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Nearly $1 million in help Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara provides $925,000 in grants to local organizations By ANNIKA BAHNSEN NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT
With the COVID-19 pandemic, the rising costs of living, housing crisis and more, the volunteers with the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara have made it their mission to rise from these challenges. The Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara is a volunteer-led donor organization that, according to their website (womensfundsb. org), “enables women to combine charitable dollars into significant grants addressing the critical needs of women, children and families in south Santa Barbara County.” The Women’s Fund educates and inspires women to engage in making lasting change in the community. As of 2023, the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara has grown to 1,200 members of all ages and backgrounds and hopes to grow even more. Recently, the Women’s Fund announced an increase in its grants to others, totalling $925,000. This is huge for the organization, as it allows it to expand its efforts to help the community and grow deeper roots in the Santa Barbara County area. On May 9 at the Marjorie Luke Theatre in Santa Barbara, the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara will host its annual Celebration of Grants, where it will award grants to various community organizations. As explained by Kerry Parker, the Women’s Fund Communications Committee co-chair, the main areas of exploration for these grants are for family support services, housing assistance, education, mental health and health care.
Lawsuit: ‘Unlawful pause’ on student loans cost taxpayers $150B By SCOTT MCCLALLEN THE CENTER SQUARE
PHOTO COURTESY WOMEN’S FUND
Lynn Karison speaks at last year’s Celebration of Grants event at the Santa Barbara Historical Museum.
Specifically, there have been community involvements in the past few months that have been a direct cause of the grants provided. “Freedom 4 Youth” is a mission that uplifts and empowers youth impacted by the criminal legal system to build safe and compassionate communities. Last year, a Women’s Fund grant
FYI The Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara will host its annual Celebration of Grants May 9 at the Marjorie Luke Theatre at Santa Barbara Junior High School, 721 E. Cota St., Santa Barbara. A reception will take place 4:45 to 5:40 p.m., followed by the awards presentation from 6 to 7 p.m. This event is open to members of the Women’s Fund and those who are aspiring to become members. To purchase tickets, go to womensfundsb.org/event/celebration-grants-2023. To become a member, visit womensfundsb.org.
of $100,000 helped establish a program reducing recidivism for young females currently or formerly incarcerated or on probation. Another area that the Women’s Fund has assisted in is the Sanctuary Centers. Located in downtown Santa Barbara, the center provides extensive mental health care. Ms. Parker noted there is a “critical shortage of psychiatric services for youth” and that the Women’s Fund provided a grant of $100,000 last year, which was able to fund two more psychiatrists for the program. A main area that the Women’s Fund focuses on is the homeless population in Santa Barbara. “The most effective approach to helping homeless individuals transition to permanent housing is to provide safe temporary shelter with support services,” Ms. Parker explained.
A $75,000 Women’s Fund grant last year supported an onsite case management office at the DignityMoves Village in Santa Barbara. Ms. Parker added that once the grant is given, the Women’s Fund stays committed to staying in contact with the various programs to check on their progress and see where they may need more help. “The agencies we work with keep us posted on the progress of the projects we fund,” she continued. “We often conduct site visits to allow our members to witness the impact of the work we’re supporting firsthand.” The Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara is desiring growth in the Santa Barbara community from volunteers and donors. “We welcome all women to join us!” exclaimed Ms. Parker. email: abahnsen@newspress.com
(The Center Square) –A new lawsuit challenges the U.S. Department of Education’s “unlawful pause” on federal student loan payments that have cost taxpayers $150 billion from lost interest. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan by the New Civil Liberties Alliance and the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, says Congress lawfully suspended monthly payments and interest accrual on federally held student loans for six months. However, the lawsuit challenges the legality of the department unilaterally extending the deferment period 30 months past the statutory expiration date of September 2020 without Congressional approval. Patrick J. Wright, vice president for legal affairs at the Mackinac Center, said perpetual deferment of student loans is “bad policy.” “Perpetual deferment of federal student loans is bad policy because it shifts the burden from those who took out student loans to those who did not,” Mr. Wright said in a statement. “More importantly, it is illegal, as it strips congressional powers and unilaterally hands them to executive bureaucrats. We have a proud history of making sure that the executive branch acts within their constitutional authority, even during a national emergency.” Congress enacted the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program in 2007 to help 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations like the Mackinac Center attract employees with a debt-relief incentive keyed to working 10 years for nonprofits. The lawsuit claims the nonprofits have standing to sue because the suspension of repayment
Medi-Cal recipients advised to reconfirm eligibility
Pink Moon
By KATHERINE ZEHNDER
FYI
NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS
The full Pink Moon - April’s full moon and the first moon in the spring season - descends behind Santa Barbara Airport’s air traffic control tower on Thursday. The Pink Moon’s name references the blooming flowers and trees that spring season brings. This full moon is also known as the Paschal full moon and holds significant importance to those that celebrate Easter - the date of the religious observance falls on the Sunday following the first full moon that makes its appearance on or after the March equinox.
