Food Share of Ventura County announced the launch of Feeding Our Future, a capital campaign project to build a new 85,000-square-foot food bank in Oxnard, CA on Friday, January 30, 2026. With a 12-acre parcel already secured, the new facility is designed to meet the growing demand for food and strengthen the region’s hunger-relief infrastructure for the long term.
Demand for food assistance in Ventura County has tripled since 2019. Food Share currently serves more than 250,000 neighbors each year through a network of 200 nonprofit and community partners operating 335 distribution sites countywide. Today, Food Share operates out of three separate warehouses to distribute 21 million pounds of food annually.
The food bank has operated out of its current Oxnard facilities since 1985. “The need in our community has pushed the capacity of Food Share to its limits,” said Monica White, President & CEO of Food Share. “After 40 years in the same location, the need to expand our food bank is now critical. This new home for Food Share will ensure we can serve our neighbors, today and in the future.”
A Strategic, Data-Driven Investment
The new food bank is a $50 million strategic initiative led by Food Share leadership and the Board of Directors. Over the past three years, Food Share has engaged industry experts to assess current constraints, project future demand, and define the operational requirements needed for a modernized food bank of the future.
“As a board, our responsibility is to ensure that an initiative of this magnitude is grounded in community need, led by thoughtful analysis,” said Drew West, Food Share Board Chair. “This project is not only aspirational, but essential to meet today’s needs while ensuring Food Share remains resilient and sustainable for generations to come.”
Food Share’s new food bank will provide:
• Consolidated operations currently spread across three warehouses into one centralized food bank
• Double overall facility space from 42K sq. ft. to 85K sq. ft.
• Increased cooler and freezer space by 148%
• Increased number of loading docks from one in-ground to six attached bays
• Volunteer Action Center for Food Share’s 4,500 annual volunteers
• Commercial kitchen and 48-hour generator to aid during disasters
• 200-person community room to host partner trainings and community meetings
These improvements will significantly increase efficiency, reduce congestion, and allow Food Share to accept and distribute more shelf-stable and fresh food. “Last year alone, we had to turn away nearly 8 million pounds of donated food due to lack of cooler and rack space,” said White. “This new facility will double our annual distribution capacity – from 21 million pounds to 40 million pounds of food.”
How to Support Feeding Our Future
Food Share has raised $32 million to date toward the $50 million project through lead gifts, including $13 million from state, county, and federal grants. Other funds raised reflect generous pledges from many of Food Share’s dedicated supporters and from organizational reserves.
“This is where we need the community’s help. This is more than just a building. This is a legacy project that we will build together,” said Jennifer Caldwell, Chief Development Officer. “We invite the community to support us in the Feeding Our Future Capital Campaign.”
For more information about the Feeding Our Future Capital Campaign, visit www.foodshare.com/future.
About Food Share of Ventura County
Food Share, Ventura County’s food bank, is the largest nonprofit hunger-relief organization in the county, serving over 250,000 food-insecure people annually. Staff and volunteers distribute over 21 million pounds of food, equivalent to more than 17.5 million meals, through its 200 pantry and program partners each year. Food Share is a member of Feeding America, the nation’s largest hunger-relief organization, and the California Association of Food Banks.
Food Share is dedicated to leading the fight against hunger in Ventura County. For the latest information on where to find food, how to volunteer and how to support Food Share, visit www.foodshare.com.
