As the month of gratitude approaches in a gust of chilly autumn wind, so does the beginning of preparations for a turkey dinner shared with family. However, with food prices surging, some families are forced to whittle their shopping lists and budget their expenses. To make matters worse, the surge has affected not only families, but food banks and other programs of similar aspirations.
After the outbreak of COVID-19, holidays were forced into small or nonexistent events. This means that this year, families are planning bigger events in order to make up for the lack of last year’s festivities. However, the traditional Thanksgiving dishes such as turkey, cranberry sauce, green beans, potatoes, and dinner rolls, could be pricier and overall scarce this year due to rising shipping prices, delivery disruptions, and higher consumer demand. According to the Consumer Price Index, prices have increased by 5.4% from September of last year, matching the highest annual increase in 13 years. This is why despite the many difficulties food banks are experiencing, they are continuing to try their best to raise money to ensure that everyone gets to have a holiday dinner with their loved ones.
A local food bank that is doing just that in our community is Food Bank SBC. Food Bank SBC’s mission is to end hunger and transform the health of the citizens of Santa Barbara through good nutrition. Many students at San Marcos donate to their cause every year. Stella Jones, a freshman at San Marcos and a frequent donator said, “I love how the food bank has become a part of the Santa Barbara community.”
Specifically during this time of year, Food Bank SBC holds a fundraiser known as the Turkey Drive. The Turkey Drive is an event that is collecting turkey and other foods to provide families with Thanksgiving dinner. Many individuals in our community are struggling to make ends meet and this fundraiser is a good start on contributing to the diverse community of Santa Barbara. Because of this, Food Bank SBC has set a hefty goal of three-thousand turkeys (and chickens!), in order to help out families this holiday season. The event will be open to donations from October 26, through November 24. They will even be continuing to accept donations during December for the many holidays to come.
This is why it is important now, more than ever before, to donate to our very own local food banks if you are so fortunate. After everything that has happened in the past two years, everyone deserves a dinner spent with family and friends over the November holidays. Help ensure that all families, neighbors, and friends have a turkey (or chicken) this holiday season!
