Director and Founder
United Way of Santa Barbara County

Lead Agencies
Girls Inc. of Carpinteria
Girls Inc. of Greater Santa Barbara
Girl Scouts of California’s Central Coast

Continuing Service Delivery Partners: 23
Art From Scrap
Assistance League
California-Hawaii Elks Major Project
Cancer Center of Santa Barbara
Carpinteria Unified School District
City of Carpinteria, Parks & Recreation
City of Santa Barbara Parks & Recreation
Community Action Commission
Cornelia Moore Dental Foundation
Dancing Drum
Family Service Agency
Foodbank of Santa Barbara County
Girls Inc. of Carpinteria
Girls Inc. of Greater Santa Barbara
Goleta Union School Districts
Paul Mitchell the School
Rein Teen Tours
Santa Barbara Dance Arts
Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics
Santa Barbara Public Library
Santa Barbara School Districts
Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara
United Way of Santa Barbara County

New Service Delivery Partners: 14
ALL STARS after school programs
American Indian Health & Services
Carpinteria Sportfishing Club
Community Counseling and Education Center
Diabetes Resource Center
Girl Scouts of California’s Central Coast
Los Compadres
Montecito Bank & Trust
Santa Barbara Bass Club
Santa Barbara Flyfishers
Santa Barbara Sportfishing Club
Sempra Energy
UCSB Summer Sessions
Wells Fargo

Funding Partners: 19
Bank of America
Boeing Corporation
County of Santa Barbara
Deckers Outdoor Corp.
Errett Fisher Foundation
Latkin Charitable Trust
Macy’s West
Montecito Bank & Trust
Monroe Foundation
Orfalea Fund
Red Feather Ball
Santa Barbara Bank & Trust
Sempra Energy Foundation
UWSBC Grant
Verizon Foundation
Venoco, Inc.
Volentine Foundation
Weingart Foundation
Wells Fargo Foundation
 

Among United Way's many supported services, Fun in the Sun has become a community hallmark, positively influencing the lives of nearly 1,000 children and families annually.

Young children living in Santa Barbara's low income neighborhoods are being threatened with isolation, gang violence, drug abuse, and other risky personal and social behaviors. In addition, the lack of structured activities and adult guidance over the summer months leads to a dramatic learning loss, which triggers a downward spiral effect on their academic achievement during the school year.

To combat this ongoing problem, thirteen years ago United Way launched Fun in the Sun, a highly specialized summer enrichment program for these at-risk children. The program has expanded and grown over the past decade, and we were able to serve over 360 children and teens at four locations from Carpinteria to Goleta this past summer.

Fun in the Sun takes kids off the streets and puts them in a safe and supportive environment where their potential can grow. In a seven-week session, at-risk youth ages 5-16 participate in a variety of indoor and outdoor activities creatively focused on engaging minds that would otherwise languish over the summer months. The goals are to build positive self-esteem and behavior choices, provide quality educational enrichment with an emphasis in reading achievement, and involve parents and the community in the children’s activities.

The children who attend Fun in the Sun are from the neediest families in the Santa Barbara community. Thanks to our partners and generous United Way donors, the Fun in the Sun program is free to participants. These children need Fun in the Sun in order to maintain academic skills over the summer, enrich and extend their educational experiences, and increase their chances of success in school and in life.

Nearly 60 public and private organizations partner with us each summer to present a research-based, educationally diverse program that is the most comprehensive our community has ever known.

Fun in the Sun is an important resource for the children and families who participate. The program catches students before they fall behind during the long summer months, allowing them to return to school with sustained skills, an expanded base of educational opportunities, and a stronger foundation of social and emotional support.