SANTA BARBARA — ¡Viva el Arte de Santa Bárbara! (Viva) returns with its first event of the year– a free community performance by America’s first all-female mariachi, Mariachi Reyna de Los Ángeles. A collaboration between UCSB Arts & Lectures, The Marjorie Luke Theatre, the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Center, and the Isla Vista School Parent Teacher Association, Viva is dedicated to bringing  the rich cultural heritage of Latin America to Santa Barbara County community members and students. 

Coastal Keepers Holds End-of-Year Coastal Cleanup Celebration

VENTURA COUNTY — CA District 38 Office of Assemblymember Steve Bennett was scheduled to join Coastal Keepers for their final event of 2023 on Saturday, Dec. 16 at the Port Hueneme Beach Park.

The event included the End-of-Year Coastal Cleanup Celebration and a $10,000 Check Presentation from the Social Justice Fund for Ventura County (SJFVC).

Participants were invited to help support Coastal Keepers mission to keep the shores of Port Hueneme and Ormond Beach beautiful for generations to come.

Bilingual commentary — It’s Been Quite a Year

Editor’s note: Amigos805 welcomes local guest columns, letters to the editor and other submissions from our readers. All opinions expressed in submitted material are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the viewpoint of Amigos805. By David Magallanes •…

Bilingual report — CAUSE and MICOP Host Event Celebrating Art, Stories, and Culture of Farmworker Families

CENTRAL COAST — (On Dec. 1), the Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE) and the Mixteco/Indigena Community Organizing Project (MICOP) celebrated and honored the farmworker families of Santa María at an event called “La Cultura Cura” (The Culture Cures). More than 60 people attended the event, which aimed to help build a more united community, one that connects and strengthens through art. Music, dance, song, poetry, and painting were the centerpieces of a special night that will undoubtedly remain in the memory of the people present. After a year often marked with painful reminders about the challenges faced by farmworkers, from high-profile investigations of labor violations to the workplace deaths of farmworkers in Guadalupe and Cuyama (see statement here), the “Cultura Cura” event offered an opportunity to reflect in joy and value family bonding moments.

Santa Paula Art Museum — Inbox Art Exhibit: ‘The Art of George Lockwood’ on view through Jan. 14. Plus, upcoming classes

“The Art of George Lockwood” is a solo exhibition by Santa Barbara County artist, and Santa Paula native, George Lockwood. The exhibit features 37 original paintings representing scenes and subject matter from Santa Paula to the Central Coast to the Pacific Northwest. All of the artworks are available for purchase.

Local Physicians and Cottage Health Partner to Open New Surgery Center in North County

SANTA BARBARA — Cottage Health, in partnership with physicians Christopher Birch, MD; Erin Haggerty, MD; Michael Kenly, MD; Asher Kupperman, MD; Eli Kupperman, MD; Amit Nathani, MD and Amy Wickman, MD, is announcing plans for a new ambulatory surgery center in northern Santa Barbara County.

Upon opening, the new surgery center, which is co-owned by the independent community physicians and Cottage Health, will increase access to convenient, high-quality orthopedic surgical services and pain management. It will serve as a cost-effective point of care for patients throughout the region from Solvang to Paso Robles. The state-of-the-art, 12,000 square-foot center also will be licensed to expand its scope to additional specialties.

United Way of Ventura County introduces new Director of Resource Development and Marketing

VENTURA COUNTY — United Way of Ventura County is proud to announce it has appointed Jill Shaffer as director of resource development and marketing. She brings more than 40 years of experience in marketing and fundraising within the nonprofit sector.

Shaffer most recently served as the community engagement manager at Unite Us, where she developed strong relationships with community partners and facilitated collaboration with over 100 local organizations and agencies connecting them to vital services through the coordinated care network.

Clean Power Alliance Ranked the Number One Green Power Provider in the United States by National Renewable Energy Laboratory

LOS ANGELES — Clean Power Alliance (CPA) has capped its fifth anniversary year of serving Southern California customers with a prestigious number one national ranking by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in the sale of green power.

The NREL 2022 Utility Green Power Rankings, announced in fall 2023, is an annual list of top green power providers throughout the United States. The national report has historically identified and compared investor owned (IOU) and publicly owned utilities’ (POU) clean energy programs, evaluating green pricing, customer acquisition and sales. This year marked the first time the NREL included the nation’s community choice aggregators (CCAs), such as CPA.

