Santa Barbara County Public Defender’s Offices Accepting Donations until December 13th

More than 1,850 people are experiencing homelessness in Santa Barbara County. To help these individuals and families stay warm this winter, the Santa Barbara County Public Defender’s Office is accepting donations of sleeping bags, hats, gloves, jackets, clothing, socks, shoes, hygiene products, thermal underwear, scarves, and backpacks. 

New or lightly used donations are being accepted during regular business hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Public Defender’s offices. The Santa Barbara office is located at 1100 Anacapa Street. The Santa Maria office is located at 312-P East Cook Street, Building A. Physical donations may be made through 5 p.m. on Wednesday, December 13. Financial donations will also be accepted, for the purchase of new sleeping bags and undergarments, and are tax-deductible through the Public Defender’s partnership with the Family Service Agency of Santa Barbara. Financial donations may be made online through the following website, 2023 Sleeping Bag Drive | Family Service Agency (givebox.com). Donations of items will not be accepted at the Family Service Agency.

In order to receive donated goods, those experiencing homelessness will need to attend a distribution event on Friday, December 15 from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. or until supplies last outside the Santa Barbara Courthouse or Santa Maria Public Defender’s office. Homeless outreach teams and community partners are currently working to inform clients of the donations that will be made available to them at the event. For more information, contact the County Public Defender’s office; in Santa Barbara, call (805) 568-3470; in Santa Maria, call (805) 346-7500.

For more information about the County of Santa Barbara government organization, go to www.countyofsb.org.