Launched in 1999
Our Mobile Food Pantry Program brings food distributions to low-income neighborhoods throughout Santa Barbara County, providing nutritional staples like rice, beans, canned goods, bread, protein items and fresh produce.
Anyone is welcome to come to any of these distributions and pick up groceries free of charge; there is no sign-up or registration process necessary.
Click here to find the location nearest you.
Overview
Starting in 1999, with a small grant from UPS and a donated “retired” beverage truck, the Foodbank made its first Mobile Food Pantry delivery to a small parking lot in Santa Barbara, offering 800 pounds of food to 20 families. In those days, emergency food consisted of a loaf of bread, a bag of beans and a large chunk of cheese.
As of March 2019, the Foodbank has 20 monthly Mobile Food Pantry distribution sites and 13 weekly or monthly Mobile Farmers Market sites, targeting high-need neighborhoods and rural corners of the county. Two or three times every week, in parking lots, community centers and convenient neighborhood locations, you can find our Mobile Food Pantry and Mobile Farmers Market supplying nutritious and fresh food directly to those who need it.
These “pantries on wheels” play a fundamental role in feeding hungry people. Every month, individuals and families living in Lompoc, Santa Maria, Los Alamos, Buellton, New Cuyama, Guadalupe, Goleta, Santa Barbara and Carpinteria have access to emergency food services that may not be available to them through traditional food distribution sources.
Our Mobile Food Pantries and Mobile Farmers Markets provide 3,000 to 10,000 pounds of food at every distribution. The Foodbank has committed to providing the most nutritional food available at these sites.
Who is Served
Anyone in need of food is welcome to receive food at our Mobile Food Pantry (MFP) or Mobile Farmers Market (MFM) distributions. We strive to serve neighborhoods where few existing food distributions are located.
Program Impact
The Mobile Food Pantry (MFP) and Mobile Farmers Market (MFM) Programs provide more than 131,500 pounds of healthy food a month to 21,804 unduplicated individuals in 30 underserved areas of the county.
Opportunities to Get Involved
- Volunteer at your local Mobile Food Pantry or Mobile Farmers Market and assist in distributing food and nutrition education
- Use your knowledge of nutrition to assist our Programs team with building the program, expanding nutrition education resources and developing healthy eating materials
- Donate to the Mobile Food Pantry/Mobile Farmers Program to provide additional assistance to clients in underserved areas
