Protect Our Climate Campaign raises almost $17 million - Santa Barbara News-Press
Protect Our Climate Campaign raises almost $17 million - Santa Barbara News-Press
Following the successful Earth Day Festival hosted at Alameda Park in Santa Barbara, CEO Sigrid Wright recently announced the success of the Community Environmental Council’s 50th Anniversary Protect Our Climate Campaign, with $16.97 million.
The pledged $16.97 million was in support of immediately tackling climate change on the Central Coast, and the raisings exceeded the CEC’s $15 million goal.
More than 300 donors gave their full support to reverse and repair what the CEC calls the climate change damage in Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura counties.
Of the $16.97 million, $10.25 million is going toward funding a growth sprint of CEC’s climate programs and the build-out of an innovative Environmental Hub in Downtown Santa Barbara. The remaining pledges, of about $6.75 million, will be dedicated to the future of the organization.
There were several foundations and individuals who made $1 million-plus donations to the campaign: James S. Bower Foundation, Patricia & Paul Bragg Foundation, Karen and John Jostes, and Zegar Family Foundation.
A cornerstone to this campaign was the creation and pitch of the Environmental Hub in Downtown Santa Barbara. CEC is planning to build a 10,000 square foot building, designed to be an epicenter for community activism and education.
“We are incredibly inspired by our community, which understands the pivotal moment we are in and sees CEC as a beacon of hope for protecting the Central Coast,” said CEO Sigrid Wright.
The campaign was led by a Steering Committee chaired by Jon Clark, President, James S. Bower Foundation, and Merryl & Chuck Zegar of the Zegar Family Foundation. Committee members included: Dennis Allen, Mary Becker, Leslie Bhutani, Emily Engel, Laura Francis, Carolyn Fitzgerald, Karl Hutterer, David Jackson, Pat McElroy, Maryanne Mott, Charles Newman, Matt Riley, Lisa Murphy Rivas, Ken Saxon, and Sigrid Wright.
email: klogan@newspress.com
Related Knowledge Center: Climate legislation
The federal government and states are in the process of implementing two laws — the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act — an investment of more than a trillion dollars to address climate change.