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Santa Barbara County, CA – April 23, 2025 – The Foodbank of Santa Barbara County proudly announces the launch of a brand-new fundraising event—The Un-Gala, a one-night-only experience that invites supporters to do the unthinkable: stay home, skip the party, and make an even greater impact.
On June 1, the Foodbank will host its first-ever Un-Gala, the best event you’ll never attend. No ballroom. No banquet. No babysitter. Just real, measurable impact.
A Lighthearted Approach to a Serious Crisis
Our neighbors are struggling more than ever to put food on the table.
Santa Barbara County has the second-highest poverty rate in California, and the skyrocketing cost of food, housing, and necessities has pushed more working families into food insecurity. Meanwhile, sweeping government cuts—including over $4.3 million annually in lost food and funding—are gutting the safety net our community relies on.
Why an Un-Gala?
Because people need help more than ever, it’s time to focus every effort on the highest return possible. We’ve decided to sunset resource-heavy events so we can put every dollar where it counts most—on nourishing our community.
Thanks to the Foodbank’s vast network of partnerships with food producers, suppliers, and fellow food banks, we can stretch your donation farther than it goes at the grocery store. Every $1 donated helps provide $5 worth of food, amplifying your impact and putting more nutritious meals on the tables of those who need it most
How to Not Attend:
1. Make your donation before June 1 at foodbanksbc.org/gala
2. Skip the tux, the traffic, and the hors d’oeuvres
3. Stay home and feel great knowing your gift is providing wholesome, locally-sourced food to neighbors in need.
Looking for ideas on how to “Un-Gala” from home?
Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @FoodbankSBC for inspiration—or share your own creative spin on staying in with the UnGala.
The Goal: $1 Million to Fill the Hunger Gap
With the loss of major federal and state food programs and increased local demand, the Foodbank must raise at least$1 million through this campaign to help fill the hunger gap in Santa Barbara County.
“This is our opportunity to focus on what matters most, and that’s ensuring our community continues to have access to nutritious foods,” said Nathalie Keller, Chief Development and Strategy Officer of the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County. “Our community needs us now more than ever. Every dollar you give goes directly to food.”
Your support powers the programs to keep food flowing locally, regardless of federal budgets or policy shifts.
Stay home. Do good. Feel great.
Because skipping the party has never been more powerful.
About the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County
The Foodbank of Santa Barbara County transforms hunger into health by providing nutritious food, education, and resources to residents throughout the county. We serve 1 in 3 Santa Barbara County neighbors, distribute over 12 million pounds of food yearly, and work with more than 200 partners and programs to build food security and resilience across Santa Barbara County.
For more information, visit http://www.FoodbankSBC.org.
