The Foodbank of Santa Barbara County was honored to receive a grant award from the Williams-Corbett Foundation to help purchase a new forklift for the South County warehouse.

The grant awards presentation, which took place July 23 at the Foodbank, included new board chairman Frank Abatemarco, who was pleased to accept a $25,000 check from David MacCulloch, vice president and senior fiduciary officer for Northern Trust N.A. and the Williams-Corbett Foundation.

“The mission of the Williams-Corbett Foundation is to provide grants to nonprofit organizations for capital projects and nonrecurring expenses with a focus on youth, elderly, health, education and other special human needs in Santa Barbara community and surrounding areas,” MacCulloch said. “The Foodbank of Santa Barbara County covers all of those objectives. By its very nature, the Foodbank is a ‘foundational organization’ for the fabric of our community, providing healthy food in our community that in turn serves our youth, elderly and others less fortunate.”

Abatemarco accepted the check acknowledging the importance of safe equipment to move the more than 9 million pounds of food a year the Foodbank distributes through the 264 members agencies, services and programs.

“We are grateful to the foundation,” Abatemarco said. “Safety is our No. 1 priority at the warehouses, with everything we do. Food, volunteer and staff safety and moving the thousands of pounds a day is critical to our work. A new forklift was badly needed, and this is a generous gift.”

“The Williams-Corbett Foundation is proud to do its small part to help this worthy organization continue to do its good work, and is happy to help with the purchase of this much needed fork-lift,” MacCulloch said.

The Foodbank of Santa Barbara County should be receiving the new forklift within three months from the award. Since 2006, the Williams-Corbett Foundation has funded $95,000 including this recent donation, helping purchase a refrigerated cargo van, a food truck and to support the Children’s Hunger Initiative.

— Kerry Aller is the development and public relations manager for the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County.