Roman Baratiak got his start as a work study student at UCSB. He instantly fell in love and has been changing lives ever since. “I soon discovered what happened when the lights went down and the curtain opened and incredibly talented artists and performers took the stage,” says Baratiak. “They brought us to other worlds, introduced us to other cultures, and provided us with a beautifully aesthetic and fulfilling experiences. I fell in love with that.” Three years later, that love transformed from a work study position into a full-time career. Baratiak has now been with the organization for nearly 40 years and currently serves as Associate Director. He enjoys organizing the lecture and film program because it allows him to present the Santa Barbara community with people who are extremely interesting, informative, and unique. “I have very eclectic tastes so it’s the perfect job for me,” says Baratiak. “I can go to work and learn something every day and feel like I’m growing as a person. I know I’m in the right spot.” Though Baratiak loves to learn during the lectures, it’s the benefit for the community that elevates his enthusiasm about his work. He strongly supports education for people of all ages as a way to keep us connected with the global community and with our own humanity. “The arts will always be important. They teach us about the world that we live in. They also allow us to get in touch with our own humanity and creative side. As a spectator, we can see human potential on stage by seeing amazing musicians, dancers, and speakers. We grow to understand the amazing amount of talent that goes into these things. It’s also a bit like going to the spa or getting a...

Over a hundred years ago, a farmer stuck his shovel in the dirt on a small plot of land in Goleta, California. The site has never been the same. The site is now The Center for Urban Agriculture at Fairview Gardens, a non-profit educational facility and working organic farm. The organization aims to nurture the human spirit through interactive public programs and community services.  Two years ago, Angela Miller-Bevan stepped away from her career in corporate advertising and marketing to join the Fairview Gardens team. She began as a volunteer, then worked as an assistant to the Development Director before accepting the position. “I came to promote the mission: to educate everyone—from birth to the end of your life—to know how important it is to eat the right foods and know where your food comes from. And how to eat food we can actually grow right now because we are in a drought. It’s about sustainable community and keeping something alive that has been in our community for so long,” says Miller-Bevan. For decades, Fairview Gardens has served the community through public programs including the Teen Permaculture Apprenticeship and the new Sprouts program. Yardi supports the Apprenticeship Program immersion experience that ranges from six to ten months. The program equips young adults with the skill needed to own and manage their own farms and farm programs. Participants explore permaculture ethics, the slow food and fiber movements, organic agriculture, watersheds, alternative economics, farmworkers’ rights, herbalism, and living soils. Apprentices also learn natural dyeing, making herbal medicines, and harvesting wild edibles. “Most people don’t know that the average age of farmers is 72. It’s sad,” observes Miller-Bevan. “You can’t go to a computer and have a computer grow your food. It’s impressive to see young adults...

For Mitchel Sloan, the effects of Alzheimer’s disease hits close to home. Currently the Vice President of Development and Communications with the Alzheimer’s Association California Central Chapter, Sloan began as a young man who watched his uncle battle vascular dementia. Rather than feeling defeated by the disease, Sloan felt empowered to help. He encouraged his aunt to make use of local resources. “I immediately referred my aunt to the local Alzheimer’s office in their area. I informed her that she is not alone and that our professional care specialists can assist her and our family with the help that she and my uncle need as they embark on this journey.” The first step in anyone’s journey is to understand the disease. Dementia is a general term for a decline in mental ability that is severe enough to interfere with daily life. Alzheimer’s is the most common type of dementia. It accounts for about 60 to 80 percent of cases. Since 2012, Sloan and the organization have tirelessly worked to fulfill the vision of a world without Alzheimer’s. By connecting researchers to funding, Sloan and his team hope to eradicate Alzheimer’s through treatment and prevention. The organization faces formidable odds. Every 66 seconds, someone in the U.S. develops Alzheimer’s disease. Dementias are the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S. with one in three seniors dying of the disease every year. Since 1982, the Alzheimer’s Association has invested more than $350 million in funds for research. In fiscal year 2015, individuals, families, companies, and communities across the nation contributed total revenues of $321 million to support the mission. Creative fundraising efforts have sparked community awareness and involvement in their cause. The most popular event is the annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s. It is currently...

