Nationwide Campaign Aims to Inspire the Public to Join the Fight to End Hunger and Raise Awareness of Hunger in America

This month, the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County is asking the public to join the fight to raise awareness of food insecurity. The Foodbank is working to make a real lasting impact on hunger and they are asking for the public’s support. Hunger Action Month is a time for everyone across the county to act collectively against hunger.

On September 12, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors will declare a resolution recognizing September as Hunger Action Month. The issue of hunger and food insecurity continues to impact communities across the U.S., including right here in Santa Barbara County. Food should not be an impossible choice but it is for thousands of people in Santa Barbara County. This year, the Foodbank served almost 11 million pounds of food to over 230,000 unduplicated children, adults and seniors in need across the county.

The Foodbank is planning a press conference on Hunger Action Day–September 15–at its new south county home, the Sharehouse, a $10 million dollar facility established as a comprehensive center for the community to share food, education, and hope. The press conference will be held at 9 a.m., where county supervisors will publicly announce the Hunger Action Month proclamation. To find out more go to: www.foodbanksbc.org/HAM23. 

The Foodbank offers a wide range of daily action items that the public can participate in to help provide meaningful support. The Johnson Ohana Foundation is providing the Foodbank with a matching grant of $5,000 to help kick off Hunger Action month donations.

Action items include: Making a donation, dining out at selected restaurants where a portion of your bill will be donated, shopping at participating grocery stores that offer a round-up your bill option, becoming a Foodbank volunteer, coordinating a food drive or a food harvest and more.

“Hunger Action Month is an opportunity for the community and those who work at the Foodbank, to reflect on the issue of hunger, rededicate ourselves to removing it from the lives of neighbors

throughout Santa Barbara County, and get into action to make it happen. Together, this is a problem we can solve,” says Foodbank CEO, Erik Talkin.

With nutrition education, disaster preparedness, community resilience and environmental sustainability at the forefront of our mission, the Foodbank is actively working to solve the underlying causes of hunger in Santa Barbara County. The Foodbank joins Feeding America and other member food banks to inspire people to join the fight to end hunger and raise awareness of people experiencing food insecurity across the United States.

Here is a list of simple action items the Foodbank asks the community to take.

• Donate
  • Your donation can help provide much needed food items for thousands of families affected by hunger in our community. https://foodbanksbc.org/give-help/donate-food/
• Volunteer
  • Volunteers assemble over 4,000 bags of food a week, delivering groceries to seniors at home.
  • Rescue apples, oranges, and lemons from an orchard! Volunteer at one of our Backyard Bounty gleans https://foodbanksbc.org/give-help/volunteer/
• Host a Fundraiser
  • Engage your friends and family by starting a personal fundraiser or create a corporate fundraiser
• Donate Food  
  • Food donations make up around 60% of the food we receive and distribute into the community. Some are large scale donations, some are community-based food drives, and some are individual donations – they all make a difference in feeding those in need in our community.
• Dine out for Hunger
  • La Paloma Cafe will donating $1 from every La Paloma Margarita
  • Lark will donate $1 from every Wayne Farms Buttermilk Fried Chicken
  • Loquita will donate $1 from every Almejas ordered
  • Lucky Penny will donate $1 from every O.G – San ordered
  • Helena Ave Bakery will donate $1 from every Farmer’s Market Bowl ordered
• Go to the Lumineers Concert
  • On September 12 and 13 the Lumineers will perform at the Santa Barbara County Bowl. A portion of the ticket sales from both nights will be donated to the Foodbank.
• Coordinate a Food Drive
• Coordinate a Harvest
  • Do you have a surplus of produce? If so, consider donating your produce to the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County’s Backyard Bounty (BYB) program. BYB is a volunteer-powered gleaning program where we harvest excess produce from local backyards, gardens, farms, and orchards in the Santa Barbara County.
• Stay Connected
  • Subscribe to our e-newsletter. Receive updates and information on Foodbank news. https://foodbanksbc.org/contact-us/
• Follow us on our social media sites: Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn
• Share how to find help
  • Share where to find free produce and nutritious food through the Foodbank https://foodbanksbc.org/get-help/
• Write your Members of Congress
  • Advocate for a hunger free county by showing your support for critical programs that help alleviate hunger https://give.feedingamerica.org/1QeF6PeK80CXxmBzzO2fKg2

To learn more about how you can join the fight to end hunger visit www.foodbanksbc.org/HAM23

About Foodbank of Santa Barbara County
The Foodbank of Santa Barbara County transforms hunger into health through good nutrition and food literacy. The Foodbank provides nourishment and education through a network of more than 200 partner agencies, nutrition education programs and food distribution sites. For more information, please visit: www.foodbanksbc.org