Fighting for Food: Santa Barbara Dojo Struggles to Meet Increased Need for Thanksgiving Meals

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) —Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and the Santa Barbara Dojo says the need for food has spiked dramatically this year.

They are currently fundraising for their annual Basket Brigade – an event where they assemble and deliver Thanksgiving baskets to hundreds of community members.

Last year, 140 volunteers assembled and delivered 288 Thanksgiving baskets, feeding roughly 1,440 people from low income households.

This year, more than 370 families have requested baskets, and volunteers are worried that they won’t be able to meet the demand.

They need to raise $10,000 before Thanksgiving.

Volunteers say the increased demand comes as a result of economic hardship, a pause on Cal Fresh benefits, and increased fear of ICE deportations.

“We see the demand because so many people are scared of going to places where there are food banks. They're worried about being caught and taken away from their children and then who's going to look after their children? So there's a lot of fear in the community that we're trying to help, not only with the food, but also because they know us. We've been doing this for 15 years. They knew who we are and we literally deliver it to their door,” said Santa Barbara Dojo Student and Volunteer, Alexander Petti.

The need in Carpinteria has increased from 5 families last year to 50 families this year.

So far, the Santa Barbara Dojo has raised $12,000.

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