Three years ago, Yardi caught up with Amy Williams, Director of Education and Community Engagement at Santa Barbara Youth Symphony. The program has grown a lot since then, reaching even more of the city’s youth with interdisciplinary art and the fun of a kid-centered community. “We’ve seen a huge increase in participation,” says Williams. “Three years ago, we reached 4,500 students and this year we’re anticipating 5,300. Concerts for Young People has 2,800 students now. That filled up in record time. We’re offering the same things but we’re seeing a huge shift of kids wanting to play great music and make new friends.” The friendships and sense of community draw most students through the doors, and keep them coming back year after year. Williams recalls one particularly heartwarming encounter: “This year, one of my high school students was excited, noisily coming into rehearsal. I said, ‘You’re very excited to be here.’ And he says, ‘Well, Amy, I belong here.’ I feel that’s the heart of it. We are where students feel they belong. The demographic in Santa Barbara has all sorts of languages, all sorts of backgrounds, but when they walk into classes and workshops they feel like they belong, by teachers and their peers. I feel very strongly about that and I’m very proud of the program.” While the kids are playing music and building their community, they are also preparing for their academic and professional futures. The benefits of music on adolescents have been well document in scholarly journals for decades. Nothing has changed, and that’s a good thing. “Music students develop 21st century skill sets that employers are looking for: teamwork, creative thinking, making connections between subject areas, and critical thinking,” says Williams. The skill sets do not develop overnight. Students...

The growing Yardi teams in Pune, Maharashtra, India have a heart for service. Their compassionate spirit is demonstrated in and out of the office. In Pune, their largest outreach initiative is the Yardi Vasti Vikas Prakalp (YVVP). The Yardi team began in 2006, providing funding support to 17 local Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and Community Based Organizations (CBOs).  In 2014, the YVVP program focused on direct efforts in 10 urban communities near Pune. Together, the organizations work toward creating a brighter future for some of India’s most underserved neighborhoods. Bharati Kotwal, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) at Yardi in Pune has been part of the program since its inception. Her passion for the community goes beyond her career with Yardi. For the past 15 years, Kotwal has volunteered to support the social and political empowerment of women and children. Kotwal observes, “[Underprivileged groups] lack opportunities and basic facilities like housing, sanitation, and access to quality education and health services.” Kotwal continues, “The community outreach programs like YVVP are important to me because the wellbeing of urban poor communities is connected closely with wellbeing of society as a whole.” Through YVVP, Kotwal and her team concentrate on several necessities including accessible education, improved hygiene and sanitation practices, and enhanced employment opportunities. Sanitation In Yamuna Nagar and Sangamwadi wards, many households lacked awareness of safe waste disposal practices or access to sanitary waste disposal receptacles. Improper waste disposal created unnecessary health risks. As a result, Yardi partnered with local NGO Shelter Associates to construct 250 individual toilets in the community. In another impoverished area, the need exceeded the supply of individual toilets. Many people living in urban, poor communities of Pune do not have access to individual toilets and are dependent on Community Toilet Blocks (CTB). To...

When it comes to education, establishing a strong foundation is integral for success. Since 1971, the Isla Vista Youth Projects (IVYP) Children’s Center has provided affordable childcare and enrichment to children between the ages of three months and six years of age. By forming a strong foundation in social skills and how to learn, children are better prepared for lifelong success. Establishing good foundations for youth is the root of IVYP’s county-wide educational program, THRIVE. The program provides academic, social, and emotional support for children before they enter kindergarten. Children are then ready to meet schools’ increasingly rigorous demands before their first day of school. IVYP is also able to address students who need additional care and services before those issues affect their academic success. Throughout the year, THRIVE assesses each student using 12 indicators of preparedness. If a child falters, the team intervenes. Tyler Speier, Operations Manager at IVYP, explains, “We have partnerships with several organizations including CALM and the Department of Education. So at the beginning of the program, if we have a child who seems like they’re not going to be ready, we immediately start an intervention. Usually, it’s a social-emotional indicator where they are behind. We bring in a therapist and they work with the child using play therapy or other options. The goal is to work with the child throughout the year to bring them up to par.” In the rare case that the child is still unprepared by the end of the program, THRIVE notifies the kindergarten teacher. The teacher can then coordinate counseling, tutoring, and additional services through the school district. The child’s needs are actively being addressed before the first assignment is ever assessed. IVYP continues supporting the child after they begin Kindergarten, offering an After...

