Save the Date: October 4th, 2023, FSA Reaches Public Library Patrons, and Community Outreach

Family Service Agency | September 2023

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Dear Friends,

In a recent all staff meeting, one of our advocates made the statement, “We are ambassadors for each other’s programs.” Collaboration and community are the threads that weave throughout the work we do. Our advocates, clinicians and support staff not only work together to deliver services throughout Santa Barbara County, but they work in partnership with community agencies and groups to reach thousands of individuals and families.

In this issue, we highlight the events and community gatherings in which we have recently participated and those we are looking forward to. Santa Barbara County is made richer by the depth of the social sector, and I am proud of the role our staff and partners play in supporting our vibrant communities.

With gratitude,

Lisa Brabo, Ph.D.

Chief Executive Officer

EVENTS

Senior Expo of Santa Barbara County

Comes Roaring Back

Halted for three years because of the COVID pandemic, Senior Expo is now in its 32nd year and expects to draw over 1,000 seniors, family members, and caregivers seeking resources to improve their quality of life.

Taking place at Earl Warren Showgrounds on Wednesday October 4, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., the Senior Expo is Santa Barbara’s premier event to offer seniors and caregivers a plethora of activities and information to stay healthy and active. A $5 admission fee provides access to flu vaccines and multiple health assessments, and over one hundred exhibits.

Senior care consultant and co-chair of the event, Jeanne West shared a bit of the Expo’s history. Originating in the 80’s the Senior Expo was a program of the City of Santa Barbara’s Parks and Recreation department and supported by the former Santa Barbara Bank and Trust’s Our Gang group. Eventually a collaboration of nonprofit organizations assumed responsibility to produce the annual event. In the late 90’s attendance dropped off. “We had stagnated a bit at around 300 participants,” said Ms. West. “I went to Janet O’Neil of Cottage Health, and she suggested we offer free flu shots. From that point on, the number of attendees has exceeded 800,” she continued. “Cottage Health and Sansum Clinic alternated giving the vaccinations for years.” This year, however, Rite Aid is on deck to provide the shots which will include the stronger senior dose for those 65 and older.

Expo 2023 includes a variety of popular features. Entertainment, caricatures, onsite voter registration, over a dozen free health screenings (home safety, blood pressure, diabetes, etc.) and a Caregiver’s Café, offering counseling and support for those caring for elderly friends and family members are among the vendors and exhibitors. Therapy dogs, financial planners, fitness demonstrations and free haircuts all promise participants a fun and educational event.

An additional benefit to participants is a free copy of the new and updated Senior Resource Directory – a comprehensive guide to programs and services for seniors.

Senior Expo is organized by Family Service Agency and made possible through sponsorship of local businesses and nonprofit agencies. This year’s Platinum sponsors include Cottage Health, Family Service Agency (FSA), Mission Park Healthcare Center, Santa Barbara Senior Organization Support (SB SOS) and VNA Health.

For more information and a full list of sponsors, visit the link below.

Senior Expo

Give while you

live - a great way to

support FSA!

As 2023 comes to an end, many donors are considering the best way to give to organizations they are passionate about. In addition to cash or stock gifts, charitably minded individuals, and couples age 70 ½ and older can employ a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD). This tax-smart strategy allows a donor to send up to $100,000 per year from their IRA; all or part of the annual Required Minimum Distribution; to one or more qualifying charities, excluding donor-advised funds. In addition to feeling good about giving, QCD’s can have income tax advantages.

According to Amanda Thomas MS, CFP ® Partner and Director of Philanthropic Strategy at Mission Wealth, “QCDs have the benefit of not being considered as taxable income and can have beneficial indirect effects on your taxes as well – this includes Medicare surtaxes, Social Security taxability, and eligibility for some tax credits and deductions. Additionally, QCDs don’t require that taxpayers itemize, which due to recent tax law changes, means you may decide to take advantage of the higher standard tax deduction, but still use the QCD for charitable giving.” Be sure to contact your professional advisor for details.

For more information, contact Jan Campbell, Director of Advancement at jcampbell@fsacares.org or visit our website to learn about ways to give.

Ways to Give

From July 2022 – June 2023

FSA’s Family Support Services helped 90% of families who participated in comprehensive care management, move from being in-crisis to being stable or self-sufficient.

FSA’s Long-Term Care Ombudsman program is responsible for advocating for all 5,000 residents in long-term care facilities throughout Santa Barbara County.

FSA’s Family Outreach Advocates reached 1,674 students in the Santa Maria Bonita School District.

FSA’s Senior Services provided over 2,775 hours of counseling to vulnerable seniors and caregivers.

FSA’s Youth and Family Behavioral Health program served 349 individuals with 5,310 therapy sessions.

Visit our website to learn more

about our programs and services!

Learn more

FSA in the Community

From engaging games to exciting raffle prizes, FSA staff and volunteers made our

booth unforgettable at the Pacific Pride Festival on August 26th. Our booth was

buzzing as staff shared about our programs and services.

FSA volunteers, Robin Sonner and Rachel Clement said, "Tic Tac Toe was a big hit and

many said our booth had the best raffle prizes and was the most fun!"

On August 20th, FSA staff and board members joined together at the 34th Annual Day In The Park to share about the services and programs that we offer in Santa Maria!

FSA School-Based Counselor, Francesca Sanchez said, "I had an enjoyable experience working at the event. My favorite parts were interacting with members of the community who were interested in learning about our programs and also hearing the positive feedback from community members about the services we have provided

in the community and in our local schools."

FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES

FSA’s Community Extends to Santa Barbara Public Library Patrons

Since October 2022, Community Support Specialist, Mersy Lopez, has been part of Community Connections, a program funded by the Santa Barbara Public Library. As an extension of FSA’s Family Support Services team, Mersy works with families and individuals at the Eastside and Central Library Community Connections Centers to provide resources and referrals for basic needs, childcare and early education, job training, and housing with a special focus on homeless prevention. Anyone who is a library patron has access to services.

Mersy emphasized, “I love working with people, especially our vulnerable and underserved populations. Working at the library gives me the opportunity to reach those populations out in the community.” Mersy’s interactions with community members involve a comprehensive needs assessment using Motivational Interviewing techniques during which trust and understanding is established and root causes of need are discovered. These interactions encourage participants to look back on their ability to overcome similar situations and envision themselves reaching their goals. In the last eight months, 572 direct hours of service were delivered at the Eastside and Central Library Community Connections Centers and over 385 referrals to community services were made to adults and seniors.

Mersy reflects on how the success of the program affected her, “I have always wanted to give back to my community and this is my way of giving back. Also knowing that I made a difference in at least one individual motivates me.”

As with many FSA programs, staff such as Mersy, participate in an assortment of community partnerships, many that address homeless prevention, including Neighborhood Navigation Center, Homelessness Prevention and Housing Retention Working Group and the Entry Coordinated System via Street Outreach Program (HMIS). Additionally, Mersy works collaboratively with the Santa Barbara Alliance for Community Transformation (SB ACT) and serves clients at the Santa Barbara Rescue Mission once a week assisting people with completing an assortment of applications.

For information on this and all FSA programs, please visit our website at fsacares.org or call 805-965-1001.