This has undoubtedly been one of the most difficult times our beautiful Santa Barbara community has endured. But even in the face of loss, there’s solace to be found in the aftermath of the Thomas Fire and Flood disasters. I take heart in knowing our first responders are spending great time and effort keeping families safe and feel proud when I see selfless community members step up to help those who’ve lost so much. Hospice of Santa Barbara’s staff and volunteers strive to do the same by being at the forefront of serving our residents in need when tragedy strikes. It is our priority to help our neighbors throughout their healing process as they work to confront their grief. As we continue to heal from the Thomas Disaster, Hospice of Santa Barbara is offering a variety of specialized counseling and support groups to local individuals and families, free of charge. In addition, Hospice of Santa Barbara is now providing services through our new Compassionate Care of Carpinteria Initiative so that we can assist our Carpinteria friends more locally. We have a long road of recovery, but I am confident that in the days to come, we will emerge stronger than ever with the same kind of resiliency that helped us overcome the devastation of the Thomas Fire. 

After the Fire, After the Flood by Lauren Cumberbatch Lauren Cumberbatch is in the process of obtaining her Masters’ degree in Counseling Psychology at Pacifica Graduate Institute. The campus was only open for one weekend between the devastating Thomas Fire and the catastrophic mudslide. Lauren wrote the first two parts of her poem while on campus, when our community was still reeling from the aftereffect of the fire. At that time, Lauren thought there would be a third section of her poem, but felt that it wasn’t ready. Then the mudslide happened, and the third verse came to her in an expression of grief. She is a current member of HSB’s “Healing Through Poetry” support group.   Read the Poem

Snapshots of Time by Kathryn Sweeney-James Originally from the small village of Rocky Hill, New Jersey, Kathryn Sweeney-James was raised in the Princeton area. She attended Princeton High School and earned her B.A. at Westmont College. Kathryn is currently a real estate broker at Sun Coast in Santa Barbara. She twice double-handed a 42 ft. sailboat to the South Pacific and spends her leisure time in Santa Barbara hiking and writing. Read the Poem

Thomas Disaster Services and Support Groups

*Each 6-week group will be guided by a licensed therapist and free of charge. Participants must pre-register to attend by calling Hospice of Santa Barbara at (805) 563-8820.

Support Group for Adults Evacuated due to the Thomas Disaster* Saturdays, Feb. 17 - March 24 This group is designed to provide support for adults who have been impacted by the evacuations due to the Thomas Disaster. It is an opportunity to come together with others in a similar situation and share similar experiences, provide support, and find ways to move forward. Healing Through Poetry Mondays, Feb. 26 - April 2 After experiencing a loss or a traumatic event, it can be difficult to find words. This group is for those seeking an inspirational and creative way to express their feelings.

Support Group for Adults Grieving the Death of a Friend due to the Thomas Disaster* TBD - Inquire for more information This group is designed to provide support for those navigating the death of a friend or acquaintance due to the Thomas Disaster. It is an opportunity to come together with others grieving a similar loss, offer mutual support and explore ways to move forward. Widows/Widowers 2nd and 4th Monday Evenings 1st and 3rd Thursday Afternoons The loss of a partner or spouse can feel as if you have lost half of yourself. This group is designed for windows and widowers to learn to heal and begin to move on.

More Support Groups

Thank You United Way!

Thank you to United Way's Thomas Fire and Flood Fund for their generous donation of $20,000 to help support HSB's work in our community's recovery efforts . Thank you to United Way of Santa Barbara County for your hard work in organizing and distributing this fund!

Five Invitations: What the Dying Teach the Living, an Evening with Frank Ostaseski

Hospice of Santa Barbara’s Community Education and Engagement Series is pleased to host guest speaker Frank Ostaseki, who will discuss the importance of embracing death before the end of life. On Thurs., March 22, Ostaseki will share his Five Invitations: What The Dying Teach The Living presentation, at the Marjorie Luke Theatre, 721 Cota Street in Santa Barbara. This event is free and open to all community members, however, attendees must register in advance.

Thank You to Our Sponsors!

Lucky Star Sponsors Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care Charles Schwab of Santa Barbara Twilight Sponsors Shared Crossing Project Family Therapy Institute of Santa Barbara Senior Planning Services Heritage House Ridley-Tree Cancer Center Nursecore Home Choices for Mom and Dad Antioch University Samarkand

Starlight Sponsors Yoga Soup Santa Barbara Assisted Hands to Help, Hearts to Care Central Coast Home Health and Hospice Central Coast Commission for Senior Citizens Simply Remembered Cremation Care Barbara Davies - Flora's Garden Santa Barbara Street Medicine - Doctors Without Walls Vista Del Monte Retirement Community Senior Planning Services Christiane Schlumberger and Tony Allina Pacifica Senior Living Alexander Court Valle Verde

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Thank You!

Thank you to Omni Catering for providing a complimentary catered lunch for our PCS Volunteer Training Program on Wednesday, January 31st Thank you to Amy Wright for donating her time to help HSB with computer trouble shooting Thank you to Victoria Strong for donating children’s books to HSB’s library in memory of her daughter, Gwendolyn Strong Thank you to Yoga Soup for their ongoing support to HSB staff Thank you to Whole Foods for their weekly donation of flower bouquets to our clients. A special thank you to Emory Foundation and Tricia Middleton for supporting HSB’s perinatal loss programs

Wish List Items

Gift cards to Michael's for Children and Family Services' therapeutic art projects   Books: See HSB's Amazon Wish List for details  Gift certificates for ice cream or frozen yogurt, movie passes, museum passes and Zodo's Bowling passes for 'I Have a Friend' Program   Massage gift certificates for our clients  Dinner for 35 parents and children for our Parenting After Loss group starting this month  Grocery store and gas gift cards  Bakery gift certificates (Our families celebrate birthdays and death anniversaries of their loved ones)

Thank you for all that you do to support our work! It is a remarkable privilege to witness the difference we make for those we serve on a daily basis. it is only through your generosity that we can accomplish all that we do and will in the future .

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[email protected] www.hospiceofsantabarbara.org Phone: (805) 563-8820 Fax: (805) 563-8820