Community Friends (formerly Assistance League) of Santa Barbara has been a potent force for good countywide for three-quarters of a century. For more than a decade, its community betterment work has included active support of local college students in partnership with the Scholarship Foundation.
Established in 2013, the Community Friends of Santa Barbara Scholarship Fund, administered by the Scholarship Foundation, supports area students for the duration of their undergraduate studies. The fund is currently helping 10 students from throughout the county, and cumulatively has awarded scholarships totaling more than $250,000.
Community Friends of Santa Barbara has been located at 1259 Veronica Springs Road in Santa Barbara since 1965.
The organization’s approximately 350 members volunteer more than 50,000 hours each year in support of 16 philanthropic programs, which include its scholarship fund. It also supports Santa Barbara City College students majoring in trade or technical fields.
Community Friends of Santa Barbara is perhaps best known for its thrift shop, the primary source of funding for the organization’s philanthropic efforts.
Each June, the organization hosts an awards ceremony for that year’s scholarship recipients. Pictured at a recent ceremony are (from left) Kassandra Garcia-Serrano, Hugo Alvarado, and Veronica Garcia.
Deepening its relationship with the Scholarship Foundation, Community Friends has in recent years hosted judging for the Foundation’s South County Art Scholarship Competition.