The moment is here — time to announce the lucky winners of the 2026 Santa Cruz Works Work-Life Survey!

But first, we want to thank our sponsors one more time.

This year’s prize lineup was made possible by an incredible group of local businesses, restaurants, makers, gathering places, and community supporters who helped us celebrate the people shaping work and life in Santa Cruz County. From pizza and coffee to wine, music, coworking, coastal stays, and local experiences, these sponsors brought the fun.

Thank You to Our 2026 Work-Life Survey Sponsors

Avanti Restaurant
Avanti has long been a go-to for thoughtful, locally rooted dining in Santa Cruz. With organic produce, sustainable seafood, pasture-raised meats, seasonal cocktails, and house-made desserts, Avanti represents the kind of care and quality that makes our local food scene special.

Big Basin Vineyards
Big Basin Vineyards brings the Santa Cruz Mountains into every bottle, producing minimal-intervention wines from Rhône and Burgundy varieties grown in some of the region’s most beautiful vineyard sites. Their downtown tasting room also gives locals a great way to enjoy the region’s wine culture close to home.

Chaminade Resort & Spa
Set on 300 scenic acres above Santa Cruz, Chaminade is one of the area’s most iconic places to reset, gather, and take in the view. With trails, spa amenities, dining, meeting spaces, and sweeping Monterey Bay scenery, it’s a perfect reminder that work-life balance sometimes starts with stepping away.

Humble Sea Brewing Co.
A Santa Cruz favorite with a cult following far beyond the county line, Humble Sea brings its signature coastal creativity to everything it does — from foggy IPAs to taproom energy. We’re grateful to have them as part of this year’s prize lineup and as a true local staple.

Laili Restaurant
Laili brings downtown Santa Cruz one of its most memorable dining experiences, blending Mediterranean and Silk Road flavors in a beautiful, modern setting. Their garden patio, bold flavors, and warm hospitality make them a perfect sponsor for a survey celebrating how we live and work here.

MERGE4
MERGE4 is proof that even socks can carry a serious Santa Cruz story. Known for high-quality, creative, and performance-minded designs, MERGE4 has built a brand around comfort, art, sustainability, and collaborations with athletes, musicians, and local icons.

Mission Hill Coffee & Creamery
Mission Hill Coffee & Creamery brings together locally sourced organic ice cream, locally roasted coffee, and house-made baked goods — basically, everything needed for a very good day. Their support adds a sweet local touch to this year’s winner celebration.

MusicalMe
MusicalMe brings music, movement, and connection to families across Santa Cruz and Santa Clara counties through Music Together® classes. Their work supports early childhood development, parent-child bonding, and joyful community-building — a beautiful fit for a survey about making life work better.

NextSpace Santa Cruz
NextSpace has played a major role in Santa Cruz’s coworking and startup culture, giving freelancers, entrepreneurs, remote workers, and small teams a place to work, meet, and build community downtown. It’s exactly the kind of space that supports the future of work in Santa Cruz.

Pleasure Pizza
A true Santa Cruz tradition, Pleasure Pizza has been serving up slices, local flavor, and beach-town comfort for years. Whether you know them from Pleasure Point or downtown, they’re part of the community fabric — and a very welcome addition to the prize list.

Upper Crust Pizza & Pasta
Family-owned since 1979, Upper Crust is a Santa Cruz classic known for Sicilian square pizza, pasta, catering, and old-school local hospitality. They’ve been feeding the community for generations, and we’re lucky to have them involved.

Woodstock’s Pizza Santa Cruz
Few names say “Santa Cruz gathering spot” quite like Woodstock’s. From team lunches and student hangouts to late-night slices and community fundraisers, Woodstock’s has been feeding Santa Cruz connection one pizza at a time.

To all of our sponsors: thank you for helping us celebrate the people, teams, and workplaces that make Santa Cruz County such a special place to live, work, and build.

2026 Work-Life Survey Rewards

Congratulations to Our Survey Prize Winners

Thank you to everyone who completed the Santa Cruz Works 2026 Work-Life Survey. Your input helps us better understand how people are working, hiring, commuting, and building careers across Santa Cruz County. As a thank-you, we randomly selected survey participants to receive rewards from our generous local sponsors.

Avanti Restaurant — Gift Certificate

Rocio Sanchez-Nolasco

Big Basin Vineyards — Complimentary Wine Tasting

Anonymous Survey Participant

Chaminade Resort & Spa — One Weekday Night Stay

Chris Sterbenc

Humble Sea Brewing Co. — $25 Gift Card

Steve Luzovich

Laili Restaurant — $50 Gift Certificate

Zach Sampson

MERGE4 — Socks Prize

Ariel Young