PLATINUM2023

ORGANIC SOUP KITCHEN

Nutrition for Cancer & Chronic Illness Prevention & Recovery

aka OSK   |   Santa Barbara, CA   |  www.organicsoupkitchen.org

Mission

We provide metabolic oncology nutrition and food security to support the health and wellness of low-income individuals with cancer or chronic illness.

Notes from the nonprofit

Please let us know if you would like to fund this project in another city, we are happy to collaborate and make this model scalable throughout the USA. Thank you kindly.

Ruling year info

2010

Executive Director

Anthony Carroccio

Chief Operations Officer

Andrea Slaby

Main address

315 Meigs Road Ste A #369

Santa Barbara, CA 93109 USA

Show more contact info

EIN

27-1081432

NTEE code info

Family Services (P40)

Nutrition Programs (K40)

Community Health Systems (E21)

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.

Sign in or create an account to view Form(s) 990 for 2020, 2019 and 2018.
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Communication

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Cancer devastates individuals, families, and entire communities. In California and nationally, cancer remains the second leading cause of death. Organic Soup Kitchen is an indispensable community resource for our most vulnerable and medically fragile residents. We collaborate with oncologists to formulate complete balanced nutrition that strengthens the immune system, reduces inflammation and promotes healing. We provide nutritional security to anyone facing medical or financial hardship including cancer patients, the chronically ill and low income seniors. Cancer treatments and other medical conditions can have devastating effects physically, emotionally and financially. Organic Soup Kitchen provides nutritional security to our most vulnerable residents who often have to choose between medical treatments and basic necessities such as food and housing.

Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

Cancer & Chronic Illness Prevention and Recovery Program

Cancer & Chronic Illness Prevention and Recovery Program provides immune boosting nutrition and food security to thousands of cancer patients and individuals with chronic illness or degenerative diseases throughout Santa Barbara County. Nutrient rich SoupMeals recipes are formulated with organic vegetables, medicinal quality herbs and spices and healthy fats and oils to reduce inflammation, strengthen the immune system and promote healing on a cellular level. SoupMeals are hand crafted and delivered each week by friendly, compassionate volunteers to the doorsteps of residents facing medical and financial challenges. We collaborate with more than 20 of Santa Barbara County’s top health and human services agencies to reach our community’s most vulnerable and underserved populations.

Population(s) Served
People with diseases and illnesses
Economically disadvantaged people

The majority of our clients are age 65+ and 90% are low-income. Our immune boosting nutrition not only provides critical food security to seniors but also helps nourish the body and alleviate the effects of chronic illness and other age related health issues. Our nutrient rich SoupMeals are formulated with organic vegetables, medicinal quality herbs and spices and healthy fats and oils to reduce inflammation, strengthen the immune system and promote healing on a cellular level. The weekly delivery of SoupMeals to their doorsteps by a friendly and compassionate volunteer breaks the chain of isolation and stress so many of our seniors experience.

Population(s) Served
Seniors
Economically disadvantaged people

Where we work

Affiliations & memberships

1% for the Planet 2010

Montecito Bank and Trust's Community Dividends Award 2022

Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition, Heroes of Hospice Volunteer Award 2018

Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition Honoring a decade of service 2019

Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara Outstanding Community Partner Award 2013

Edible Planet Sustainability Award 2011

Farm Friendly Dining Certification from Certified Farmers Market of Santa Barbara Award 2016

Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition Award for our outstanding dedication to our Veteran 2013

Award of Helping Save Lives from Cancer (American Cancer Society) 2017

Outstanding Community Partner Award from Transition House of Santa Barbara 2011

Awarded “CA Legislature Assembly Resolution” for public service (Pedro Nava: 35th Assembly District) 2011

Awarded “Community Dividends Award” for community enrichment through excellence and compassion 2015

Montecito Bank and Trust's Dividends Award 2020

Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition, Presented by Salud Carbajal 2019

Epic Society Innovation Community Engagement Award 2021

Michael Towbes Community Impact Award 2020

Our results

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.

Number of new grants received

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

Economically disadvantaged people, People with diseases and illnesses

Related Program

Cancer & Chronic Illness Prevention and Recovery Program

Type of Metric

Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues

Direction of Success

Increasing

Number of donations made by board members

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

Adults, Children and youth, Ethnic and racial groups, Health

Related Program

Cancer & Chronic Illness Prevention and Recovery Program

Type of Metric

Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

All board members either give or get donations to support our mission and/or put on events/fundraisers for Organic Soup Kitchen

Number of public events held to further mission

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

Seniors, Economically disadvantaged people

Related Program

Cancer & Chronic Illness Prevention and Recovery Program

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

No public events were held in 2020 due to Covid 19.

Number of clients served

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

Seniors, Economically disadvantaged people

Related Program

Cancer & Chronic Illness Prevention and Recovery Program

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

2022 includes repeat clients.

