Stay tuned for the next Picnic in the Park coming 2022!
Picnic in the Park is program hosted by the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County during school children’s summer break. The program provides free lunches to children Monday – Friday countywide. Everyone is welcome and there is no sign-up or registration process. Only children under the age of 18 may take a free lunch. For site locations and times, please see below.
For many children who receive free and reduced-priced meals during the school year, summer can mean hunger.
Each summer, children wait for the last bell of the school year. Summer is an exciting time for children to enjoy playtime with friends, a week at camp, a family vacation, or time at the pool. But for many children who receive free and reduced-priced meals at school, summer can mean hunger.
Just as learning does not end when school lets out, neither does a child’s need for good nutrition. In fact, 84% of children in our county who receive free or reduced-priced lunches during the school year don’t receive any meal assistance during the summer, a time of critical brain development. That’s 34,000 children in our community.
In years without Covid-19 restrictions, Picnic in the Park offers free, healthy meals, fun physical activities and nutrition education opportunities to ensure that summer is fun for all kids in our county.
This year, we are giving away free nutrition education activity books!
Download your FREE Activity Book
Who is Served
All children ages 1 – 18, now at locations throughout the county.
How the Program Works
The Foodbank provides free nutritious meals to children in our county during the summer as part of the USDA Summer Food Service Program. Healthy summer meals are served at 16 locations countywide – Monday thru Friday for 11 weeks. There are no income requirements, and any child 18 and under is welcome to come and receive a free, delicious lunch every weekday this summer. We also offer activities, games, and nutrition education at our sites throughout the summer. There is no sign-up or registration process and meals are served on a first-come, first-served basis.
Picnic in the Park offers free, healthy meals, fun physical activities and nutrition education to ensure that summer is fun for all kids in our county. To find a summer lunch site near you, check out our list of sites above or text ‘SUMMERFOOD’ to 877-877 sponsored by No Kid Hungry, CAC and Santa Barbara Unified School District Food Services, or download the CA Meals for Kids app!
Program Times, Dates and Locations
| Location | Address | Meal start time | Meal end time |
|
Carpinteria Middle School (June 15 – August 14) |
5351 Carpinteria Ave, Carpinteria, CA |
12:30pm | 1:30pm |
|
Canalino Elementary School (June 15-August 14) |
1480 Linden Ave. Carpinteria, CA | 12:30pm | 1:30pm |
| Santa Barbara Public Library | 40 E Anapamu St, Santa Barbara, CA |
11:30am | 12:30pm |
| Minami Park | 600 W. Enos Dr. Santa Maria, CA |
11:30am | 12:30pm |
| Grogan Park | 1155 West Rancho Verde Santa Maria, CA |
12:00pm | 1:00pm |
| Tunnell Park | 1100 N. Palisade Dr Santa Maria, CA |
11:30am | 12:45pm |
| Arrellanes Jr. High School | 1890 Sandalwood Dr. Santa Maria, CA | 11:00am | 12:30pm |
| St. Anthony Church | 270 Helena St. Los Alamos, CA | 11:30am | 12:30pm |
| Solvang Elementary | 565 Atterdag Rd. Solvang, CA | 12:15pm | 1:15pm |
For additional Lompoc and Santa Barbara locations, please click here.*
For additional Santa Maria sites, please click here. *
*These sites are hosted by local school districts, not the Foodbank.
Picky eaters at home? Check out the menu ahead of time!
Volunteers Needed!
Community volunteers manage and support individual park sites, handing out lunches, organizing food literacy training, and summer games. Click here to get involved.
Thank you to our sponsors!