Island Packers Announces One-Hour Holiday Lights Harbor Cruises Throughout December 2023

VENTURA — This holiday season, Island Packers will be offering  a series of one-hour Holiday Lights Harbor Cruises, departing from Ventura Harbor Village.  The Cruises  are a splendid way to celebrate the season with family and friends all month long.

The one-hour Holiday Lights Harbor Cruises in Ventura Harbor are offered to visitors on select dates through 12/23 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.  Visitors cake opt to take a cruise of the Ventura Keys to view decorated waterfront homes and listen to seasonal music on

December 17, 18 19, 20, 21, 22 & 23, 2023.

Lumina Alliance Invites Community to Take the Pledge for Gun Safety

SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY — Lumina Alliance recently announced a Gun Safety Campaign with the goal of raising awareness on the intersection between firearms and intimate partner violence. As part of the campaign, Lumina Alliance is now inviting the community to take a Pledge for Gun Safety, and to commit to taking action to end gun violence In SLO County.

The Ventura County Community Development Corporation (VCCDC) — the Marquezes Have a New Home

Yolanda Marquez dreamt of owning her own home, a place where her family of five could relax, be creative, and host family get-togethers. As a working-class family, she cherished sharing the traditions that come with raising a family and making memories by spending quality time together. As each year passed, she felt her dream was slipping away due to increasing housing prices and down payment requirements. She knew in her heart that one day her current arrangement could quickly end: the home where she lived was owned by someone else and her fear was that her rental house would be redeemed with little notice. In addition, annual rent increases meant less money to save for her own.

To make matters even more challenging, the Marquezes lived with another family under the same roof. As convenient as this was, Yolanda knew her family that includes three teenagers didn’t have the privacy afforded to families with their own home. Once she heard about Ventura County Community Development Corporation from her realtor, she was determined to change her circumstances and learn what she could do to buy her own place.

She tapped into all the information provided by VCCDC including how she could become mortgage ready and qualify to receive down payment assistance worth over $100,000, made available to low-to moderate-income households. She decided this was the time to make her dream a reality and began taking steps to purchase her own home.

Housing Trust Fund Ventura County awarded $5 million in approved funding from SCAG’s Lasting Affordability Program

VENTURA COUNTY — Housing Trust Fund Ventura County (Housing Trust Fund VC) has been awarded $5,000,000 from the Southern California Association of Governments’ (SCAG) as part of the Regional Early Action Planning (REAP) 2.0 Lasting Affordability program. The funding will support the creation of the Housing Trust Fund Ventura County’s Revolving Long- Term Loan Program for Infill Affordable Housing Developments Project. This project will establish a long-term loan program and will increase the lending capacities of Housing Trust Fund VC. In addition, this grant will provide resources to Housing Land Trust Ventura County (Housing Land Trust VC) to create policies and procedures which will advance Housing Land Trust VC to attract additional capital and land donations. The anticipated outcomes from the new fund include 656 affordable housing units in Ventura County by 2031.

Social Justice Fund for Ventura County December Update

SJFVC Fellow Marisol Gonzalez Building

Fillmore Relationships

Last week, SJFVC Fellow Marisol Gonzalez and Board Member Kim Marra Stephenson presented to the Fillmore Lions Club about SJFVC and Marisol’s work in establishing the Fillmore Conservation Corps.

Bilingual report — 34 cadets graduate from Allan Hancock College’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Academy

SANTA MARIA — After 16 weeks of classroom and field instruction, 34 cadets graduated from Allan Hancock College’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Academy on Dec.7. The cadets were recognized for completing the Emergency Medical Services Academy 1A during a ceremony at Hancock’s Public Safety Training Complex (PSTC) in Lompoc. 

Upon completion of the training, the cadets can provide basic life-saving skills and have passed a national registry test to become emergency medical technicians (EMTs). 

Santa Paula Animal Rescue Center Introduces Titan: The Resilient Pup Adopted, Rehomed, and Abandoned at Another Shelter Has Been Saved Thanks to a Microchip!

