Daily Archives: February 1, 2021

Keep Up the #GoodLandGoodShopping and #GoletaToGo!

We want to encourage the community to help support our Goleta businesses, many of which have been deeply impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, by shopping dining, and purchasing services locally. The City’s #GoodLandGoodShopping and #GoletaToGo campaigns are reminders for everyone to think local first. Every purchase makes a difference, big or small.

Many of our Goleta businesses offer online shopping, shipping, home delivery, curbside pickup and gift cards. These options are safe, easy, and fast. Buying a gift card from a Goleta business is one of the easiest and best ways you can support our businesses.

Share your #GoodLandGoodShopping and #GoletaToGo experiences with us for social media! Email PIO@cityofgoleta.org with a photo of your recommended purchase or favorite menu item and a short caption, and you could appear on our Facebook (@CityofGoleta) and Instagram (@cityofgoleta) accounts.  Also, when doing your own social media posts be sure to use these hashtags.

#GoodLandGoodShopping window posters and social media graphics are available to download on our website at www.CityofGoleta.org/GoodLandGoodShopping. They can also be picked up at the Goleta Valley Library (500 N. Fairview Avenue) during Sidewalk Service on Wednesdays through Saturdays 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

#GoletaToGo helps rally support for our local restaurants during this COVID-19 crisis by encouraging locals who would prefer not to dine out during this pandemic to order takeout or delivery from Goleta restaurants. View a list of more than 70 local restaurants (including coffee shops, breweries, and wineries) here: www.CityofGoleta.org/GoletaToGo. The link also has a social media graphic and window poster available for download.

For more information about the City’s #GoodLandGoodShopping or #GoletaToGo campaigns, or for assistance in helping to promote these efforts, please email PIO@cityofgoleta.org.

Thank you in advance for your support. Remember when you choose Goleta, you choose community!

Round Two of State GO-Biz Grants Open Till February 8

Funding will support small businesses that have struggled due to the COVID-19 pandemic

California’s Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA), part of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz), has opened Round 2 for the Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program today, February 2, and it will run through 6:00 p.m. on February 8, 2021. Applicants who submitted all necessary documents in the first round and met eligibility requirements, but did not receive a grant, do not need to reapply; their applications will be rolled over for consideration in the second round. 

“There is no question that small business are hurting, and the reality of this pandemic demands urgent relief now to help those who need it most,” said Dee Dee Myers, GO-Biz Director. “Before COVID-19, the 4.1 million small businesses that call this state home created two-thirds of California’s net new jobs and employed nearly half of all private-sector employees. It is crucial that we do everything we can to put more money into the hands of impacted small business owners.”

On January 5, Governor Newsom previewed his Equitable Recovery for California’s Businesses and Jobs plan – part of his proposed 2021-22 state budget – which called for immediate legislative action on $575 million in additional grants for the California Relief Grant Program. This investment will add to the initial $500 million allocation announced November 30, bringing the total amount for the Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program to $1.075 billion.

The Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program offers grants up to $25,000 to micro and small businesses and nonprofits that have been impacted by the pandemic. It is not a first-come, first-served program, nor a rolling approval process. Grants will be distributed across the state, with priority given to regions and industries impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, disadvantaged communities and underserved small business groups. All applications will be considered and prioritized based on impact.

Due to the overwhelming demand, the Round 1 application deadline was extended from January 8 to January 13 to ensure interested small businesses and nonprofits had the opportunity to apply.

Mission-based lenders and small business advisory and technical assistance providers will continue to help small businesses with the application process in multiple languages and formats in the second round. Many of the State-supported small business centers, which prioritize the expansion of technical assistance to underserved business groups, will also be also available to help. For more information on grant requirements and eligibility, please visit CAReliefGrant.com.

About GO-Biz
The Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) serves as the State of California’s leader for job growth and economic development efforts. GO-Biz offers a range of services to business owners including: attraction, retention and expansion services, site selection, permit streamlining, clearing of regulatory hurdles, small business assistance, international trade development, assistance with state government, and much more. For more information visit, www.business.ca.gov.   

