United Way of Santa Barbara County-Young Leaders Society

For more information or to RSVP to any of the above events, contact Juli Askew at jaskew@unitedwaysb.org, or call 805-965-8591.

Young Leaders Society Member & Event Photos

YLS Participates in First United We Read Program

21 YLS members participated in the first United We Read program.　The event took place from 8 am-10 am at Franklin Elementary School and kicked off with a breakfast with Principal Casie Killgore.　YLS members also participated in the all school assembly.

YLS members were matched with one of the 21 classrooms at Franklin Elementary (Kindergarten to 6^th grade). 　Each YLS member brought an age appropriate book to read and then donated the book to the classroom. Our members had one hour to read and then answered ANY question the students had about the book or the volunteers personal/work life. It was a blast!

United Way’s Young Leaders Society of Santa Barbara County

Completes Makeover to Community Action Commission’s Backdoor Deli

On Saturday, January 30, 2010, twenty-five volunteers from United Way’s Young Leaders Society of Santa Barbara County gave Community Action Commission’s (CAC) Backdoor Deli a facelift and transformed it into a bright, friendly place to eat a delicious breakfast or lunch. Volunteers spent eight hours prepping, painting walls, staining chairs, moving furniture and hanging pictures for the 1,000+ square foot deli. United Way of Santa Barbara County’s Young Leaders Society recruited the 25 young leaders, ages 21-40, from a variety of local workplaces in an effort to engage young professionals to give back to the community.

Backdoor Deli Before Transformation

YLS Backdoor Deli Volunteers

Backdoor Deli After Tranformation

Young Leaders Society Brings Holiday Cheer to Local People in Need

Nadine Torbey, Amber Ortiz, Asura Serra, Janine Buseman-Williams, Oscar Flores and Lee Foster bring holiday cheer to hospice patients

United Way's Young Leaders Society has provided hours of volunteer support to children, families and most recently seniors. On December 19, 2009, nine volunteers brought gift bags and holiday cheer to the patients of Sarah House and Serenity House. The patients and their families were very touched to receive special attention during the holiday season. YLS members donated the funds to supply the gift bags containing holiday decorations, warm socks, cookies and crossword puzzles.

Young Leaders Create "Authentic Connections"

Jennifer Parkes of Venoco, Inc. (center) with, l-r, Genevieve Lund, Amber Ortiz, Steve Ortiz Jennifer Muench, 2008 Leader of the Year, & Paul Didier, CEO of United Way of Santa Barbara County

More than 60 young leaders filled Union Ale Brewing Company for a thought-provoking evening. The presentation "Authentic Connections, Networking Today" encouraged attendees to create deeper relationships by looking within, being agenda-less, and sharing optimism. The presentation and probing discussion was lead by Liza Taylor, MSOD, who created the Authentic Connection model in 2004.

Liza, an alumni from UCSB, currently lives and works in Los Angeles. Her goal is to have individuals really think about who they are and what they want in order to achieve their business and professional goals in a deeper, more honest way.

On another note, last month YLS member Jennifer Parkes was honored with Young Leader of the Year at Pacific Coast Business Times "40 Under 40" Dinner. Jennifer is a land technician in the exploration department at Venoco, Inc. in Carpinteria. She is a second year member of the Venoco Community Partnership Committee, which is responsible for researching non-profit grant requests, making site visits, and advocating for nonprofit interests. Jennifer is also an annual volunteer for United Way's Fun in the Sun Summer Enrichment Program and Day of Caring, the largest single-day volunteer event in the tri-counties. She is an active member and volunteer with the Young Leaders Society of Santa Barbara County, Partners in Education Volunteer Program, and Fighting Back Mentor Program.

Franklin Templeton and Edward Jones Host "Psychology of Investing" Seminar for Young Leaders Society
August 11, 2009

More than 40 young professionals attended the second in a series of professional development events hosted by United Way's Young Leaders Society. The guest speaker, Jeff Vollmer of Franklin Templeton, presented "Psychology of Investing - Emotions, Expectations and Economics". The seminar presented a down-to-earth approach to investing and the importance of saving while young. The event was held at the Harbor Restaurant on Tuesday, August 11th, and was sponsored by Franklin Templeton and Edward Jones.

Upcoming events for Young Leaders Society include volunteering at Day of Caring; partnering with the Santa Barbara Public Library for a book delivery program titled "Reading Is Fundamental"; and a networking and wine tasting event in the Fall.

YLS collaborated with First 5 and the Junior League to celebrate Day of the Child. Day of the Child emphasizes the importance of advocating literacy for children of all linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Its goals are to celebrate children, reading, and to promote the Santa Barbara Public Library. The YLS team hosted a “booth” from 10:00 am to 3:30 pm, where children used their creativity to make and write their own books and bookmarks. The event was at full capacity at noon with over 400 children and parents!