May Day Virtual Cash Mob
Taken from montecitocashmob.com.
It takes a Village to Save a Village
In response to the economic crisis related to the Covid-19 pandemic, Montecito Journal, with help from the 93108Fund, the Coast Village Association, and the Montecito Association, present Montecito’s May Day Virtual Cash Mob on Friday, May 1st, through Sunday, May 3rd.
Help bring economic relief to your favorite restaurant, boutique, gallery, and shop along Coast Village Road and the Upper Village of Montecito. By purchasing a gift card from these local merchants, we can help ensure that our local businesses stay in business until their doors can reopen and serve the community.
The celebratory spending weekend will culminate with a Montecito Community “Zoom Happy Hour” at 7 pm on Sunday, May 3rd. When you spend $500 or more, your name will be entered into a raffle to be eligible to win prizes from your favorite local merchants. Expect to see some local celebrities at the virtual happy hour, stepping up to help breathe energy into our local economy. Winners must be present on the call to win.
Money received for May Day Cash Mob cards is given to business owners, who will, in turn, contact you directly and issue your gift cards.
What is the 93108Fund?
The 93108Fund.org is a 501c3 giving cash grants to hourly wage earners in Montecito who lost their jobs because of the COVID-19 closures. All donations are tax-deductible and 100% of the funds raised go directly to hourly wage earners. CLICK HERE to Donate.
The 93108Fund is a non-profit started in 2018 after the debris flow to get much-needed cash into the hands of desperate hourly workers or workers who have lost their jobs.
“We are trying to make the process as speedy and efficient as possible,” said Montecito resident Ron Blitzer, who started the 93108Fund after the debris flow in January 2018, and re-started it late last month after the COVID-19 stay at home orders closed many businesses in the Upper and Lower Villages of Montecito. Blitzer noted that the online application is very simple and that the first round of cash payments were in the hands of workers within 4 days of the project starting. “It’s critical that we get money into these workers hands fast,” he said. “But to do that, we need to raise more money as soon as possible.”
How Montecito’s May Day Virtual Cash Mob works
Click here and choose a merchant of your choice. Your gift card monies will be sent to the vendor and they will contact you directly with a gift card from their establishment.
You can also donate directly to the 93108 fund here.
See you on May 3rd and when we are back frequenting Coast Village Road and the rest of Montecito!
We’re still here. Working together. Stronger than ever.
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Stay-at-Home Virtual Tours of Exciting Places
With stay-at-home orders in place, many of us have lots of extra time on our hands. When cleaning out your closets or going for a long walk doesn’t sound tempting, there are other ways you can pass the time. And if you love learning about history, art, and seeing animals in action, then virtual tours might be an exciting option to help you pass the time in a fun way. Best of all, you can learn something new while you’re doing it, too.
From zoos and museums to theme parks, you can take an interactive virtual tour of many places from the comfort and safety of your own home. If you’ve got kiddos at home who you’re trying to keep entertained, doing a virtual tour of any of the suggested places below can help to pass the time in a way that’s also good for their minds.
Here are some of our top suggestions for virtual tours:
History, Culture, and Arts
The Louvre – Paris, France
Want to see the Mona Lisa without traveling to France to do it? Now you can with this exciting tour of three famous exhibits in the museum, which also includes ancient Egyptian artifacts.
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History – Washington, D.C.
If you’d love to tour this incredible museum in the nation’s capital, now you can see every exhibit courtesy of this 360-degree virtual tour. Don’t forget to see the dinosaurs, too, when you do it.
The J. Paul Getty Museum – Los Angeles, CA
Want to take a closer look at the Middle Ages and the Renaissance? You can do so by taking part in a virtual tour of the Getty Museum. This premier gallery in L.A. offers two virtual tours of its facility.
The Vatican – Vatican City, Italy
Most of us haven’t had the opportunity to see this pristine ancient religious city in Rome, Italy. But with the virtual tour, you now have the opportunity to view its stunningly preserved architecture. Check out the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica, and Raphael’s Room with this beautiful virtual tour.
Georgia O’Keeffe Museum – Santa Fe, NM
Want to explore the “the wideness and wonder of the world as I live in it?” You can, through Georgia’s eyes, with this museum, which is filled entirely with the late artist’s work. Check out her legendary artwork through six virtual exhibits.