Though we are few compared to some populations on Earth, humans can have an incredible impact on the health and wellbeing of the plant. Our actions can facilitate Earth’s natural cycle of decomposition and growth. Unfortunately, that’s not what we’re doing. Rather than supporting the planet’s natural methods for breaking down materials and reusing their components, much of our trash is not biodegradable. The trash will uselessly sit in landfills forever. Instead of breaking down and refueling the next generation of life and growth, the trash emits toxins, damages ecosystems, and takes up valuable space. Explore Ecology is working to stop this cycle. By combining environmental education with art, the Santa Barbara-based nonprofit organization has found creative ways to foster awareness and stewardship among people of all ages—starting with scraps. Art from Scrap, an Explore Ecology program, facilitates environmental awareness and waste reduction through art. The program integrates retail and public programming to fulfill its mission. Jill Cloutier, Director of Public Relations and Outreach, explains, “The Creative Reuse Store is one of Explore Ecology’s most popular programs. The retail store accepts unwanted materials from businesses and corporations. The store then sells those materials to the community to be reused, repurposed and, most importantly, kept out of landfills.” The Creative Reuse store is popular with art teachers, artists, and DIY crafters of all ages. Shopper can find everything from fabric, beads, paper, glass products, wood, and all sorts of little odds and ends. “It’s the perfect place for getting the supplies that you need for a Halloween costume, an art project, or even a parade float,” says Cloutier. Revenue from the store is used to fund Explore Ecology’s low-cost art classes, environmental education programs, and the upstairs Eco-Art Gallery. On the surface, the art classes...

Mary Olsen has become an expert at living in the moment. As the General Manager at KCLU, the public news station licensed by California Lutheran University and a National Public Radio (NPR) affiliate, Olsen must remain attentive and flexible. “When you’re in the news business, you’re constantly in the moment. It doesn’t matter what you have scheduled for production. When news breaks, everything else goes out the window,” Olsen laughs. “It’s all about that moment. Olsen’s desire to live in the moment is what has kept her in the world of independent radio. After leaving a lucrative position in the television industry, she dove into her role with the fledgling radio station in 1994. She traded her office for an abandoned classroom of the lobby of the freshmen dormitory. She hasn’t looked back. “I just love public radio and I’m a lifetime listener. I think local news is so important,” Olsen says. “With what’s going on in the world today—healthcare, education, the Middle East—you can’t cover that in a 30- to 60-second sound bite like the popular news channels. Public radio is committed to really telling the stories internationally, nationally, and in the local communities.” Local news has grown increasingly scarce. A handful of conglomerates now control the majority of new sources throughout the United States. Independent media fills a void that national media overlooks. “At KCLU, sure, we carry the international news programs but we’re deeply committed to local feature stories and breaking news. We have feet on the street every day, and when there is a mudslide, or the earth is shaking. That’s what we’re covering. When there is a fire burning on the hillside, the community should not be hearing Kanye West’s latest single on the air. When they listen to a radio station, they...

Youth Making Change (YMC), a Fund for Santa Barbara program, empowers teens to create positive programs for their communities. A board of teen reviewers evaluates grant proposals submitted by fellow youth in the community. A total of $30,000 in grants is awarded each year to  projects that can help local youth thrive. The innovative organization recently received the Association of Fundraising Professionals of Santa Barbara and Ventura County Youth Philanthropists of the Year award. Yardi caught up with Cristina González, Regional Program Manager and YMC coordinator at the Fund, to celebrate the nonprofit’s success. “To be selected by our philanthropic peers and the community is a wonderful acknowledgment of the impact YMC teens are making throughout Santa Barbara County, both as grant-makers and grant recipients,” González says. The honor is deserved. Since 2008, YMC has awarded $157,500 to 90 youth-led groups throughout Santa Barbara County. The focus of each project varies, from scholarships for AP testing to environmental awareness workshops in low-income neighborhoods. For González, one particular project demonstrates the creativity and heart behind teen-led initiatives. While speaking at a support group for homeless and foster youth, González encouraged a few young attendees to pursue an idea that they had considered. Their plan for a teen-based support group for younger homeless and foster kids seemed like an activity that YMC could support. The teens would create welcome baskets for each new child who arrived at the shelter. With the support of their adviser, the teens would also host regular gatherings with the younger kids. The group could discuss what was happening in their lives, provide support and engage in fun learning activities while at the shelter. “In their interview, they shared that children look up to teens much more than adults sometimes,” begins González....

After the first few questions, I knew this was not going to be an interview like any other. I recently sat down with Denise Hinkle, Director of Development and Communications at Family Services Agency (FSA). We began with basic questions about the organization when one question seemed to stump us both. “What is one of your fastest growing programs, and can you tell me more about it?” I asked. Hinkle paused. “All of them.” She continued with more certainty. “It seems like all of the programs are growing for different reasons.” I soon learned that as Santa Barbara County continues to grow, the need for FSA’s diverse services seems to grow exponentially. For youth, FSA services include Big Brothers, Big Sisters, an international organization that pairs children with mentors. In an academic setting, School Counseling Services offers assistance for students with severe mental health needs, as well as therapists for school staff. Adults and families may participate in Family Support Services, which helps parents build healthy homes by overcoming stressors such as poverty, violence, mental illness and substance abuse. Youth and Family Behavioral Health provides in-home services for an array of familial concerns, including the prevention of out of home placement such as juvenile hall and foster care. For those in their golden years, Senior Services includes the long-term care Ombudsman Program that advocates for seniors’ well-being, and caregiver support resources. Hinkle has observed the growth of FSA for the past two years. “A lot of our family support services tend to grow when the economy is tanking out. Our Senior Services and Caregivers program is definitely going to take off due to the gray tsunami coming our way,” Hinkle laughs. “Big Brothers Big Sisters, is growing. There is such a need in Santa...

