| Dear Friends,
I recently sat down with my dear friend and former Friendship Center colleague, Hope Saxon (who many of you may know has gone on to become a geriatric nurse practitioner!). Our conversation turned into a walk down memory lane, reflecting on how much Friendship Center has changed and grown over the past few years. Of course, I know these changes are happening. I’m living them every day. However, it wasn’t until talking with Hope, who is one of the dear members of our community that has been so close to our organization for so many years (like many of you), that I truly appreciated the magnitude of what’s unfolding.
We realized together that Friendship Center is quite literally bulldozing through the barriers to accessing dementia care, and reshaping our programs to meet the real needs of today’s caregivers, families and adults impacted by dementia in any form. With that spirit, I’m thrilled to share a few big announcements:
Extended Hours Begin October 13
Thanks to support from the Center for Dementia Respite Innovation (CDRI), Friendship Center will be adding an extra hour of programming each day. Our Montecito site will now be open Monday–Thursday, 9 AM–5 PM, and Fridays, 9 AM–3 PM. Even one extra hour makes a world of difference for caregivers juggling work, family, and personal time.
Memory Café Launches November 5
We are beyond excited to bring the first Memory Café in our area in many years to life! In partnership with the City of Santa Barbara Parks & Recreation, this free, drop-in gathering will take place at the Louise Lowry Davis Center on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month from 9:00am-11:00am. Memory Cafés are a welcoming space for those experiencing memory changes and their care partners to connect, socialize, and engage in joyful activities without the commitment of formal enrollment. It’s a simple, stigma-busting, community-centered way to support families earlier in their dementia journey, and we can’t wait to open the doors!
And finally, what better way to sustain this growth than by joining in on our……
Halloween Disco!
On October 24, we invite you to dress up, hit the dance floor, and support Friendship Center at our annual Fall Fundraiser, themed ‘Halloween Disco’ this year! The night will include delicious BBQ, McConnell’s ice cream, an open bar, and plenty of festive fun. Best of all, every dollar raised helps fuel programs like our extended hours and the new Memory Café. Supporting dementia care while enjoying a night of joy with friends? Sounds like a good deal to us.
As always, thank you for being here. I appreciate you and hope to see you on the dance floor on October 24th. |
