Foodbank of Santa Barbara acquires old fire station in Goleta as food sharehouse
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif.– The Foodbank of Santa Barbara has purchased a new Sharehouse in Goleta through its 18-month fundraiser raising $20 million to expand storage capacity and operations.
The old fire station at 80 Coromar Drive in Goleta will be repurposed to expand cold food storage space and overall capacity in south county by ten times once operational in fall 2023.
Operations at the Sharehouse will also allow the Foodbank of Santa Barbara to ensure the community is prepared for emergency food needs during large-scale disasters and train volunteers on nutrition.
“This campaign was successful thanks to individual contributions from $20 donations to leadership gifts of over $1 million, along with public, private and government sources,” explained Foodbank CEO Erik Talkin. “The Sharehouse truly belongs to the entire community.”
Construction to modify the space to included proper freezer and cooler space is necessary.
“Now that full funding is in place, the real work has just begun,” Talkin continued. “We’ll undertake the process of making the building fit for purpose. We expect to open the Sharehouse in fall 2023, when it will serve all of Santa Barbara County to ensure healthy food for those who need it, nutrition education and disaster readiness for all.