NASA
Each of the NASA centers across the United States offer a unique experience for users at home to partake in. The Houston Space Center offers you a chance to virtually experience Apollo 13, or feel like you’re on the moon when you do a virtual tour of the Langley Research Center.
High Museum of Art – Atlanta, GA
Experience culture and history at this gem in the southeastern United States. The museum’s virtual tours allow you to see and feel the unforgettable history of the civil rights movement with many powerful photographs proudly displayed.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art – New York, NY
Home to the famous Met Gala each year, you now have a chance to view one of the world’s most famous art museums straight from your home. You might need a few days to view this extensive 26-exhibit gallery.
British Museum – London, England
Want to experience the history of the human world? Now you can at this famous museum located in London. Take part in one—or all—of the five prestigious exhibits to fully immerse yourself in centuries of cultures from around the world.
Museum of Modern Art – Manhattan, NY
Fuel your mind with endless creativity by taking a virtual tour of the most extensive collection of modern art in the entire country.
Museum of Fine Arts – Boston, MA
This grand museum is home to 450,000 famous works of art, and is one of the best museums in the country. View its comprehensive collections through the several virtual tours offered for those wanting to experience the artwork online.
For Animal Lovers
Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
Want to have a daily safari right in your living room? Take part in this zoo’s daily Home Safari series at 3PM EST on its Facebook Live feed to give at-home guests a chance to experience the zoo like never before.
Atlanta Zoo
Want to see pandas anytime? If you need a cute pick-me-up during these hard times, tune into the zoo’s live stream “PandaCam” for a chance to see one of several giant pandas in action.
Monterey Bay Aquarium
Want to feel like every week is Shark Week? Now you can with Monterey Bay Aquarium’s live underwater cams!
National Park Services – Channel Islands, CA
If you’re a lover of bald eagles, then these live cam feeds from the Channel Islands courtesy of the National Park Services are perfect for you. Check out the many breathtaking eagles in action right from the comfort of your living room.
If you simply love animals and can’t get enough of these live cam feeds, check out this list, which features a roundup of some of the best ones available to you online. It’s a great way to enjoy science while practicing social distancing!
Community Support
Now more than ever, we all need to band together. Here in Santa Barbara, there are several businesses that are here to support you during this difficult time for us all. As we fight to flatten the curve of this global pandemic, our community is working together to help each other out during this time of need.
Our Village Properties team is here to support you, and we’ve gathered some helpful resources for you to share. Below you will find a detailed overview of businesses that are actively helping others here in the Santa Barbara area. You can also find some indoor resources and online educational activities to help you pass the time and free your mind from the stress weighing heavily on us all right now.
Ways to Support the Community and Find Support for Yourself:
Cottage Health Hospital
Cottage Health has a drop-off zone for donations of medical supplies. But please keep in mind that it is important that members of the public do not enter hospital lobbies to make supply donations. Hospitals are under a health officer order not to allow visitors. Below you will find the info you need should you like to make a donation.
Drop-Off Center Location
Cottage Health will open a central drop-off center for donations of supplies on Tuesday, March 24 at the parking area adjacent to:
Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital
351 South Patterson Ave.
Goleta, California
The drop-off center will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily, for an undetermined number of days as the local COVID-19 situation and need for supplies becomes clearer. Supplies in original, unopened packaging are particularly being sought at this time.
Please complete this form and bring it to the drop-off center with your supply donation.
Supplies being accepted include:
- Face shields – single-use or non-disposable
- Eye shields – single-use or non-disposable
- Isolation gowns or standard level 3 gowns
- N95 masks
- N99 masks
- Standard procedure masks
- Reusable P100/N95 respirators and cartridges/filters
- Respirator hoods or hazmat hoods
Unity Shoppe
The Unity Shoppe on State Street wants everyone to know that, “It’s only as a CommUNITY that we will get through this.”
A special message from the good people at Unity Shoppe:
“Here at Unity Shoppe we’ve been helping our friends and neighbors manage the fallout from the Coronavirus. Many in our community not only have legitimate health concerns, but are also feeling the tremendous economic impact of this pandemic on their lives.
Most businesses and schools are closed until further notice. There is a scary new reality for the low-income in our community who are concerned about where to get groceries.
