PILGRIM TERRACE COOPERATIVE HOMES

Pilgrim Terrace Cooperative Homes provides social services to the low-income seniors & people with disabilities residing on the property. To reduce food insecurity, the organization served free, healthy lunches to 93 residents Monday through Friday using produce from its urban farm. In 2025, over 10,000 three course meals were served. Pilgrim Terrace harvested 9,096 pounds of produce that was used in the meals and donated to the residents on-site. The program also addressed their mental wellness through social opportunities including field trips, art, and mobility classes with 213 sessions held over the course of the year. Pilgrim Terrace began a new compost program where approximately 20 cubic yards of microbial rich compost was used to regenerate soil in both Pilgrim Terraces garden and properties in the surrounding Santa Barbara area. This contributed to ecosystem improvements, local access to nutrient-dense produce, and greenhouse gas reductions through soil carbon sequestration. Pilgrim Terrace also operates a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program open to the general public to address broader food insecurity, promote healthy lifestyles, and serve as a trustworthy source of nutrient-dense food grown with sustainable methods. In 2025, the CSA program served 123 members which over 64% of whom were low-income in Santa Barbara County. Due to the affordability of the program, 336 farm share boxes were purchased by these members over the course of the year. Additional produce was supplied to restaurants and in total, including the CSA program and resident population, 25,652 pounds of hyper localized, nutrient-dense produce provided to the Santa Barbara community. This harvest-to-plate model not only helped retain nutrients in food but limited the reliance of long distance shipping for fresh produce and reduced greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 2.1 to 2.3 metric tons of CO2. Pilgrim Terrace also maintained a Community Garden program with 55 plots serving 145 individuals, enabling community members to cultivate their own produce. 54% of participants were also low-income. Lastly, to support Santa Barbara youth, Pilgrim Terrace established student projects at three different schools in 2025. At Dos Pueblos High School, 8 aeroponic towers were provided to the school. Students were supervised and educated on sustainable food systems, eco-friendly agricultural, and nutritional benefits. Produce grown amounted to 5,800 salads served in the student cafeteria to provide healthier options free of charge. This project saved over 34,000 gallons of water via aeroponic farming, avoided using 29 kilograms of plastic, and reduced 232 kilograms of carbon emissions in doing so. Students demographics at Dos Pueblos that had access to these salad options included 60% in ethnic minority groups with 46% of the school being economically disadvantaged and 45% of the total student population qualifying for free or reduced-price lunches. At San Marcos High School, approximately 150 pounds of nutrient-dense produce was donated to the schools cafeteria to enhance meal quality. Students benefiting from these meal enhancements included 1,107 economically disadvantaged students with 58% of the students receiving free or reduced-price lunches. For the total population, 67.4% belonged to ethnic minority groups. At La Cumbre Junior High School, Pilgrim Terrace began leadership projects where students supported low-income seniors & people with disabilities through mental health programs. Programs also included fundraising for food security in Santa Barbara. Students involved in these programs were a part of a population that is 92.9% ethnic minority and 90% economically disadvantaged.