On Wednesday evening, SEE International welcomed members of the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara to its Goleta headquarters for an evening of learning, connection, and gratitude. As part of the Women’s Fund’s Grants in Action series, guests had the opportunity to see firsthand how their investment is expanding access to eyecare throughout Santa Barbara County while supporting SEE’s mission to eliminate preventable blindness around the world.
The evening began with some mingling over light refreshments before guests gathered to hear welcome remarks from SEE International President and CEO Don Bell, and Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara Board Chair Carolyn Jabs.
Learning About SEE’s Work
Following a few presentations, guests rotated through three interactive stations that showcased SEE’s work in action. They first toured SEE’s Mobile Vision Unit, where they learned how comprehensive eyecare is brought directly into neighborhoods, schools, and community events across Santa Barbara County.
Guests then explored SEE’s Impact Hub, a station that featured an interactive exhibit highlighting the organization’s local and global programs. At this station, guests learned all about how sight-restoring surgeries are performed, as well as how essential supplies are packed for our international programs.
At the final station, guests assembled wellness care packages that will be distributed during school vision screenings and community outreach events, adding handwritten notes of encouragement for future recipients.
Strengthening Local Vision Care
The event celebrated the impact of the Women’s Fund grant, which has helped strengthen SEE’s local SEE Vision Care (SVC) Program by supporting salaries and benefits for clinic and Mobile Vision Unit staff, transportation and maintenance costs, and essential supplies needed to expand services throughout the community.
“The Women’s Fund support could not have come at a more important time,” said Arianna Castellanos, SEE International’s Vice President of Programs. “Their investment allowed us to expand our Goleta clinic from three days a week to five and bring on an incredible optometrist, Dr. Elise Swanson. At a time when healthcare is facing so much uncertainty and change, this support has been transformative. It has strengthened our ability to serve our community and better meet the eyecare needs of our patients.”
As a result of the Women’s Fund grant, SVC’s Goleta clinic is able to provide more appointments than ever before, helping uninsured and low-income patients receive comprehensive eye exams, prescription glasses, and referrals for advanced treatment when needed.
Seeing the Impact Firsthand
For many of the guests, seeing the Mobile Vision Unit up close left a lasting impression.
“It was really interesting for me to see how that works and understand that you can give people a full-scale eye exam and take it to them rather than them having to come to an office somewhere,” said Women’s Fund Board Chair Carolyn Jabs.
Jabs commented on the importance of opportunities like Grants in Action events, saying they allow Women’s Fund members to better understand the organizations they support.
“These events really give you deeper insights into what the organizations do and, for our members, what the grants do,” she said. “We understand the larger context of the organization’s mission and what they are trying to accomplish.”
Having experienced vision challenges herself from a young age, Jabs said SEE’s work resonates on a deeply personal level.
“I have had vision issues from the time I was six years old,” she said. “The idea that [SEE is] reaching people when they really need [them], and the fact that [SEE is] trying to replicate that internationally and build these opportunities for people everywhere is very extraordinary.”
Seeing the impact of the grant firsthand was emotional, Jabs shared, because it demonstrated the power of collective philanthropy.
“The Women’s Fund is built around the idea that when we pool our resources and come together and give our part, then we can do much more than any of us could do individually,” she said. “None of us could make this grant on our own, but together we’ve been able to do something important.”
Celebrating Community Partnerships
For SEE’s leadership, the evening served as an opportunity not only to celebrate the partnership but also to thank Women’s Fund members for believing in SEE’s mission.
“I hope our guests not only saw but truly felt how grateful we are for their belief in our mission and their investment in our patients,” Castellanos said. “Because of the Women’s Fund’s support, our local SEE Vision Care program is in a much stronger place today than it was just a year ago. I hope everyone left with a deeper understanding that their support is creating meaningful change and helping people in our community see a brighter future.”
SEE’s Director of Local and Domestic Programs, Anisha Verdialez, echoed that sentiment.
“I hope our guests leave with a better understanding of what we do and the real impact vision care has on people’s lives,” she said. “I want them to see that every service we provide helps someone see, learn, work, or live more independently. Most of all, I hope they walk away feeling connected to our mission and excited to be part of making a difference in our community.”
Looking Ahead
Jabs hopes experiences like this inspire even greater community involvement within local nonprofit work.
“I would say the more you can learn about nonprofits in the community, the better. We have such a rich nonprofit community and it provides so many important things. The people who work at these nonprofits are amazing human beings. It’s worthwhile to get to know them, and it’s worthwhile to support what they do,” she said.
SEE International extends its heartfelt gratitude to the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara and its members for their generous investment in expanding access to vision care. This partnership is helping more individuals and families within our community receive the quality eyecare they deserve!
