AnonymousBy the County of Santa Barbara
More than 1,900 people are experiencing homelessness in Santa Barbara County. To help these individuals and families stay warm this winter, the Santa Barbara County Public Defender’s Office is accepting donations of sleeping bags, hats, gloves, jackets, clothing, socks, shoes, hygiene products, thermal underwear, scarves and backpacks.
New or lightly used donations are being accepted during regular business hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Public Defender’s offices. The Santa Barbara office is located at, 1100 Anacapa Street. The Santa Maria office is located at 312-P East Cook Street, Building A. Physical donations may be made through 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 12. Financial donations will also be accepted, for the purchase of new sleeping bags and undergarments, and are tax deductible through the Public Defender’s partnership with Family Service Agency of Santa Barbara. Financial donations may be made online through the following website, 2022 Sleeping Bag Drive | Family Service Agency (givebox.com) . Donations of items will not be accepted at Family Service Agency.
In order to receive donated goods, those experiencing homelessness will need to attend a distribution event on Friday, Dec. 15 from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. or until supplies last at each office of the Public Defender. Homeless outreach teams and community partners are currently working to inform clients of the donations that will be made available to them at the event. For more information, contact the County Public Defender’s office; in Santa Barbara, call (805) 568-3470; in Santa Maria, call (805) 346-7500.
For more information about the County of Santa Barbara government organization, go to www.countyofsb.org.
I would give a sleeping bag if I knew the person would not sleep outdoors in our store/office entryways or on the sidewalk or at a campsite where an illegal fire is burning which might spread and burn down a house or business.
FITZ – so basically all the circumstances under which a homeless person would need a sleeping bag. What about a park? Will you give them a sleeping bag to sleep in a park?
There’s no amount of “affordable housing” that’ll solve the homeless crisis. And guess what, there are TONS of jobs – take a look around, so many businesses are posting signs up for workers. The problem is most of those who should get a job don’t want it.
“The problem is most of those who should get a job don’t want it.” – Not sure that’s true. How many able-minded and capable homeless people are turning down jobs? I mean aside from the gutter punk “urban travelers” who shouldn’t ever be lumped in with the homeless.
Basic is right, however those jobs are low paying, no benes. No one, and I mean no one, can work two of those jobs and even afford a split room in town. that is where we are now and we’ve let the land barons control that and control our community.
is this just encouraging camping that eventually just lead to more litter the fwy offramps? I appreciate the out reach but not sure this is the answer. Is it similar to giving panhandlers cash
Newsom just gave California 1 BILLION dollars of our tax money, for counties to help the homeless. I’ll keep my old bag. That being said most cities have turned the homeless into a big business money machine look it up. As for Santa Barbara, I don’t see people down on their luck or lost a job, to me it looks like mental illness, drug addiction and some just want to be street people with no rules. If you can afford to buy alcohol and meth everyday you can afford a sleeping bag.
GOLF – uh… how many homeless to you see? All of them? Do you ask all of them why they’re homeless? Of course you don’t. If you did, you’d know that a lot of those who are able to accept and hold jobs aren’t sleeping in bushes, but at friend’s homes, halfway houses or in their cars.
As for the spending habits of addicts…. bootstraps, eh? Just quit your addiction and buy a sleeping bag. Problem solved. Not.
I’m not talking about the homeless at the mission looking for a roof and food sac. Those people have to be somewhat sober and sane. I’m talking about the lady with the meth pipe smoking a block from the Milpas off ramp fire, as fire crews were trying to put it out a few months back. Do i expect her to stop her addiction? NO! And you shouldn’t expect me to give her a sleeping bag. Another thing, is if a homeless person in Bakersfield hears you can camp on shoreline beach year round, why wouldn’t you come here? The city needs to let it be known that Santa Barbara is not a come one come all town. If you really think all these people are local your high.
I’m not going to argue about it. Hey, if you want to give away your sleeping bag or anything else, go ahead.
self-righteousness Is a ugly sweater to wear any time of the year. Santa is watching.
I am 70 and still working. It really bugs me when an able-bodied young woman and ESPECIALLY when an able-bodied young man ask me, a female, senior citizen for my money.
Do people realize HOW hard most people work (and have worked hard all their lives) to afford to live or retire in this magical place> (Rhetorical) Now it is home to ANYONE who wants to live here even if they want to litter and scare people?? Common sense. We have let this get way out of control.
What a misogynistic point of view.
If we build it, they will come. Maybe start making it LESS easy.
SZQ – build what? The County is simply asking for donations of warm clothes to give people who don’t have homes to sleep in during the cold weather so they don’t, you know….. die.
Also, how do you know they’re “able-bodied?” Is anyone not in a wheelchair considered “able-bodied” and able to work? It’s great that you take the time to speak with all of them and find out this information before deciding whether they’re worth your old blankets or not.
It’s a rhetorical “build it” and it means building a place where people who have zero resources or willingness to work for a living can come and. hang around in of most expensive areas in the country. Your wheelchair example is not what anyone’s even talking about.
BASIC – the wheelchair reference was in the context of SZQ’s comment about “able-bodied” homeless people, which was exactly what SZQ was “talking about” in the comment at 5:19.
I have no problem giving out sleeping bags to those that comply with the restrictions that come with the gift…. I would rather however like to find a way to incentivize them to leave our City and County. I am pleased by the progress that has been made clearing brush and vegetation away from our highways. It appears to be having an effect on the number and size of encampments I see. The City/County must continue in this clearing effort in hopes that it will drive these folks in search of locations that are “not here”.
Everyone keeps thinking this is some incentivizing attempt or something. No. It’s simply, solely, ultimately, a HUMAN BEING thing. It’s cold outside. People, yes human beings, freeze to death every winter here in SB. It’s about helping out those who are the worst stage of their lives by donating warm clothes/sleeping bags/blankets, whatever. To hear so many here nitpick and hem and haw about putting restrictions on their “donations,” it’s sad. If you care about others, just hand out an old jacket or something. If not, search inside your heart and figure out what’s wrong. Santa is watching!