In a downtown Santa Barbara building, music icons Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonald are gearing up for a big Friday night performance.
It’s not a concert. They are performing during a three hour long telethon which will help feed and clothe families in need in Santa Barbara County.
Santa Barbara’s Unity Shoppe helps more than 15,000 people a year, and does it with dignity. Instead of being handed a bag or box of food, people shop for items they actually need, and want, but then get them for free.
"At Unity Shoppe, they get to choose. When they check out, there's no money changing hands," said Tom Reed.
He was the Unity Shoppe’s Executive Director, who recently retired after 20 years with the non-profit.
Angela Miller-Beven is the new head of the organization. She says most of the people they help are from working families which just can’t make ends meet.
"Our community is a very wealthy community, but on the same hand, you have all the people that are working the jobs making minimum wage," said Miller-Beven.
She says it was hard enough to live in the county before inflation drove up gas, food, and rent prices.
Miller-Beven said requests for aid have spiked, making it hard for the decades old non-profit to meet the demand.
The Unity Shoppe serves as a clearinghouse for aid, with hundreds of other non-profits referring people to its programs. While it’s best known for helping with food, it has seven programs, including some focused on seniors, and others which assist people hunting for jobs.
The Unity concept is so unique that country singer Brad Paisley, who’s appearing on the telethon, has opened versions of it in Nashville. And, the idea is also being copied for use in the Bay Area. By letting people pick what they need, it eliminates the waste from pre-bagged food giveaways.
Unity has a small staff, and relies on an army of volunteers to offer its service. Meagan Suddaby is helping in the Unity Shoppe’s store.
"I come regularly, Monday through Friday for a couple of hours every afternoon," said Suddaby. "I help guests in the store, sort produce, and bar code items. It's great walking home at the end of the day knowing you helped people who need it."
Friday night’s telethon is the biggest fundraiser of the year for the Unity Shoppe. The hope is to raise a half million dollars during the telecast, which is from 5-8 p.m. on KEYT, Channel 3. Kenny Loggins founded the telethon with the TV station 36 years ago.
"It just became a part of why I'm in Santa Barbara...to give back to the community." said Loggins.
He and Michael McDonald have been staples of the telethon for the last three decades.
"Unity stands out as one of the most powerful charities to bring our community together," said McDonald.
Unity Telethon producer Jeff Martin said besides making money, the broadcast provides the community with the chance to see how this unique non-profit works.
"There's a lot of entertainment, but it's also the opportunity to tell a story really in-depth that most groups rarely get," said Martin.
He said it’s an unusual opportunity for a TV station to not just report on a problem in the community, but to do something to help make it a better place.
The non-profit has some big expansion plans. It's making a senior food delivery program which started during the pandemic permanent. And, its working to expand its programs into northern Santa Barbara County.
