[Click here for a Noozhawk gallery of the event.]
The Foodbank of Santa Barbara County welcomed a gathering of the local food industry at a private estate in Montecito for the fourth annual Table of Life fundraiser benefiting the Feed the Future programs.
Feed the Future programs, like Food Literacy in Preschool, Kid’s Farmers Market, Picnic in the Park, Teens Love Cooking and Healthy School Pantry, teach nutritional independence and health in children from infancy to young adulthood, where the importance of incorporating fresh fruits and vegetables into a diet sets a standard for advocacy and lifelong nutritional decisions.
Restaurateurs, chefs and winemakers joined other foodies for the community celebration that also proudly honored Lady Leslie Ridley-Tree and Sherry Villanueva, who were recognized for a commitment to improving food security.
The Foodbank is also working with the community to create a food literate generation of Santa Barbarians who are not at the mercy of processed foods and fast food chains that can lead to an unhealthy lifestyle.
Annually Foodbank provides food to over 146,000 people — about 1 in 4 county residents — but the emphasis on food literacy provides a change from focusing on hunger to focusing on health.
“The Foodbank has safely and effectively distributed 9.7 million pounds of food, of which half was fresh produce,” said Foodbank of Santa Barbara County CEO Erik Talkin.
“This is such a wonderful change from the early days of food banking, when we were reliant on more unhealthy food. Now we are able to make use of all that fresh produce combining it with food literacy and cooking education to keep our community healthy.”
An example of this healthy focus is Foodbank’s Backyard Bounty program where community members are encouraged to donate from their backyard gardens and trees to local warehouses in Santa Barbara or Santa Maria.
And, if there are three trees or more that a homeowner cannot harvest alone, then people can register to have Foodbank volunteers harvest to avoid any waste.
The Table of Life event emphasized the importance of the community coming together to support the Foodbank, a primarily volunteer-based organization that provides the food and distributes it to thousands of local residents around the western United States.
“Now is a vital time to volunteer with the Backyard Bounty fruit-harvesting program, as this month and next are peak citrus season and produce donations dip during this time of year,” Talkin said. Click here to volunteer for the Backyard Bounty program.
The holidays are also a peak distribution time and the biggest need is for funds for food to distribute the week before Thanksgiving to reach the organizations goal to distribute 1.4 million pounds of food — equivalent to meals for 30,000 people — based on community needs last year. For more about information the Thanksgiving drive click here.
Over the years, Foodbank has seen a huge growth in its ideology of nutrition and how good food can make people healthier. By working with local nonprofits the organization provides training and education to grow capacity.
“Our job is not only to move people out of hunger, but into health,” said Talkin.
Guests enjoyed the garden party atmosphere with live music from the Doublewide Kings and entertainment by La Boheme Professional Dance Group, with delectable offerings from Michael Hutchings, Christine Dahl, Stephanie Sokolove, The Lark, Driscoll’s Berries, World Cuisine Express Organic Kitchen, Edie Robertson, Liz Santa Barbara Caterer, Catering Connection, Pete Clemens, McConnell’s Ice Cream, Tri-County Produce, Shalhoob Meat Company, Nimita’s Cuisine, and Bacara Resort and Spa.
The Table of Life event raised $220,000 for the Feed the Future programs, a series of innovative initiatives that foster nutritional health and independence in children of all ages.
Click here for more information about the Foodbank and ways to help.
— Noozhawk iSociety columnist Melissa Walker can be reached at mwalker@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkSociety, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Become a fan of Noozhawk on Facebook.
