Frank X. Moraga
By Frank X. Moraga / Amigos805
The summer months are always a challenge for folks. Who would want to be cooped up in offices? It’s time for summer vacations, time to be outside to enjoy beautiful weather and get away from it all.
But it is also a time when food service organizations report a significant drop in food donations ahead of the winter months, a time when thoughts turn to fun and away from challenges facing some segments of the region’s Latino community.
Fortunately, July offers just the right blend of fun and social awareness, given the number of events designed to entertain audiences but also provide fund-raising opportunities for local charities.
One of the first of these will be the third annual “Dia de las Comidas” presented July 11 by Hospice of Santa Barbara Inc. Three popular family-owned restaurants will open their doors to support Hospice’s Latino Family Services. The restaurants include Carlitos Café y Cantana in Santa Barbara, Cava Restaurant & Bar in Montecito and Don Carlitos Restaurant & Tequila Bar in Santa Ynez. All the restaurants will donate a generous portion of the day’s proceeds to Hospice of Santa Barbara, which offers free counseling, support groups and education to help Spanish- and English-speaking adults, teens and children who are experiencing the impact of a life-threatening illness, or grieving the death of a loved one, the organization reported in a media release. In May alone the organization served 40 Spanish-speaking-only families in the community and will present two Spanish-language support groups in September.
As seen in the following pages, the annual Oxnard Salsa Festival (July 27-28) has raised more than $300,000 for local charities, many of which benefit the local Latino community, through its annual “Dancing with the Community Stars” program. Donations are now being accepted online at http://www.oxnardsalsafestival.com
Old Spanish Days in Santa Barbara (July 31-Aug. 4) supports the work of the Canto-Baile Program, which promotes the preservation of Santa Barbara’s history, spirit, culture, heritage and traditions. The program provides art education to underserved and low-income schools serving at-risk populations. For more information, send an email to info.cantobaile@gmail.com
So come out and have some fun, enjoy some great food and entertainment and know that you are also supporting great causes in the local region.
— Frank X. Moraga is editor/publisher of Amigos805. He has served as business editor, director of diversity and general manager of a bilingual publication at the Ventura County Star, and as a reporter in the community editions of the Orange County Register and Los Angeles Daily News.
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