Relief. Relationships. Reconciliation.
A history of Querencia
Querencia is a new name for ministry that has taken place for many years on Santa Barbara’s Lower Eastside. Kids Club was started 8 years ago as a mentorship/ after-school outreach to elementary school children in the neighborhood. Many of the founders had been involved in ministry directed at youth on the Eastside for nearly 20 years. It became evident over the years that the best way to steer these kids away from the ever-inticing gang lifestyle was to reach them as children and support them in the journey through Elementary school, Jr. High, High School and beyond and to involve their family in the process. Because many of the kids and families we work with in the neighborhood are underserved, Querencia seeks to provide resources and opportunities at every level that include but are not limited to addressing physical, emotional, educational, spiritual and social needs. The outreach has grown over the years and involves hundreds of children from the neighborhood.Que•ren•cia n.
A place where one feels safe, at home, a place from which one’s strength of character is drawn.
Visions Made Viable (VMV) provides Querencia with long-term legal, fiscal and administrative sponsorship as well as consulting. Under Visions Made Viable, Querencia has the freedom to pursue its mission of loving and mentoring the children in our neighborhood without all the work of developing and managing an independent non-profit and dealing with the administrative complexity that comes along with it. The staff at VMV have years of experience starting and running non-profit organizations much like Querencia. They have proven to be a much-needed resource and support.