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CenCal Health is encouraging MediCal recipients in Santa Barbara County to reconfirm their eligibility. On March 31, the temporary suspension of eligibility renewals ended nationwide. California’s Medi-Cal members are receiving communication this month about their annual redetermination, and they must respond to maintain their benefits. CenCal Health is the community health plan that partners with local providers to deliver health care services to many residents in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. “The first series of packets will be sent out on April 20,” Dr. Van Do-Reynoso, chief customer experience and health equity officer for CenCal Health, told the News-Press. “Members have 60 days to fill it out and return to the Department of Social Services office.
To complete the renewal application for Medi-Cal, go to www.mybenefitscalwin.org. You can also check www.cencalhealth.org/keep for a list of resources or call the CenCal Health member services number at 877-814-1861. There is a prepaid envelope included for convenience. We are encouraging community members to update their contact info and be ready when the packets are sent out.” To maintain healthcare coverage, other life changes need to be reported, including changes to income, disability status and family size, according to CenCal Health. If you are unsure about what to report, contact the local California Department of Social Services office. Account information updates can be done in person, by phone, fax or online. “We have been working closely with DSS
offices, community based organizations and healthcare providers so our members are aware that redetermination has started and can assist members and patients,” Dr. Van Do-Reynoso said. “Our member services department can guide members who call where they can access support at local DSS offices or other partners and provide general guidance for steps members need to take to stay covered. “We are using a wide variety of tools to support our members,” Dr. Do-Reynoso said. “We have a pretty comprehensive outreach Please see MEDI-CAL on A3
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obligations is an unlawful form of debt relief that reduces the incentives PSLF provides and undermines Congress’s goals in enacting that program. So far, the Department of Education has issued eight separate extensions – most recently in November 2022. The department first relied on economic hardship provisions of the Higher Education Act of 1965; then pivoted to the HEROES Act of 2003; then ceased citing legal authorities and stopped publishing new extensions in the Federal Register. It most recently claimed that it had been relying on the HEROES Act all along. The lawsuit says that only Congress can categorically suspend repayment obligations for all student-loan borrowers nationwide, and only Congress can cancel the accrual of interest on student loan debt owed to the United States. The department initially issued a short extension to give Congress more time to extend the suspension legislatively. Still, electorally accountable lawmakers in Congress declined to extend the suspension of payment obligations and interest accrual any further, despite legislating other forms of Covid19 relief. NCLA litigation counsel Sheng Li said that the administrative state “lacks the power to extend a debt-relief program beyond its statutory deadline.” “We know that only Congress may suspend student-loan repayment obligations and cancel interest accrued because it took an Act of Congress to provide such debt relief at the outset of the pandemic,” Mr. Li said in a statement. “Congress also enacted a clear six-month deadline for that debt-relief program. The Administrative State lacks the power to extend a debt-relief program beyond its statutory deadline, especially when doing so costs taxpayers over $150 billion.”
Sudoku................. B3 Business . ............. A5 Weather................ A8
Wednesday’s SUPER LOTTO: 20-26-35-39-46 Mega: 2
Friday’s DAILY 4: 6-2-5-0
Friday’s MEGA MILLIONS: 12-32-49-51-66 Mega: 21
Friday’s FANTASY 5: 4-17-21-23-38
Friday’s DAILY DERBY: 04-12-11 Time: 1:42.78
Wednesay’s POWERBALL: 3-5-9-42-52 Meganumber: 11
Friday’s DAILY 3: 0-5-4 / Midday 4-9-6