SANTA PAULA — The Santa Paula Animal Rescue Center (SPARC), Ventura’s leading and only no-kill animal shelter, introduces Titan, a remarkable dog with an extraordinary story of resilience and hope. Titan, a 2.5-year-old big-hearted puppy, is patiently awaiting his new chance at a loving forever home, again.

In March of 2022, Titan’s journey began when he was adopted as a 1-year-old adorable, goofy puppy from SPARC and was subsequently adopted into a loving home. Little did anyone know; Titan would then experience unspeakable heartbreak of being bounced around from home to home. But fate had a different plan for Titan, leading him to an unexpected detour that would ultimately bring him right back to SPARC.

Museum of Ventura County membership donations, survey, upcoming events

2024 All-New Membership Perks!

Gift a Membership this Holiday Season

MVC is thrilled to announce the relaunch of its Membership Program, welcoming supporters to join the cultural community and become part of an exciting new chapter at the Museum. MVC’s updated Membership Program features accessible payment options, two new membership levels, and an expanded selection of member events and benefits. View the details HERE.

Santa Barbara County First District Supervisor Das Williams — New Clean Energy Coming Online

This week, Central Coast Community Energy 3CE announced signing a contract with Pattern Energy to receive electricity from SunZia Wind, a new renewable energy project in New Mexico that will be 12% of all the power for the 5 counties in our energy provider 3CE. While most of our renewable projects are in California, having a different “load profile” from a project in a neighboring region provides energy that is accessible at different times of the day than we typically get. This is a big deal for our efforts to have more reliability as we get closer to 100% carbon-free energy.

New Grief Support Groups at Livingston’s Camarillo Grief Center

CAMARILLO — Livingston’s Camarillo Grief Center is adding new grief support groups that cater to specific bereavement needs this coming January. These close-ended support groups are Healing Grief Through Journaling (January 15th through February 8th), Loss Due to Accidental Overdose (January 16th through March 19th), and Loss of an Adult Child (January 18th through March 21st). For reservations, contact 805-389-6870 or online at lmvna.org/grief. Space is limited. 

Museum of Ventura County — Last Chance to Double Your Donation!

Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity to double your donation! Any gift received by December 10 will be 100% matched. 

Just $15 can open the door to discovery for one child. Imagine the impact we can make by reaching ALL the schools in our County. We’re on a mission to raise $150,000 to double the number of tours and pay for more bus rides. 

Every donation, no matter how big or small, has the power to ignite a child’s curiosity, nurture a college student’s career, and shape the future of Ventura County. 

Kaiser Permanente donates $10,000 To SEEAG’s Ag-Education Programs

VENTURA — Kaiser Permanente presented Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEAG) a $10,000 community health grant during SEEAG’s annual Ventura County Farm Day on November 4. The donation will help fund SEEAG’s Ventura County Youth Wellness Initiative.

SEEAG’s Youth Wellness Initiative addresses the nutrition knowledge gaps and food insecurity among a diverse socioeconomic demographic of students in Ventura County, with a focus on Title 1 elementary schools. SEEAG’s program is designed to inspire and empower students to increase the amount of locally-grown fruits and vegetables they eat while improving overall healthy eating habits and increasing physical activity. Since the program began in 2020, SEEAG has reached 15,500 third graders who participated in hands-on nutrition education during in-class learning and monthly Farm Fresh Wellness Fairs.

Bilingual commentary — The Pros and Cons of Arranged Marriages

was talking with a female friend recently about her ongoing search for a marriage partner. This is not unusual for a woman in her twenties. Her approach, however, is largely unusual in our culture. She is willing to consider submitting her destiny to an “arranged marriage.” 

She is of Middle Eastern heritage, though raised in the U.S. from an early age. Some traditions such as arranged marriages, as anathema as they may be in American culture, endure in some ethnic families. There are many reasons why individuals might be open to accepting an arranged marriage for themselves. 

There are also a lot of reasons to tread carefully into an arranged marriage, or to avoid one at all costs.

SBCC Nursing Program marks endings and new beginnings at Dec. 15 ‘pinning’ ceremony

SANTA BARBARA — On Friday, Dec. 15, the most recent cohort of nursing graduates from Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) will formally complete the program with a “pinning” ceremony, earning themselves an Associate Degree in Science in Nursing (ADN). The graduates will have the distinction of completing the program having gone through real-life experiences of the Covid-19 pandemic in the medical field.

