Rescue Mission Launches Annual Turkey Drive
The Santa Barbara Rescue Mission is collecting turkeys and holiday meal essentials through the end of the year.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Philanthropy
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The Santa Barbara Rescue Mission has launched its annual Turkey Drive, which continues through the end of 2026. The Mission will also host a Thanksgiving Feast on November 25, 2026, served by community volunteers.
Why it matters
The Mission serves Santa Barbara as a 501(c)(3) organization that receives no government funding, relying on community donations to feed and shelter people. Holiday drives help sustain its meal and shelter operations during the season.
The Mission has 98 beds for men and 48 beds for women and is the only emergency shelter open 365 nights from Santa Maria to Ventura. In a typical year it provides more than 140,000 meals and over 50,000 safe nights of shelter, but the extraction does not report current drive totals.
The players
Santa Barbara Rescue Mission
A 501(c)(3) nonprofit that has served Santa Barbara for over 60 years, providing emergency shelter, meals, and a 12-month residential recovery program certified by the California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs.
The details
Donations can be dropped off at 535 East Yanonali Street Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The Thanksgiving Feast will be a restaurant-style meal served in the Rescue Mission dining hall by community volunteers.
Timeline
Donation drop-off hours run Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at 535 East Yanonali Street.
The Thanksgiving Feast takes place Wednesday, November 25, 2026, at 2:00 p.m.
The Turkey Drive collection period concludes at the end of 2026.
Season Trajectory
The Turkey Drive fits into the Mission's annual holiday fundraising cycle, which supports its year-round operations. The Mission's sustained role as Santa Barbara's only emergency shelter open every night from Santa Maria to Ventura makes seasonal donations a recurring part of its funding model.
Residents who want to help can drop off turkeys or holiday meal essentials at 535 East Yanonali Street on weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Donations directly support the meals and shelter nights the Mission provides to people in need in Santa Barbara.
The takeaway
Holiday giving can make a direct difference for people relying on emergency shelter and meals in Santa Barbara, and drop-off donations are accepted on weekdays at the Mission on East Yanonali Street.
What happens next
The Thanksgiving Feast will be held Wednesday, November 25, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. in the Rescue Mission dining hall, and the Turkey Drive collection period runs through the end of 2026.
Further reading
Explore more Philanthropy coverage to see how local nonprofits like the Santa Barbara Rescue Mission rely on community giving.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Santa Barbara Independent.
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