The Unity Telethon raises community donations for those in need in its 38th year
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - It's called one-of-a-kind in the country. The Unity Telethon is set for this Friday from 5 to 8 p.m. on News Channel 3.
It's a tradition that involves a cross section of the community from local choirs to honored musicians and TV and film stars. Among them, singer Kenny Loggins, who was one of the original designers of the telethon. He took his toy rally spree from several night clubs around town about 40 years ago and combined it into this event with KEYT TV and the Unity Shoppe staff.
The donations come in from the smallest groups to the large philanthropists.The funds raised help those in need throughout the year, not just at Christmas time.
Many honored musicians, along with TV and movie personalities will pop in throughout the show, as they do every year.
"It is loved by our community," said Unity Shoppe CEO, Angela Miller-Bevan.
Inside the Unity Shoppe Wednesday, crews were setting up for the telethon taking place this Friday from 5pm to 8 pm. Nearby those in need were getting food, clothing and toys, as they can year-round.
It's a vast cross section of the community that needs this help to make other ends meet.
Miller-Bevan said, "we tend to also see students, individuals who have a job and can barely pay their rent, we have families. I think it is individuals with needs. What we are trying to do is to give them a hand up, not a hand out."
She says they are stocked with food provided through government suppliers, along with donations and food they buy with funding contributions. Some of the items have a limit on quantity, but baskets were full.
"We make sure we have peanut butter, macaroni and cheese, tuna, fresh fruits and vegetables, eggs, milk and protein."
Speaking through a student interpreter Natali Nava from Santa Barbara High, one shopper Gina Reyna said the store was very valuable for her and her relatives.
"She buys the food is enough to make meals because they are not sure sometimes. They want to make sure they have food on the table."
Nava is volunteering now in the Unity Shoppe where she visited when she was a child and her family had needs. "So I got to pick out legos and my sister got to pick out a stuffy so it was really nice. I noticed that we could volunteers here and I also needed volunteer hours so I said why not give back to the place that gave to me."
Jason Libs, a Red Piano performer, will make a special appearance in a fundraising segment. "We are singing Christmas songs all month doing everything we can for the Unity shoppe to provide for those that need it."
Some of the donations on the telethon will come in during "matching" segments where a larger donor will match each donation.
