A low-key, grassroots group of volunteers is helping people ranging from homebound seniors to the homeless in Santa Barbara County.
"We're just a group of people who love our community. We are volunteers, and we extend our help to community members in need. That could be the elderly. That could be the homeless. There are a lot of people who need a little assistance," said Adam McKaig.
He and Melissa Borders founded the group known as Adam’s Angels. McKaig said the idea came out of a desire to help others during the pandemic:
"My job as a realtor, which I've been for 28 years, is to help my clients. When the pandemic hit, we were deemed non-essential. We weren't allowed to help. I thought this is going to be a struggle, because I like to help people. So, I posted on Facebook that I could help shut-ins, like the elderly who needed help grocery shopping. Remember, the shelves were bare. The outpouring of need was there, and the outpouring of volunteers was there," said McKaig.
He talks about some of the things they do to help those in need. They serve tens of thousands of meals a year to people in need, covering the area from Carpinteria to Isla Vista.
"On Mondays, we put together a few hundred sack lunches, along with 350 or 400 bags of nonperishable food," said McKaig. "Usually, we give out the food along with Doctors Without Walls, so they can treat our unhoused."
The nonprofit does food distribution events five days a week, using churches throughout the community as distribution points. They give out hygiene and personal care items, clothing, shoes, and items like blankets and backpacks.
Adam’s Angels has no employees. It relies on a small army of volunteers. Gary Warkentin is among those who help.
"My wife and I moved here about three years ago. And we were looking for a way to help out in the community and have a good time doing it," said Warkentin. "We found Adam's Angels and realized that it was good work they were doing. My wife spends at least one day a week serving homeless folks dinners. We spend every Monday packing about 300 or some nonperishable dinners for distribution on the South Coast." He said helping others is the right thing to do.
McKaig admits when he first started the project, he thought it would only last a couple of weeks, because everyone through the pandemic would only last a few weeks. But the organization has done nothing but grow since 2020.
"I love real estate, and it does provide a good living. But my wife and I like to give back to our cause. We have a board, but we have zero overhead. We're all volunteers, and no one gets paid. We all love what we're doing," said McKaig. Why does he do it? "I love our community, and more than anything, I love to help people."
