ORGANIC SOUP KITCHEN

OUR MISSION IS TO PROVIDE METABOLIC ONCOLOGY NUTRITION TO SUPPORT THE HEALTH OF SENIORS, CANCER PATIENTS AND CHRONICALLY ILL INDIVIDUALS. FOR NEARLY 15 YEARS, ORGANIC SOUP KITCHEN HAS BEEN MAKING AND DELIVERING NUTRIENT DENSE SOUPMEALS TO VULNERABLE POPULATIONS, PRIMARILY LOW INCOME SENIORS STRUGGLING WITH CANCER, DIABETES, HEART DISEASE OR OTHER CHRONIC ILLNESSES. OUR SOUPMEALS ARE FORMULATED TO BE MEDICALLY SUPPORTIVE WITH PREMIUM, MEDICINAL QUALITY INGREDIENTS THAT STRENGTHEN THE IMMUNE SYSTEM, PROMOTE LONGEVITY AND MAY LESSEN THE RELIANCE ON PRESCRIPTIONS AND MEDICAL INTERVENTIONS. WE HAVE BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE "FOOD IS MEDICINE" MOVEMENT FOR 15 YEARS AND CONTINUE TO WORK TOWARDS OUR VISION OF A COMMUNITY WHERE OUR MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS HAVE ACCESS TO THE NUTRITION THEY DESERVE.WE HAVE A LONG HISTORY OF FINANCIAL AND OPERATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT AND STABILITY. IN 2023, WE EXPANDED OUR OPERATION AND OPENED A NEW 1,000 SQUARE FOOT LOCATION. THIS SECOND LOCATION SERVES AS A HUB FOR DISTRIBUTION, COMMUNITY COLLABORATION AND EDUCATION. MOST IMPORTANTLY, IT HAS FREEZER SPACE FOR 5,000+ SOUPMEALS ALLOWING US TO MAKE AND STORE ADDITIONAL SOUPMEALS NEEDED TO KEEP UP WITH GROWING DEMAND. WE ARE ONE OF ONLY .1% OF NONPROFITS IN THE COUNTRY TO RECEIVE PLATINUM STATUS ON GUIDESTAR FOR FISCAL TRANSPARENCY AND RESPONSIBILITY. WE ALSO HAVE THE HIGHEST RATINGS ON CHARITY NAVIGATOR, GREAT NONPROFITS AND ARE A PROUD MEMBER OF 1% FOR THE PLANET.OUR PRIMARY PROGRAM PROVIDES NUTRITION AND FOOD SECURITY TO LOW INCOME SENIORS, AGE 62+, WHO ARE STRUGGLING WITH MEDICAL CONDITIONS SUCH AS CANCER, HEART DISEASE AND DIABETES. WE CLINICALLY FORMULATE A VARIETY OF MORE THAN 20 ANTICANCER RECIPES, SOURCE AND PROCURE MEDICINAL QUALITY INGREDIENTS AND THEN HAND CRAFT AND PACKAGE 200+ GALLONS OF SOUPMEALS EACH WEEK. OUR PLANT BASED NUTRIENT DENSE SOUPMEALS ARE HAND DELIVERED TO MORE THAN 40,000 RESIDENTS ANNUALLY THROUGH A NETWORK OF MORE THAN 50 VOLUNTEERS AND COMMUNITY AGENCY PARTNERS. GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION INCLUDES SANTA BARBARA, GOLETA, SANTA YNEZ, SANTA MARIA VALLEY, SUMMERLAND AND CARPINTERIA. ADDITIONALLY, WE COLLECT QUARTERLY SURVEYS FROM EVERY CLIENT WE SERVE. WE HAVE YEARS OF DATA FROM OUR CLIENTS MEASURING THE BENEFITS AND DIRECT CORRELATION BETWEEN OUR PLANT BASED SOUPMEALS AND IMPROVED HEALTH.AS OUR SENIOR POPULATION RAPIDLY INCREASES, THE PHYSICAL AND ECONOMIC BURDEN OF CHRONIC ILLNESS AND DISEASE IS FORCING MANY SENIORS TO FACE DIFFICULT DECISIONS ABOUT HOW TO AFFORD BASIC NECESSITIES SUCH AS FOOD, HOUSING, PRESCRIPTION AND MEDICAL TREATMENT COSTS. WE ARE A LIFELINE FOR OUR SENIOR POPULATION PROVIDING CRITICAL NUTRITION THAT SUPPORTS THEIR HEALTH, LONGEVITY AND ABILITY TO AFFORD BASIC NEEDS.DURING THE YEAR, THE ORGANIZATION RECEIVED DONATED SERVICES FOR DEVELOPMENT, FUNDRAISING, ADMINISTRATION, CHEFS, TRANSPORTATION, ADVERTISING AND UTILITIES. THE ORGANIZATION VALUED THESE DONATED SERVICES AT APPROXIMATELY $950,000.