FUN IN THE SUN

Fun in the Sun Logo

Since 1997, United Way of Santa Barbara County has provided Fun in the Sun, a national award-winning summer learning collaborative program involving 80 service delivery partners, 20+ funding partners, and over 600 volunteers. Originally designed to address summer learning loss, FITS has expanded its academic curriculum and services to position itself as a holistic space to support students and their families throughout the summer. Enriched with a robust mindfulness program, STEAM activities, mentorship opportunities, environmental education, and field trips, the program offers hundreds of students and families throughout the community with an enriching summer experience.


2023 Program Dates:

Mary Buren Elementary: June 12th - July 21st, 2023

Santa Ynez Elementary: June 19th - July 28th, 2023

Hollister Elementary: June 19th - July 28th, 2023

Aliso Elementary: June 19th - July 28th, 2023

Franklin Elementary: June 20th - 28th, 2023

McKinley Elementary: June 20th - July 28th 2023

 

Apply for the 2023 Fun in the Sun program:

 

Apply for the 2023 Leaders-in-Training (formerly CIT) program:

Participants at FITS

Fun in the Sun 2023 Employment Opportunities:

Volunteer with Lunch Bunch!

As part of United Way's Fun in the Sun program, we offer an hour-long volunteer opportunity for community members called "Lunch Bunch." Lunch Bunch gives volunteers an opportunity to play games and interact with students in the program, fostering positive adult engagement for the kids and giving volunteers the opportunity to mentor students and share about their lives and career. 

Volunteer


 

 

2022  Program Services

 

Adult Mentorship

Character Education

Daily Reading/Writing

Environmental Education

Expression through Arts

Family Fun Nights

Financial Literacy Training

Field Trips

Free Health Services

Free Lunch & Snack Daily

Mindfulness Curriculum & Activities

Nutrition & Health Education

Parent Education Seminars

Self-Esteem Building Activities

Service-Learning

STEAM Education

Sun Safety Education

Swim Lessons

Team-Building Activities

 

2022  |  Results

 

Results of the 2022 FITS program


 

Why Fun in the Sun?

Local data suggests that parents of students eligible for the Fun in the Sum summer program work on average, 2.2 jobs each. As school lets out for the summer, many parents from low-resource communities struggle to balance an intense workload and lack of resources with the needs of their children. Despite best efforts, many of these children spend the summer alone, without access to learning tools and basic needs that are offered during the traditional school year, like reading help and daily meals and snacks. These students are at the highest risk for summer learning loss, a major contributor to the achievement gap between students from low and high-income households. 

Fun in the Sun provides students and their families with unique and engaging learning experiences to reduce and reverse summer learning loss and narrow the achievement gap, ensuring academic success during the school year and beyond.

 


 

Service Delivery Partners | Fun in the Sun 2022

School Districts 

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Buellton Union School District

Carpinteria Unified School District

Goleta Union School District

Santa Barbara Unified School District

Solvang School District

College School District

Mindfulness & Environment 

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Drum Tiki

Everybody Dance Now!

Explore Ecology

Family Service Agency

Inner Explorer

Inner Warrior

Kind Mind

Nature Track 

One Cool Earth

Santa Barbara Beach Yoga

Yoga with Kimberly

Community Organizations 

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Aha!

Alisal River Course

Allan Hancock College

Assistance League of Santa Barbara County

Art with Louie

Bike Coalition

Burrito Lalo

Carpinteria Community Pool 

Carpinteria Library

Cottage Health 

Delgados

Fighting Back SMV

Goleta Valley Library 

Jersey Mike's Subs 

Key Class

Kid's Farmers Market

MarBorg Industries

Montecito Bank & Trust

Montecito Family YMCA 

MOXI - The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation 

 

 

 

Mr. Numbers

Paul Nelson Aquatic Center 

Procore

Santa Barbara Public Library

Santa Maria Library

Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara

SeeAg

Solvang Library

Stuart C. Gildred YMCA

Subway 

Super Bee

TLC Foodbank

Turbine Technology Partners 

TVSB

UC Santa Barbara 

Veggie Rescue

Westmont 

Wilding Museum 

Woody's