This particular cohort – made up of 18 Licensed Vocational Nursing (LVN) Bridge students and 20 ADN generic students – is special, according to Dept. Chair/Director, Associate Degree Nursing and ADN Program Director Mary Sullivan MSN-Ed, RNC- MNN, as they are “the last group that went through nursing school at SBCC during the full-on Covid-19 pandemic.” Curriculum for the program includes hands-on training at Cottage Hospital, where students and instructors from this cohort experienced varying degrees of challenges and stresses working in the medical field during and after the pandemic. 

Twenty-six recruits graduate from Hancock’s Law Enforcement Academy

SANTA MARIA — Twenty-six recruits graduated from Allan Hancock College’s Basic Law Enforcement Academy on Dec. 6 at the college’s Public Safety Training Complex in Lompoc.? 

The graduating recruits of Class #23-126 gathered with their friends and families to celebrate the completion of more than 856 training hours required to graduate from the academy and enter careers as peace officers. Nearly all of the recruits have already been hired by Central Coast law enforcement agencies.? 

“You have strapped into the seat of one of the greatest rollercoaster rides of your life,” Grover Beach Police Chief John Peters told the graduates. “This profession will have you experiencing more things than you ever imagined.” 

Bilingual report — A Win for Equitable Park Access: NatureTrack and Wilderness Youth Project Receive Nearly $400,000 through California Natural Resources Agency Grant

SANTA BARBARA — In a significant stride toward fostering equitable access to parks and nature, NatureTrack and Wilderness Youth Project have been awarded grants totaling nearly $400,000 through the California Natural Resources Agency’s Youth Community Access program.

Gov. Gavin Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Seibel lead the state’s Outdoors For All Strategy, which recently allocated a total of almost $18 million to 71 projects statewide. Notably, two projects in Santa Barbara County—NatureTrack and Wilderness Youth Project—received grants to the tune of nearly $400,000.

Santa Ynez Valley-based NatureTrack received $97,400 to support outdoor field trips for underserved, low-income K-12 students in the north county of Santa Barbara County. Older youth will be recruited from local colleges to work as trip docents. 

Museum of Ventura County — Announcing MVC’s NEW 2024 Membership Program!

The Museum of Ventura County Relaunches its 100% Tax Deductible Membership Program, Offering Accessible Pricing and Exclusive Benefits

MVC’s updated Membership Program features monthly payment options, two new membership levels, an expanded selection of member events and benefits, exclusive member merchandise, and MORE! As admission fees are reinstated at MVC’s Downtown Ventura campus in 2024, the relaunched Membership Program affords visitors a completely tax-deductible alternative and maintains the institution’s dedication to accessibility.

Ventura County Community Development Corp. (VCCDC) — NEW PROGRAM – Get help with buying a home in Camarillo!

At VCCDC, we are thrilled to partner with the City of Camarillo to bring you the Camarillo Workforce Housing Down Payment Assistance Program! This program is designed to help local working households purchasing in Camarillo achieve their dream of homeownership. 

With up to $50,000 in the form of a ten (10) year deferred loan, low-and moderate-income first-time homebuyers can receive the financial support they need to make their homeownership dreams a reality. Plus, these funds can be combined with VCCDC’s other programs to maximize purchasing power.

Island Packers announces Holiday Cruises for 2023 Parade of Lights, Harbor Lights, and Whale Watching

VENTURA — This holiday season, Island Packers will be offering seasonal cruises for family and friends, as well as group functions in Ventura Harbor. Ventura Harbor Holiday Cruises and Whale Watching trips are splendid ways to celebrate the winter season.…

Ventura County Area Agency on Aging announces Fall Prevention Classes resume in January

VENTURA — Sign-ups are now available for a new series of Fall Prevention classes that will begin in January. These award-winning classes are put on by the Ventura County Elderly Fall Prevention Coalition and the Ventura County Area Agency on Aging, a division of the Human Services Agency.

Four classes, with 12 sessions to choose from, will be offered in five Ventura County cities. The January offerings include:

Bingocize (Fillmore Active Adult Center)
A Matter of Balance (Simi Valley Senior Center, VCAAA office in Ventura)
Tai Chi: Moving for Better Balance (HELP of Ojai, Oxnard Public Library, County of Ventura California Room in Ventura, Community Presbyterian Church in Ventura, Ventura Church of Christ, Buenaventura Mobile Home Estates in Ventura)
Walk With Ease (Fillmore Active Adult Center)

Ventura County Community Development Corp. — Home is their happy place..

