Urgent Appeal: Help Organic Soup Kitchen Safeguard Critical Meal Production Amid Power Outage Threats
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Santa Barbara, CA, January 14, 2025 – As devastating wildfires continue to ravage Southern California, the risk of power outages has become a harsh reality for our community. Southern California Edison has issued warnings of potential Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) for South Santa Barbara County, and Organic Soup Kitchen’s operations are now at critical risk.
Organic Soup Kitchen provides life-saving, nutrient-rich Medically Tailored Meals, ie “SoupMeals,” to cancer clients and other chronically ill individuals in Santa Barbara County. The power outages threaten to disrupt our ability to produce and deliver these essential meals. Our kitchen operations rely on a steady power supply to prepare, store, and distribute our SoupMeals. A power outage could halt our work, leaving our most vulnerable clients without the nourishment they depend on.
To ensure uninterrupted operations, we urgently need community support to fund essential upgrades, including:
- Larger power generators to keep our kitchen running during outages.
- Additional wall batteries to store power for extended use.
- Roof solar panels to harness renewable energy and reduce dependency on the grid.
We cannot afford a break in our services. Many of our cancer clients have compromised immune systems and rely on our nutrient-dense SoupMeals to support their health and recovery. A single day without power could mean the difference between a meal and malnutrition for many in our care.
We are calling on the generosity of our community to help us raise the necessary funds to secure these vital resources. Your support will directly contribute to maintaining uninterrupted soup production and delivery during this time of heightened uncertainty.
Donate here: https://donorbox.org/organic-soup-kitchen-emergency-preparedness-campaign
“The health and well-being of our clients are at the heart of everything we do. Power outages threaten to undermine our ability to provide the nourishing meals they rely on,” said Andrea Slaby, Chief Operating Officer. “With your help, we can ensure that our kitchen remains a lifeline for those who need us most.”
Organic Soup Kitchen is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to providing organic, nutrient-dense Medically Tailored Meals, SoupMeals, to low-income cancer patients, seniors, and individuals with chronic illnesses throughout Santa Barbara County. Since 2009, we have served over 3 million bowls and remain committed to improving the quality of life for our clients through food, education, and community support.