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, 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 lbs. of fresh produce and nutritious groceries each year through a network of 200+ nonprofit partners, health programs, and schools. Foodbanks 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 10.1 million pounds of food to those in need. Of these, 4 million pounds were Fresh Produce.- We served 163,821 total unduplicated low-income individuals. - Of all clients served, 38% were children (0-17 years old); 48% were adults (18-59 years old); and 14% were seniors (60 years or older).- Of all clients served, 52% were female; and 78% were of Hispanic/Latinx individuals.- A total 1,486 volunteers contributed 22,962 hours of their valuable time and service, assisting with various programs.PROGRAMS:Foodbanks broad array of programs bring together community resources and 200+ partners to provide short-term and long-term solutions to hunger, food insecurity, and the injuries they inflict upon psychological and physical wellbeing. These programs provide access to healthy food and nutrition education to improve the health of our low-income clients. Foodbanks suite of five Childrens Health Initiative programs provide age-appropriate interactive lessons about the benefits of eating fresh fruits and vegetables. For youth from preschool through teenage years, the sequence of programs build food literacy skills and lifelong healthy habits through cooking lessons, physical fitness activities, and food sampling. At programs like Kids Farmers Market, children are provided with a bag of fresh produce to bring home along with a recipe in English and Spanish so the child can share what they have learned with their family.Another Foodbank program targets the local food production system and its intrinsic connection to community wellbeing, including food insecurity. With programs like Backyard Bounty and Grocery Rescue, Foodbank strives to build a sustainable food system that benefits all while reducing waste. In 2016, in partnership with governmental agencies, agricultural producers, healthcare providers, and nonprofits, Foodbank released the Food Action Plan for Santa Barbara County. The plan laid out an encompassing vision of the rich potentialities of our food system and the practical ways it can be transformed to build a stronger, more sustainable community.EVALUATION:To evaluate annual targets, we measure outcomes through quarterly reports submitted by our partners and program sites. Qualitative (informal interviews) and quantitative (survey data) feedback is solicited at the start, mid-point and conclusion of our programs. We also measure impact through pounds of food and produce distributed, number of food recipients, number of volunteers and the hours they contribute, number of nonprofit partners, number of nutrition education lessons and hours.To measure program effectiveness, we use the RE-AIM public health impact evaluation tool. To determine community need, we use a Guide to Nutrition Programs tool. This interactive map overlays food distribution points with census data and data on meal gaps. This pinpoints high-need, high-poverty areas in the county where community resources are low, and it helps avoid duplication of efforts among Foodbank and partner agencies. httpfoodbanksbcorgguidetonutritio... IMPACT:Feeding Americas Hunger in America 2014 Study of Foodbank clients indicates that 64% of Foodbank 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 countywide. Disaster preparedness emerged 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 countys 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.