If they do not work, they do not get paid, and getting food becomes the number one priority for their families.
The Unity Shoppe is already seeing an increase in food requests, with many new people coming in. We do not know how long this will go on; we have to purchase more food and supplies to be prepared.”
For direct donations, please click on the link below:
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=YFL8DCJRPNG9J&source=url
Friendship Center
Friendship Center is a home away from home for many seniors with dementia in our local community. Both its Montecito and Goleta sites are currently closed due to COVID-19 and the high-risk demographic that the center serves. During this time, it is supporting elderly members by alternate means. It is seeking donations of items that spark joy and well-being, that are new, sanitary, individually wrapped and safely handled, to add to its “Take Care Totes.”
It has partnered with Foodbank SB, Easy Lift Transportation and Santa Barbara Bucket Brigade to collect, assemble and distribute the “Take Care Totes.”
Donations can be made via: https://friendshipcentersb.org/contribute-2/donate/
When making in-person donations, please deliver your items to the Friendship Center’s kitchen entrance.
Calm
This amazing non-profit has supported the Santa Barbara community for over 50 years and is here for you now. In a statement to Village Properties, it shared a special message about ways it can help assist you should you need it:
“During this difficult time, CALM remains a constant for the children and families healing from childhood trauma in Santa Barbara County. While our doors are closed to the public, we have mobilized our staff to be where our families are at this time. Therapists now meet virtually with clients using HIPAA compliant Telehealth services in place of face-to-face therapy sessions. We understand that this is an economically and emotionally devastating time for most clients, triggering early childhood trauma. It can also be a paralyzing time.
For some, home is not a safe space. In recent weeks, we have seen an increase in domestic violence calls and cases, and a decrease in Child Welfare Services reports. With children not in school or childcare facilities, mandated reporters do not have the opportunity to report abuses they don’t see.
The needs of our clients are of utmost priority and we will continue to be their support, as well as a resource for the entire community. This is a pivotal time for all to adapt to the changing landscape of health and well-being. See our resource page here.”
Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation
Renee Grubb has generously donated grocery store gift cards to families in need. Now more than ever, Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation and the children and families it services need your assistance. Please support this cause by making a donation: Make A Donation | teddybear
Legal Aid
Legal Aid Foundation of Santa Barbara County is a non-profit law firm that provides free legal assistance to Santa Barbara County residents. Its mission is to serve and empower low-income people and other vulnerable residents. It is open by phone during the COVID-19 pandemic. 805.936.6754
Santa Barbara City College
Free career classes are being taught virtually. All classes will be held in real-time via Zoom. Tuition-free courses are available on business, design, technology and career.
For more information, log on here – https://csi.cccbadges.org/
Santa Barbara Foundation
The United Way of Santa Barbara County, Hutton Parker Foundation and Santa Barbara Foundation are leading the COVID-19 joint response effort with members of the Foundation Roundtable to address the needs of individuals and families in Santa Barbara County as well as the non-profits who serve them. Your donation to the Community Disaster Relief Fund (CDRF) will support our COVID-19 joint response effort. To donate to the Santa Barbara Foundation, click here.
Family Service Agency
At Family Service Agency, our primary concern is the health and well-being of our community. As we continue to provide essential services, we are making some important changes to operations to ensure the safety of our staff and those we serve.
As of Friday, March 20, all FSA offices are closed to the public. Most core services are being provided via telephone/video or in-person in essential situations, such as safety net support and food distribution. All offices are complying with rigorous sanitation practices and maintaining safe distances as outlined by public health officials.
Senior and caregiver mental health support will continue via telehealth, a HIPAA-compliant protocol for interfacing with clients via telephone or video.
School-based counselors in Santa Barbara, Lompoc, and Carpinteria are also shifting to telehealth practices to continue to support those children who need mental health counseling.
Home visits have been suspended.
If you need support services or mental health counseling, please contact the FSA office in your community. (Note: Some staff are working remotely. Feel free to leave a message with your name, call back number, and reason for your call.)
Santa Barbara (805) 965-1001 Santa Maria (805) 928-1707
Lompoc (805) 735-4376 Guadalupe (805) 343-1194
For more information visit: https://fsacares.org/
What’s Cooking In Santa Barbara?
