🌱 Santa Barbara Foodbank & 'Hunger Gap' + Large Fire Downtown

Good morning, Santa Barbara! I'm here with your Friday edition of the Santa Barbara Patch newsletter, full of all the local information you need to know right now.

But first, your local weather:

• Friday: Some sun, then clouds; cool. High: 62 Low: 45.
• Saturday: Mostly sunny. High: 66 Low: 46.

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Here are the top three stories today in Santa Barbara:

1. The Foodbank of Santa Barbara County is trying to raise $500,000 to help feed the 30,000 Santa Barbara County families that now have to make do with the pre-pandemic amount of Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, or SNAP, food stamps. Without the COVID-19 emergency allotments, families will have $178 less per month per household. Food prices are "11 percent higher this January than they were the previous year," according to Laurel Alcantar of the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County. Alcantar said the rise of food costs and the loss of pandemic-related SNAP benefits will trigger a "hunger gap," also known popularly known as "the hunger cliff." (Santa Barbara Independent)
2. On Mar. 30, firefighters put out a large residential structure fire in downtown Santa Barbara on the 600 block of Bradbury Avenue. Firefighters said the fire is believed to have started in a breezeway outside a garage with an apartment above. No injuries were reported and the four people inside the apartment were able to escape. Firefighters also rescued a cat, a hamster, "and possibly some fish." The cause of the fire remains under investigation. (Noozhawk)
3. Santa Barbara has begun the Alameda Park bandstand restoration project. According to the Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation Department, repairs include replacing the structure's roof, ceiling, floor stair treads, and guardrails. Parks and Recreation Director Jill Zachary said the park will not be ready for the Earth Day celebration that is usually held in April. The park project is expected to be completed sometime in the spring. (Noozhawk)

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Today and tomorrow in Santa Barbara:

Friday, March 31

• Don't Tell Comedy Santa Barbara Show At Downtown Santa Barbara (8:00 PM)

Saturday, April 1

• Hope Fest Festival At Chase Palm Park (1:00 PM)
• You're A Good Man Charlie Brown At Center Stage Theater - Santa Barbara (7:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• A recent study by BeenVerified found California had the seventh-highest rate of catalytic converter thefts per 100,000 automobiles in 2022. Visit the link for more statistics on catalytic converter thefts in the Golden State and across the United States. (BeenVerified)
• In observance of Cesar Chavez Day, all non-emergency Santa Barbara City offices will be closed on Friday, Mar. 31. Police, fire, library, and recreation programs, community centers, and the Waterfront Department will not be closed. Normal operations will resume on Monday, Apr. 3. (City of Santa Barbara via Twitter)
• The two Santa Barbara firefighters who were injured while responding to a crash scene on Highway 101 are both alert and talking. A Santa Barbara County Air Support helicopter brought them to Cottage Hospital on Mar. 29. (John Palminteri via Twitter)

You're all caught up for today! I'll see you around.

— Rose Mendez

About me: Rose Mendez is a freelance writer. She is studying English Literature at Hunter College. She loves reading, walking around the city, and coffee!