Santa Barbara Education Foundation raises funds for local reading initiatives at annual ‘Love of Literacy’ luncheon

It takes a village to raise a reader. At the Cabrillo Arts Pavilion on Monday, education leaders and elected officials celebrated the power of reading at the annual Santa Barbara Education Foundation’s “Love of Literacy” luncheon, a fundraiser for reading initiatives in Santa Barbara Unified. “Whether we’re funding partnerships or bringing people together, our goal is the same: to create more opportunities for students to succeed,” said Vanessa Pelton, executive director of the Santa Barbara Education Foundation. Guests ranged from local elected officials including First District Santa Barbara County Supervisor Roy Lee to youth-serving business owners Joseph Evers of Lobster Jo’s Beach Camp and Nancy Martz of Apples to Zucchini Cooking School. The over 100 attendees enjoyed presentations from educational leaders over a sandwich lunch and a perched view of East Beach.   Funds from the luncheon will go toward Readers Are Leaders, an initiative led by Partners in Education — a