Foodbank of Santa Barbara County

The mission of the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County is to end hunger and transform the health of Santa Barbara County through good nutrition.For the past 40 years, the Foodbank has served as the central hub for the sourcing and distributing food resources to low-income families suffering from food insecurity. Operating from warehouses in Santa Barbara and Santa Maria, it supplies over 10 million pounds of fresh produce and nutritious groceries each year through a network of 200+ nonprofit partners, health programs, and schools. The Foodbank's operations span not just the county, but also the country through its membership in Feeding America, a national network of 200+ Food Banks.The 2019 County Disaster Relief Plan designated the Foodbank a lead agency in coordinating the county's nonprofits and governmental agencies in all emergency food relief efforts.Last fiscal year:- We distributed 10.8 million pounds of food to those in need. Of these, 5 millionpounds were fresh produce.- We served 306,773 total unduplicated low-income individuals.- Of all clients served, 40% were children (0-17 years old); and 9% were older adults (60 years or older).- Of all clients served, 50% were female; and 75% were of Latinx/Hispanic individuals.- A total 1,925 volunteers contributed 31,703 hours of their valuable time and service, assisting with various programs.Programs:The Foodbank's broad array of programs bring together community resources and 200+ partners to provide immediate and long-term solutions to neighbors facing food insecurity, recognizing the stress this experience inflicts upon mental and physical wellbeing disproportionately affects communities of color. These programs build a path to health equity providing access to culturally relevant, nutrient-dense foods, nutrition education and empowerment targeted specifically to the unique needs of diverse populations in our community.The Foodbank's holistic approach to food and health for children leads with innovation, engagement, inclusivity and fun providing interactive lessons fostering a positive relationship with food and promoting whole, natural foods. For youth from preschool through teenage years, the sequence of programs build food literacy skills, positive body image and enjoyment of food and eating to support resiliency. Programs such as Kid's Farmers Market or Teens Love Cooking provide cooking lessons that explore cultural foods and nutrition messages that promote fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and legumes as part of a balanced diet.Several Foodbank programs support the local food production system and its intrinsic connection to community wellbeing, including food insecurity. With programs like Agricultores con Buena Salud/Healthy Farmworkers, the Foodbank ensures cultural foods, nutrition education and additional resources are available to farmworkers in their preferred languages and easy to access locations. In addition, striving to reduce waste and further sustainability in the food system, the Foodbank operates Backyard Bounty and Grocery Rescue programs, gleaning produce from local farms and gardens and recovering grocery items from local stores.The Foodbanks Older Adult Nutrition Program serves over 2,000 participants and provides home delivery services where needed for homebound seniors. Cooking classes for older adults provides access to nutrition information and social connection through food. Evaluation:To evaluate annual targets, we quantify outputs through pounds of food and produce distributed, number of neighbors served, number of volunteers and the hours they contribute, number of nonprofit partners, number of nutrition education lessons and hours. Data is captured through quarterly reports submitted by our agency and program partners. We quantify outcomes through a combination of qualitative (focus groups) and quantitative (survey) data collection performed at the start and conclusion of our programs or annually for on-going programs. Program Effectiveness is evaluated according to 5 domains: Knowledge, Attitudes/Beliefs, Self-efficacy/Skill-building, Cultural inclusion and Behavior Change.Community Impact:Feeding America's "Hunger In America 2014 Study" of Foodbank clients indicates that 64% of Foobank clients had an annual income of $10,000 or less; 70% of households chose between paying for food and utilities; 21% of households reported at least one member with diabetes. Food insecurity is linked with poor academic outcomes in children, higher risks of diabetes, hypertension and poor mental health in adults. In addition, food insecurity limits seniors' ability to perform independently. Foodbank programs work to address these issues. They create sustainable pathways towards food security by distributing nutritious foods; by providing nutrition education, healthy food demonstrations, cooking lessons, physical fitness activities and health screenings; and by assisting with CalFRESH/SNAP enrollments to help clients receive monthly benefits and achieve self-sufficiency. Foodbank services empower and transform the health of low-income children, adults and seniors county-wide.Disaster preparedness emerges as a key focus for the Foodbank after its emergency food relief efforts during the 2017 Thomas fire and 2018 Montecito mudslides disasters. In 2019, the Foodbank and 30 partner agencies - including government agencies, first responders and nonprofits - formulated the county's multi-agency disaster feeding plan. The plan provides a scalable effective framework for coordinating emergency feeding efforts within the county. In March 2020 with the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Foodbank rapidly implemented the steps recommended in the plan, setting up 50+ emergency food distribution sites throughout the county, including 20 drive-thru no-contact locations. All sites followed CDC-approved protocols to ensure the safety of clients and staff.Total program expenses were: $22,524,205