A Santa Barbara County based non-profit focused on feeding those in need during the coronavirus crisis is reporting that it's seeing four times the normal demand for this time of year for food. Santa Barbara's Unity Shoppe reports giving away 600,000 pounds of food since the start of the crisis.
Unity Executive Director Tom Reed says they are working with about a thousand families a week. He says it's strained their resources, but they are doing their best to insure people get the food they want.
They've had to modify how food is distributed due to coronavirus safety issues, but clients are still allowed to come to the Santa Barbara store to choose items they need. Unity's store is set up so people can choose food and other items they actually want and need, reducing the waste which comes with bagged food distributions where people may get some items they don't want.
