COMMUNITY AFFAIRS BOARD

INTRODUCTION/MISSION STATEMENT

The AS/UCSB Community Affairs Board (CAB), UCSB’s Volunteer Action Center, is dedicated to enhancing the educational experience of all UCSB Students by providing information and easy access to community service work. Through a wide range of projects and community programs, CAB seeks to augment classroom experiences, create opportunities for career exploration, connect UCSB to the community in a meaningful way, and promote the ethics of public service.

PARDALL CARNIVAL

As in past years CAB worked with the Isla Vista Community Relations Committee (IVCRC) to kick of the 2013/2014 year by hosting the Pardall Carnival. This annual community building event brings together students and the larger Isla Vista community for a day of fun in the sun in downtown IV.

 The carnival includes carnival rides and games. More importantly, student and other groups share information at their tables, so people can find out about the many services available to students, families, and just about everyone in the community. More information and lots of photos are available on the IVCRC page of this report. You can get there by clicking here!

ALTERNATIVE BREAKS-WINTER AND SPRING

Each winter and spring break CAB interviews and invites students to spend an alternative break week volunteering somewhere around the U.S. In past years this has taken students to New Orleans to be part of Hurricane Katrina relief efforts and Florida for environmental restoration projects. This Spring 14 enthusiastic student volunteers traveled to Tucson to work at the Tucson Wildlife Center and Hoofprints of the Heart Horse Sanctuary. They spent 4 long days weeding, clearing brush around animal enclosures, cleaning up poop, learning about animal rescue, and burning up in the dry heat. And at the end of it all, everyone came out with smiles on their faces and new friendships! CAB Alternative Break Co-Coordinator Kori Lay had this to say about the week’s endeavors: “This was my second time leading an alternative break trip and I always am so inspired by the participants who are willing to do any job or task thrown at us and they do it wholeheartedly. I felt like a proud mama.”

ONGOING PROJECTS

Volunteer Opportunities

CAB provides endless volunteer opportunities!

CAB we generates its own volunteer events and “CABbies” serve as a resource to local non-profits and organizations that need volunteers. Some volunteer opportunities occur weekly, while others are one time special events.

Below you will find a wide range of projects CAB focuses on. CAB encourages students to find volunteer projects themselves and ways that CAB can better serve our community. New ideas always welcome!

Students can sign-up for CAB’s Care-Mail by emailing CAB at cab.ucsb@gmail.com to receive a weekly newsletter with a list of current volunteer opportunities.

Environment

CAB members participate in Adopt-a-Block weekly to keep Isla Vista clear of litter. There are tree planting events with Goleta Valley Beautiful that happen every weekend and CAB is working on spreading the good news about composting!

CAB also works with a local coalition whose goal is to reduce the amount of plastic being used here in Santa Barbara and beyond!

Youth

We organize loads of projects specifically directed for the youth. The Family Literacy Program is one of CAB’s oldest and largest programs that matches up UCSB students with a child in Isla Vista to meet on a weekly basis and tutor. We also provide childcare grants to undergraduate parents two times every quarter to assist with financial needs. In addition we help organize after school programs, holiday programs and giveaway backpack & school supplies at the start of each school year.

Houseless-Hunger

Several CABbies go to Anisq ‘Oyo’ Park each week and share a warm home-made breakfast with the houseless in our community in a program called the Breakfast Club. This is a wonderful opportunity for the students and the houseless to enjoy the company of one another. In addition, CAB hosts food and clothing drives and partners with local churches and organizations such as Casa Esperanza to serve in soup kitchens and the like.

Senior-Citizens

Over the years we have developed close ties with local retirement homes such as Friendship Manor where we have a weekly Reading Group where we read with residents, discussing poems and short stories. The residents also have fascinating stories to tell themselves!

Animals

There are loads of animal shelters in Santa Barbara and we strive to volunteer there as well as assist in restoration projects. We work often with D.A.W.G and serve as a main source of volunteers that regularly spend time there taking care of and walking our four legged friends. We also take trips to nearby places such as the Wild Horse Sanctuary to further our own education of animals as well as helping volunteer on various projects. Keep a look out for an animal fair on campus!

Special Projects

Special Projects helps facilitate projects that are not covered by the other coordinators. For example, every quarter CAB hosts an event called YOU MATTER! during dead week right before finals in an effort to remind students that “you matter!” We have all sorts of fun and free things to help relieve what can be a very stressful time such as: food, music, massages, skateboard cleaning, test supplies, a letter making station and more! In the past CAB has also worked on dance marathons, Walk for Goodtimes and participated in Relay for Life.

Alternative Breaks

Every Winter Break, Spring Break and one special weekend CAB organizes alternative breaks. These are opportunities for students to use their time off for the greater good by participating in an all expenses paid trip by CAB. in the past we have helped relieve Hurricane Katrina by going to New Orleans and have even been to Oregon to help with environmental efforts. This Winter Break we are taking students to Biloxi, Mississippi to help with early childhood education along with enjoying the beauty of the area! Applications are sent out through care-mail.