Opportunities

There are an endless amount of volunteer opportunities! Through CAB we generate our own volunteer events and we also serve as a resource to local non-profits and organizations to broadcast their events as well. There are some volunteer opportunites that occur weekly, while others are one time special events.

Below you will find a wide range of projects CAB focuses on. We encourage you to think of some volunteer projects yourself and ways that CAB can better serve our community. New ideas always welcome!

Make sure to sign-up for care-mail by emailing us at cab.ucsb@gmail.com to recieve our weekly newsletter with a list of current volunteer opportunites.  You can share your ideas with us through this email too 

*See Care-Mail for current volunteer opportunities

*See Contact Us to get involved with a specific leader and their projects

Environment

Weekly we participate in Adopt a Block and pick up litter right here in the streets of Isla Vista. There are also tree planting events that happen every weekend and we are working on spreading the good news of composting by starting at our weekly meetings! Currently we are in the plastics coalition working on reducing the amount of plastic being used here in Santa Barbara and beyond!

Youth

We organize loads of projects specifically directed for the youth. The Family Literacy Program is one of CAB’s oldest and largest programs that matches up UCSB students with a child in Isla Vista to meet on a weekly basis and tutor. We also provide childcare grants to undergraduate parents two times every quarter to assist with financial needs. In addition we help organize after school programs, holiday programs and giveaway backpack & school supplies at the start of each school year.

Houseless-Hunger

Weekly we go down to the park and share a warm home-made breakfast with the houseless in our community in a program called Breakfast Club. This is a wonderful opportunity for the students and the houseless to enjoy the company of one another. In addition we host food and clothing drives as well as partner with local churches and organizations such as Casa Esperanza to serve in soup kitchens and the like.

Senior-Citizen

Over the years we have developed close ties with local retirement homes such as Friendship Manor where we have a program known as Adopt a Grandparent where one student is matched up with one resident to meet weekly and share similar interests. We are also working on setting up a book club with them too! Devereux is another connection we have made with senior-citizens with intellectual disabilities. We meet with them in a program called Community Friends where a student is matched up with a resident there to meet weekly.

Animal

There are loads of animal shelters in Santa Barbara and we strive to volunteer there as well as assist in restoration projects. We work often with D.A.W.G and serve as a main source of volunteers that regularly spend time there taking care of and walking our four legged friends. We also take trips to nearby places such as the Wild Horse Sanctuary to further our own education of animals as well as helping volunteer on various projects. Keep a look out for an animal fair on campus!

Special Projects

Special Projects helps facilitate projects that are not covered by the other coordinators. For example, every quarter CAB hosts an event called YOU MATTER! during dead week right before finals in an effort to remind students that “you matter!” We have all sorts of fun and free things to help relieve what can be a very stressful time such as: food, music, massages, skateboard cleaning, test supplies, a letter making station and more! In the past CAB has also worked on dance marathons, Walk for Goodtimes and participated in Relay for Life.

Alternative Breaks

Every Winter Break, Spring Break and one special weekend CAB organizes alternative breaks. These are opportunties for students to use their time off for the greater good by participating in an all expenses paid trip by CAB. in the past we have helped relieve Hurricane Katrina by going to new orleans and have even been to Oregon to help with environmental efforts. This winter break we are taking 16 students down to Catalina Island to help with invasive species and fence building along with enjoying the beauty of nature! Applications sent out through care-mail.