California-based nonprofit PathPoint specializes in building vital communities that foster independence, dignity and work for all residents. PathPoint equips individuals with disabilities or disadvantages with the tools needed to achieve self-sufficiency and pride. Employment, community access, residential and behavioral health services are just a few routes through which PathPoint fulfills its mission. One of the organization’s main areas of expansion is making technology more accessible for all. Participants in PathPoint’s South Santa Barbara County Community Access Program (CAP) work on goals in relation to socialization, communication, physical development, and many other independence enhancing areas. Since 2006, funding received from Yardi Systems has provided PathPoint’s programs with valuable tools that assist participants in achieving their goals. Currently PathPoint is working towards creating a comprehensive curriculum surrounding Assistive Technology. Lauren Alvarado, Foundation and Community Relations Specialist at PathPoint, explains the new technology program saying: “We are so fortunate to have knowledgeable, dedicated staff that are really passionate about using Assistive Technology to enhance the lives of the individuals we support. Our South Santa Barbara location is piloting and implementing a training program for staff, teaching them how to use the devices and creating individualized plans for each participant to help them reach their personal goals.” The devices used vary by the need of each participant. Stephanie Boumediene, Vice President of Development at PathPoint, has witnessed how seemingly simply devices can make a huge impact on the community. “Many of our clients are non-verbal” says Boumediene. “The equipment not only gives them the ability to communicate with their families and access the Internet, it ultimately opens the possibility to being an active member of the broader community. It also allows the community to meet them as well.” This project within the Community Access Program opens numerous doors...

The Foodbank of Santa Barbara County does great work every day to assist thousands of locals in need of food, nutrition or health education. Did you know that 1 in 4 Santa Barbara County residents receives aid from a Foodbank program each year? Those assisted include a range of case types, from critical need situations among the homeless, to children who do not have healthy food options at home, to fixed income seniors. Over the holiday season, Yardi’s Santa Barbara office was a major part of the Foodbank’s effort to raise funds, collect donations, harvest fresh fruit, and enhance awareness of the non-profit. Yardi was a top performer in the 2015 Corporate Challenge campaign, which saw 13 local companies participate. Thanks to the efforts of our employees, Yardi contributed 2,776 pounds of food, 127 turkeys, and made a significant financial contribution to the Foodbank. All told, the efforts made possible a total of over 280,958 meals for local families in need. Food collected by Yardi employees comprised over 30 percent of everything collected during the Corporate Challenge event. “Yardi continues to step up every year. The company has been participating in the corporate challenge for a few years now, but this year was by far the largest participation, with a lot of excitement around the event,” said Misha Garrison, The Foodbank’s Development Manager. Employees donated funds and food, rallied others on their teams to join in contributing to the cause, volunteered their time to pick fruit for the Foodbanks’ Backyard Bounty program, raised money at the holiday bake sale, and much more. Year-round need While it is a natural inclination to think of the Foodbank’s mission during the holiday season, the truth is that the non-profit needs volunteers and support all year long. Last year,...

Success came with an unexpected side effect for Lisette Fraser. After ten years in the addiction treatment industry, the small clinic where she worked had blossomed into a conglomeration of outpatient and residential care facilities throughout California. Fraser loved that more people were receiving care, but the immense growth left her feeling detached from herself and others. Fraser explains, “I wanted to get back to my roots. I enjoyed what I did with start-ups, the smaller treatment programs and the individualized attention I was able to give.” In June 2015, Fraser accepted the position of Executive Director at Casa Serena, a small treatment facility in Santa Barbara. With a total capacity of 32 clients, the center specializes in personalized care for women and their families. The position was the perfect fit. What appealed most to Fraser was the center’s emphasis on women. Fraser says, “Casa Serena is unique because it’s specifically targeted towards women and women’s issues that arise when struggling with addiction. I feel this is so important because there aren’t enough treatment programs that are gender specific. That, to me, is a very personal mission in terms of all of the underlying issues that accompany addiction for women.” Casa Serena provides a safe place for women to recover from drug and alcohol addiction. Clients are guided through the first 90 days of recovery in The Main House. They can then transition to The Graduate House or The Oliver House. In the latter, clients are able to live with and rebuild their relationships with their children. “A lot of women suffer the wreckage of the disease through the family and through the children,” observes Fraser. “They’ve either lost custody, have partial custody, or they’re trying to regain custody. So we help facilitate that...

