Kyle’s Kitchen feeding local special needs families during pandemic

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - A Santa Barbara County restaurant chain is helping feed families with special needs family members during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kyle’s Kitchen is donating 200 family meals to local families. The family meals will help feed more than 1,000 people, the restaurant chain said in a news release.

“Nearly every family we know with special needs is struggling right now. Their lives are uniquely challenging in normal times, but in today's COVID-19 world, families with special needs children are dealing with a new reality that is creating incredible amounts of stress in the home,” said Deena Ferro, owner of Kyle's Kitchen and Kyle’s mom.

Kyle's Kitchen is hoping to feed thousands of more families. They've started a GoFundMe campaign with a goal of raising $20,000 for the program.

The restaurant says they will match 100 percent of donations up to $10,000.

The Ferro family says the program is feeding people in need and keeping their employees working.

“We want to help the community closest to our hearts, the special needs families here in Santa Barbara County. At the same time we are able to keep our employees working and re-employ more members of our Kyle's Kitchen employee family, whose own families are struggling due to the necessity for broad lay-offs that have had to occur during this coronavirus pandemic” said owner Jay Ferro.

To request a meal for a special needs family, click here.

Kyle's Kitchen has three locations in Goleta and Santa Barbara.