Giving is Good For You, Relationship Program Builds Strong Bonds, and Pickleball Tourney Success

Family Service Agency | November 2023

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Dear Friends,

During this time of year, we pause to reflect on all there is to be thankful for. At FSA we are grateful for the meaningful work we get to be engaged in, helping youth, families, and seniors with critical needs and skill development for the future. We are grateful for you, our donors and funders, for your ongoing confidence in this vital work. And we are thankful to our staff, who last year, went above and beyond to lend experienced and compassionate hands to over 26,000 people throughout the county.

As Giving Tuesday approaches, we invite you to join us in making double the impact. Our Board of Directors, along with several generous donors, have committed to match any gift made before the year’s end, up to a total of $25,000! Your continued support ensures that we can bring hope and assistance to those who need it most.

Our best wishes for a season filled with hope.

With gratitude,

Lisa Brabo, Ph.D.

Chief Executive Officer

Donate today!

Giving is good for you!

Giving season is here and donors will be asked by local and national nonprofits to support their work. In addition to all the financial and tax incentives associated with charitable contributions, it turns out that philanthropy is good for your health.

The 2022 World Happiness Report, published by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network, found that donating money is one of the six strongest predictors of life satisfaction. Additionally, in the 2016 Health Psychology journal, a study titled "Is spending money on others good for your heart?" found that three weeks of charitable spending was enough to lower blood pressure scores among a group of older adults. In fact, the research found that the blood pressure improvements caused by prosocial spending were like those associated with medications for high blood pressure or adopting a new exercise routine.

Please review our year-end appeal when you receive it in the mail and consider a gift. Don’t forget about qualified charitable contributions or donations of appreciated stock. You will be contributing to your good health, but also to the good health of families, youth, and seniors in our community.

Donate today!

During FSA’s fiscal year 2022-2023:

Family Outreach Advocates provided support and referrals to 1,674 families.

100% of students receiving mental health counseling showed a reduction in symptoms of depression.

156 seniors and caregivers received 2,778 hours of counseling.

To read our full Annual Impact Report and for more information about our programs and services, visit our website at the button below!

Learn more

FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES

FSA Relationship Program Builds Strong Bonds

Prevention is the best strategy and often the most cost-effective…just ask Benjamin Franklin, who famously claimed… “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

A critical service provided by Family Service Agency is conducting training in relationship-building skills. Our Nurturing Parent, Strengthening Families, Connected Couples, Connected Families, and Dedicated Dads courses offer evidence-based practices to hone communication techniques and provide tools to work through conflict and challenging situations.

Individuals not in an intimate or family relationship can also benefit from an FSA program titled "Within My Reach" (WMR). Within My Reach is based on up-to-date research in communication, conflict management, affect regulation, commitment, expectations, intimacy enhancement, emotional safety, and physical safety. Developed by the Prevention and Relationship Education Program (PREP), WMR focuses on partner selection regarding critical issues such as safety in relationships and the impact of one’s romantic life on one’s children. FSA has been offering this program since 2015. Over 200 individuals have participated in the course.

The course curriculum is designed to help anyone, regardless of their relationship goals or needs, develop useful skills in relationships that may benefit them more generally on the job, in the neighborhood, with children, with co-parents they are no longer involved with romantically, and with family.

David Velazco, Interim CCCF Coordinator, described some of the techniques used in the five-week program. Deciding not sliding is a technique used to encourage open communication about the relationship instead of sliding past challenges and sore spots. Another effective process is termed "Speaker/Listener" or "The Floor", which defines rules for engaging in conversation so each participant is heard. For example, when the Speaker has the floor, they must be brief, speak for themselves and not mind read. The Listener focuses on the Speaker’s message and doesn’t rebut. Both parties must share the floor.

Building effective communication strategies goes beyond just helping people get their point across. According to the Centers for Disease Control, “Programs that work with couples to build and strengthen relationship skills, including communication and conflict management skills, show evidence for preventing later intimate partner violence.” The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence estimates that the cost of intimate partner violence exceeds $8.3B per year.

For more information on how this program fosters and sustains healthy relationships, please contact David Velazco at (805) 450-1520 or visit our website.

FSA in the Community

Front Office Coordinators, Alda Figueroa and Yohana Guerrero, joined Family Support Services Supervisor II, Nancy Cardoza Barragan, and Family Advocate III, Clemencia Navarro, at Supervisor Joan Hartmann’s Lompoc Community Forum on Housing Rights to share information about FSA's services.

FSA's Housing Authority Supervisor, Hannah Spurling, joined the October 14th Housing Santa Barbara Day to discuss FSA's resources and services. This event advocates for more affordable housing opportunities for all Santa Barbara residents.

CACHI Coordinator, Liz Linde; Senior Services Program Manager, De Rosenberry; and CEO, Lisa Brabo of FSA were among the many organizations working with the Department of Social Services on the recent Santa Barbara County Master Plan on Aging convening held earlier this month in Buellton.

Outreach Mentor Program Manager, Diane Koenig-Martinez, and other FSA staff attended Santa Maria's Open Streets—a day filled with family fun, live music, arts, culture, and fitness activities. Main Street was closed for a mile, giving free space for people of all ages and abilities to play and be active.

EVENTS

FSA's Pickleball Tourney a Smashing Success

Our inaugural Pickleball Tournament was a big hit! We are so grateful for the incredible support, fierce competition, and all the smiles on and off the court. Held at the Montecito Club courts with a breathtaking ocean view, guests not only enjoyed the thrill of the competition but also indulged in delicious food. Each participant went home with goodie bags, adding an extra dash of excitement to an already memorable day.

Thank you to the participants for showcasing your skills and, more importantly, contributing to the well-being of seniors and bolstering mental health resources for youth in Santa Barbara County! Congratulations to all our winners!