Number of volunteers

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

Seniors, Ethnic and racial groups, Economically disadvantaged people

Related Program

Cancer & Chronic Illness Prevention and Recovery Program

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Number of new donors

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

Seniors, Economically disadvantaged people, People with diseases and illnesses

Related Program

Cancer & Chronic Illness Prevention and Recovery Program

Type of Metric

Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

We have many new donors from multiple sources that donate either monthly, annually, or one time.

Number of organizational partners

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

People with diseases and illnesses, People with disabilities

Related Program

Cancer & Chronic Illness Prevention and Recovery Program

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

We partner with local NGO's who refer their clients to us.

Number of programs documented

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

Economically disadvantaged people, People with diseases and illnesses

Related Program

Cancer & Chronic Illness Prevention and Recovery Program

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

We are focus solely on low-income, Cancer clients seniors, and those with degenerative diseases,

Number of meetings held with decision makers

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

Seniors, Economically disadvantaged people, People with diseases and illnesses

Related Program

Cancer & Chronic Illness Prevention and Recovery Program

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

this includes Board of directors meetings, meeting with funders, private donors, bookkeeper, CPA, and Auditor. All meetings were digital via zoom in 2020.

Number of list subscribers

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

Seniors, People with diseases and illnesses

Related Program

Cancer & Chronic Illness Prevention and Recovery Program

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

Database scrubbed to include only viable emails in Santa Barbara County. Number of email subscribers to our newsletter.

Number of testimonies offered

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

Seniors, Economically disadvantaged people, People with diseases and illnesses

Related Program

Cancer & Chronic Illness Prevention and Recovery Program

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

GreatNonprofits.com and from our clients written in letters.

Number of stories successfully placed in the media

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

Economically disadvantaged people, People with diseases and illnesses

Related Program

Cancer & Chronic Illness Prevention and Recovery Program

Type of Metric

Input - describing resources we use

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

Santa Barbara News Press, Santa Barbara Independent, NoozHawk, Montecito Journal, Cox Communications, 805 Living, USA Today, KEYT News, AM 1120, EdHat, Sentinel, Montecito Journal, The Giving List, et

Our Sustainable Development Goals

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.

Goals & Strategy

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.

Charting impact

Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.

Organic Soup Kitchen aims to provide clean food to heal people and the planet. We not only provide critical food security to our most vulnerable community members, we also provide nutritional security. Nutritional security is the belief that all individuals deserve access to the right food to prevent or alleviate diet related diseases such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes.

As our operation grows, we remain mindful of our impact on the planet. We are a leader in the organic health food industry and prioritize production and distribution initiatives that reduce our carbon footprint. All of our packaging is 100% compostable and we salvage and stabilize hundreds of pounds of produce each week that would otherwise end up in the landfill. We are the central hub for the City of Santa Barbara’s composting program.

Our mission is in direct alignment with several of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) set forth by the United Nation’s Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) policy. Organizations like ours can take impactful steps and offer creative solutions to ensure the sustainability of our people and planet.

2. ZERO HUNGER
Provide food security to the most vulnerable and medically fragile Santa Barbara County residents, primarily cancer patients, chronically ill and low income seniors.

700+ community members served weekly, 90% low income, 95% age 65+, 90% battling cancer or chronic illness.

3. GOOD HEALTH & WELLBEING
Provide plant based nutrition hand crafted from clean, chemical free medicinal quality ingredients formulated to strengthen the immune system and heal the body on a cellular level.

Break the chain of isolation and reduce stress by providing weekly personal interaction with compassionate volunteer delivery drivers.

4. QUALITY EDUCATION
As a composting hub for the City of Santa Barbara, we educate the community about the impact of wasted food and the ways composting contributes to the health of our local food supply and feeds our Santa Barbara County soils.

Present and provide educational content to local organizations interested in learning more about the relationship between nutrition and chronic illness.

5. GENDER EQUALITY
Gender parity in leadership roles and board of directors.

7. AFFORDABLE AND CLEAN ENERGY
Transition kitchen and office facility to 100% energy efficient LED lighting.

10. REDUCED INEQUALITIES
Achieve diversity, equity and inclusion across all spectrums of staffing, leadership and board composition.

Ensure an inclusive and diverse workplace and promote diverse communities.

12. RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION
Prioritizing the use of local organic ingredients in every recipe, we support responsible agriculture and a shift towards more sustainable patterns of consumption.

13. CLIMATE ACTION
Become a plastic free organization by transitioning to environmentally friendly compostable SoupMeal containers.

Through our robust zero waste food rescue program, we flash freeze and stabilize thousands of pounds of fresh produce each week to minimize waste and reduce our carbon footprint.

Primary site for drop off and pick up for City of Santa Barbara’s Commercial Food Scraps Composting Program.

17. PARTNERSHIPS FOR THE GOALS
Contribute to the local productivity and incomes of small scale food producers, primarily through partnerships with local farms and produce providers.

Collaborate with local health and human services agencies aligned with our mission to broaden our reach in the community.


