38% of those we serve annually are children.
At the core of our Children’s Health Initiative, Feed the Future is a series of sequential, innovative programs designed to foster nutritional independence and health in children, from the womb to high school graduation.
Feed the Future gives us the opportunity to educate and empower our children to better look after their own nutritional health. These programs provide produce, food literacy training and physical activities while building a community around food.
Kids Farmers Market and Healthy School Pantry have won national “Hunger’s Hope” awards for the best children’s nutrition program of the year from Feeding America. We are proud of this accomplishment and honored that these programs are being adopted by other food banks across the country.
Our Food Literacy in Preschool (FLIP) Program serves as the first step of our Feed the Future programs. FLIP introduces fruits and vegetables to young children from low-income working families by means of fun, interactive lesson plans that promote healthy eating and physical activity.
Picnic in the Park (PIP) provides free lunches to children (18 and under) countywide on Monday – Friday during summer break. Everyone is welcome, and there is no sign-up or registration process.
Our Kids Farmers Market Program is an interactive approach to improving the long-term health of low-income children in Santa Barbara County.
Teens Love Cooking Program connects with middle school to high school-aged children. This after-school program teaches practical cooking skills over seven sessions. Run by volunteer chefs and cooks, the program culminates in a party where the students cook a meal for their families.
Healthy School Pantry is a monthly after-school health fair for children and families, offering nutritious food, cooking demonstration, CalFresh workshops and much more.
