SANTA BARBARA COUNTY — Family Service Agency (FSA) of Santa Barbara County and Youthwell are pleased to announce a new slate of suicide prevention workshops called QPR that will teach participants three steps to help save a life from suicide. Last year, over 580 Santa Barbara County residents received this free, two-hour training.
SANTA BARBARA — Family Service Agency (FSA) of Santa Barbara County and Youthwell are pleased to announce a free mental health training called QPR that will help participants learn three steps to help save a life from suicide.
QPR stands for Question, Persuade, and Refer — the three simple steps anyone can learn. Just as people trained in CPR help save thousands of lives each year, people trained in QPR learn how to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis. In the two-hour course, participants will learn to recognize the warning signs of suicide, how to offer hope, and how to get help and save a life.
SANTA BARBARA — Family Service Agency (FSA) of Santa Barbara County, also known as Santa Maria Valley Youth and Family Center and Guadalupe’s Little House By The Park, is pleased to announce the appointment of Courtney Cazenave to its Board of Directors.
Cazenave retired from her position as an administrative office professional for the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department earlier this year. She has 18 years of administration and operations experience.
A Guadalupe resident, Cazenave is looking forward to using her skills to make a difference in the community. She has been a Court-Appointed Special Advocate since 2020. She has previously volunteered for the Special Olympics, elections, and the Homeless Count from 2019
to 2021.
Join Family Service Agency (FSA) of Santa Barbara County, as it turns compassion into action at its spring fundraiser, Dreams in Bloom. The event takes place on May 13, from 5-8 p.m. at the Santa Barbara Woman’s Club at Rockwood. Proceeds benefit the children, families, and seniors served by FSA—which includes Santa Maria Valley Youth & Family Center and Guadalupe’s Little House by the Park.
Dreams in Bloom celebrates the resilience and growth of the 28,000 people served by the nonprofit each year. The event features a cocktail hour, music, dinner, auction, and flowers galore! Last year, FSA’s spring fundraiser raised over $150,000 to support the agency’s provision of basic needs assistance, family support, and mental health counseling programs countywide.
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY — Family Service Agency (FSA) of Santa Barbara County announced that it has voted in a new slate of leadership for its 2022-2023 Board of Directors. Molly Carrillo-Walker and Tricia Price replace out-going Co-Presidents Terri Zuniga and Robin Doell-Sawaske who served an extended term during the pandemic. Linda Sessler and Robert Janeway move forward as Co-Treasurers. Teressa Johnes becomes Secretary. Ed Tran and Rod Durham are serving as Co-Vice Presidents of Programs. Maria McCall assumes the role of Vice President of Development.
“We are thankful for the support of the previous officers and are excited about welcoming our new officers,” said FSA CEO, Lisa Brabo. “Their experience and expertise, in combination with the rest of FSA’s board, will effectively guide us as we step forward into the new fiscal year.”
On May 12, 150 guests filled the Santa Barbara Woman’s Club at Rockwood on to gain insight about youth mental health and raise funds for Family Service Agency (FSA) of Santa Barbara County, which includes the Santa Maria Valley Youth & Family Center, and Guadalupe’s Little House by the Park. Another 80 people participated in a free online simulcast. The event raised more than $147,000 to support programs for underserved children, families and seniors.
After an outdoor reception with music and appetizers, FSA’s CEO, Lisa Brabo, opened the program and captivated the audience with a story about a foster-care student, Angelica, who struggled with depression and low self-esteem.
“Through twice-weekly meetings with an FSA therapist, Angelica worked through her experiences, building coping skills and slowly learning to trust others,” relayed Brabo. “She recently reunited with her mother and both are invested in repairing their relationship.”
Family Service Agency (FSA) of Santa Barbara County, also known as Santa Maria Valley Youth & Family Center and Guadalupe’s Little House By The Park, is pleased to announce the appointment of Santa Maria Police Lieutenant Paul Van Meel to its Board of Directors.
Paul has worked in various capacities within the Santa Maria Police Department since 1999 including in the Detective Bureau, oversight of the Special Enforcement Team, as Patrol/Watch Commander, and currently as the Administrative Lieutenant-Chief’s Adjutant.
Family Service Agency (FSA) of Santa Barbara County, also known as Santa Maria Valley Youth and Family Center and Guadalupe’s Little House By The Park, is pleased to announce the appointment of Blanca E. Mejia to its Board of Directors.
“We are thrilled Blanca has joined our board,” said Executive Director Lisa Brabo, “Our agency will benefit from her background in law and her understanding of the Santa Maria community.”
Family Service Agency (FSA) of Santa Barbara County, also known as Santa Maria Valley Youth and Family Center and Guadalupe’s Little House By The Park, is pleased to announce the appointment of Paul Cordeiro to its Board of Directors.
“Paul’s extensive experience in K-12 education will be a huge asset to our agency,” said Lisa Brabo, FSA Executive Director. “Paul has made substantial improvements to education and positive contributions to the community. We’re very happy he’s joining our board!”
Family Service Agency (FSA) of Santa Barbara County, also known as Santa Maria Valley Youth and Family Center and Guadalupe’s Little House By The Park, is pleased to announce the appointment of Alexander Murkison to its Board of Directors.
Alexander Murkison is the Advancement Associate at Midland School in Los Olivos. A recent graduate of Allan Hancock College,Alex is particularly passionate about mental health support in schools, and is an advocate and activist in the local community.
SANTA BARBARA — Family Service Agency (FSA) of Santa Barbara County announced that it is providing bilingual social services and case management for Carpinteria residents aged 60 or older, giving them the tools they need to cope and live safe, independent,…
Many of our older community members, particularly those living alone, are not receiving the support they need during the coronavirus pandemic. To address this gap, several nonprofits in Santa Barbara County have collaborated to identify isolated seniors and connect them to essential services or critical needs, such as food and supplies.
