Good Samaritan Shelter Serves up Good Samwich Food Truck

Good Samaritan Shelter (GSS) will officially open its first Good Samwich food truck with a ribbon-cutting ceremony noon-2 p.m. Tuesday, March 10, at Old Mission Santa Barbara.

The celebration will mark the debut of an innovative venture that supports homeless services and workforce development in Santa Barbara County.

The truck will receive a blessing from Father Larry Gosselin, OFM, at the event that will bring together local leaders, partner organizations, funders, and supporters.

The Good Samwich will operate under GSS’s Food for Good, a Social Venture Partner Initiative, expanding the organization’s culinary training program by providing paid, hands-on job experience for graduates working toward long-term employment in the food service industry.

This first truck, one of two planned food trucks designed to expand employment opportunities and sustainable revenue for GSS, was made possible by a $150,000 grant from the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara.

“Good Samaritan Shelter is thrilled to roll out the Good Samwich Food Truck, thanks to the generous gift of the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara,” said Sylvia Barnard, CEO of Good Samaritan Shelter.

“The Good Samwich Food Truck has been a dream for more than 20 years, and with this becoming a reality we are just so excited for this opportunity,” she said. “By being able to hire graduates of the Food for Good Culinary Program, this project provides one more tool to self-sufficiency for the participants we serve.”

“We are proud to help Good Samaritan Shelter launch their innovative food truck with a $150,000 grant,” said Carolyn Jabs, Board chair of the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara. “Women’s Fund members pool their donations to support transformative projects like this one.

“In addition to providing paid work for people who have experienced homelessness, this program equips its graduates with the skills and confidence they need to move toward stable, long-term employment in the food service industry.”

As the largest homeless services provider on the Central Coast, and the biggest drug and alcohol treatment provider in Santa Barbara County, GSS serves more than 5,000 individuals annually.

With over 1,000 beds under roof each night, GSS provides emergency shelter, supportive housing, clean and sober living, treatment programs, and outreach services.