A Support Network for Seniors
Helping seniors live independently at home
Santa Barbara Village enhances the lives of people aged 50 and better in south Santa Barbara County neighborhoods (Carpinteria through Goleta), providing a support network with services and programs that enable them to live a healthy and meaningful life, as independently as possible -- in their homes (whether they own or rent), in the neighborhoods they love.
Santa Barbara Village is not a place; it is a nonprofit organization that serves as a support network and community for its members, providing VALUE, PEACE OF MIND, INDEPENDENCE, SAVINGS, and INTERACTION.
We are currently INTERVIEWING POTENTIAL VOLUNTEERS |
OUR MISSION:
Santa Barbara Village is a community-based membership organization focused on empowering older adults to live happily, healthfully, and successfully in their own homes as they age by providing a network of resources that addresses members’ living needs as well as their social, cultural, and educational interests.
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Hear our Executive Director Naomi Kovacs & Governing Body Chair Patrick Corrigan talk about SB Village with Richard Dugan on KDB 93.7 FM: |
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Hear about
SB Village from our Executive Director, Naomi Kovacs, in a September
2011 TV interview on "Just Between Us":
CLICK HERE |
DON'T MISS OUT --> JOIN NOW!
Santa Barbara Village is now accepting Member
applications. The number of Charter Members will be limited
to 75 individuals or households, filled on a first-come, first-served
basis (based on the submission of completed applications). For our first
year, we will cap the total number of memberships at 100 (including
Charter, Regular, and Scholarship Memberships).
For more information on membership and dues, CLICK
HERE.
Through partnerships with proven providers, Santa Barbara Village offers
its members access to comprehensive quality services. These may include
social and cultural activities, exercise opportunities, and household
and home maintenance services, transportation options, help with errands,
as well as medical care and assisted living at home.
Santa Barbara Village is a nonprofit program for seniors who want to live safely and comfortably in their own homes. The Village enables a growing and diverse group of area residents to age at home with peace of mind for them and their families.
With one phone call or email message, Village members can gain access to professional and volunteer services and a variety of educational and social programs.
Live for Today, Plan for Tomorrow
Santa Barbara Village is not a building or housing development; it is an alternative to a retirement or assisted-living facility for seniors who wish to remain at home as long as possible. We call it a "virtual senior living community" because area residents will form a community through volunteering for one another and through joining the Village as a member with access to shared activities and services.
Santa Barbara Village offers:
- Supportive services for practical daily needs
- Cultural, educational, and social activities
- Activities to stay fit and healthy
- Timely information to keep us connected and active in our community as we age in place
Some services are included free with membership; others are fee-based with discounted rates for members. All approved vendors and service providers go through a screening process performed by SB Village staff. To see a list of the types of services offered, CLICK HERE.
Services and Solutions:
The National Village Movement
Currently, California has the largest older adult population in the country, and in Santa Barbara County it represents 15 percent of the population. A recent United Way study found that the number one desire of older adults in Santa Barbara is to be able to remain living in their homes and communities.
Santa Barbara Village is part of a national movement of Villages that have sprung up across the country over the last few years. While each Village is different, all are focused on providing a rich array of services and programs to help people, as they age, remain in their homes and in their communities.
The photo above was taken at Beacon Hill Village in Boston.
With the growth of the aging baby boomer population and the overextension of facilities and medical system, this model is a viable alternative.
The Village movement has become a stunning example of how community collaborations can help older Americans improve the quality of their lives, remain in their homes as they age, and save money in the process. And with the government facing enormous deficits for the foreseeable future, Villages also represent a welcome, cost-effective way for citizens to take responsibility for themselves during an era of declining public resources.
Right now, roughly 60 Village programs have been identified as being actively open and operating, according to Candace Baldwin, co-director of the Village to Village Network and a senior policy analyst at NCB Capital Impact. However, that is literally the tip of a large and growing movement. Baldwin says representatives from 600 communities have attended various Village meetings in the past year.
To some people, a Village might sound like nothing more than a modern-day replacement for close-knit family support. For most families, today's lifestyle is very different from years ago when relatives were viable options for support on an everyday basis. And even aging parents with nearby children and grandchildren often must seek broader support networks. With the increasing lifespan of our elders, we are also looking to provide support for the adult children of aging parents.
Dramatic increases in life spans have turned 10 to 15 year retirements into 25 to 30 year opportunities for people to reinvent their lives and develop new pursuits. However, without the proper support, these 'new lives' run the risk of becoming health-challenged, dreary days spent in isolation. Santa Barbara Village is the antidote to such a future for Santa Barbara seniors.
This cutting-edge Village membership program will bring quality services to seniors in the comfort of their own homes while they enjoy the opportunities of a Santa Barbara lifestyle.
What People Are Saying
"I am nearing 80. I want to say in my beautiful home as long as I can. |
"I don't know what's going to happen in the coming years, how, exactly I'll be impacted, but I know I'm going to need help. The concept of Santa Barbara Village gives me hope for the future, and a feeling that we're all in this together." |
MEMBERS:
SAVE THE DATES!
CAFFEINE & CONVERSATION
Wednesday, May 23, 10:30-11:30am
@ Goleta Coffee Co.
