Latest News
- CAC Honors Family Childcare Providers
- Los Compadres Third Annual Handball Tournament
- Policy Council Recognition
- Summer Food and Fun
- Youth Mentors Inspire Junior High School Students
- CAC’s Youth Corps Members Recognized for a Second Year of Achievements at Local Celebration
- CAC Employees Inducted into Santa Maria Sunrisers Lions Club.
- Congratulations to Los Padres Center on receiving their NAEYC Accreditation!
- Santa Ynez HS Graduation
- Santa Maria's Volunteer Dinner Pictures
- CAC in the local news
- 2011 Champions Dinner
- 2nd Annual Kite Festival
- Adam HS celebrates the month of the young child.
CAC Honors Family Childcare Providers
Maria Douvia, Dena Sanchez and Leti Avila hosted a brunch on Saturday. The brunch was in honor of the Family Childcare Providers who contract with CAC to provide Head Start and Early Head Start services to 45 children in our county. The family childcare homes came out shining according to the federal review that came in May 2011. Family Childcare providers who contract with CAC are visited by CAC Employees Dena or Leti two times per month for support and ongoing oversight. Maria Douvia got all her children up at 6 a.m.,plus her sister and niece who prepared a delicious brunch. Providers took home books for their programs and the Sesame Street Emergency Preparedness DVD and materials.
Providers who attended: Petra Groce, Becky Jenkins, Silvia Rodriguez, Joesefina Paz, Elizabeth Carrasco and Andrea Carrasco (Assistant), Andrea Buenrostro, Maria Saucedo, Maria Raquel Gomez
Los Compadres Third Annual Handball Tournament
FAMILY AND YOUTH SERVICES
Los Compadres Handball Tournament Repeat Champion
Freddie Perez of the Los Compadres Program based in Santa Maria has, once again, for the third year in a row, demonstrated his competetive spirit and drive by winning the First Place Trophy at the 4th Annual Los Compadres Handball tournament held at Minami Recreation Center in Santa Maria. The event, which was held on Wednesday, August 27, 2011, included 24 youth from throughout Santa Barbara County. Several Family and Youth
Program staff members participated not only in the planning of the event, but also in assisting at the tournament by performing tasks such as score keeping and refereeing of the matches. The Santa Maria Sunrisers Lions Club provided a delicious Tri Tip sandwich at noon. We congratulate Freddie for his repeat performance and wish him well in his future competitions. Unfortunately, Freddie because of age restrictions, will not be eligible to participate in our tournament next year.
Policy Council Recognition
The 2010-2011 Sergio Andrade Award was presented to Bonifacio Cabrera by Fran Forman, CAC Executive Director (not pictured), Michael Johnson (not pictured), CAC Board Member, Mike Cordero, CAC Board Member, Alejandro Vasquez, Parent Educator, and Mattie Gadsby Children Services Director, (not pictured). Mr. Cabrera was dedicated to his role as Policy Council Chair. He had perfect attendance at Policy Council and advisory meetings. He recruited families for the program from within the community and at weekend events. During his year as Policy Council Chair Mr. Cabrera never missed an opportunity to offer a positive word about how great Head Start has been for his children and family. He always encourages parents to enroll their children in Head Start
Every year, a new group of parents are elected to represent their centers as members of the Policy Council. Last week, at the last meeting of Policy Council and Recognition Dinner, members were recognized for their commitment to the program and their community.
Summer Food and Fun
CAC Lunches Keep Children Healthy and Energized
Have you ever wondered what low-income children do in the summer time when free and reduced price lunches are not available in school cafeterias? In Santa Barbara County nearly 1000 low-income children enjoy fresh and healthy daily lunches prepared in CAC kitchens. We partner with the United Way, Parks and Recreation Departments, Girls Inc., and other local organizations to provide nutritious daily meals for school-aged children at 18 sites throughout the county.
During the school year, many of these children receive free and reduced-price breakfast and lunch through the School Breakfast and National School Lunch Programs. CAC’s Summer Food Service Program, which is sponsored by the US Department of Agriculture, fills the gap during the summer months.
CAC’s Summer Food Service Program helps children succeed year-round and return to school healthy, happy, and ready to learn.
Youth Mentors Inspire Junior High School Students
Project Culminated with an Uplifting Presentation
Imaginations were ignited when 7th and 8th graders from Arellanes Junior High School teamed up with Santa Barbara Youth Corps members to visualize themselves in the future. Tyneka Smith and Jonathan Ford of the Santa Barbara Youth Corps encouraged the students to write “Good Life Letters” and inspired the younger teens by sharing their own letters. The students envisioned their own success and imagined how they would feel when they achieved their goals. They brainstormed about concrete steps that could be taken to turn dreams into reality.