During this time, it is now more important than ever to support our local eateries in Santa Barbara. From the people who own them to the dedicated servers and other restaurant staff who work at these establishments, they need our support now more than ever.
Does the idea of cooking breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day for the next month (or even more!) sound daunting to you? We think it is…but don’t worry, we’re here to help! Here at Village Properties, we wanted to give you an easy, put-together list of available food options. Remember, there are restaurants all over the Santa Barbara area that are open and available for takeout or delivery orders for hungry customers. And in addition to this, there are delivery services to keep you safe during this statewide lockdown. Best of all, these delivery services are available to you as no-contact deliveries.
Restaurant Delivery Services Available Locally:
Grocery Delivery Services Available To You:
Whole Foods (in limited areas)
Costco (only for members)
Local Restaurants Available for Takeout or Delivery:
Andersen’s Restaurant and Bakery
Caffe Luxxe – Caffe Luxxe is open 8am – 3pm for to-go
Country Catering Company, Meat Market & Deli
Dargan’s Irish Pub & Restaurant
Garrett’s Old Fashioned Restaurant
Giovanni’s Pizza, State Street
Islands Fine Burgers and Drinks
Jeannine’s Restaurant and Bakery, Figueroa
Metropulos Fine Foods Merchant
Mission Street Ice Cream & Yogurt
OPPI’Z Bistro and Natural Pizza
Rori’s Artisanal Creamery, Montecito
Santa Barbara Roasting Company
Keep in mind that we are in this together and by supporting each other, as well as local businesses in Santa Barbara, we will get through this together! Let’s lean on each other, and if you’re tired of cooking or feeling overwhelmed, we encourage you to rely on these available food resources in Santa Barbara to give you the helping hand you need during this extremely difficult time.
VP Assist
Village Properties Has a Way to Help You Get Top Dollar When Selling Your Home
1. Beautify Your Listing
While most are well-aware of our traditional real estate services, Village Properties also offers clients a unique service that will ensure they get top dollar for the sale of their home. As part of our Village Properties services, we team up with licensed contractors and professional home stagers to deliver painless solutions at a fair cost designed to maximize your home’s sale price before you list it for sale, with no cash out of pocket.
By using our service, we will offer you high-impact cosmetic upgrades along with professional home staging so that you attract quality buyers and sell fast.
There’s total transparency throughout the process, with no hidden costs or charges. Without taking any interest or fees, payment for the work is deferred until your home sells.
2. Bridge Loans
Not sure what exactly a bridge loan is? Well, in simple terms, it’s a loan where you tap into your existing home’s equity so that you can use part of the funds to apply towards a down payment on another home. While a bridge loan is temporary, it is often a necessity for those looking to purchase another home while their existing home is still on the market or has yet to close. There are a few requirements you must meet in order to get approved for a bridge loan. Does a bridge loan sound like something you could greatly benefit from? Contact our seasoned agents today to get started on turning your next home purchase into a reality before your existing home sells.
3. Legal Services
At Village Properties, we strive to go above and beyond for our clients. This is why from January 1st, 2020, we will offer a unique service that grants peace of mind during your real estate transactions. With our Risk Management Buyer and Seller Protection plans, we give you access to a team of legal professionals throughout the entire escrow process—and even up to a year afterwards, at no cost to the client.
This service is offered to Village Properties clients through Real Estate Risk Management, Inc. and allows you to feel more comfortable during and after the closing of escrow. As a part of the service, you can consult with RERM’s attorneys via telephone to acquire valuable legal advice should you have inquiries concerning your property purchase. This exclusively local offer for Village Properties’ clients is available before and up to one year after the closing of escrow on your property.
If you’d like to learn more about any of these exciting services or know someone who’d be interested, please email us at vpservices@villagesite.com and visit our website to learn more.
Zoom Casa, LLC operates the VP Assist – Beautify Your Home program. Participation in the program is subject to Zoom Casa, LLC’s terms and conditions. All service decisions, disclosures, commitments, vendors, work, and collections are performed by and the responsibility of Zoom Casa, LLC.
Real Estate Risk Management, Inc. operates the Risk Management Buyer and Seller Protection program. Participation in the program is subject to Real Estate Risk Management, Inc.’s terms and conditions. All legal services are performed by and the responsibility of Real Estate Risk Management, Inc.
