Thanksgiving @ 'Organic Soup Kitchen' - Santa Barbara CA ... giving tha...

• OSK BabyCarrots Program:

 On a national level it has been recorded that there is an increase of babies that are born either early or sick.  A large population of those babies are from low income families.  Low income families lose out on eating fresh, organic and/or at least pesticide free, clean food. Much of what they feed a growing baby with is highly processed foods and produce from farms that use fertilizers and pesticides, these foods lack the nutrients that are needed to be healthy. Our vision is to provide low income pregnant mothers and mothers who are breastfeeding with healthy, clean, pesticide free, local produce. Our program will support sustainable, organic, healthy babies before they are born.  Along with serving these women with nutrient rich food, we will be educating them on ways to eat healthy and how to prepare the food we give them.  We will also be running a research study on the difference our program makes with promoting healthy babies and therefore a healthy community. It will involve data collection from the start of our service to at least four months after birth. 

This program target low income families, but is in no mean limited to low income. We promote eating Organic, and that is what we serve to you.

Jamie Oliver- A must see video on transforming the way we feed ourselves!

http://www.ted.com/speakers/jamie_oliver.html

Novy Ranches Donated >20lbs of beef!

Novy Ranches donated over 20lbs of grassfed, grass finished beef for Baby Carrots! Thank you Novy Ranches!  Most pregnant women suffer from low Iron levels.  Eating red meat raises Iron levels that cannot be found in vitamins and supplements. Novy Ranches provides beef that is high in Iron, and is free of hormones and antibiotics. What more could you ask for?!
novyranches.com

Nutrient Rich...

Sprouted Grain: Benefits

Sprouted grain differs from whole grain in three fundamental aspects: 1) sprouting activates food enzymes; 2) sprouting increases vitamin content, and 3) sprouting neutralizes antinutrients like phytic acid which bind up minerals preventing your ability to fully absorb them.  When examining the nutrient density of sprouted wheat to unsprouted wheat on a calorie-per-calorie basis, you’ll find that sprouted wheat contains four times the amount of niacin and nearly twice the amount of vitamin B6 and folate as unsprouted wheat; moreover, it contains more protein and fewer starches than non-sprouted grain and as a further boon, it is lower on the glycemic index making it more suitable for those suffering from blood sugar issues.
Furthermore, sprouted grain and sprouted flours – having been effectively “pre-soaked” do not need to undergo further soaking or souring and are therefore suitable for quick breads, cookies and cakes in a way that sourdoughs and soaked flours are not.  (Learn more about soaking grains, beans and legumes.) For those who do not wish to take the time or effort to sprout grain or mill flour at home, you can always purchase sprouted grain flour online (see sources).

BabyCarrots

BabyCarrots is now organically growing in the caring hands of Santa Barbara's Organic Soup Kitchen

grass fed beef at Veterans (112 W. Cabrillo) building Tuesday 2p-7p

Network Medical Pregnancy Resource Center

(805) 967-9096
Santa Barbara

Network Medical Pregnancy Resource Center provides practical care and personal support to pregnant teens and women in unplanned pregnancies. They provide pregnancy tests, ultrasound to confirm pregnancy viability, STI Testing of the most common sexually transmitted infections and options counseling; which includes abortion, parenting and adoption. They offer post-abortion support , and material aid consisting of maternity and baby clothing and baby supplies of all types. All of their services are complimentary and confidential.

Network Medical Patient Advocates and Nursing Staff at Network Medical are dedicated to providing you with all of the information that you need to make an informed choice about your pregnancy. The Network Medical team wants you to know that you are not alone and you are not a number. You may be feeling pressure to make a decision, but in reality, you have plenty of time to get all of your questions answered.

* Network Medical is a 501-C3 Non-profit Organization - to donate call 805 967-9093

Address: 185 C S. Patterson Ave.

