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Timed to coincide with National 211 Day, CommUnify (formerly Community Action Commission/CAC) is pleased to announce the 3rd annual 211 Community Day Celebration on Saturday, February 8, 2025, from 11:00am until 3:00pm at the Earl Warren Showgrounds, 3400 Calle Real, Santa Barbara. Hosted by the nonprofit’s Energy Services and Head Start programs, this event is FREE and open to the public. (See the attached flyer, which is available in English and Spanish.) As CommUnify serves residents countywide, the event location alternates between North-, Mid-, and South-County each year, with 2025’s celebration to be held in Santa Barbara for the first time.
Featuring more than 70 booths from community organizations such as Children & Family Resource Service, Puentes/Bridges, Friendship Center, Every Woman Counts, Planned Parenthood, and Community Partners in Caring, to name a few, and several County of Santa Barbara departments such as the Department of Social Services, WIC, Behavioral Wellness, and the Office of Emergency Management. These organizations will be on hand to provide information and giveaways to attendees and offer no-cost vaccines and health screenings for both children and adults. Entertainment includes a live radio broadcast, along with kids’ activities from SB Public Library, SB Museum of Natural History & Sea Center, Storyteller Children’s Center, SB Museum of Art, and others. Live music will be provided by popular 80s cover band JOYSTIX and the San Marcos HS Jazz Ensemble 12:45-3:00pm. There will be door prizes, and a free lunch for the first 500 attendees. VIP speakers and local representatives will be on hand during the event as well.
“I am thrilled that CommUnify and our sponsors are again supporting this event as it shows how invested we all are to having a community where people have access to services and can thrive,” said Alejandra Enciso, 211 Santa Barbara County Program Manager at CommUnify. “It’s a fantastic opportunity to showcase the incredible work of the 211 HelpLine and its partner agencies, and to highlight all the amazing free and low-cost services they offer to residents. I’m so excited about this event! Last year’s event in Santa Maria was a huge success, with over 1,400 residents attending. I hope this year’s South County event will be even more impactful.”
The 211 Community Day Celebration will also provide fun activities for children to enjoy while their guardians are connecting with local organizations, so bring the whole family! In addition, SEE will provide vision screenings, the Cosmoton Barber Academy will donate haircuts, and there will other health screenings, services, and mental health assessments, all at no cost. And each attendee will receive a raffle ticket and be entered to win door prizes. Free lunches will be provided for the first 500 guests.
This event was made possible by the generous support of our sponsors including Trystine Technical Innovations, Head Start of Santa Barbara County, Tangelo, Sanctuary Centers, Santa Barbara Independent, Rincon Broadcasting, and KJEE.
“It is our hope that this year’s 211 Community Day Celebration in Santa Barbara will continue to grow and expand, building upon each years’ success,” said Patricia Keelean, Chief Executive Officer of CommUnify. “With so many Santa Barbara County organizations in our 211 HelpLine’s database, an event like this shines a bright spotlight on the vital work they do for residents countywide. In a sense, 211 Day brings the ‘call center to the community’, providing face-to-face contact with all the valuable resources available to them,” Ms. Keelean concluded.
For a complete description of CommUnify’s programs and services please visit www.CommUnifySB.org. For more information about the 211 Community Day Celebration please visit www.211SBCO.org. Please contact Joni Kelly, Communications Manager for CommUnify at 805-886-1869 or via email jkelly@CommUnifySB.org to request high- resolution images, or to arrange interviews with Patricia Keelean, Chief Executive Officer of CommUnify, or Alejandra Enciso, 211 Santa Barbara County Program Manager for CommUnify. All media are encouraged to attend this event, and advance coverage/previews and RSVPs would be greatly appreciated.
About The 211 HelpLine:
First enacted by the Federal Communication Commission in 2000, the 211 HelpLine is an information and referral system to provide people with health and human services, disaster relief referrals, and general information about services and resources available to them in their area of residence. 211 is completely confidential and there is no cost to callers. 211 covers 86 % of the population nationally, and 96 % of California’s population has access to 211. Santa Barbara County implemented the 211 HelpLine in 2005, and it is available to every resident, in 150 languages, with live assistance 24 hours a day 7 days a week. The 211 HelpLine became a program of CommUnify in November 2014 and has over 3,000 programs and services in its database. In 2023, CommUnify’s 211 call center received 14,103 calls and texts, had 15,000 web visitors, and provided more than 11,592 live call referrals. The top three areas of inquiries and information were for housing, utility assistance, and transportation. 211 HelpLine truly addresses the most urgent needs of residents here in Santa Barbara County, in 2023 we responded to approximately 250 crisis calls in the areas of domestic violence, rape, medical emergencies, and suicide/mental health matters. To learn more about the breadth of free and low-cost services available through 211 please visit https://211SBCO.org.
About CommUnify:
CommUnify (formerly CAC/Community Action Commission) was formed in 1964 as a 15-member Community Action Committee appointed by the County Board of Supervisors to address the causes and conditions of poverty within the entirety of Santa Barbara County. It became a 501c(3) nonprofit organization in 1967. The organization is committed to taking a leadership position in alleviating poverty, and surrounding residents with the stability they need to build stronger lives and become healthy, educated, working, self-sufficient members of our community. As one of the largest nonprofits in Santa Barbara County, CommUnify employs about 300 staff, including health, education, and social service workers who oversee 16 programs. The nonprofit supports families and individuals through health and human service programs, including Seniors Safe at Home, Head Start, Weatherization, Utility Payment and Energy Assistance, Family & Youth Services, and the Santa Barbara County 211 HelpLine, and serves between 7,000 to 10,000 people throughout the county each year. CommUnify is a private nonprofit agency that is sustained by support from individuals, family and corporate foundations, and government grants. More information is available at: www.CommUnifySB.org.