Organic Soup Kitchen Bridges Gap in Nutritional Services

Collaboration with local agencies provides expanded food security  

Organic Soup Kitchen has joined forces with over a dozen local nonprofits to expand nutritional services and provide critical food security throughout Santa Barbara County. Through partnerships with Cottage Hospital, Sansum Clinic, Ridley Tree Cancer Center, VNA Health, Hospice of Santa Barbara, Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation, PATH, Salvation Army, New Beginnings, Peoples’ Self-Help Housing, American Cancer Society, Adult Protective Services, Pacific Bridge Wellness Center, Yoga Soup, Santa Barbara Housing Authority, Veggie Rescue, Center for Successful Aging, and Community Partners In Caring.

Organic Soup Kitchen is providing critical food security to more than 1000 low income seniors and chronically ill residents each month.

“It’s more important than ever to unify efforts to reach the most underserved residents struggling to put food on the table,” says Andrea Slaby, Chief Operating Officer at Organic Soup Kitchen. “Our mission to serve Santa Barbara’s most vulnerable residents directly aligns with these incredible agencies, and together we can have a greater impact on the health and well being of our community.” 

According to The Santa Barbara Foundation’s website, approximately 10% of adults and 18.5% of children in Santa Barbara County face food insecurity. While the economic fallout from the pandemic has exacerbated this crisis, especially among our marginalized residents, it has also decreased the availability of food resources. Local agencies have turned to Organic Soup Kitchen to provide SoupMeals to their low income residents and clients who would otherwise not have access to nutrient dense food. Scaling up to meet the demand from local nonprofits, Organic Soup Kitchen continues to meet the increased needs of Santa Barbara County within their 2,000 square foot kitchen that they are already outgrowing and in need of additional storage as well as refrigeration. 

Since 2009, Organic Soup Kitchen has been the only organization in Santa Barbara County to handcraft and deliver metabolic oncology SoupMeals to the homes of low income cancer patients, seniors and chronically ill. The esteemed Cancer and Chronic Illness Recovery Program has become a trusted resource for all residents facing medical or financial hardships. Clients are referred to Organic Soup Kitchen from nearly 20 of the most prominent agencies in the County’s public health and human services sector.  

A leader in the organic food industry, Organic Soup Kitchen has been recognized for their integrity in selecting only premium whole food ingredients including organic produce and medicinal quality herbs and spices. Working closely with leading oncologists, they work diligently to formulate SoupMeal recipes that strengthen the immune system, promote healing and increase vitality. SoupMeals are hermetically sealed in BPA-free containers providing clients with 100% safe, clinically-backed nutrition with no additives, preservatives or fillers. SoupMeals are available for purchase and every SoupMeal sold provides a soup to a community member in need.

For information please visit www.organicsoupkitchen.org.