Community invited to celebrate major milestone in $50 million Feeding Our Future campaign on September 11
OXNARD — Food Share of Ventura County invites the entire community to celebrate a historic milestone in the fight against hunger as the organization breaks ground on the future home of Ventura County’s food bank on Friday, September 11, 2026, from 3:00–5:00 p.m. at 1425 Mariner Drive in Oxnard.
The free community celebration will mark the ceremonial groundbreaking of Food Share’s new 85,000-square-foot facility, a transformational project designed to dramatically expand the organization’s capacity to serve Ventura County for decades to come.
The groundbreaking is part of Feeding Our Future, Food Share’s $50 million capital campaign to build a food bank capable of meeting both today’s unprecedented need and the needs of a growing community well into the future.
“This is so much more than breaking ground on a new building,” said Monica White, President & CEO of Food Share of Ventura County. “This is about building an infrastructure our community needs to make sure that when a neighbor needs food, Food Share is ready to respond. We invite those who have been part of this project, and everyone who believes no one in Ventura County should go hungry, to come celebrate this milestone with us.”
Food Share currently serves approximately 250,000 people each year—roughly one in four Ventura County residents—through a network of more than 200 pantry and agency partners. As demand for food assistance has grown, Food Share has outgrown its existing facilities and currently operates across multiple warehouse locations.
The new Mariner Drive facility will bring Food Share’s operations together under one roof while significantly expanding food storage, refrigeration and freezer capacity, volunteer space, distribution capabilities and disaster-response readiness. Once fully operational, the facility will position Food Share to grow its annual food distribution capacity to as much as 40 million pounds by 2040.
“We’re building this food bank for the future of Ventura County,” said White. “It will be built from the support of hundreds of people, businesses, foundations and community partners that believe in feeding our neighbors. We invite the community to stand beside us when those first shovels hit the ground.”
The September 11 celebration is open to everyone—donors, volunteers, pantry partners, community leaders, businesses, families, longtime supporters and those who wish to learn about Food Share for the first time.
EVENT DETAILS
Food Share Feeding Our Future Groundbreaking
Friday, September 11, 2026
3:00–5:00 p.m.
1425 Mariner Drive, Oxnard, CA
Admission: Free and open to the public
RSVP: www.foodshare.com/mariner
Attire: Closed-toed shoes are highly encouraged.
Members of the media are encouraged to attend. Interview and photo opportunities will be available with Food Share leadership, campaign supporters, community partners, and local dignitaries.
About Feeding Our Future
Feeding Our Future is Food Share of Ventura County’s $50 million capital campaign to build a new, purpose-built food bank on 12 acres at 1425 Mariner Drive in Oxnard. The approximately 85,000-square-foot facility will consolidate operations, significantly expand cold and dry food storage, create greater capacity for volunteers and food distribution, and strengthen Food Share’s ability to respond during emergencies and disasters. The project is designed to meet Ventura County’s growing need for hunger-relief services and provide the infrastructure necessary to distribute up to 40 million pounds of food annually by 2040.
About Food Share of Ventura County
Food Share is Ventura County’s food bank, leading the fight against hunger by providing nutritious food through a network of more than 200 pantry and agency partners, direct distributions, and specialized nutrition programs serving children, seniors, farmworkers, and other vulnerable neighbors. Last year, together with more than 4,300 volunteers and thousands of community supporters, Food Share distributed nearly 23 million pounds of food—providing more than 19 million meals to neighbors across Ventura County.
For more information about Food Share, visit www.foodshare.com.