The Fund for Santa Barbara Honors Spring Grant Recipients
More than a dozen community organizations receive awards totaling $131,660
By Ben Preston, Noozhawk Staff Writer | Published on 06.17.2010
Members of Santa Barbara’s nonprofit community assembled Thursday evening at Cafe Buenos Aires as The Fund for Santa Barbara held its spring awards ceremony. More than a dozen organizations — covering a variety of efforts from environmental restoration to community activism — were recognized for the grants they received from the fund this year, with awards totaling $131,660.
The audience erupted in rousing applause for the Carpinteria Valley Foundation, which received $7,000 to assist its efforts to oppose Venoco Inc.‘s Paredon Project. The Barbareno Chumash Council was awarded $5,000 for its Rights of Indigenous People Campaign, aimed at promoting awareness among Native American communities around the country.
Perhaps one of the more unusual recipients of grant money this year was Project Gutpile, a nonprofit dedicated to educating ranchers and hunters about the health and environmental dangers of using lead ammunition.
“We need to educate people to give them an option,” said Anthony Prieto, a Project Gutpile spokesman, pointing out that sometimes, merely presenting a Spanish language education option can make a huge difference in spreading awareness about lead ammunition. He said many hunters in the area don’t speak English.
