Foodbank of Santa Barbara County
Turning hunger into health
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Provide immediate hunger relief with nutritious food distribution
The Foodbank is a social safety net for individuals in our county who struggle to put healthy food on their table. In a typical year, 1 in 4 residents of our county access Foodbank services. As Santa Barbara County’s main resource for healthy food access, we provide our community with 10 million pounds of food each year. Nearly half (43%) of this food is fresh fruits and vegetables.
We utilize our relationships with food growers, grocery stores, suppliers, manufacturers, and Feeding America (the national network of food banks) to procure food for distribution, with a focus on healthy and culturally ubiquitous foods. We are the sole distributor of USDA foods in the county. The Foodbank purchases food items that are hard to get donated. Of the 180,000 individuals we serve each year, we estimate that 80% will be Hispanic/Latino/x, 12% will be seniors 60+, and 40% will be children under 18.
Bilingual nutrition education and CalFresh/SNAP outreach for food literacy and self-sufficiency
To provide clients with the foundational knowledge and resources to improve their health, we host a suite of nutrition education programs for children, seniors and families, provide CalFresh/SNAP outreach and teach food literacy skills to address the root causes of poor nutrition. Foodbank prioritizes programs in low-income and rural areas with high rates of food insecurity. All clients participate in Foodbank programs free of cost. Current programs include:
- Agricultores con Buena Salud: Healthy food access for farmworkers and their families
- Older Adult Nutrition Program: Nutritious, easy-to-prepare foods for low-income seniors to improve health and reduce food insecurity
- Feed the Future: Five programs to nourish and educate children about lifelong healthy eating habits from preschool to high school
- Food As Medicine: Expert presentations and podcasts with approachable food and dietary information, open to everyone!
Build community resiliency with emergency preparedness and response
To build community-wide stability and resilience, we have incorporated disaster preparedness and relief into our strategic operations. In 2019, Foodbank championed the creation of a countywide Disaster Feeding Plan in partnership with countywide stakeholders, which continues to guide our comprehensive response to the Covid-19 pandemic and resulting economic instability. As the county’s sole distributor of USDA foods and the lead organization of VOAD-SBC (FEMA’s Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster program), the Foodbank is responsible for coordinating nonprofit response efforts when disaster strikes the county.
Where we work
Awards
Four Star Charity 2022
Charity Navigator
External reviews
Photos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of meals served or provided
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults, Children and youth, Multiracial people, At-risk youth, Economically disadvantaged people
Related Program
Provide immediate hunger relief with nutritious food distribution
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- 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.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild 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.
Foodbank of Santa Barbara County
Board of directorsas of 01/19/2023
Mr. James Houck
Dr. Charles Stolar
Professor Emeritus, Surgery & Pediatrics, Columbia University
Term: 2020 - 2026
Tim Harrington
Management Consultant
Peter Brown
Partner, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck
Barry Spector
Community Leader
Jim Houck
Community Leader
Bruce Porter
Community Leader
Jessica Moitoza
CPA
Melissa Petersen
CPA
Claire Sheehy
Community Leader
Charlie Stolar
Physician
Elizabeth Sanchez
Community Leader
Christine Bisson
Professor
Ted Bruckner
Community Leader
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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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? No -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? No -
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? No -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? No -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
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
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 01/19/2023GuideStar 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
- 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 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.
- 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.