Local Food Initiative in Atlanta, Georgia

http://www.atlantalocalfood.org/alfi.pdf

yummy greens for growing "beans"

Thanks to our Supporters

• A Rocha: Fives Loaves Farming Project     http://www.arochasb.org/

Rich Dixon (email: rich.dixon@arocha.org)

• Folio: paper-print-post   http://www.woottonprinting.com/

Frank Busy (email: print@woottonprinting.com)

• Weston A. Price Foundation (Ojai/Ventura Chapter) http://www.westonaprice.org/

Jean Pedersen (email: jeancarolp@gmail.com)

A Rocha: "Fives Loaves"- growing organic food for those in need!

Help BabyCarrots Grow!

In order to grow, BabyCarrots needs:

• 
  
  A non-profit to work under
• 
  
  People and Farmers to donate fresh, local, organic, clean produce and meat
• 
  
  A place to process the donations (ie: a large kitchen with refrigerators and freezers)
• 
  
  A way to get it out to the low income pregnant women in our community 
• 
  
  Volunteers to help with all/any of the above and to help spread the word. ie: creating a info handout,  following this blog and emailing it to friends

Resources

• Santa Barbara Food Bank

http://www.foodbanksbc.org/index.html

• Comprehensive Perinatal Services Program-CNTY* and Maternal Child Adolescent Health Program-CNTY*

345 Camino Del Remedio
Building 4, Room 331
Santa Barbara, CA 93110
(805) 681-5251 Main Line

(800) 288-8145 Toll Free
(805) 681-5424 FAX

•  Teen-Age Parenting Program-S.B.*

315 Camino Del Remedio, Room 257
Santa Barbara, CA 93110

• WIC (Women,Infants and Children Nutrition Program)-S.B.*

315 Camino Del Remedio
Santa Barbara, CA 93110

• Catholic Charities-S.B.*

609 East Haley Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93103

• Franklin Public Health Clinic-S.B.*

Site Address: 1136 East Montecito Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93103

• Program Name: Prenatal Plus 2-Goleta*

Program Description: Provides services for Santa Barbara County pregnant women who are not eligible for MediCal and who have limited or no private insurance. Designed primarily for families in the middle income bracket. Each eligible woman receives prenatal and other needed health care services during pregnancy. Newborn babies can receive health care up to the age of two. Assistance with the application is provided.
Hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. M-F
Languages: Spanish, American Sign Language by arrangement, ATT Language Line
Fees: Based on subscriber income
Eligibility: Children with no health insurance
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Transportation: Public
Intake Call for application 1-877-814-1861

• Villa Majella Maternity Home-S.B.

Target Populations: Pregnant Women
Ages Served: 18+
Phone (805) 683-2838 (Main Line)

and
 
SUP.GRP.:Unplanned Pregnancy and Single Mother Support-S.B.

Villa Majella Outreach Program (805) 563-2414

202 West Valerio Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93101

• Westside Neighborhood Clinic-S.B.*

Site Address: 628 West Micheltorena Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93101-
805) 963-1546

Ways you can contribute:

In order to make this happen we need:
-Volunteers
-Donations of local organic, pesticide/chemical free produce and meat
-A location to keep the donated food until it is redistributed out to low-income pregnant women
-Refrigerators to keep the donated food fresh
-Vehicles and drivers to pick up and redistribute donated food
-A location where the donated food can be picked up by low-income family
-Non-profit status: either under another non-profit or form its own
http://www2.legalzoom.com/non-profits/non-profits-packages.html

Planting the seeds

I'm looking to get local organic/pesticide free produce out to low income pregnant mothers. As a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Nurse, I see many babies that are born either early or sick. A large population of those babies are from low income families. Research has shown that diet plays an important part in growing a healthy baby. Low income families lose out on good nutrition and 'clean' food because it is expensive and not readily available to them.  My vision is to provide low income pregnant mothers with healthy, pesticide free local produce and teach them ways to prepare healthy meals. As a community, we can create sustainable, green, healthy babies before they are born.
The other day it occurred to me how much extra produce I grow in my little 200 sq ft garden. I know others must experience the same if not more. Can you imagine if all the extra produce was distributed to low income families?! We can decrease the number of babies that are born prematurely and/or with other illnesses. Santa Barbara, as a community can help grow healthy babies!


Please contact me if you are willing to help volunteer and/or willing to donate your extra produce. Also if you have any input regarding the project, I would love to hear it.