Shelter & Safety

On the Street and Vulnerable

Life on the street, in a car, or bouncing from one relative’s house to another is perhaps the definition of being vulnerable. It makes the person experiencing homelessness susceptible to crime, injury, poor physical and mental health, and human trafficking. For some people, being unhomed is episodic; for others, it goes on for years. For children, the impact of these experiences can last a lifetime. Homelessness can occur for many reasons, but the exorbitant cost of housing in California has evicted many working families from the life they’d once known. Life can change with just one event –an illness, an incidence of domestic violence, or the loss of employment. Families with young children may be forced to live in their vehicle, “double up” with 2 or 3 other families in cramped houses, or sometimes live with no shelter whatsoever.•The most significant increase in the homeless population is among families with jobs and older adults

Data courtesy of the Santa Barbara County Point in Time Count (2022 Report).

Some people experience homelessness after years of drug or alcohol abuse or mental illness. Others are at risk after returning from military service, aging out of foster care, or aging in general, as an increasing number of seniors experience homelessness. The chronically unhomed are the most visible in the community, often more resistant to services and very vulnerable, but they are certainly not alone.

Taking Action

The Santa Barbara Foundation believes an essential measure of the empathy of a community is how it treats its most vulnerable residents. Therefore, we have redoubled our efforts to work with those on the frontlines of the problem of homelessness to strengthen programs and resources.

If you are interested in contributing to the solutions, we welcome your partnership and appreciate your support.

Make a Gift Shelter & Safety Community Grant Program


SBF Investments in Action in Shelter & Safety

Disaster Planning Guides Successful Response at Good Samaritan Shelter

Featured in the County Connections Report: Together, We Can BY SAM WATERSTONE As COVID-19 began disrupting communities across the country in late March, disturbing reports of homeless shelter shutdowns and […]

SBF 2021 Annual Report: 2021 Grantees List

SBF 2021 Grantees Explore SBF’s 2021 Annual Report: Mobilizing Collective Resources Through the Foundation’s discretionary dollars, we are able to provide support for organizations that work with our more vulnerable […]

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