Subscriber Comments for
Life Bites News

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COMMENT 320985	2012-09-17 08:21 AM
OK.
COMMENT 321044	2012-09-17 10:24 AM
Can someone explain what Fund does? I've read the website, but would like to hear the community chime in on what this organization actually does.
COMMENT 321046P	2012-09-17 10:33 AM
044: I am surprised that their Web site does not explain, but, briefly, not having the time to check on the site now to see what it says, I'll offer that the Fund supports via grants a wide variety of "progressive" (in quotes because I don't like the shorthand term) groups and organizations in this area that are working to help and empower those who need help. It doesn't work much for environmental causes or for artistic causes, but for much of the rest of human-related needs. ...If that's an inaccurate or inadequate definition, no doubt others will chime in.
COMMENT 321069	2012-09-17 11:29 AM
Congratulations to the Fund for their successful event! I am a proud supporter of the Fund for Santa. On their website there is a very extensive list ("Granting History") of the various organizations / projects they have funded, usually in the range of $5,000 - $10,000. They describe the organization as "a non-profit community foundation that supports grassroots organizations working for social, economic, environmental, and political change in Santa Barbara County." Their motto is "Change, Not Charity" and they definitely work to improve the community through the grassroots participation of its members, and not just giving hand-outs.
COMMENT 321077	2012-09-17 11:52 AM
Our community has changed a lot over the years, I'll leave it to the old timers to decide if the change has be positive or not.
COMMENT 321089	2012-09-17 12:21 PM
This organization is the belly of the beast for Homeless Inc. Build it and they will come, and keep coming.
COMMENT 321098	2012-09-17 12:48 PM
To keep it simple, The Fund gives out grants to small organizations who would likely not be able to get grants from more traditional grant givers. If you've ever worked at a non-profit, you know there is a constant need to raise funds/get grants to keep your organization going. The grant process can be arduous and it takes away from the work the organization is supposed to be doing. I'm glad The Fund is here. They are kind and have done much good. They have a place in a community like this.
COMMENT 321044	2012-09-17 02:32 PM
I am @044, the one who posted the question. I initially read the "About Us" page on the website and was confused as to what the mission of this group was. After looking at the responses here and the "Grant History" page, I can understand why I was confused. I wanted to understand this organization better as I was contemplating making a donation. @098 hit it on the head, as this group is giving out rather small grants/awards to quite a diverse set of groups who maybe too small or obscure to apply for funds from larger organizations. This is where the "grass roots" description comes in. While in theory I agree with the group's approach, there are a number of grants given to organizations/groups that I don't agree with. I think I will save my donation and give it elsewhere. Thank you to everyone who responded.
COMMENT 321089	2012-09-17 03:34 PM
This organization event is where progressive politics does their networking. The curious partner in this social networking is of course SEIU and other public employee unions. Kind of a liberal litmus test to see which progressive candidates the unions want to support who will be most friendly to what they deem "social justice" issues, which in fact is one more union buzz word cover for living-wage public employee perks. A social front for the unions would be my own best description of this activity. Donate elsewhere if you really want to help Santa Barbara.
COMMENT 321155	2012-09-17 04:27 PM
Belly of the beast of Homeless Inc is right on. If you're a grass roots group looking to help kids, improve communities, or reduce violence, don't apply. If you're planning to teach gay-lesbian-bi-gender issues to hispanic kids, teach basket-weaving to transient felons, or are organizing a Manzanita-shrubs-Not-Christmas-Trees festival featuring loads of pot smoking, why please apply! They'll fund you right away!
COMMENT 321157	2012-09-17 04:35 PM
The fact that you lump LGBT issues in with that other stuff pretty much makes your argument invalid, if not a little bigoted. =\
COMMENT 321166	2012-09-17 04:52 PM
985, if you're so bored by this article, why comment? Isn't it a waste of your time? OP, This looks like a fun event, thanks for posting the article!
COMMENT 321089	2012-09-17 07:59 PM
Looking at who was at this event, this was the place to avoid this weekend.
COMMENT 321343	2012-09-18 07:06 AM
There are some very worthwhile local organizations that suffer from less and less funding only because they are traditional in what they do, and now new age "innovative" organizations get all the attention and all the funding, and some of them have merely found clever ways to write grants to pay for their directors's salaries instead real needs of the community. I say give directly to those who provide our community with things that are really needed.
COMMENT 321349	2012-09-18 07:21 AM
Sorry to see Via Marstra there! We refuse to ever support that guy after eating on his restaurant and hearing and seeing him flip out on a longtime waiter and berate him so publically and disrespectfully - he screamed that the guy was fired that night - several of us intervened and at least one table walked out. I has never seen such a disgusting display. Oh yes, the waiter's crime? He mistakenly obeyed a rule that had been changed- unbeknownest to him- by the owner!
COMMENT 321089	2012-09-18 09:20 AM
343, you nailed it. Most of these organizations spend too much time keeping the executive director position funded by expanding the alleged needs for their services. This means they have no vested interest in solving community problems, only expanding them to keep themselves fully employed. Yes, there is something wrong with this picture, and organizations like the uber-liberal Fund for Santa Barbara which perpetuates this unholy alliance to our communities detriment.
COMMENT 321089	2012-09-18 03:54 PM
SEIU supports Fund for Santa Barbara. What else do you need to know?

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