Organic Soup Kitchen strives for collective impact to advance its mission and achieve goals. We believe that our planet and people benefit when like minded agencies come together to set forth creative solutions for change. Through a robust community partner initiative, we collaborate with medical and public service organizations aligned with our mission to understand and expand our reach to our most vulnerable and underserved populations. Our sophisticated software system enables us to track and record measurable outcomes for all of our clients ensuring that their nutritional needs are being met. Our organization is 85% volunteer led which reduces overhead and ensures that resources go directly to the product and service we provide. Through an established business model and a team with 12 years of production and distribution experience, we have the capability to reach and exceed our goals.

Our organization plays a significant role in the health and economic well-being of Santa Barbara’s most vulnerable residents impacting the lives of thousands every year. As government agencies and the private sector scale back charitable giving in recent years, our agency provides an indispensable public service. Organic Soup Kitchen not only strengthens the health and wellbeing of our clients but its impact has a ripple effect on the entire Santa Barbara community.

Cancer and chronic illness are on the rise. In Santa Barbara County alone, there are nearly 25,000 residents with cancer according to the American Cancer Society. Research shows processed foods, full of sugar, sodium and fat, are addictive and cause inflammation which perpetuates the cycle of chronic illness. According to the 2020 Santa Barbara Foundation Community Report, one in four people are food insecure in Santa Barbara County. We provide a service that is unique in its approach. While there are other food distribution sites, we are the only organization in the country hand crafting clinically researched SoupMeals and delivering them to the doorsteps of more than 700 community members each week. We fill a gap by making fully prepared meals with clean, anti-inflammatory ingredients that support the compromised immune systems of seniors, cancer patients and chronically ill. We have an established business model with the potential for broad scale replication in other communities.

How we listen

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.

done We demonstrated a willingness to learn more by reviewing resources about feedback practice.
done We shared information about our current feedback practices.
  • Who are the people you serve with your mission?

    Our Cancer & Chronic Illness Program provides premium nutrition and nutritional security to more than 800 low income seniors, cancer patients and chronically ill each week. We deliver to homes throughout Santa Barbara County as well as through our distribution partner agencies. We provide anti-inflammatory, immune strengthening nutrition and food security to Santa Barbara County’s most vulnerable community members. Many of our clients are housebound and isolated. They rely on our hand delivery of SoupMeals to provide them with nutrient dense prepared meals and to break the chain of isolation. More than 95% are low income, more than 90% are seniors aged 65+, and most are struggling with cancer or chronic illness. More than 65% of our clients are people of color.

  • How is your organization collecting feedback from the people you serve?

    Electronic surveys (by email, tablet, etc.), Focus groups or interviews (by phone or in person),

  • How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?

    To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals,

  • What significant change resulted from feedback?

    We primarily serve communities of color and for many of our clients Spanish is their primary language. In an effort to communicate more effectively and better understand their needs, we added a bi-lingual volunteer to our team. This enables us to foster a personal relationship with our clients as well as expand our reach to underserved populations throughout Santa Barbara County.

  • With whom is the organization sharing feedback?

    The people we serve, Our staff, Our board, Our funders, Our community partners,

  • How has asking for feedback from the people you serve changed your relationship?

    All of our clients complete an initial intake form and quarterly surveys. Our delivery drivers, who often have in-person contact with our clients, also provide valuable feedback to our team. We regularly follow up by phone, delivery, and email to collect additional information. Everything we receive is entered into our proprietary client database. The data is closely analyzed and used to improve measurable outcomes including recipes, production and delivery systems. We pride ourselves on our ability to provide personalized service and work closely with our clients to ensure that their progress is closely tracked and their specific needs are being met. This system of measurement and analysis allows our organization to efficiently allocate resources.

  • Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?

    We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive,

  • What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?

    It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, Staff find it hard to prioritize feedback collection and review due to lack of time,

Financials

ORGANIC SOUP KITCHEN
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Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

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Connect with nonprofit leaders

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lock

Connect with nonprofit leaders

Subscribe

Build relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.

  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
  • Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.

ORGANIC SOUP KITCHEN

Board of directors
as of 01/24/2023
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board chair

Jenny Nguyen

Cheryl Giefer

Real Estate

Nancy Strandberg

Nutritionist

William Gale

LMFT, MA

David Debin

Producer

Joe Gonzalez

County of SB, LMFT, MA

Taiana Giefer

Entrepreneur

Board leadership practices

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.

  • Board orientation and education
    Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes
  • CEO oversight
    Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes
  • Ethics and transparency
    Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes
  • Board composition
    Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes
  • Board performance
    Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes

Organizational demographics

SOURCE: Self-reported; last updated 1/24/2023

Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.

Leadership

The organization's leader identifies as:

Race & ethnicity
White/Caucasian/European
Gender identity
Male
Sexual orientation
Heterosexual or straight
Disability status
Person without a disability

The organization's co-leader identifies as:

Race & ethnicity
White/Caucasian/European
Gender identity
Female
Sexual orientation
Heterosexual or straight
Disability status
Decline to state

Race & ethnicity

Gender identity

 

Sexual orientation

Disability

No data

Equity strategies

Last updated: 09/16/2021

GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more

Data
  • We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
  • We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
  • We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
  • We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
  • We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
Policies and processes
  • We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
  • We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
  • We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
  • We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
  • We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.