About Us

Our History

Children's Resource & Referral of Santa Barbara County is a nonprofit organization established in 1970 as a mobile parent/ child workshop delivered at local parks in the city of Santa Barbara. Through the Adult Education Division of the Santa Barbara City College, a teacher and teacher’s aid offered an outdoor preschool experience to Latino children while parents participated in parenting classes. Speakers were invited to provide information on Early Care and Development as well as information on community resources that support families.

In 1971, the First United Methodist Church of Santa Barbara offered church space to continue the program and a highly innovative parent/child preschool program was formally developed and evaluated with funds from a Federal Demonstration Grant. The resulting program incorporated and grew into the existing Children's Resource & Referral of Santa Barbara County, literally a “grass roots” nonprofit organization.

Mission

The mission of Children’s Resource & Referral of Santa Barbara County is to develop strong and healthy families by providing education, care, and resource systems to children, their parents, and caregivers, with a special emphasis on low income and under-represented children and families.

Our Services

• Children's Resource & Referral
• For Employers
• Information & Assistance in Finding Quality Child Care
• Child Development Lending Library
• Trustline Registry
• Child Care Initiative Project
• Child Care Food Program, Family Child Care Home Food Costs Reimbursement
• Alternative Payment/CalWORKs/CEL, Financial Assistance to Parents for Child Care

Office Locations

Santa Barbara
Resource & Referral
Alternative Payment / CalWORKs / CEL
1124 Castillo Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93101

Santa Maria Administration Office
705 E. Main Street
Suite 101
Santa Maria, CA 93454

Santa Maria
705 E Main Street
Suite 103 Alternative Payment / CalWORKs / CEL
Suite 104 Child Care Food Program
Suite 106 Resource & Referral
Santa Maria, CA 93454

Holiday Calendar

Children's Resource & Referral Offices will be closed in observance of the following holidays:

2013 Holiday Calendar

New Year’s Day – January 1
Martin Luther King’s Birthday - January 21
President’s Day - February 18
Memorial Day - May 27
Independence Day - July 4
Labor Day - September 2
Thanksgiving Day - November 28
Day after Thanksgiving - November 29
Christmas Eve - December 24
Christmas Day - December 25

2014 Holiday Calendar

New Year’s Day – January 1
Martin Luther King’s Birthday - January 20
President’s Day - February 17
Memorial Day - May 26
Independence Day - July 4
Labor Day - September 1
Thanksgiving Day - November 27
Day after Thanksgiving - November 28
Christmas Eve - December 24
Christmas Day - December 25

Career Opportunities

To apply for a position with Children's Resource & Referral of Santa Barbara County, please submit a resume and complete application form. Mail to appropriate office location related to the position advertised.

Children's Resource & Referral of Santa Barbara is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The organization does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, marital status, or sexual orientation.

Current Openings
There are currently no job openings at this time

An equal opportunity/affirmative action/Title IX employer and tobacco and drug-free workplace

Contact Us

Santa Barbara
805.963.6631
Fax: 805.963.8292

Santa Maria
805.925.7071
Fax: 805.925.2084

Santa Maria
Administrative Office
805.925.6701
Fax: 805.925.3768

Children's Resource & Referral
Santa Barbara 805.962.8988 — FAX: 805.962.2561
Santa Maria 805.925.1989

Child Care Food Program
Santa Barbara 1.800.947.3965
Santa Maria 805.349.8018

Child Care Initiative Project
Santa Barbara 805.963.4592
Santa Maria 805.925.4789

Alternative Payment/CalWORKs/CEL
Santa Barbara 805.898.3665 — 1.877.535.3665
Santa Maria 805.925.7030
CEL - Santa Barbara 805.682.7170
CEL - Santa Maria 805.614.4238
CEL Toll Free 1.800.440.4481

Latest News

A Starry Starry Night for Our Children Fundraiser
This Fundraiser will Support Future Stars — Our Children!
We are proud to announce our exciting new program - “Fund a Star”
This scholorship supports high quality childcare for families in need!
$50 donation per ticket - Purchase Tickets
Adults Only ♦ Party Attire Requested ♦ Dinner ♦ Live Auction ♦ Silent Auction ♦ Dancing ♦ No Host Bar

November 16, 2012
6:00 pm-10:30 pm
Radisson of Santa Maria

Gold Star Membership Information

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release
October 15, 2012

Santa Maria, California - On November 16th, 2012 Children’s Resource & Referral of Santa Barbara County is excited to host, “A Starry, Starry Night for Our Children.” Our event will be a fun filled night with dinner, dancing, and fabulous live and silent auctions. This fundraiser will help support future Stars- Our Children by: Ensuring access to High Quality Child Care; Ongoing Training & Education to best support Child Care Providers; and Continued resources to Children & Families in our Community.

The Children’s Resource & Referral of Santa Barbara County is a non-profit agency that provides quality childcare support for income eligible families. We strengthen the family core by advocating the importance of excellent childcare, subsidizing childcare providers, further educating those providers, supplying a USDA compliant food program, and also offering a free lending library to anyone that may need it. We help with any issue or challenge regarding childcare; and if we do not have that specific resource we can guide you in the right direction to find that solution.

“This is an exciting time for our Agency; we are hosting our first annual fundraiser as well as rolling out an amazing new scholarship program for families in Santa Barbara County ‘Fund-A-Star’,” said Executive Director, Michelle Graham, “This program is designed for families in need of financial support for high quality childcare. The evening will be filled with a variety of activities for everyone to enjoy, including dinner, live and silent auctions with many fabulous items. Please join us in celebrating ‘A Starry Starry Night for Our Children!” 

CR&R celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. The nonprofit organization has a long standing history of assisting Santa Barbara County families by providing childcare information and resources to county residents. CR&R is also launching a new service for businesses through their Enhanced Referral Program. The program works with employers by providing a cost effective employer-supported child care option employers can integrate into their benefits package.

For Immediate Release
October 11, 2012

Santa Maria, California - Carrie Anne Carter is now the PR Coordinator for the Children’s Resource & Referral of Santa Barbara County (CR&R), a nonprofit that provides education, care and resources to children and parents. As the PR Coordinator, she will be working with employers throughout the county notifying them of the agency’s new Enhanced Referral Program, and how it is a valuable addition to their benefits package. She will also facilitate CR&R’s first annual fundraiser, “A Starry Starry Night for Our Children,” on November 16th at the Radisson Hotel of Santa Maria, and their annual Childcare & Development Conference at the Santa Ynez High School in April 2013.

Carter has more than 18 years of experience in the Public Relations, Marketing, and Communications arena with the majority of her time spent in the corporate world. Since first foray into the marketing and public relations field, she has been helping organizations set strategies to accomplish their marketing and public relations goals and overall vision. For the past 12 years, she has successfully implemented a variety of campaigns, and chaired events for a plethora of non-profit organizations. This is her first permanent position at a non-profit center. 
Carter earned her BA in Journalism from Northeastern University of Boston.

“I am very excited to start down this fresh path of my career in public relations and marketing,” said Carter, “I took my time, did my research, and found a great fit at The Children’s Resource & Referral of Santa Barbara County both for my skills and their goals.”

CR&R celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. The nonprofit organization has a long standing history of assisting Santa Barbara County by providing child care information and resources to county residents. CR&R is also launching a new service for businesses through their Enhanced Referral Program. The program works with employers by providing a cost effective employer-supported child care option employers can integrate into their benefits package.

 

Newsletter

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