“This Program Saved My Life” – Santa Barbara Recovery Lifeline Expands Amid Addiction Crisis
Patricia Martellotti
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) — Santa Barbara is facing a growing addiction crisis that is straining families and community services, but one local program is giving people hope — and a second chance.
Good Samaritan’s Food for Good Recovery Program combines meals with culinary training to help people overcome addiction while learning new life skills.
For Juan Carvajal, the program has been transformative.
“It changed my life,” he said while preparing lunch with the Food for Good crew in Goleta. “It made me a better man … to do better things, make better choices.”
The program not only provides daily meals but also teaches clients how to cook and build confidence in the kitchen.
“It’s special because we get to help people that have been dealt a bad hand in life,” one program leader explained. “They’re able to learn skills and build confidence.”
Carvajal said the support he received inspired him to give back.
“I got the help here. It makes me feel like I’ll help somebody else too,” he said.
Organizers say demand is growing quickly, with more people reaching out for help every week
“We feed over 156,000 people per year from this kitchen and another one in North County,” one staff member noted.
The program even incorporates fresh ingredients from its own farm.
“Look at these eggs, they’re grown at our farm,” an employee said. “We have chickens and ducks.”
The program’s mission goes beyond meals. Leaders emphasize that Food for Good provides stability, job training, and a pathway forward.
“There are so many different types of homelessness — from being a foster child to somebody living in your car,” a staff member said. “We teach and build their skill set so that hopefully they can get a job in the culinary field.”
For clients like Carvajal, the daily routine has become a source of strength.
“It keeps me busy learning how to cook, learning new things every day,” he said.
Organizers hope to continue expanding the culinary program to reach even more people in Santa Barbara County. And behind every meal served, they say, is a story of resilience and hope.
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