The annual “Stamp Out Hunger Drive” in Santa Barbara is cancelled Saturday, leaving a deficit of around 80,000 pounds of donated food.
Community members ordinarily receive bags in their mailboxes and leave them, filled with non-perishable items, by their mailboxes for pickup.
To take its place, a Drive-Thru food – and also cookware - drive has been set up.
Jordan Jenkins from the Foodbank of Santa Barbara says donations are needed this year more than ever.
"Ordinarily, the food drive is extremely important for us," she told KCLU. "Adding into that the COVID environment where we are seeing a really heightened need for food."
"Missing out on that opportunity for donations means we are definitely in great need for donations," she said.
She told KCLU, when a Foodbank team member became aware some community members, either recently unsheltered, or in temporary housing, couldn’t prepare the food they receive from us, the Foodbank also added a cookware drive.
They’re accepting non-perishable food items, along with clean, new or gently used cooking items like rice cookers, toaster ovens, pressure cookers, crock pots, electric kettles, etc.
