California drought conditions are already impacting the Foodbank.
The demand for Foodbank resources is highest during the winter months. The drought is already compounding the situation, leaving the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County trying to feed more people with less.
Today our cooler shelves are down 75% of their normal capacity, due to rising prices and a drop in produce donations from the farms we work with throughout California. We are looking to the community to help us rise to the challenge so we can continue to provide the nutritious, fresh fruits and vegetables we distribute to children, families and seniors countywide through our programs and those of our 330 member nonprofit partners.
We encourage our local community to get involved however they can, by making a donation or by participating in Foodbank’s Backyard Bounty Program.
Make a donation online or by mail:
Donations may also be mailed to the Foodbank’s Santa Barbara or Santa Maria warehouse locations at:
Foodbank of Santa Barbara County, 4554 Hollister Ave., Santa Barbara, CA 93110
Foodbank of Santa Barbara County, 490 W. Foster Road, Santa Maria, CA 93455
Donate produce through the Backyard Bounty program:
- Harvest Your Own Yard: pick the fruit when it’s ripe and bring it to our North or South County warehouse; for larger harvest, the Foodbank can arrange a pick-up.
We are seeking the following produce items:
Broccoli
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Swiss Chard
Peppers
Sweet Potatoes
Avocados
Kale
Spinach
Asparagus
- Get Help from the Community: If you are unable to harvest or deliver your own fruit and have less than 5 trees, contact Foodbank to arrange a neighborhood harvest,
- If you have trees or an orchard, contact Foodbank to arrange a Harvest with Backyard Bounty.
- For more information or to schedule, visit the Backyard Bounty Program page or email Jill Drewisch.
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