Santa Cruz County Local News: Community Service & Support


All Local Community Service & Support News articles contributed by our local media allies and other local newsrooms.

Image caption: Working together with many volunteers, this crew feeds 65,000 people in Santa Cruz County every month.
California’s Oldest Food Bank Pays It Forward

For the food-insecure community in Santa Cruz County, Second Harvest Food Bank feeds the need.

Image caption: Kerry Wood, CEO of the Sacramento Region Community Foundation, says the organization researches areas of need to help donors direct their contributions.
What Is a Community Foundation?

By channeling funds to a number of nonprofits working on various issues in a given region, community foundations help solve big problems throughout California.

Image caption: There are more than 300 community service districts in California.
Community Services Districts, Explained

Community service districts can do most anything a city government can do. Here’s how they work and how to start one.

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Celebrating Veterans Every Day

About 1.8 million veterans live in California. Here are some organizations dedicated to serving the needs of those who served America.

Image caption: Stand Down events provide veterans with valuable resources including housing assistance, medical care, and a solid community of support.
Veterans in Need ‘Stand Down’

At hundreds of Stand Down events throughout California, veterans agencies and organizations come together to deliver life’s necessities.

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09/20/2024
Image for display with article titled Community Bridges Secures $3M Grant to Revamp Childcare Outdoor Spaces

Community Bridges has been awarded $3 million from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection’s Urban and Community Forestry Grants program, enabling the transformation of its Early Education Division childcare outdoor spaces into vibrant, nature-based learning sites that will provide significant benefits for staff, children and the environment.

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09/20/2024
Image for display with article titled Local DIY Label Shallow Dive Releases Benefit Compilation

“I can personally say it’s really difficult to convince people to listen to marginalized music,” Rip Florence says before taking a sip of water. “But there is an opportunity in Santa Cruz for people to embrace more idiosyncratic and niche music.”

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09/19/2024
Live Oak School District and Community Bridges signed a two-year lease allowing the nonprofit to continue running its Meals on Wheels program from district property on Capitola Road.

California Local Pin Marker From Santa Cruz Sentinel...

09/17/2024
One September 17, a groundbreaking ceremony was held for the start of construction of a 120 unit supportive housing development in the Harvey West neighborhood in Santa Cruz.

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09/06/2024
Celebrating 50 years, nonprofit health care provider Santa Cruz Community Health will be hosting a fundraising gala at the Hotel Paradox in Santa Cruz on Octtober 5.

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09/03/2024
Image for display with article titled Rescuers Seek Donations for Wild Horse Rehab

A severely underweight horse (Serif), a wild alpine weanling (Jamaal) and an abused mustang (Willow) have been taken into the care of Canham Farm Horse Rescue, a nonprofit horse rescue and rehabilitation center in Scotts Valley that is asking for financial donations and volunteers to help the horses in need.

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08/27/2024
A look at Digital NEST as it celebrates a decade of service to Central California youth.

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08/20/2024
Pajaro Valley Arts has a new executive director and is ready to embark on fundraising to renovate and upgrade the site of its new headquarters in downtown Watsonville.

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08/15/2024
Image for display with article titled Volunteers Spruce Up Fairgrounds Park

A large group of volunteers showed up to the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds on Aug. 9 to help bring the Paddy Smith Park back to life.

The Pajaronian logo From The Pajaronian...

08/09/2024
Image for display with article titled Woman’s Club Reaches 125th Year

Preparations are underway for the 125th anniversary celebration of the Watsonville Woman’s Club.

Hilltromper Santa Cruz logo From Hilltromper Santa Cruz...

07/30/2024
Image for display with article titled Kids2Parks: Transforming Lives, One Field Trip at a Time

This innovative equity program offers transportation funding for State Park visits to low-income students, providing access to nature and learning.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

07/12/2024
Beginning Monday, 150 households in Fresno County are expected to receive a $500 prepaid card to spend on anything they’d like — no strings attached. It will be the first of 12 monthly recurring payments those Southwest Fresno and Huron residents will receive as part of a guaranteed basic income program for low-income families.

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07/09/2024
Image for display with article titled Thanks a Million

Generous couple help fund Santa Cruz Symphony’s future.

The Pajaronian logo From The Pajaronian...

07/05/2024
Image for display with article titled Going Forth for Beach Cleanup

The Fourth of July has long been a time of celebration in Santa Cruz County, a height-of-summer fete that draws hordes of people to local beaches to indulge in picnics, swim in the ocean and soak up the sun, and, for some, trash the place

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06/28/2024
Image for display with article titled Ceremony Celebrates Launch of Damians Ladder

Last Friday, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at the Scotts Valley Senior Center for Damians Ladder, a nonprofit organization that’s already been making an impact in the lives of seniors in Scotts Valley and the San Lorenzo Valley for months.

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06/20/2024
Image for display with article titled Omega Nu Santa Cruz Awards Nearly $100K in Scholarships

Omega Nu Santa Cruz awarded college and vocational scholarships to 31 students from Santa Cruz County high schools during a Scholarship Reception for the students and their families at the Harvey West Park Clubhouse on May 28.

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06/13/2024
Image for display with article titled First-Ever Pitch in All Santa Cruz Cleanup Event Removes 1,500 Pounds of Litter

The May 11 first-ever Pitch In All Santa Cruz Cleanup Event had a significant community impact, with more than 30 organizations and 431 individuals holding cleanups from Davenport to the Pajaro Valley, including the cities of Scotts Valley, Capitola, Santa Cruz and Watsonville.

California Local Pin Marker From Santa Cruz Sentinel...

05/30/2024
Community Foundation Foundation Santa Cruz County announced the distribution of $1.9million in grants to 92 local nonprofits in its latest grant award cycle.

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05/21/2024
Santa Cruz County's first cleanup day held on May 11 had 431 volunteers from 30 organizations collecting 1,548 pounds of litter.

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05/19/2024
18 new volunteers were sworn in as as Court Appointed Special Advocates following their 35 hour training.
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