+ What is Feed The Valley?
Feed the Valley is a collective of independent restaurants, farmers, bakeries and caterers that prepare individually packed meals for the elderly, low-income families and others in need throughout the Santa Ynez Valley in northern Santa Barbara County.
+ Who gets the meals? How are they delivered?
Every meal is safely prepared by restaurant professionals in a sanitized commercial kitchen. Meals are then delivered to local nonprofits (Los Alamos Foundation, People Helping People, and more) who distribute the meals to those in need.
+ HOW CAN I SUPPORT FEED THE VALLEY?
You can donate via the Santa Barbara Foundation by clicking HERE. Your financial contributions will directly fund the production of wholesome meals, as well as their delivery to those experiencing food insecurity.
+ I am in need of help. How can I request support?
Please send all requests for meal delivery through our contact page.
+ I am a restaurant in the Santa Ynez Valley and I want to help, how can I?
There are a few ways you can help! Please reach out to us via the contact page or at info@feedthevalley.org.
+ What are the requirements for participating restaurants?
This program is exclusively open to independent restaurants in the Santa Ynez Valley. Partner restaurants must be capable of providing a well-balanced, nutritious meal at a cost of $9-10 including labor, as well as accommodating requests for special diets (low-sodium, for example). Participating businesses will also be expected to help promote the larger mission of Feed The Valley on their social media, email or other marketing channels.
+ How does the food get transferred from my kitchen to families in need?
All meals are cooked onsite at the commercial kitchens of participating restaurants. Each restaurant is paired with a local charitable organization to facilitate delivery. In most cases, this non-profit partner will handle the pick-up and delivery of meals, but in select cases, restaurants make a single delivery to the offices of the nonprofit in question.
+ Are there any particular food preparation requirements?
All kitchen teams must comply with the FDA’s food and safety guidelines for the service industry, and meals must be packed in new, clean to-go packaging to ensure safe and sanitary delivery.
+ Can I donate the meals rather than getting paid?
If your restaurant team is able to donate meals to Feed The Valley, we will be happy to provide paperwork to enable a tax writeoff. When making this decision, please note that a primary goal of Feed The Valley is to provide an ongoing, consistent source of nourishing meals to underserved members of our community.
+ How are donated funds used by Feed The Valley?
Funds are provided to local partner restaurants in exchange for the preparation of healthy, nutritious meals. Each meal is valued at $10. All donations are processed by our fiscal partner, the Santa Barbara Foundation.
+ Is this donation tax deductible?
Yes. All donors will receive a letter from the Santa Barbara Foundation for their financial records.
+ Will I get a receipt?
Yes. Receipts will be provided via email confirmation.
+ How are donations processed?
Feed The Valley operates under the nonprofit 501(c)(3) umbrella of the Santa Barbara Foundation. They accept and process all donations on our behalf, helping us to appropriately direct funds to participating restaurants.
+ How can I help connect you with families in need?
We work with all local charity partners to understand the specific needs of their communities, as well as logistics including the number of families and preferred days of distribution. Our meal and donation coordinator works directly with both your team and a partner restaurant to ensure reliable service. Please note that participating charities are responsible for individual and family deliveries within their network.
+ What type of institutional support are you currently seeking?
We are always seeking to spread the word about Feed The Valley, and we are open to further support in the form of infrastructure or capital. Please note that volunteer opportunities are not available through Feed The Valley at this time. You can reach out to learn more through our contact page or by emailing us directly at info@feedthevalley.org.