Santa Barbara County Food bank opens third emergency food distribution site due to high demand

As the demand for supplemental food assistance continues throughout the Santa Barbara community, the Food bank of Santa Barbara County is doing everything possible to make sure those in need have enough food to eat.

“There’s been a big loss of resources since Unity Shoppe cut services, so the food bank is now running three extra food distribution sites.

Two weeks ago, Westside Neighborhood Center started serving food supplies on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

“It’s getting busy. We noticed a lot of people from Unity Shoppe started showing up to our site,” said Jesse Aguilar, a food deliverer of the Santa Barbara County Food bank.

This week, Saint George Community Church opened its doors as a food distribution site.

“It just demonstrates the need for the community to have these services offered. It’s nice that the food bank has stepped into the void,” said Gary Winning, a volunteer of the Santa Barbara County Food bank.

Each distribution offers fresh produce and operates as a choice pantry.

“When you come here you can choose what you want. If you don’t like cabbage, you don’t have to get it. You can choose what you want and what you don’t want,” said Aguilar.

The demand for food supplies is high.

During the first week of operating just two emergency distribution centers, the food bank provided more than 5,000 pounds of groceries to more than 200 people in 100 households in Santa Barbara.

KEYT 2019