Resilient Santa Barbara County (CA)

The Children’s Resource and Referral of Santa Barbara County has been a pillar in the community for over 50 years. The grassroots nonprofit organization began in 1971 as various childcare programs and family workshops offered throughout parks in Santa Barbara. Today, CRR works with an astounding 725 licensed and licensed-exempt child care sites! The organization is composed of dedicated leaders who steward the mission to develop strong and healthy families by providing education, care, and...

“As you grow older you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself and one for helping others.” ~Audrey Hepburn I remember this moment vividly, almost as if I was in her classroom yesterday. The elementary student ran over to me, a grin spreading wide across her face, before she wrapped her arms into a tight hug around my legs. Her eyes glowed with excitement as she told me she had recognized me from helping in her classroom a previous year. After four years of reading to...

If there’s one thing that stands out about Rachael Steidl and her work as the Executive Director of YouthWell - it’s a sense of collaboration. Since its founding seven years ago, YouthWell has focused on bringing communities together around addressing youth mental health and ending the stigma or shame surrounding mental health challenges. Their mission has since grown and now extends to adolescents, young adults and their families across all of Santa Barbara County. YouthWell has a key aim...

September is Self-Care Awareness Month, and a good reminder to think about how you can support your own mental health. To me, authentic self-care is the radical act of prioritizing your own well-being. It's diving deep, addressing hard things, and understanding how you can best meet your needs in positive ways. It’s not as simple as taking a bubble bath or dancing in your living room, but rather, building a life—day in and day out—that you don’t need to escape from. It’s being honest with...