Last chance to have your gift "doubled" in 2023 through our Matching Fund! 

Dear friends,

With another year coming to an end, I am reminded of how precious life is and how grateful I am for all of you who help so many families through challenging times. The holidays are a season of giving and it is in that spirit that we ask for your help in supporting the free services of Hospice of Santa Barbara in your year-end giving.

Your kind, tax-deductible gift to Hospice of Santa Barbara by December 31^st will help twice as many people dealing with loss, grief, and illness. Any amount you give will be doubled by matching funds. Will you help? Please know that every gift makes a difference in the lives of children and adults coping with life’s hardest moments and helps shine a light in the darkness for them.

On the cusp of our 50^th anniversary in 2024, Hospice of Santa Barbara continues to carry our compassionate services and deep local community connections and partnerships forward to provide the most effective and relevant multi-service bereavement and patient care services possible.  

Founded in 1974 with a staff of four, Hospice of Santa Barbara is the second oldest hospice organization in the country. Today, we have more than 40 employees and 115 trained volunteers. Last year, we served thousands of local families in our community. Because we do not bill insurance and all our services are free, Hospice of Santa Barbara relies on community donations like yours to make our services possible. 

As we look to the new year (and with your help), we are hopeful about our ability to serve even more people that need our grief and end-of-life care and support. 

We hope you are having a meaningful and joyous holiday season and wish you the very best in the new year!  

Be well,

David Selberg



Ancestors

by Alice Walker

Can you hear the whispers of the ancestors?

We hear and remember them,

how their stories touch our lives

and call us into our best becoming.

We acknowledge our ancestors,

Aware that we did not make ourselves.

The line stretches back,

All the way back perhaps to the Gods.

We remember them

Because it is an easy thing to forget:

That we are not the first to suffer, fight,

love and die.

The grace with which we embrace life,

In spite of the pain, the sorrows,

Is always a measure

Of what has gone before.

Volunteer Spotlight:

Helen Curan

Helen grew up in Buffalo, New York. Whilst studying for one of her three Master’s Degrees (Nutrition, Science Teaching Degree and Radio & TV) she met her husband Dan. Dan’s first job after his residency was in Santa Barbara, and although they miss the Fall colors, they have been here ever since. 

Helen has had many part time jobs in Santa Barbara, including being a Dietician at the Cancer Center and at Serenity House. She has also been teaching science to local Beity’haldiem Pre-School children for 35 years and can often be seen in a fun costume to keep the subject matter interesting to the young students.

Helen has always had a sense of caring and decided to join the HSB Patient Care training program in 2006. She performs spiritual care for any Jewish patients in hospital. After providing patient care services to many of our patients for over 10 years, she felt called to be of particular help to HSB's Jewish patients.

Helen is always willing to help out at HSB events and assist with admin tasks and is currently one of our Front Desk reception volunteers.

Helen has two grandchildren and is a very active person. She has climbed Mount Kilimanjaro and completed the challenging six day Haute Route Chamonix Zermatt as the only female amongst 7 men.

Happy work anniversary to Adriana, Virginia, Auralee and Michael!

Thank you to Adriana Vega, Virginia Moreno, Auralee Bunch and Michael Cruse for all of your contributions to Hospice of Santa Barbara! We are eternally grateful for the dedication and passion of our staff.

To learn more about our wonderful staff, please visit our website.

Adriana Vega, Office Manager, celebrates her one-year anniversary.

Virginia Moreno, IMFT, Bilingual Bereavement Counselor, celebrates her 13-year anniversary.

Auralee Bunch, Administrative Assistant to Human Resources and Finance, celebrates her 7-year anniversary.

Michael Cruse, LCSW, Bereavement Services Manager, celebrates his 13-year anniversary.

Get It Done SB! and Mi Regalo are HSB’s Advance Care Planning (ACP) programs, focused on bringing awareness and education in English and Spanish to ensure that all of our community members have a completed Advance Directive before they need one. Give the gift of peace of mind to your loved ones this holiday season by starting your Advance Care Planning journey. Visit our website for helpful resources, including “The Ultimate GIft of Love: Advance Care Planning” featuring Julia Barrera.

Join our growing team of volunteer facilitators and help our community ‘Get it Done’! Save your spot for our upcoming ACP Facilitator training and help us lead workshops and one-on-one conversations with local families. 

For more information on Advance Care Planning, upcoming workshops or to request one-on-one help from our experienced volunteers, visit Get It Done SB! or Mi Regalo. You can also call us at 805-563-8820 or email us at CommunityACP@hospiceofsb.org. Happy Holidays!