Blue Sky Sustainable Living Center

BLUE SKY CENTER IS A RURAL, PLACE-BASED NONPROFIT ORG WITH THE MISSION TO STRENGTHEN OUR RURAL COMMUNITIES WITHIN THE CUYAMA VALLEY BY SUPPORTING ENTREPENEURS & BUILDING OUR REGIONAL CREATIVE & ECONOMIC RESOURCES.

TOURISM EVENTS AND HOSPITALITY "EXPLORE CUYAMA" IN 2021, OUR EXPLORE CUYAMA HOSPITALITY INITIATIVE HOSTED 596 VISITORS TO THE CUYAMA VALLEY. THE FEES WE COLLECT AND MONEY THEY SPEND IN THE VALLEY HELP TO INVIGORATE THE LOCAL ECONOMY, EMPLOY LOCAL RESIDENTS, AND SUPPORT OUR NON-PROFIT PROGRAMMING. OUR INDUSTRIAL SPACE CONTINUES TO BE USED TO HOST LOCAL CREATIVE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT HIRE LOCALLY AND RECEIVE ONE-ON- ONE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO MAINTAIN OR EXPAND THEIR BUSINESS.

"MADE IN CUYAMA" THROUGH OUR MADE IN CUYAMA INITIATIVE, WE ACTIVELY SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL VENTURES THAT HIRE LOCALLY, PROVIDE JOB TRAINING, AND ADVANCE SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNITY INITIATIVES AS PARTNERS AND COLLABORATORS. OUR TEAM ASSISTS WITH BUSINESS PLANNING, MARKETING, CONNECTION TO FINANCING, COMMERCIAL SPACE, AND MANAGES A SHARED USE COMMERCIAL KITCHEN: CUYAMA KITCHEN/LA COCINA CUYAMA. CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O

CREATIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WITH THE HELP OF MANY ARTISTS, WE SPENT THIS SECOND PANDEMIC YEAR CONTINUING TO ADDRESS CUYAMAS MOST PRESSING CONCERNS, RESULTING IN SOME BEAUTIFUL PUBLICATIONS. DESPITE PANDEMIC IMPOSED LIMITATIONS ON GATHERINGS AND CELEBRATIONS, 2021 PRESENTED SURPRISING, POWERFUL OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUSTENANCE IN OUR CREATIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS. THROUGH SUPPORT FROM CALIFORNIA ARTS COUNCILS ARTISTS IN COMMUNITIES GRANT PROGRAM, WE WERE ABLE TO CONTINUE HOSTING PHOTOGRAPHER AND CONVERSATIONALIST NO MONTES AS A LONG-TERM ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE. CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O

COMMUNITY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT THROUGH COLLABORATION AND RESOURCES PROVIDED BY CUYAMA STAKEHOLDERS, WE ARE PURSUING THE CALLS TO ACTION LAID OUT BY THE COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN. THROUGHOUT 2021 WE HAVE FACILITATED THE WORKING GROUPS THAT THE COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN PROCESS HELPED COALESCE: THE CUYAMA VALLEY FOOD ACTION NETWORK, A RURAL BROADBAND TASK FORCE SEEKING TO BRING FIBER INTERNET TO CUYAMA, A HOUSING-FOCUSED GROUP RESEARCHING FARMWORKER-SPECIFIC HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES, AND A TOWNSITES BEAUTIFICATION AND WAYFINDING WORKING GROUP. THE LATTER GROUP HAS BEEN DEVELOPING DESIGNS TO UTILIZE NEW FUNDING FROM CALTRANS (THE STATE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT), WHICH IS AWARDING 1 MILLION TO CUYAMA TO IMPROVE THE ROADSIDE ALONG HIGHWAY 166. THE WORKING GROUP HAS PROPOSED PLANTING A SERIES OF PALO VERDE TREES, INSTALLING BENCHES AND LANDSCAPE VIEWFINDERS, AND PRODUCING WAYFINDING SIGNS TO DIRECT VISITORS TO LOCAL BUSINESSES AND RECREATION SITES. PLANS ARE UNDERWAY FOR THIS PROJECT TO BE COMPLETED BY CALTRANS IN 2022. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE: HEALTHY FOOD SYSTEMS CUYAMA VALLEY VICTORY GARDENS: IN 2020 AND 2021, OUR TEAM IMPLEMENTED THE CUYAMA VALLEY VICTORY GARDENS PROJECT TO CONFRONT IMMEDIATE ISSUES OF FOOD ACCESS IN THE CUYAMA VALLEY DURING COVID-19. SANTA BARBARA-AREA FOUNDATION FUNDS ENABLED OUR ORGANIZATION TO INSTALL RAISED BED GARDENS AND SUPPLY PLANTER MATERIALS, SEEDS, AND STARTER PLANTS, AS WELL AS IMPLEMENT BILINGUAL CURRICULA NOW SERVING 150 INDIVIDUALS IN THE VALLEY. THIS PROJECT HAS CREATED A SUPPORTIVE NETWORK FOR PARTICIPATING FAMILIES THAT HELPED ENSURE THE SUCCESS OF EACH FAMILYS GARDEN AND PROVIDE A SENSE OF COMMUNITY DURING THE ONSET OF THE PANDEMIC. WE HOSTED FIVE SMALL GATHERINGS TO LEARN TOGETHER ABOUT FOOD PRESERVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP AS WELL AS CREATED A COMMUNITY RECIPE BOOK TO SHARE THE DIVERSE CULTURAL IDENTITIES OF FAMILIES IN CUYAMA, SABORES DEL VALLE CUYAMA TASTES OF THE VALLEY. CUYAMA VALLEY FOOD ACTION NETWORK: FOR FIVE YEARS, BLUE SKY CENTER HAS FACILITATED A WORKING GROUP OF FARMERS AND RANCHERS ACTIVELY CONTRIBUTING TO THE CREATION OF A HEALTHY FOOD SYSTEM IN THE CUYAMA VALLEY. THE CUYAMA VALLEY FOOD ACTION NETWORK DEVELOPS AN EQUITABLE, ENGAGING, AND RESILIENT FOOD SYSTEM VIA COLLABORATION, RESOURCE SHARING, AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE BOTH WITHIN THE VALLEY AND THROUGHOUT SANTA BARBARA COUNTY. IN 2021 OUR TEAM FACILITATED THIS WORKING GROUP TO CO-MARKET PRODUCTS, ENHANCE STRATEGIC PLANNING IN OUR REGION, AND COLLABORATIVELY ADVOCATE TO THE COUNTY FOR ZONING ORDINANCES THAT SUPPORT OUR SMALL AND MIDSIZE FARMS. WE ALSO WELCOMED FOUR NEW MEMBERS TO THE GROUP, REPRESENTING 11 TOTAL LOCAL FOOD AND FARMING BUSINESSES, TO NOW INCLUDE BEGINNING FARMERS