177 S. Turnpike Rd, Goleta
(in the Turnpike Shopping Center)
No host social event for members. Parking is plentiful and free, and they have lots of yummy beverages and treats to complement the lively conversation. RSVPs appreciated via EMAIL or call (805) 729-5038.
TODAY'S FINANCIAL SCAMS:
PROTECT YOURSELF!
Wednesday, May 30, 3:30-4:30pm
@ 524 Chapala St., Santa Barbara
FREE & FRIENDS WELCOME!
We want to help protect you from falling prety to financial scams! Come len about current financial scams going around, the warning signs, the perpetrators of abuse, and the agencies that respond. Led by Jeanne M. West, RN, MHA, Coordinator of the Financial Abuse Specialist Team (F.A.S.T.). Please RSVP to Dan via EMAIL or call (805) 729-5038.
A LOOK INTO
"THE 1000 CHALLENGE"
with JESSE BRISENDINE
Monday, June 4, 2:00-3:00pm
@ 524 Chapala St, Santa Barbara
FREE & FRIENDS WELCOME!
SB Village members & non-members alike are invited to come and be inspired. More information will be posted soon. Please RSVP via EMAIL or (805) 729-5038.
MOTION UNLIMITED MONDAYS!
Every Monday, 9:00-9:50am
(Except holidays)
@
524 Chapala St, Santa Barbara
Only $5/person per class!
Join fellow SB Village members for this ongoing class of exercising, stretching, and training that will encourage proper postural alignment, tone and shape. Move your body more efficiently and reduce pain! For more info, or to REGISTER: EMAIL US or call 729-5038.
READING GROUP
NEXT MEETING: May 13
Ursula's house in Santa Barbara
(Email us to find out more!)
Reading for May 13:
Dream Story by Arthur Schnitzler, and the group will also view Kubrik's film, Eyes Wide Shut (an adaptation of Dream Story).
This affinity group is open to all SB Village members, and you can join at any time. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING, EMAIL US or call (805) 729-8828 to get connected with the group's facilitator so you can get the location and other pertinent details.
MEMBER SPECIALS
To find out about current members-only specials that are in addition to our usual member benefits, CLICK HERE.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
We are currently seeking Volunteer Drivers and other types of Volunteers to help our members. A little of your time can be a big help to someone! CLICK HERE to learn more.
VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION / INFORMATION SESSION
Date to be announced - stay tuned!
For MORE DETAILS on our Volunteer Program, CLICK HERE. Or contact us VIA EMAIL or (805) 729-5038.
DONATE NOW
Support Santa Barbara Village
Even if you're not ready to join us as a member, your support with a tax-deductible contribution will help us launch and make the Village a reality in Santa Barbara for those who want and need it now -- and in the future!
Donations are tax deductible and we are grateful for your support. For more information on how your donation can support our work, CLICK HERE.
To pay for membership dues, go to our "Join Us" page.
Like Us on Facebook
We post updates on our facebook page. Please click on the facebook button above and then click on the "like" button on our facebook page to stay informed.
Apply to Become a
Service Provider
If you are interested in being considered to be an approved service provider to SB Village members, please complete and return an application. Instructions are in the document. To get an application, EMAIL US or call (805) 729-8828.
Join Us!
A collaborative of local organizations, including Center for Successful Aging, Jewish Federation of Greater Santa Barbara, AARP Santa Barbara, and United Way of Santa Barbara County, are working together to plan Santa Barbara Village.
We are committed to collaborating with area agencies that serve seniors, as well as developing strategic partnerships with other key stakeholders in the area. Our intention is not to duplicate services but rather to offer new ones and enhance those that already exist.
A major goal of Santa Barbara Village is to nourish, enrich, and enhance the experience of aging in Santa Barbara with a Village membership that reflects the diversity of the County, through both full-paying and scholarship members.
Let us know if you are interested in:
- Learning about volunteer opportunities with Santa Barbara Village;
- Keeping informed as a potential future Village member;
- Helping to plan Santa Barbara Village by joining our Advisory Council or a working committee; or
- Donating funds to this program
Please join our e-newsletter (at the top of this page) and call us at 805-729-8828.
Read Our Business Plan
Click here to download the plan in .PDF format.
(Download a free copy of Adobe Reader if you cannot open .PDF documents on your computer. It's easy! CLICK HERE.)
Grants Received in 2011
Santa Barbara Village has received a $98,700 grant from the Archstone
Foundation to be spent over two years to support
our launch! This is in follow up to a 2010 grant from them to assist
with our start-up costs.
We have received a $10,000 grant from the Gildea Foundation to support our Scholarship Program for low-income qualified seniors.
We have received a $7,500 grant from the United Way of Santa Barbara County to support our launch and general operations.
We have received $2,500 from Montecito Bank & Trust's Community Dividends Program and $2,000 from a local family foundation to support our Scholarship Program for low-income qualified seniors.
For more information on the Archstone Foundation & Gildea Foundation, CLICK HERE.
In addition to these grants, the ongoing costs of the Village will be provided by a combination of membership fees, fundraising, and volunteer services.
The Jewish Federation of Greater Santa Barbara is the lead fiscal agent for the collaborative.
Membership in Santa Barbara Village is non-denominational and open to all.