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SANTA BARBARA — Foodbank of Santa Barbara County’s annual community Turkey Drive is in its final week and the organization is inviting the community to provide the key ingredient to the Thanksgiving holiday meal for local families in need, the organization is reporting in a media release.
The annual Turkey Drive runs through Friday, Nov. 22. To date there are still 2,660 fresh or frozen turkeys or chickens needed before the deadline.
This year, Wells Fargo will be sponsoring the Turkey Drive with a $25,000 one-to-one matching grant. Both monetary donations as well as donations of turkeys and chickens can be made during the drive. Foodbank’s goal is to raise $25,000 to support holiday distribution and collect 3,000 turkeys in order to help families carry on the tradition of taking part in a warm Thanksgiving meal with loved ones. Turkey donations will be matched at $15 each.
The 3,000 turkey goal was determined by the number of requests from the 300 countywide nonprofit partners Foodbank distributes to. Some of the agencies served in Santa Barbara County include the Santa Barbara Rescue Mission, Catholic Charities, Unity Shoppe, Transition House, People Helping People and the Salvation Army, just to name a few.
Contributions can be dropped off in both Santa Barbara and Santa Maria locations:
Santa Barbara
- Drop-offs can be made from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekdays at the Santa Barbara Foodbank facility, 4554 Hollister Ave.
Santa Maria
- Drop-offs can be made from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekdays at the Santa Maria Foodbank facility, 490 W. Foster Road.
Online Fund Donations
- Individuals can also donate funds electronically at https://secure.qgiv.com/for/fosbc/event/39885.
To see updates on the Foodbank’s Turkey Drive campaign or for more information, visit www.foodbanksbc.org/turkeydrive.html.
For more information or to volunteer during the Turkey Drive or holiday season, visit Foodbank at www.foodbanksbc.org or contact Melissa Howard at mhoward@foodbanksbc.org or 805-967-5741, ext. 112.
About the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County:
The Foodbank is celebrating over 30 years of eliminating hunger and food insecurity by distributing nutritious food, education, and other resources through its own programs and to a network of over 300 member non-profit partners and programs in Santa Barbara County. Last year, the Foodbank distributed the resources for more than 8.5 million meals – of which fully half was fresh produce. This served over 102,000 unduplicated people from Carpinteria to Santa Maria, an amazing 1 in 4 people. For the fifth consecutive time, the Foodbank has recently been given a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, America’s largest and most-utilized independent evaluator of charities. Only 4% of the charities rated have received at least 5 consecutive 4-star evaluations, indicating that Foodbank of Santa Barbara County outperforms most other charities in America. More information at www.foodbanksbc.org.