THE SBAFE SOLUTION
Grow clean food close to home, and get it to the people who need it most.
Over the past few decades, most of us have grown distant from our food. We buy what we need without knowing where it was grown or what was sprayed on it. That distance has cost us: declining health, more pesticides in our soil and water, unequal access to fresh food, and a disappearing knowledge of how to grow it.
Santa Barbara County has one of the highest poverty rates in California, and in two years the need we see has grown 600%. Right now 170 families are waiting for a spot.
Our answer is a closed-loop farm in Summerland: we grow without pesticides or herbicides, compost what is left, glean clean produce from neighboring farms, and deliver it every week with a recipe for a full meal.
170
families on the waitlist. Every bag we add is a family that eats clean food this week.
HEALTHY FARMED FOOD SOLUTIONS PROJECT
What goes into every bag
Every week our volunteers harvest, pack and deliver bags of 12 to 18 pounds to more than 150 locations across the county. Each one is built around a real meal a family can cook that night.
Packing list · one weekly bag
Dinner for 10: Every major ingredient and the recipe, often zucchini, potatoes and carrots
Kitchen basics: Broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, celery
Protein: 12 to 18 eggs, by family size, and beans grown on our farm
Salsa makings: Tomatoes, onion, serrano and/or jalapeño, cilantro, lemon
Salad makings: Lettuce, kale, onion, shallot, dill, basil
A letter: How we farm, why we believe food is a human right, and our promise to see you next week
Some families get more, like sourdough bread, snacks and fruit, depending on what they are facing. Our recipes are reviewed by a physician on our board who works in nutrition.
Who it reaches
People living with cancer, MS and other serious illness
Elderly neighbors
Young adults raising younger brothers and sisters after losing a parent
Families facing food insecurity
Trust comes first
We count bags, never names. The trust of the families we serve matters more to us than any data we could collect.
Gleaning
We also rescue surplus produce from other local farms so it feeds people instead of going to waste. We only glean produce that has not been sprayed with pesticides or herbicides. This year's goal is 35,000 pounds.
WAYS TO HELP
Thank you for helping us see every family next week.
Give
Your gift goes to growing, packing and delivering food, and to reaching the 170 families waiting for a spot.
Volunteer
Harvest on the farm, pack bags, or help with deliveries. Volunteers are welcome every day, 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Need food?
If you or someone you know needs food, call us. We start with an intake interview and income and health verification. Atendemos en español.