Our Roots: A Community-Grown Effort
Rooted Santa Barbara County began in 2018 as a response to a clear need: accessible, prevention-focused nutrition support that centers community, culture, and equity. What started as a grassroots vision has evolved into a robust, collaborative initiative shaped by a growing network of local health, nutrition, culinary, nonprofit, and community leaders.
Over the past six years, Rooted has been incubated by a dedicated team of professionals and community contributors who have come together to pilot, refine, and launch core programs and partnerships. Together, we’ve built a model that reflects the strengths, needs, and aspirations of Santa Barbara County’s diverse communities—particularly our neighbors facing the greatest barriers to good health.
Rooted was created to fill a critical gap and address barriers in local healthcare: the absence of community-centered, food-as-medicine and lifestyle-based nutrition education. Through in-depth community research and strong local collaboration, Rooted emerged as the first initiative in the region focused on plant-forward, fiber-rich nutrition and practical support for chronic disease prevention and management.
In 2019, Rooted formalized its structure with a founding steering committee and became a fiscally sponsored program of the Santa Barbara Foundation. Since then, we’ve built meaningful relationships with healthcare providers, service organizations, and local leaders—delivering trusted, bilingual programming, professional training, and culturally relevant resources across our county.
Today, Rooted represents a community-powered movement for health equity—centered on the belief that every person deserves access to nourishing food, supportive, culturally-resonant education, and the tools to thrive. We continue to grow through collaboration, guided by the principle that healthy food is healthcare—and everyone deserves a seat at the table.
