Since our founding in 1916, one of GCSB’s primary missions has been to support nonprofits in our community that act to restore, improve, and protect the quality of our environment. We have donated to scores of conservation programs, civic improvements, and education efforts. In our very first years, during World War I, we donated seeds, plants and tools to schools and families to start Victory Gardens. We planted 24 olive trees across from the Mission to honor the Santa Barbarans who died during the war. We came full circle 100 years later when we restored and refurbished the Mission Olive Grove. Through the years we’ve supported virtually every organization in Santa Barbara that amplifies our mission. We’re proud that our grants have totaled more than half a million dollars over the last 25 years. What we can’t tally are the number of work hours our members have spent designing, digging, planting, and pruning for so many civic projects. It’s all been a labor of love for our beautiful community of Santa Barbara. Among our grant recipients are: Alpha Resource Center Cancer Center of Santa Barbara Casa del Herrero Center for Plant Conservation Cheadle Center for Biodiversity and Ecological Restoration Claeyssens Hall Community Environmental Council Cottage Hospital Devereux Elings Park Explore Ecology Family Service Agency Girls Inc. Habitat for Humanity Healthy Schools Gardening Education Hospice Laguna Cottages for Seniors Lake Cachuma Nature Center The Land Trust of Santa Barbara County Lotusland Mission Park Olive Grove Victory Garden Montecito Hall and Library Garden Montecito Union School Monte Vista School Music Academy of the West Parma Park Phoenix House Ridley-Tree Cancer Center Santa Barbara Botanic Garden Santa Barbara City College Santa Barbara High School Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Santa Barbara Scholarship Foundation Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network Santa Barbara Zoo Santa Ynez Valley Botanic Garden Terrace Foundation Visiting Nurses Association |