Since 1996, Emmaus of Santa Barbara has been making a difference in the lives of troubled young people, giving them the tools they need to create meaningful, productive lives. We invite you to be a part of this deeply satisfying work—and at the same time advance your own journey of self-discovery.

There are many ways to get involved—as a Sponsor, a Team Leader, or a Friend.

Sponsors, as the name implies, make Emmaus’ work possible. Because we do not charge for participation in our programs, we rely on caring people and organizations throughout the community to invest in our work. These people and organizations believe in our mission and in our programs. They also believe that a healthy society owes its young people a solid foundation in the skills and values that lead to success.

Sponsors can make lump sum contributions to fund programs and operations, can make program-specific grants, fund student scholarships, help Emmaus obtain and develop its Youth Center, supply computer hardware or software or other office equipment.
If you’d like to learn more about becoming a Sponsor, please contact us. We can structure a gift that is meaningful to you, the Sponsor, whether your desire is to underwrite a program, or invest personally in a single participant.

Team Leaders are our cadre of dedicated professionals and young adults who train to facilitate Project Insight for Emmaus program participants. Project Insight is our life-changing program for empowering young adults to Project Insight of abuse, addiction, violence, intolerance, and other destructive behaviors, by giving them the tools they need to realize their self-worth, fulfill their potential, and learn responsibility to self and others.

Project Insight begins with a three-day retreat in the mountains behind Santa Barbara. As a Team Leader, you will help participants get to know themselves and each other. You will be a role model as these young people confront their fears, admit their weaknesses, and challenge themselves to live up to their potential. You will help them build supportive teams, learn to trust and overcome fear on the Ropes Course, give them positive feedback about their strengths, and celebrate when they remove their masks and reveal who they truly are. You will be a mirror that gives these young people powerful experiences in self-awareness, self-acceptance, and self-creation. You will start them on the journey of self-discovery and, at the same time, you will have one of the most meaningful experiences of your own life!

We will train you to be an effective Team Leader, as you will be playing an integral role in the lives of these young people. This training will take place over the course of eight evening and weekend workshops covering the Project Insight curriculum. In exchange for serving as a Team Leader, you will receive community service hours—but of greater value will be the satisfaction you receive from being of profound service to others, while you dramatically enrich your own life, as well!

Friends of Emmaus are those individuals we call upon to help out in many ways throughout the year. Friends help us organize Emmaus social events, which bring participants together for the holidays in December, Valentine’s Day, and to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. Friends send birthday cards, buy recognition gifts, and in other ways let Emmaus program participants know that they are valued and cared for. Friends form a support network that, together with Emmaus staff and program participants themselves, ensure that someone is always available to listen, to comfort, to care.

I invite you to learn more about us in the pages that follow. I encourage you to join us—as a Team Leader, a Sponsor, or a Friend—in undertaking the most satisfying journey of all: the journey of self-discovery!

Gratefully,