About CalOSBA
The Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA) helps support economic growth and innovation by working to ensure that California’s small businesses and entrepreneurs have the information, tools and resources they need to plan, launch, manage and grow their businesses successfully and be resilient. The CalOSBA serves to elevate their voices in state government and to advocate on their behalf to help ensure all aspiring and current small business owners and entrepreneurs are provided with the opportunity to access capital, access markets, and connect to the networks and resources they need to succeed. For more information visit the website.

COVID-19 Financial Assistance Grants Available for Goleta Residents

Apply for Grants of up to $1,000 per Person or $2,000 per Household

In an effort to help Goleta residents who are struggling due to COVID-19 impacts, United Way of Santa Barbara County (UWSBC) has partnered with the City to award grants to Goleta residents of up to $1,000 for individuals and up to $2,000 for families. The grants are for those who are experiencing hardship related to the COVID-19 crisis. The Goleta City Council approved financing this program using the Federal Community Development Block Grant Coronavirus funds and the City of Goleta General Fund.

City of Goleta Mayor Paula Perotte said, “We know this is an extremely difficult time for our community, and we hope that this grant program offers some help to individuals and families in need.”

“With the devastating economic impacts of the pandemic, many Goleta residents are unable to meet some of their basic needs,” said Steve Ortiz, President and CEO of United Way of Santa Barbara County. “It is a sad reality that families are having to make hard choices about buying groceries, making rent, paying for medicine. We want to do all we can to ease that financial burden.”

To be eligible for this funding:

  1. You must reside within the incorporated city limits of Goleta (excludes unincorporated areas).
  2. You must be experiencing hardship securing or maintaining your or your family’s basic needs due to COVID-19 (i.e. food insecurity, need for medical care/equipment, medications, access to mental health services). For example:
  • You have lost wages or employment due to COVID-19.
  • You have unexpected childcare/education needs and expenses due to COVID-19.

The application for the Individual/Family Assistance Grant is available at https://www.unitedwaysb.org/covid19-financial-assistance. You can also click here for the direct application link. The application is also available in Spanish here.

If you need assistance filling out your application or have questions, please call United Way of Santa Barbara County at (805) 965-8591 during office hours (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday between 9:00am and 2:00pm), or email info@unitedwaysb.org. UWSBC staff is working virtually and will return all calls and emails within 72 hours (Monday – Friday).

Applications are received on a rolling basis and processed in a timely manner. The application process will remain open while funds last. 

Local Non-Profit Grant Applications Accepted through February 4

Approximately $133,000 Available for Local Non-Profit Organizations Applying for the Goleta City Grant and Community Development Block Grant Programs

Are you a part of a local non-profit serving Goleta residents or know someone who is? If so, the City of Goleta has approximately $133,000 in grant funds for which you can apply. Applications are due for Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) and Goleta City Grants through Thursday, February 4, 2021, at end of business day.

Recipients of the Goleta City Grant Program may receive up to $5,000 for programs that benefit Goleta residents and the general community. Organizations involved in educational and cultural activities, such as music, art, dance, and recreation, as well as Goleta-oriented special events and regional projects that enhance and support the quality of life in Goleta are encouraged to apply.

Each year, the City of Goleta sets aside a portion of its Community Development Block Grant funding to support non-profits serving low-income residents, seniors, and those experiencing homelessness. CDBG funds are dispersed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which strictly regulates the use of funds. The City of Goleta reserves these funds for agencies who qualify for CDBG funding, serve the goals of the City’s 5-Year Consolidated Plan, and apply for a minimum of $10,000.

Grant applications for both programs are accepted online via the ZoomGrants program. Once all applications are received the Mayor, Mayor Pro Tempore, and two Goleta residents appointed by the Mayor make up the committee that evaluates the applications and makes funding recommendations to the City Council. The Council then awards the grants at a meeting in the spring, likely in May of 2021.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to help your non-profit or community group. Click here for additional information on both grant programs or contact Claudia Dato in the City of Goleta Neighborhood Services and Public Safety Department at cdato@cityofgoleta.org.

Mobile COVID-19 Testing Unit in Santa Barbara County

There is now a mobile COVID-19 testing unit available to support the expansion of testing throughout the county. The mobile testing unit began at CenCal Health in Santa Barbara (4050 Calle Real) before moving to Ryon Park in Lompoc (800 W Ocean Ave) on February 1, 2021. This test site will be available from 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. Monday – Friday for a minimum of two (2) weeks and available to all community members. The mobile testing unit will then move to a new location which will be announced. To request an appointment, please go online to https://lhi.care/covidtesting. If you need assistance registering, call 2-1-1.

