11-Year-Old’s $1 Donation Sparks Eviction Prevention Push in Santa Barbara

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – An 11-year-old’s one-dollar donation is helping inspire a new eviction prevention effort in Santa Barbara.

Everything Under the Sun, a local non-profit, recently helped a tenant avoid eviction and is now expanding that work with a broader campaign aimed at keeping more residents housed amid ongoing housing pressures in the region.

The initiative began in a simple but meaningful way — with a single dollar given by a child who knows the organization’s founder through sports. That small gesture has since grown into the foundation of a much larger fundraising effort.

Anastasia Rodriguez, 11, said she wanted to be part of helping people in need. “When he told me about his non-profit, I really wanted to help, so I wanted to donate the first dollar,” she said.

Founder Al Ortiz said the moment stood out as the beginning of the campaign. “The first thing that came out of Anastasia’s mouth was, ‘Coach Al, can I donate the first dollar toward the one million dollar challenge?’”

The organization now hopes to raise $1 million to support eviction prevention efforts and provide stability for more families across the community.

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