Edhat Staff
After more than a decade of operation, the Food Bank of Santa Barbara County has announced the cancellation of its popular “Picnic in the Park” summertime meal distribution program due to budget cuts. The program, which provided free weekday lunches to children ages 18 and under at a dozen park locations across the county, has served as a vital resource for families during the summer months.
For over 10 years, “Picnic in the Park” ensured that children in need had access to a lunchtime meal while school was out of session. On average, the program supported approximately 1,500 kids annually. With its cancellation, families will now need to turn to alternative meal programs available in the county.
County School Districts Step In
To fill the gap left by the Food Bank, local school districts, including the Santa Maria-Bonita School District (SMBSD), are stepping up to provide free summer meal distributions for children. SMBSD will launch its Summer Meal Program on Monday, offering free breakfast and lunch to kids aged 1 to 18 across multiple distribution sites.
SMBSD meal distribution sites include:
- Santa Maria Valley YMCA
- Arellanes Elementary School
- Fesler Junior High School
- Jimenez Elementary School
- Santa Maria Foursquare Church
Meal times are as follows:
- Breakfast: 9:00 a.m. to 9:15 a.m.
- Lunch: Noon to 12:30 p.m.
Other school districts throughout Santa Barbara County are also stepping in to provide free meals for children this summer. This includes programs coordinated by the Santa Barbara Unified School District, Lompoc Unified School District, Goleta Union School District, Buellton Union School District, Blochman Union School District, and United Boys and Girls Club of Greater Santa Barbara County.
Find all meal sites through the links below:
- 2025 Summer Meal Sites: Santa Barbara County
- Lompoc Unified School District Sites
- Goleta Unified School District Sites
- Santa Barbara Unified School District Sites
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