Foodbank Opens Third Location After Unity Shoppe Closure

Source: Foodbank of Santa Barbara County

Prompted by growing demand for supplemental food assistance within the Santa Barbara community, the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County continues to work with community partners to ensure residents have enough food to eat while regular supplemental food resources are limited. The Foodbank has added a third distribution location to serve more neighborhoods affected by recent loss of food resources in the community.

As of Thursday, October 3, the Foodbank will support three additional food distribution sites on the lower east and west sides of Santa Barbara.

• NEW SITE: St. George Community Church

• Westside Neighborhood Center

• Catholic Charities

No paperwork is required and everyone in the community is welcome to attend.

During the first week of operating just two emergency distributions, the Foodbank provided more than 5,000 pounds of nutritious groceries ― 1,835 pounds of which was fresh fruit and vegetables ― to more than 200 individuals in 100 households in Santa Barbara.

Each distribution offers fresh produce and shelf-stable groceries and operates as a “choice pantry,” which means that attendees are able to choose the foods that they need and can use, rather than receiving a pre-packed bag or box of items.

“Any time an unexpected need for food arises in the community — whether due to disaster, government shutdown or any other disruption in food access — the Foodbank works to fill the gap as quickly as possible,” noted Foodbank director of operations Paul Wilkins. “Our primary mission is to ensure the nutritional health of the community.”

The Foodbank provided over 180,000 pounds of fresh produce and nutritious groceries in the last year to their community partner Unity Shoppe for distribution to that agency’s clients. The previous year that figure was 160,000, indicating a significant increase in community need. The Foodbank will continue to provide food for whatever volunteer-based distribution Unity Shoppe maintains until they resume service to the community.

About the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County

The Foodbank of Santa Barbara County is transforming health by eliminating hunger and food insecurity through good nutrition and food literacy. The Foodbank provides nourishment and education through a network of more than 300 distribution programs operated by the Foodbank, its network of partner agencies, and volunteers. In Santa Barbara County, one in four people receive food support from the Foodbank; over 190,000 unduplicated people of whom 40% are children. Last year, the Foodbank distributed 10 million pounds of food–nearly half of which was fresh produce. For more information, visit www.foodbanksbc.org.