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Santa Cruz County Community Service & Support Articles



Placer Sentinel logo LOCAL NEWS
Become a First Responder, Teacher and Leader Through Service

On March 12, Governor Gavin Newsom and Governor’s Office of Service and Community Engagement (GO-Serve) Director Josh Fryday announced California is seeking 10,000 people to join the California Service Corps.

KSQD logo LOCAL NEWS
Sub Rosa Anarchist Collective Safe Space

Where do you go in this day and age if you are trans or queer where you will be accepted and not harassed? SubRosa, that's where. UCSC intern Maury Burnette-Cavoto takes us there for this portrait of an anarchist event …

The Pajaronian logo LOCAL NEWS
Staff of Life Boosts Second Harvest

Staff of Life Natural Foods teamed up with Smart Chicken Wednesday to donate 2,639 pounds of high-quality chicken to Second Harvest Food Bank through the Smart

The Pajaronian logo LOCAL NEWS
Recurso De Fuerza: The Homeless Housing Project at Westview Presbyterian Church

In Watsonville, we see the human cost of California's housing crisis every day. As homelessness rises, we face a critical choice: continue with inadequate approaches or embrace innovative solutions reflecting our values of compassion and dignity for all.

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
Tips for Dreamers in Santa Cruz County as DACA Faces Uncertain Future

Demonstrators protest immigration enforcement changes at the Town Clock in Santa Cruz on Feb. 3. (Stephen Baxter — Santa Cruz Local)
Key takeaways

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Wagner Leads Meals on Wheels for Santa Cruz County as Senior Program Director

Community Bridges recently announced the promotion of Dana Wagner, who has been selected as senior program director for Meals on Wheels for Santa Cruz County, marking a full-circle moment in her distinguished career in nutrition and community service.

KSQD logo LOCAL NEWS
Navigating Uncertainty: Nonprofits, Politics, and the Road Ahead – Talk of the Bay

On KSQD's Talk of the Bay, Host PK Hattis speaks with Community Bridges' CEO Ray Cancino. Like so many nonprofits across the country, Community Bridges and Cancino were caught up in a world of chaos late last month when President …

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
‘A Game Changer’: More Santa Cruz County Residents Call 24-Hour Mobile Crisis Team

A Mobile Crisis Response Team offers 24-hour, non-police response to mental health crises in Santa Cruz County. (County of Santa Cruz)
SANTA CRUZ >> Nearly a decade after two Santa Cruz County residents were killed by law enforcement officers during …

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Scotts Valley Enthusiastic About Becoming Autistic-Friendly Community

Every year, community organizations appear before Scotts Valley to share what they’ve been doing to bolster the social health of the local landscape and ask for a grant from the City toward their efforts.

The Pajaronian logo LOCAL NEWS
Supervisors Reaffirm Support for LGBTQ+ Community

The Santa Cruz County Supervisors Tuesday unanimously passed a resolution to reaffirm the county’s support for its LGBTQ+ residents and for women.

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Ben Lomond Residents Unite to Improve Local Infrastructure and Community Spirit

In the year 2025, cities and towns across the country will be planning and executing some fairly audacious infrastructure projects. The State of New York plans to expand the Hudson Tunnel along the northeast corridor; Interstate 5 along the West …

The Pajaronian logo LOCAL NEWS
Supervisors Approve Ordinance to Support Immigrants

The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors Tuesday passed a resolution stating the county’s supportive stance on its immigrant residents and reaffirming it as a “sanctuary county.”

Good Times logo LOCAL NEWS
Two Nonprofits Keep Local Cyclists Rolling Along

Nothing really compares to a bike ride along the Santa Cruz coast, wind in your hair, breathing the sea mist, free from the jammed highway with its air and noise pollution. Locals and visitors alike can agree on at least …

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Newly Elected District 5 Supervisor Martinez Steps Down as CEO of Encompass

With the recent election results now clear, the Encompass Community Services Board of Trustees has announced that its CEO, Monica Martinez, will be transitioning from her role at Encompass as she steps into her new position as Santa Cruz County …

Image caption: Founded as a business organization in 1915, the Kiwanis Club now serves millions of children worldwide.
Doing Good: Kiwanis International

Founded as a business organization in 1915, the Kiwanis Club now serves millions of children worldwide.

KSQD logo LOCAL NEWS
Giving Locally: Nonprofits Shine a Light

Santa Cruz Gives is the brainchild of Jeanne Howard former publisher of Good Times weekly. It's a local crowdfunding site where people can support many local good deeds and projects in one spot. Guests are Karen Delaney and Leslie Lee …

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Founder of Mountain Community Resources Dies at 87

The San Lorenzo Valley and the broader Santa Cruz County community are mourning the loss of Mary Hammer, a beloved founder and lifelong advocate for the region. Hammer died Nov. 6 after a brief illness, leaving behind a profound legacy …

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
Rockin’ Holiday Party Benefits San Lorenzo Valley Families

Sharon Allen will play an annual benefit show at Joe’s Bar in Boulder Creek on Dec. 14. (Sheila Lee Prader)
Sharon Allen & The Dusty Blues – Joe’s Bar Annual Christmas Party

The Pajaronian logo LOCAL NEWS
Core Funding Process Leaves Nonprofits Perplexed, Officials Frustrated

The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday cast a split vote to allocate $3.79 million in Collective of Results and Evidence-based (CORE) funds to 28 nonprofits after a contentious discussion that prompted many to question the transparency of …

Featured

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.
Celebrating Veterans Every Day
These organizations are dedicated to serving the needs of those who served America.
There are more than 300 community service districts in California.
Community Services Districts, Explained
Areas that the county overlooks can form their own local governments.
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.
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
California’s first food bank has helped residents of Santa Cruz County for more than 50 years.