… When you give to VCCDC, you help working class families like the Marquezes achieve their dream of owning their own home and impact their lives and that of their children for generations to come. Over the last 22 years VCCDC has assisted over 20,000 families and individuals with over 3,000 becoming new homeowners, preserving their home, or becoming mortgage-ready, impacted invested in community revitalization, and developed tools for resiliency and family wealth-building.  

DignityMoves Announces ‘Adopt-A-Room’ Program for Hope Village Interim Supportive Housing in Santa Maria

SANTA MARIA — In preparation for its predicted late January/early February 2024 opening, Hope Village, a DignityMoves interim housing site in Santa Barbara County, has announced its Adopt-A-Room program. Volunteer community members will now have the chance  to sponsor one of 94 rooms by providing toiletries, comfort items and welcome gifts for future residents.

BBSVC Sparkles at 14th Annual Champagne Luncheon Fundraiser

WESTLAKE VILLAGE — Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County (BBSVC), Ventura County’s premier youth mentoring nonprofit organization, held their 14th annual Bags, Bling & Bubbly champagne luncheon on Wednesday, November 9th at the Four Seasons Hotel in Westlake Village.

This sparkling event started with an amazing boutique and silent auction, where a collection of designer and vintage handbags, jewelry, accessories, vacation getaways, restaurant outings, and more were available for purchase and bidding.

Museum of Ventura County — Double Your Impact: Inspire 10 Students today!

Dear MVC Supporter,

Thank you for your generous support! We’ve made great progress towards our goal, but there’s still some distance to cover.

MVC is on a mission to reach every elementary school in Ventura County. Your generous gift can bring us closer to our $150,000 goal.

A $150 donation brings a group of 10 eager learners to the MVC Agriculture Museum, inspiring them to dig deep into Ventura County agricultural history and the world of plant science. Can you imagine the joy of planting seeds, exploring a beehive, and discovering the essence of collaboration and community? This is what MVC is all about.

Ventura County Rescue Groups Kick-Off Holiday Giving Season

SANTA PAULA — More than 70 dogs available for adoption through All for Love Animal Rescue (AFLAR) and Canine Adoption and Rescue League (C.A.R.L.) received homemade Thanksgiving meals, complete with turkey, mashed potatoes, vegetables and canine-appropriate pumpkin pie this Thanksgiving. AFLAR volunteer Lupe Flores approached both C.A.R.L. Executive Director Sharon Clark and AFLAR Founder and President Maripat Davis with the idea.

“I wanted to give something back to these organizations and the dogs they have rescued and provided care and shelter to. I thought to myself, ‘Let’s make Thanksgiving dinner for our pups.’ Thankfully, several of my fellow volunteers went along with the idea and gathered at my house the evening before Thanksgiving,” said AFLAR volunteer, Lupe Flores. 

Bilingual report — City of Port Hueneme commissions a mural to celebrate its 75th anniversary

PORT HUENEME — The City of Port Hueneme, in collaboration with the Oxnard Performing Arts Center Corporation (OPAC) and the Ventura County Library, is pleased to announce a Call for Artists and Request for Qualifications for the development of a new mural at the Ray D. Prueter Library located at 510 Park Ave in Port Hueneme, California. This project will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the City of Port Hueneme and will launch the City’s public arts initiatives. 

Guest contribution — Lumina Alliance needs support in asking state leaders to provide ongoing funding for victim services on VOCA Day of Action

SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY — Lumina Alliance is requesting the help of our community to protect vital funding sources during a Day of Action. VOCA (Victims of Crime Act) grant funding is expected to be significantly reduced in the 2024 fiscal year by almost 37%. This funding source supports several key services in San Luis Obispo County, including CASA-Voices for Children, Victim Witness, and Lumina Alliance. These services are directed at some of the most vulnerable members of our community-survivors of intimate partner and sexual violence, abused and neglected children, and other victims of crime. Join the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence,Valor, Lumina Alliance, and organizations throughout the state on Tuesday, December 5, 2023, for VOCA Day of Action by contacting your state legislators.