Solving Hunger in America

at Austin's SXSW conference? It may sound like a strange combination, but putting tech leaning minds together have brought solutions to many problems once thought daunting. Hunger just might be the next one solved.

The annual SXSW festival of music, film and interactive may be well known for its party atmosphere—they don’t call it “spring break for geeks” for nothing—but this year’s conference also set a lofty goal: to end hunger in America.

A mere glint in the eye of organizers last year, partners from across the spectrum of social entrepreneurship, non-profit organizations and tech innovators came together on Monday morning for the inaugural CauseLab. Designed as an “action tank,” WeCanEndThis.com brought in participants and leaders to spend half the day in one of two sessions addressing three fundamental angles of solving hunger in this country:

• Create hunger-free communities
• Humanize hunger using data
• Accelerate local action and advocacy

....Facing the problem of hunger head on is intimidating. If you look at the pure numbers—49 million Americans don’t know where their next meal is coming from—it can seem insurmountable. Breaking down hunger into solvable chunks is critical, and the teams in the room struggled to answer the call of getting past awareness campaigns. We’ve been inundated with slickly produced messages telling us that even $5 makes a difference, but it’s rare that we find programs that actually reward us with tangible knowledge that we’ve made a difference—and thus inspire us to participate again in the future. - AlterNet

We hope that you will come join us on Sundays at the Veterans Memorial Building for that tangible knowledge you've made a difference.

So Much More than just a Soup Kitchen

We're a connection to the community.

Making Something Happen

This past Sunday, when I was volunteering, I was approached by a woman who asked for a moment of my time. She told me she was making a video about the Organic Soup Kitchen and was interested in hearing what inspired me to start volunteering with this organization.

The question threw me off, because I didn't have an answer for her. When I sat down later to think about it, I thought of lots of reasons:

1. I enjoy spending my free time giving back.


2. I enjoy being part of the community.


3. I'm learning new things.


4. I get the satisfaction of seeing hungry people in need get fed.

Counter-intuitively, the items in the list above are based on my own self-interest. This might seem a little strange, because people volunteering at a soup kitchen feeding the homeless aren't supposed to be doing so for selfish reasons. But there's no getting around it: a large part of what draws me there week after week is the mere fact that I enjoy doing it.

However, the most important reason I'm there helping each week has nothing to do with me. Here it is:

Anthony Carroccio is making something happen.

He woke up and decided just to start feeding the community. He didn't ask for permission. He didn't organize a committee and sit around discussing how to do it. He just started running. And he's still running, leading his tribe of volunteers and feeding hundreds of people each week in the process.

Anthony's hoping to spread change for the better, and the way that he's doing it is something that we all need to pay attention to: he's taking action.

I find it tough to sit by and not contribute to that kind of raw initiative. Especially when it's aimed at changing people's lives for the better.

Why Are the Streets Empty?

It's early Sunday morning, around 7 a.m., and I'm combing the streets of downtown Santa Barbara looking for homeless people.

I'm on my way down to volunteer this morning at the Organic Soup Kitchen, where I'll be working in the kitchen to help them serve a fresh meal to a couple hundred people. While I'm en route, I decide that I might tell everyone I see about it, to help get the word out. At the same time, I'm hoping to amass a crowd of people to walk down there with me.

As I'm walking down the main stretch of State Street, I find that the sidewalks are oddly empty. It's too early yet for the general hustle and bustle of Sunday morning, but the homeless people you would otherwise find loitering on the street are nowhere to be found.

I approach one man sitting on a bench and extend an invitation to him. He politely tells me, "Oh, I'm not homeless, but thank you very much for the offer." Sheepishly, I bury my head and press on.

Where is everyone?

When I finally get down to the OSK, I find the answer to my question. Throngs of homeless people are standing around outside, laughing amongst themselves, and waiting patiently for eight o'clock, when the Organic Soup Kitchen opens its doors and begins serving breakfast. Word has spread fast on the streets of Santa Barbara: after only a few months since its inception, those in need of a good meal gather to meet us on Sunday mornings.

There's work to be done and fun to be had. I head into the kitchen and put on my apron.

Spencer's Musical Breakfast

Who says breakfasts can't be fun? 

H1N1 Clinic will be held this Sunday

at the Veteran's Building. They'll be serving up vaccinations. We'll be serving up delicious breakfast.

Santa Barbara's homeless and veterans are the focus of an upcoming H1N1 clinic at the Santa Barbara Veteran's Hall, (112 W. Cabrillo Blvd.), this Sunday, March 7, 2010 from 7:30 am to 11:30 am. The clinic will take place during a regular Sunday meal for Santa Barbara's homeless provided by the Organic Soup Kitchen.

This event highlights growing partnerships among public and private agencies within the medical and healthcare community to provide care to Santa Barbara's homeless and at-risk populations. American Indian Health Services, Santa Barbara County Public Health, Doctors Without Walls-Santa Barbara Street Medicine, and the Santa Barbara County Medical Reserve Corps are sponsoring this clinic. Volunteer medical staff from Doctors Without Walls-Santa Barbara Street Medicine and the Medical Reserve Corps will be administering the vaccinations. 

...Homeless and Veteran's are targeted in this outreach effort but all residents over the age of six months are welcome to receive a free H1N1 flu vaccination. For more information about other alternative sites to receive free H1N1 flu vaccinations in Santa Barbara County, please see our website at www.sbcfluinfo.org - via EdHat

Spencer (from Spencer the Gardener)

stopped by and provided some wonderful music for those enjoying breakfast at The Organic Soup Kitchen yesterday. We have some wonderful musicians stopping by and feeding the musical soul.

Great food. Great music. Open hearts.  One word..."Gobble-iscious!"