Local children’s advocacy non-profit organization announces merger with Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum
Dave Alley
SANTA MARIA, Calif. – Children’s Resource & Referral of Santa Barbara County (CRR) has announced it will merge with the Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum (SMVDM).
The move will combine the two longtime nonprofit organizations that have operated in Santa Barbara County for several decades.
Under the deal, CRR will now head up operations of the museum, which has been open to the public for three decades.
“Children’s Resource and Referral will be overseeing all operations of the Discovery Museum and our team will be in and out,” said Jacqui Banta, Children’s Resource & Referral of Santa Barbara County Chief Operating Officer. “We will be not only continuing the wonderful programs that the museum has always had in our community, which is also celebrating their 30th year here in Santa Maria Valley, but we will also be adding parent education, stay in place and child development initiatives.”
With dozens of people on hand, a ribbon cutting ceremony was held Tuesday at the newly renamed Children’s Resource & Referral’s Discovery Museum in Santa Maria.
According to CRR the merger with SMVDM will bolster educational opportunities and experiences for children and their families by aligning missions, operations and outreach, as well as:
• Strengthen the Educational Continuum – Merging playful discovery with school readiness and child development support
• Broaden Community Reach – Deepening engagement with underserved populations across Santa Barbara County
• Boost Operational Efficiency – Leveraging shared resources and facilities
• Foster Innovative Programming – Launching new offerings like STEM Nights, “Stay & Play” family hours, mobile discovery units, and multilingual access initiatives
“This is more than a merger; it’s a movement toward a stronger, more connected future for our community’s children,” said Michelle Graham, CRR CEO. “Together, we are expanding access to early education, enriching learning experiences, and supporting families where they are—both in life and in learning.”
CRR describes its organizational mission is to develop strong and healthy families by providing education, care, and resource systems to children, their parents, and caregivers, with a special emphasis on low income and under-represented children and families.
For more information about Children’s Resource & Referral’s Discovery Museum, click here to visit the official website.