A letter from Angela Miller-Bevan
Unity Shoppe Executive Director & CEO
Dear Neighbor,
As the colors of fall begin to appear and the days grow cooler, we are reminded that this season is about more than changing leaves and holiday gatherings. It is a time to reflect on what matters most: family, gratitude, kindness, and the simple comfort of knowing we have what we need.
Yet for many of our neighbors, the holidays can bring added worry rather than comfort. The rising cost of groceries and everyday essentials makes it increasingly difficult for families to put food on the table, keep their children warm, and make ends meet. This is when the compassion of a caring community can make all the difference.
Meet Brenda, Norma, and Antonio
Recently, I met two dear friends, Norma and Brenda, and Brenda’s young son, Antonio. Their story beautifully captures the heart of Unity Shoppe and the difference your generosity makes.
For years, Brenda drove Norma to Unity Shoppe to pick up groceries. She was happy to help her friend, never imagining that one day she would find herself needing that same support for her own family. After welcoming baby Antonio, Brenda began coming to Unity Shoppe for help, too.
“It’s a blessing for my family,” Brenda says.
The groceries she receives help stretch her household budget, allowing her to put more toward bills, cleaning supplies, and other necessities for her growing family.
For Norma, Unity Shoppe has become like family. The support she receives brings something that can be difficult to put a price on: peace of mind.
“I feel grateful, happy, content, and relief. Relief, now I don’t have to worry.”
Those words stay with me because they remind us that what we provide is about so much more than food or clothing. It is the relief of knowing there is help when times are hard. It is the comfort of knowing you are not alone. And it is the hope that tomorrow may feel a little less overwhelming.
For more than 100 years, Unity Shoppe has been here for our neighbors, providing healthy food, clothing, and essential goods with Dignity, Respect, and Choice. Last year alone, thanks to the generosity of supporters like you, we served more than 56,000 people. Behind that number are children who need nourishing meals, parents working hard to provide for their families, and seniors who deserve to live with comfort and dignity.
As we approach the holiday season, the need continues to grow, and our resources are stretched thin. Unity Shoppe is entirely supported by generous donors like you. We cannot continue this work without the kindness of people who believe that no neighbor should have to face difficult times alone.
An anonymous donor has offered a $50,000 matching gift challenge, meaning every dollar you give will be matched, dollar for dollar.
• Your $75 becomes $150.
• Your $125 becomes $250.
•Your $500 becomes $1,000.
Please consider making a gift today. Your kindness can help put nourishing food on a family’s table, provide warm clothing for someone in need, and give a worried parent the peace of mind that Brenda describes.
As we gather with the people we love this season, I hope we will also remember the neighbors who are counting on our community’s compassion. Together, we can offer more than essentials. We can offer comfort, dignity, hope, and the reassurance that no one has to face hardship alone.
Thank you for being part of the Unity Shoppe family and for helping us care for our neighbors, not just during the holidays, but throughout the year.
With heartfelt gratitude,
Angela Miller-Bevan
Unity Shoppe | Executive Director/CEO
Uplifting children one wooden toy at a time
Making wooden toys for children gives 91-year-old Don Becker a greater purpose in life. He started assembling and painting handmade wooden trucks for the Unity Shoppe 34 years ago!
He does it for two reasons, “I enjoy it and it helps others,” Becker explains.
It all started decades ago when Unity Shoppe’s founder Barbara Tellefson contacted Becker when he was working at General Motors. “In 1992 I had just retired and Barbara got a whole group together from GM to handmake wooden toys,” Becker recalls with pride. It takes about an hour and a half to assemble each truck. This year Becker has spent about 100 hours assembling 65 trucks in his garage workshop.
“I certainly hope that it brightens up the children’s day a little bit. It’s a combination of giving back to the community and enjoying what your doing, it’s a win- win!” Becker exclaims.
Becker has five children, eight grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren, with one more on the way. “My hope is to finish one more year making wooden toys,” Becker shares.
The toy project at the Unity Shoppe hand crafts about 700 wooden toys every year. During the month of December, children in the Santa Barbara area come to the Unity’s Shoppes toy store to select
Giving a Reason to Smile
For the past twenty years, Karina’s warm smile greets clients at the Unity Shoppe. She’s a constant pillar of support for thousands of people in our community. When client’s check-out their groceries, Karina knows them by name and always takes a moment to share inspiration.
“For this job you must have compassion for the people. We don’t know what’s going on in their life. If I have a problem I leave it outside. I like to make them feel happy when they are here. Their lives are important,” says Karina.
Karina’s journey with the Unity Shoppe began in 2006 when she worked at the Santa Barbara Sandwich Company near the Unity Shoppe. Unity Shoppe’s Founder Barbara Tellefson would get her lunch from Karina almost every day. “Every afternoon, she would come for a turkey sandwich with extra cranberry sauce. I would have it ready for Barbara. She would always offer me a job at the Unity Shoppe. I would say thank you and smile,” Karina recalls. Then one day, the sandwich shop closed for business and Barbara finally got her wish to have Karina join the Unity Shoppe family.
As a single mother of an 8 and 10-year-old at the time she started twenty years ago, Karina knew what it meant to overcome challenges in life. In her work at the Unity Shoppe, she takes it upon herself to mentor the youth who come to volunteer. She gives them life and job advice, ensuring they understand she is rooting for their success. “I tell the teen volunteers to go to school, study, get a good life, and to respect their parents,” Karina shares.
She knows her time with young volunteers is limited, that’s why she strives to make an impact, “The time you give to one of them can change their life,” she says.
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