In response to the holidays, increased community need during inclement weather, and concerns about the spread of COVID-19, the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County hosted special distribution Dec. 24 at Franklin Elementary School in one of Santa Barbara’s most densely populated, high-need neighborhoods.
Volunteers assisting at the event included Rep. Salud Carbajal, Second District County Supervisor Gregg Hart, State Sen. Monique Limón, Santa Barbara City Councilmember, Dist. 1, Alejandra Gutierrez, and Santa Barbara Unified School District Board Trustees Virginia Alvarez,Laura Capps and Wendy Sims-Moten.
Some two dozen community volunteers also assisted, helping to bag produce, set up the distribution, load food into cars, do break down and clean-up.
The distribution was funded by the Foodbank through private donations, from foundation grants and corporate sponsorships.
Items available to neighbors in need included the following:
Tortillas donated by La Tolteca.
Produce from local and West Coast growers, including pears, cabbage, tomatoes, potatoes, onions.
Diapers from a private donor.
Covid home-test kits provided by Feeding America, the national network of 200 food banks of which the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County is a member.
Shelf-stable grocery staples including nut butters, canned proteins, rice, beans, pasta, canned tomatoes/sauce, canned veggies and more from the USDA.
Turkeys from individual community donors, which came in one, two or three at a time during the Foodbank’s holiday turkey drive.
Fresh bread/rolls from local retailers via the Foodbank’s grocery rescue program.
The Foodbank planned to provide food and supplies to 300 families. By the end of the event, 888 individuals in 218 households had been served.
While the event was mostly in drive-thru format, often with a line of cars stretching down East Mason Street from Franklin School and around the corner onto North Soledad. Neighborhood without cars walked up and carried everything by hand with their children and family members, or made multiple trips.
Community members who would like to support the work of the Foodbank may donate or sign up to volunteer.