In addition to the new mobile testing site, expanded COVID-19 testing is also available in the Santa Maria and Isla Vista communities.

Isla Vista Theater  
960 Embarcadero del Norte, Isla Vista
Fridays and Saturdays, 12:00 – 5:00 p.m. 
Walk-In only (no appointments).

Santa Maria Health Care Center
2115 Centerpointe Pkwy, Santa Maria
Tuesday – Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Online appointment registration opens the day before each testing date and closes at 5:00 p.m. or when all slots are full, whichever comes first.  Appointment registration link will be found here. Walk-Ins are not allowed.

For updates about testing opportunities, please visit www.publichealth.org/testing or call 2-1-1 for information and testing appointment registration assistance.

Pictured: Mobile testing unit at CenCal

“Picassos For Peanuts” Virtual Art Show Happening Now

The Goleta Valley Art Association’s 10th annual “Picassos for Peanuts” is happening now online! The virtual art show features 50 artists showing 150 art pieces – all priced under $300. The show will remain online, and paintings available for purchase, through March 2021. One of the goals is to bring art to the community, and the community response has been wonderful with many site visits and sales so far.

This is an opportunity to have an original piece of art created by a local artist grace your home. You might consider one of the options as a gift for a special occasion, birthday, or Valentine’s Day. Click here to check out original works by local artists.

For more information, contact Terre Martin Sanitate at terre.sanitate@gmail.com.

Pictured: One of the many wonderful art options available for purchase. “My Covid Corner” by Susan Fridley, watercolor, 11”x14”

Old Car Buy Back Program Expands Model Years

$1,000 for Gasoline or Diesel Vehicle, 1997 or Older

Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District (District) is now accepting vehicles, model year 1997 or older (expanded from the previous requirement of model year 1995 or older), under the popular Old Car Buy Back Program.
 
Since 2006, the District’s program has purchased vehicles from Santa Barbara County residents looking to retire their older cars, which produce more emissions than newer models. The program has cut nearly 600 tons of smog-forming pollution by taking 6,000 older cars off the road. Today, the vehicles that qualify for this program account for seven percent of the vehicles on the road, but represent more than 38 percent of the county’s vehicle emissions.
 
“Vehicle technology has improved significantly over the years, and cars and trucks today are much cleaner than they were just a decade ago,” said District Director, Aeron Arlin Genet. “Cleaner cars mean better air quality in Santa Barbara County and throughout California. Under this program, the District can partner with residents to scrap their older vehicle while providing $1,000 for the purchase of a newer, cleaner car – including an electric car – or they can pocket it and take advantage of alternative transportation options like riding the bus or bicycling.”
 
Funding for this program comes from vehicle registration fees designated for use by local air districts. The District will pay $1,000 for 1997 or older gasoline or diesel cars, light-duty trucks, vans, or SUVs, if certain conditions are met. Those conditions include, but aren’t limited to:

  • Vehicles must be registered in Santa Barbara County for the past two consecutive years;
  • Vehicles must be in working condition;
  • Vehicles must be smog-certified.

The vehicles bought by this program are removed from the road permanently after a licensed auto dismantler crushes the cars. The District works with specific dismantlers in Goleta, Lompoc, and Santa Maria.
 
For more information, including a full list of requirements, call (805) 961-8814 or visit the District’s website.

NASA STEM Kits Coming to Goleta and Santa Ynez Valley Libraries

“Reach for the Stars” Grant Project to Launch Summer 2021

Goleta Valley Library has been awarded $5,500 in Library Services and Technology Act grant funding through the California State Library to develop STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) kits to provide learning opportunities for all ages in the Goleta and Santa Ynez Valley communities.

This award will allow staff to create multiples of two themed kits, Sun-Earth-Moon Connections and Be a NASA Detective: Expanding Your Senses, which will contain all of the materials and supplies needed to participate in activities that introduce and reinforce STEM concepts. This project, called “Reach for the Stars,” follows a blueprint created by the NASA @ My Library program to connect NASA, public libraries, and their communities through hands-on activities and experiments.

