Chapter Goals for 2006-2007 Fiscal Year

• Complete the $1.5 million Capacity Building Campaign to turn the 12,000 square foot warehouse in Santa Maria, purchased by the Chapter, into a fully operational American Red Cross Preparedness and Response Center serving the Santa Maria, Lompoc and Santa Ynez Valleys.
• Increase the number of local Red Cross Disaster Action Teams – trained volunteers who are on call 24/7 to provide food, clothing, shelter, financial support and other Red Cross assistance free of charge to victims of house fires and other local disasters throughout the county.
• Expand the county-wide Together We Prepare Multi-Media Campaign to encourage even more individuals and families throughout Santa Barbara County to take three specific steps to prepare for wildfires, earthquakes, floods or other life-threatening emergencies. These three steps are Get a Kit, Make a Plan, and Be Informed.
• Recruit more bilingual Spanish-speaking Instructors to teach First Aid, CPR, Water Safety, and other life-saving skills to growing numbers of Spanish speakers throughout the county.
• Continue to expand the number of Red Cross Clubs in local high schools to foster leadership development, teach personal safety and disaster preparedness skills to young people.
• Increase the number of local corporations, businesses and non-profits that have employees trained in Red Cross life-saving skills who can respond to emergencies in the workplace.
• Teach water safety skills throughout the county to reduce the rate of drowning and near-drowning incidents and provide more Red Cross trained Lifeguards, Water Safety Instructors and Lifeguard Instructors for local pools.
• Develop “Women of the Red Cross, Santa Barbara County Chapter,” a group of women who will participate in fundraising activities for Chapter programs and services, coordinate unique special events, help recruit new members and serve as goodwill ambassadors for the Chapter.