Santa Barbara’s Organic Soup Kitchen Seeks $600K to Prevent Power Outage Disruptions

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — Directors at the Organic Soup Kitchen in Santa Barbara are on edge over the risk of power outages.

“We’ve had alarms going off and notifications of power outages,” said Jennifer Hyle, development manager for the Organic Soup Kitchen.

The nonprofit organization provides life-saving, nutrient-rich, medically tailored meals to cancer patients and individuals with chronic illnesses in Santa Barbara County.

The kitchen relies on a steady power supply to prepare, store, and distribute its meals, according to the team.

“We have to make sure our soup meals are protected. They’re vulnerable to any kind of windstorm or weather event that might cause a power outage,” Hyle said.

“If they defrost, I don’t think they’re good anymore. A lot of care goes into them — a lot of food, vegetables, and ingredients,” said volunteer Welmoet Glover.

To ensure uninterrupted operations, the nonprofit is seeking community support to fund critical upgrades.

“We’re raising money to install new wall batteries, larger power generators, and solar panels so we can tap into renewable energy and not rely on the power grid,” Hyle said.

The Organic Soup Kitchen aims to raise at least $600,000 to safeguard its meal production.

“I really hope the campaign is successful because it’ll make a difference for so many people and for everyone who works with this organization,” Glover said.

A single day without power could mean the difference between a meal and malnutrition for many of their clients, the team said.

“To be less reliant on the grid would take away so much stress,” Hyle said.