Veggie Rescue uses a simple logistics model to pick up excess food that would go to waste and deliver it to nonprofit organizations that serve our neighbors facing food insecurity. Our partners make the important work we do possible.

Man in winter clothing holding crate of vegetables beside van with carrot logo.

Farm & Food Partners

FARMER’S MARKET  

We visit farmers every week at one of five local farmer’s markets. They donate what they don’t sell - and sometimes extra because they know Veggie Rescue will be there to pick it up!

WEEKLY FARM PICK-UP

We routinely visit farms and warehouse facilities throughout Santa Barbara County that consistently have excess food to donate.

ONCALL PICK-UP

Veggie Rescue is flexible and available for farm pick-up on an on-call basis

Veggie Rescue partners with large and small scale farmers to give them an opportunity to support the community by donating excess produce, which minimizes food waste.

A person with tattoos and a beard wearing a green shirt and boots, standing next to the open door of a building. A colorful sign reading "Dare 2 Dream Farms" with flowers is below a wreath made of dried leaves.
Sign celebrating Santa Barbara County as a top agricultural producer in the U.S., with illustrations of various vegetables and fruits like carrots, lettuce, beets, onions, strawberries, and scallions.

BUSINESSES AND NONPROFITS

We do weekly scheduled and on-call pick-ups from food producers and supply companies that routinely have excess food. We visit restaurant suppliers and even nonprofits receiving excess grocery rescue food donations.

SB 1383 - REDUCING EDIBLE FOOD WASTE

Veggie Rescue partners with the County of Santa Barbara and the City of Santa Maria to help food producers and food distributors to accomplish their food waste reduction goals.

Boxes containing yellow carrots, orange carrots, fennel bulbs, and beets with greens.

To become a food donor partner, visit the Get Involved page!

Two people sorting fresh produce in a kitchen, including pears, peppers, avocados, and zucchini.

Recipient Partners

Solvang Senior Center staff

Some of Our Partner Organizations

Veggie Rescue appreciates that many nonprofit organizations have clients to serve and tight budgets for food. Our food deliveries allow them to feed even more people and offer fresh and healthy options.

Our high-touch model allows farmers to donate just in time to minimize food waste. We pick up that fresh produce and deliver it to nonprofits quickly. Usually the same day, but always within 24-hours.

If you are a nonprofit organization, that would like to get on our food delivery list, go to the Get Involved page and submit the form.

Three people wearing masks stand in a kitchen with brown paper bags lined up on a table.

Good Samaratin Case Workers in Santa Maria preparing bags of rescued food to take to their clients.

A person in a brown robe stands next to red carts filled with stacked cardboard boxes outside a building, near a parked silver vehicle.

Rescued food being donated for food distribution at the Santa Inez Mission in Solvang, in partnership with People Helping People.

Baskets of fresh vegetables on tables under a sign for Isla Vista Youth Projects.

We partnered with Isla Vista Youth Project to create a weekly Free Farm Table, where preschool families and community members can take home a variety of fresh produce.

Three people wearing masks giving thumbs up in a kitchen or food preparation area, with fresh produce including zucchinis, herbs, and peaches displayed in crates in front of them.

The Bridge House Emergency Shelter kitchen crew in Lompoc getting ready to prepare a healthy meal with rescued produce.

We have over 50 nonprofit partners throughout Santa Barbara County.

 OUR RECIPIENT ORGANIZATION PARTNERS

Santa Ynez Valley and Los Alamos

Atterdag at Home
Bethania Lutheran Church
Crossroads Church
People Helping People
Santa Ynez Valley Charter School
Solvang School
Solvang Senior Center
SYV Community Kitchen at St Mark's
The Los Alamos Foundation
United Way Fun in the Sun
Solvang Elementary

Santa Maria / Orcutt / Guadalupe

Catholic Charities Food Pantry
Central Coast Rescue Mission
Good Samaritan Emergency Shelter, Santa Maria
Good Samaritan Scattered Housing, Santa Maria
Guadalupe Senior Center
Hancock College
Iglesia Lutheran Church
Los Amigos de Guadalupe
Oasis Senior Center, Orcutt
Orcutt Presbyterian Church
Pacific Christian Center
Angel Food Salvation Army, Santa Maria
United Way Fun in the Sun
Mary Buren Elementary

Santa Barbara and Goleta

A to Z Cooking School
Catholic Charities Food Pantry
Father Virgil Cordano Center
Food From the Heart
Friendship Manor
Goleta Unified School District
Good Samaritan Homeless Shelter
Hedger House of Hope
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Isla Vista Youth Project
Noah's Anchorage
Organic Soup Kitchen
PATH
Salvation Army, Santa Barbara
Salvation Army, Ventura
Santa Barbara Community Housing
Faulding Hotel
Santa Barbara Rescue Mission
Santa Barbara Unified School District
Sarah House
United Way Fun in the Sun
Hollister, Franklin and Harding Schools

Lompoc

Bridge House Emergency Shelter
Catholic Charities Food Pantry, Lompoc
Dorothy Jackson Family Resource
Lompoc Unified School District
Lompoc High and Hapgood Elementary

Two women wearing gloves, chopping onions at a table, one holding a knife while the other observes.

The Cooking Collaborative

Taking one step further to bridge access to nutritious meals, we host cooking events where volunteers prepare meals from locally grown, produce.

Participant cooks are supervised by a culinary expert and learn about nutrition, cooking skills, and local resources for food. They also know they are helping their neighbors.

The volunteers take home a portion, and the remainder is delivered to nonprofits serving housing and food insecure community members.