“I’m a huge fan of NASA and so excited that the Goleta Valley Library has this opportunity to work with such a great organization to bring STEM activities to the kids in our area,” says Goleta Valley Library Director Allison Gray.

The Reach for the Stars project will address the need for STEM learning in the community, particularly among underserved populations within the libraries’ service area. Research findings show that early introduction to STEM fields through positive, hands-on experience is integral in building children’s confidence to pursue these fields in school and as careers. In addition, this project will benefit participants of all ages by encouraging and facilitating lifelong learning through enjoyable, interactive programming.

“We are looking forward to the many ways that these kits will engage, educate and inspire patrons of all ages,” says Goleta Valley Library Children’s Librarian Elizabeth Saucedo.

The Reach for the Stars kits will be available at the Goleta and Santa Ynez Valley Libraries starting in summer 2021 for either virtual or in-person programming, per the extent of library services offered at that time due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Details about how to explore these kits will be announced this spring.

For more information on programs and events at the Goleta and Santa Ynez Valley Libraries, view the online calendar at www.GoletaValleyLibrary.org.

This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, Grant 40-9096.

NASA Banner

NASA STEM Kits

Virtual Volunteers Needed at Library

Goleta and Santa Ynez Valley Libraries are currently accepting applications for teens and adults eager to get involved in their community by volunteering virtually at the library.

Teens can earn community service hours or volunteer just for fun by completing online book reviews or contributing to the Teen Graphic Novel Club. Book Reviews are posted on the Book Reviews by Teens page of our website, so you’ll get to see your review in print and read other teens’ reviews to help you find your next favorite book! Members of the Teen Graphic Novel Club have the option to volunteer by contributing to the club blog, acting as a discussion leader during meetings, creating marketing such as flyers and bookmarks, or writing book reviews on each month’s picks. For more information, contact Teen Graphic Novel Club coordinator Alex Whelan at AWhelan@cityofgoleta.org.  Visit our Teen Volunteer Opportunities webpage for more details on all of our teen volunteer programs and to complete the online Volunteer Application for Minors.

The library is also welcoming applications for adult volunteers who are interested in providing online tutoring to help K-8 students succeed academically through the library’s virtual after-school program. Volunteers will tutor remotely from home and will receive training on using the library’s homework help resources, including BrainFuse HelpNow! and ProQuest Homework Central. Tutoring sessions will be held on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons from 2:00 – 6:00 p.m. For more information, contact Supervising Librarian Brent Field at BField@cityofgoleta.org or (805) 690-5137.

“Volunteering is a great way to stay connected and get involved, which is more important than ever in our current times,” says Goleta Valley Library Children’s Librarian Elizabeth Saucedo. “We’re very excited to provide these virtual opportunities to our community!”

Volunteer applications are available at www.GoletaValleyLibrary.org. For information on programs and events at the Goleta and Santa Ynez Valley Libraries, visit the online calendar.

Britannica School Now Available on the Library Website

The Goleta and Santa Ynez Valley Libraries provide a number of free education and homework help resources for all ages, the newest being free access to Britannica School, a safe, up-to-date, and age-appropriate information resource for Elementary, Middle, and High School. With Britannica School, discover encyclopedia articles, multimedia, primary sources, games, and other learning resources that support student research and reinforce curriculum standards. A Spanish version, Britannica Escolar, is available as well.

There are additional homework resources on the library website as well. Brainfuse HelpNow! offers live tutors every day from 1:00 – 10:00 p.m. for students of all ages. It provides assistance based on academic subject area, including reading, writing, math, science and social studies and includes a user-friendly chat box and a shared whiteboard to work through a variety of assignments. Students even have the ability to upload a paper through the Writing Lab to receive feedback from experts on how to strengthen their essays. For older students, Brainfuse HelpNow! also offers test preparation resources, including practice tests, flashcards, lessons and more for AP tests and the SAT and ACT college entrance exams. ProQuest Homework Central delivers educator-reviewed and approved websites organized around more than 20,000 most-studied topics for students K-12. Students get the ease and freedom of the open web with guaranteed reliability and educational purpose.

Kindergarten – 8th grade students can now request free, online, homework help from knowledgeable tutors thanks to a new program at the Goleta and Santa Ynez Valley Libraries.

Visit the Goleta Valley Library at www.GoletaValleyLibrary.org for more resources.