If the name Catherine Remak seems familiar to you, you aren’t alone. She has been the voice of the KLITE 101.7 morning show for 23 years. The show allows her to relish in her passion for light rock while promoting many of the great organizations that serve Santa Barbara residents. It was through the radio show that Remak discovered the Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse (CADA). The organization strives to prevent alcoholism and drug abuse through education and public awareness. With CADA, community members gain access to intervention services, treatment, and support. More than 15 years after serving as a volunteer with CADA, Remak accepted her role as Director of Corporate Development and Communications. She is passionate about the numerous programs offered through CADA and has a difficult time deciding which program initially sparked her interest in the organization. “All of them,” Remak laughs. “But I’m really fond of our youth services, especially our Daniel Bryant Youth and Family Center which treats area youth with drug and alcohol issues with services to their families. A terrific program called Teen Court also operates out of the Center. It’s got a great success rate, with 85 percent of teens not reoffending. I’m also a fan of CADA Youth Service Specialists, our trained counselors who are on school campuses dealing with kids in a preventative way.” It is vital to present kids with education and preventative tactics. If they grow into teens or adults struggling with addition, they face one daunting obstacle to their wellbeing– themselves. “It’s tough,” says Remak. “When they’re in the throes of addiction, they don’t think that they need any help. Sometimes it requires an intervention.” Yet when a third party is involved, the likelihood of success may decrease. Remak says, “We...

Organizations throughout Santa Barbara strive to make the community an even better place to live. Easy Lift is one such organization that has provided affordable transportation for seniors, children, and the disabled since 1979. Transportatio n is a vital yet often overlooked need in our community. Yet for 363 days each year, it is Easy Lift’s top priority. When it comes to the lifestyle of a public servant, few foresee their future in private transportation. Ernesto Paredes, Executive Director of Easy Lift, was no exception. In 1991, as a recent USC School of Gerontology graduate, Paredes accepted a job in the transportation industry. He figured that he could use the experience before moving on to the next opportunity. Paredes recalls, “I thought, ‘Transportation isn’t the sexiest field out there but I’ll start with that, get a couple of years of experience and then move on.’ I’m still figuring out where my ‘move on’ position is!” he laughs. “I’m inching up on 24 years with the organization. I love what I do and I love who I do it for.” For Paredes, the who and why of public service has always been more important than the how. “It’s not the tires and oil changes that fire me up about being a part of this organization, though that is part of what we do,” he says. “I really like improving [clients’] quality of life. People want to be independent for all long as they can. They have an alternative where they can look to our Dial-A-Ride program and be as independent as possible.” Dial-A-Ride is an Easy Lift service that provides transportation to seniors who are unable to take advantage of Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District services. Fares are only $3.50 one way, offering seniors with...

Yardi CSD manager Terry Kelly and his wife Pam took the trip of a lifetime to Nepal this spring, but they weren’t on a typical tourist agenda. Instead, the focus of their visit was to volunteer at a pop-up health clinic, called a Health Camp, in the foothills of the Himalayas. The two-day medical outreach was organized by Project for a Village, a non-profit started by Kathy and Rene Perez-Silva. Terry Kelly and Rene Perez-Silva attended college together at Georgetown, and since the couple began their trips to Nepal four years ago, the Kellys were interested in lending a hand. After 22 hours of flight time (including 5 layovers) and wrangling 400 pounds of luggage that included medical supplies, they arrived in Kathmandu, Nepal’s capital. “We carried over 250 pounds of vitamins and de-worming pills to distribute to the mothers of the small children (enough vitamins for a year’s supply for each child). We also took multiple duffel bags full of essential medicines to treat the common complaints,” Terry Kelly explained. Prenatal vitamins and a health outreach project focused on preteen girls were also distributed. “Many Nepali people become dependent on foreign aid groups coming to their village to provide free doctors and medicine through health camps,” Kathy Perez-Silva relates in the Project for a Village blog. “The shortage of doctors is severe and the pay is so low that most of the doctors want to leave Nepal after they finish school to work in the West.” During the two days of clinic visits, 1,000 people were treated by 16 doctors, with assistance from nurses and translators. Many of the ailments were routine, including aches and pains from physical labor in the fields, and digestive discomfort connected to poor nutrition and spicy food. Up...