“The students really seemed to relate to Tyneka and Jonathan,” according to Joy Thomas of the KIDS Network, a partner on the project. “They were impressed because the older teens shared their personal stories.” The Good Life Letters project culminated with a presentation on June 9 at Arellanes Junior High School in Santa Maria.
The letter writing program was made possible by a Youth Making Change grant from the Fund for Santa Barbara. Youth Making Change is a youth-led grant-making program that provides young people with the opportunity help fund projects that address issues and challenges directly affecting youth in Santa Barbara County.
CAC’s Youth Corps program offers young men and women an opportunity to serve their community by providing them with life skills training, education, and work experience. Recent projects have included urban forestry, furniture repair, trail-building, construction, graffiti abatement, and gardening.
Funding for the Youth Corps is provided by the Santa Barbara County Workforce Investment Board. One hundred and twenty five young people are enrolled throughout Santa Barbara County. For more information about the Santa Barbara Youth Corps contact Skye Allmang at sallmang@cacsb.com or 805.964.8857 ext. 147.
CAC’s Youth Corps Members Recognized for a Second Year of Achievements at Local Celebration
The Santa Barbara County Youth Corps program, a program of Community Action Commission of Santa Barbara County (CAC), celebrated a second year of achievements by Corpsmembers at a celebration at Lake Cachuma this week. Forty-one Corpsmembers received certificates, either for their completion of an occupational skills training course, such as OSHA 10 construction safety training, or for their personal accomplishments within the Youth Corps program.
Several youth received more than one certificate, such as Eric Bueno, 19, from Lompoc. Eric received certificates for First Aid/CPR training, OSHA 10, Window Installation Specialist Certificate, and Outstanding Work Ethic. “He has taken every opportunity given to him to participate in training/certification courses, and is a mentor to the other youth. He has taken them under his wing and encouraged them to attend Allan Hancock College,” said his Case Manager.
The celebration began with a barbeque and a slideshow featuring some of the youth at their recent high school graduations. A short ceremony followed, at which Joyce Ruiz, Youth Corps Program Manager, and Jim Mangis, Youth Program Coordinator for the Workforce Investment Board, honored the youth, and the certificates were handed out. Afterwards, the youth received Ben and Jerry’s gift certificates, which had been donated for the youth who attended the celebration.
CAC Employees Inducted into Santa Maria Sunrisers Lions Club.
On Saturday May 14th, 2011 Salvador Vargas and Pedro Sotelo, Case Managers from North County were inducted into the world’s largest service organization – Lions Clubs International.
The ceremony which took place during the Lion’s multiple District 4-A3 convention at the Santa Maria Radisson was of special significance because both were inducted by Carl L. Young, Lion’s International Director from Toronto, Canada.
Salvador and Pedro were sponsored by Jose Nichols Program Coordinator for Family and Youth Services. Jose has been a member of the Santa Maria Sunrisers Lions Club Since 1987. Jose States “It is always a gratifying experience to bring in new members into the Lions organization. This is especially true now when younger and motiv4ted youth are needed to replace senior members who have given some of their more vibrant years of service to the organization”
Congratulations to Los Padres Center on receiving their NAEYC Accreditation!
May 20, 2011. The NAEYC Accreditation Celebration Tour Bus made a stop at Los Padres HS Center. This is Los Padres’ first time receiving their NAEYC accreditation. Pictured from left to right is Dianne Reasner, Katie Lalone, Maria Vasquez, Vicky Zavala, Ana de Robles, Patricia Villalpando, Angelica Diaz, and Susan Mack.
Santa Ynez HS Graduation
May 19th - Staff and families from Santa Ynez Head Start celebrated the end of the year with a graduation. Click on the picture to view the photo album.
Santa Maria's Volunteer Dinner Pictures
May 19th - Centers in the north county celebrated all volunteer parents, click on the photo to view a slideshow of the event.
CAC in the local news
5/9/2011 an article titled "Waiting rooms set up at courthouses in Santa Maria and Santa Barbara" appears in the Santa Maria Times' website. To view full article click HERE.
2nd Annual Kite Festival
CAC participated in the 2nd Annual Kite Festival on Sunday April 17, 2011 at Rotary Centennial Park in Santa Maria. CAC was represented by Children's Services Program Staff Connie Berr, Maria Elenes, Mike Jackson and sons Patrick and Samuel Jackson, Nuvia Zul, Haleigh Knutzen (past Head Start Child) and Maria Douvia. Two of CAC Board Members Mike Cordero and Michael Johnson as well as David Krier stopped by the booth. Applications and information was available for all of CAC’s Programs as well as a beading bracelet/necklace activity. This was the 2nd year that CAC has participated in the Kite Festival.
Adam HS celebrates the month of the young child
Tuesday, April 5th. - Adam HS celebrated the month of the young child by inviting a local community hero. Police Chief Danny read stories to the children, he was so awesome! and a very good storyteller.
