A new chapter begins for food security in Santa Barbara County and the City of Goleta gets a front row seat! On Saturday, March 1, the Santa Barbara County Foodbank held a ribbon cutting for its new South County Sharehouse (82 Coromar Dr), as part of “Sharehouse Community Day.”

The new 57,600-square-foot Sharehouse in Goleta is five times larger than the previous facility, providing the capacity to store over 1 million pounds of staple food commodities. This expansion allows for more efficient food distribution and dramatically reduces unloading times—from 1.5 hours to just 15 minutes. The enhanced storage capabilities also ensure that the Foodbank can better respond to emergencies, with increased reserves of food ready to be distributed in times of crisis.

Over 400 community members attended the festive event filled with engaging activities, food trucks, interactive family-friendly entertainment, educational booths, and giveaways. Attendees also enjoyed tours of the new facility, fresh smoothies from the blender bikes, face painting, bingo, and more. The highlight of the day was the ribbon cutting ceremony where Mayor Pro Tem Stuart Kasdin and District 2 Councilmember James Kyriaco joined a host of special guests including Senator Monique Limón, Congressman Salud Carbajal, Supervisor Laura Capps, California State Assemblymember Gregg Hart, Foodbank CEO Erik Talkin, and many others for the memorable occasion.

Food insecurity remains a critical issue in Santa Barbara County, where 1 in 3 residents relies on the Foodbank for assistance, and 38% of the individuals we serve are children. The county also has one of the highest poverty rates in California, and rising food costs have made access to nutritious meals even more challenging for vulnerable families. The new Sharehouse will help address these challenges by increasing food storage capacity, streamlining distribution, and enhancing disaster preparedness efforts.

The City of Goleta congratulates the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County on this historic milestone in the region’s fight against food insecurity. Every donation, volunteer hour, and partnership helps the Foodbank ensure no one in Santa Barbara County goes hungry. For more information, including tours of the Sharehouse and ways to get involved, please visit www.FoodbankSBC.org or contact the Foodbank at (805) 967-5741.

Ribbon cutting at the Sharehouse

Group in front of the Sharehouse banner

Councilmember James Kyriaco (District 2) speaking at the event