LEAP Central Coast

Thank you to the Women's Fund of Santa Barbara and our amazing group of volunteers who helped pack hundreds of diapers for our Diaper Bank this week! LEAP's Diaper Bank distributes more than 7000 diapers each month to local babies in need. That's a lot of happy babies! So having a few helping hands to sort and pack diapers makes such a difference. Thank you ladies for the support!

“We start with child care, but then we’re able to wrap our arms around the entire family, and we connect with them very deeply. People connect with their children’s teachers at those schools, and then we’re able to address other family needs because we’re building trust. So, hopefully, that becomes part of strengthening the Lompoc community and all of Santa Barbara County.” Thank you Santa Maria Sun for the great article. https://lnkd.in/gmC7UMkS

Congratulations to our Executive Director, Lori Goodman, for being honored as one of the Women of the Year by State Senator Monique Limón! Lori’s dedication to children and families on the Central Coast is unmatched, and we’re thrilled to see her recognized alongside incredible leaders: Gina Gonzales-Carbajal, Ashley Costa, Roberta M. Jaffe, Dr. Katrina B. Mitchell, and Wendy Sims-Moten. Thank you to State Senator Monique Limón and the Braille Institute for hosting this incredible event!

Whether you missed the event or just want to experience the celebration again, you can now watch the full recording of this year’s LEAP Awards. A huge thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make the night so special. Together, we raised $57,585 to support LEAP’s vital programs—ensuring families across the Central Coast have access to early education, essential resources, and new opportunities like the Next LEAP mentorship program. Congratulations once again to our incredible honorees: Dr. Lynn Fitzgibbons, Ernesto Paredes, and Amir Abo-Shaeer. Their commitment to strengthening our community continues to inspire us all! Watch the recording here: https://lnkd.in/gJ7sUS77

We are thrilled to share our Lompoc Children's Center is now OPEN! Yesterday we welcomed our very first students. Our new facility will provide 58 childcare spaces for children ages 3 months to 5 years old. Thank you to our community partners, donors, funders, and our amazing staff who all worked so hard to get our doors open. We look forward to showing you around the Lompoc center at our next Breakfast with Babies. Stay tuned! https://lnkd.in/gidU7Nge

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Thank you for making our 2025 LEAP Awards a success! We raised over $50K to support our programs. Congratulations once again to Dr. Lynn Fitzgibbons, Ernesto Paredes, and Amir Abo-Shaeer, our exceptional honorees! Their tireless dedication to uplifting our community is nothing short of inspiring. In case you missed the event, we'll be sharing a link to the recording soon! 

Tomorrow is the big day! Tune in to the LEAP Awards, hosted by Catherine Remak and Lori Goodman, on March 13th at 4pm to help us honor Dr. Lynn Fitzgibbons, Ernesto Paredes, and Amir Abo-Shaeer. You'll hear stories from our staff, community members, and more about how we are expanding our services to reach families across Santa Barbara County. Plus, proceeds from the event will support our vital community services! Follow these steps to sign up for our virtual event: Step 1: Click this link: https://lnkd.in/gppgDsra Step 2: Enter all required fields Step 3: Check your email for confirmation and the event join link We hope to "see" you there!

One more day until the LEAP Awards! Join us online tomorrow, as we celebrate Dr. Lynn Fitzgibbons and Ernesto Paredes for their outstanding contributions to our community. We are also proud to present our first-ever Distinguished Alumnus Award to Amir Abo-Shaeer in recognition of his remarkable impact. Thursday, March 13, 2025 4:00pm - 5:00pm This event is FREE and VIRTUAL If you haven’t RSVP’d yet, there’s still time! Just visit: https://lnkd.in/gqMZDMww

The LEAP Awards are just around the corner! Join us as we celebrate the incredible Dr. Lynn Fitzgibbons, Ernesto Paredes, and Amir Abo-Shaeer. Event details: Thursday, March 13, 2025 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM This event is virtual and free to attend! Plus, we have language access in English & Spanish to make sure everyone can join in the fun. To register for the 2025 LEAP Awards, visit: https://lnkd.in/gppgDsra