History of the Unity Shoppe

Pearl Chase arrived in Santa Barbara in 1907. Her concern for low income seniors and children resulted in a community volunteer organization called the Santa Barbara Council of Christmas Cheer.

Hazel Severy arrived in Santa Barbara in 1914 and began a 37-year career as Professor of Chemistry at the University of California, Santa Barbara. The two women called a meeting with the Associated Charities and the Visiting Nurses at the Neighborhood House in 1917 to help people in need. The gifts were simple and the town small and they began to collect used gifts for distribution during the holiday season.

Barbara Tellefson began volunteering at the Council of Christmas Cheer headquarters on Haley Street in 1974 to help the Agency distribute holiday gifts to 1,000 families. The elderly volunteers welcomed her with open arms. Pearl Chase and her volunteers needed younger people to carry on the Agency’s long standing traditions. Barbara loved their concepts and the dignity in which the Agency helped low-income clients. This began a 20-year volunteer relationship with the Council of Christmas Cheer as a full-time worker and President of the Board.

In 1983 the first year-round building space of just over 650 square feet was secured for the Agency at a cost of $30,000. In 1987 singer/entertainer Kenny Loggins and KEYT3 TV(ABC) began to produce the “Unity Telethon” to raise the first funding for the Agency.

The Council of Christmas Cheer’s name was changed to the Unity Shoppe and the first paid employee was hired.

The success of the services provided to other non-profits and their clients resulted in the need for additional space. Barbara helped lead the drive to purchase the Victoria Street Community House for the use of three agencies, CALM, RSVP and THE UNITY SHOPPE. The building at 1236 Chapala Street gave the Unity Shoppe 4,664 square feet of space so it could now offer better year-round services to more clients. In 2002, Pierre Claeyssens helped the organization with a $1-million matching donation for the purchase of a new building at 1219 State Street. The community supported the purchase and renovation of this 10,000 square foot space for the Unity Shoppe’s “Free Store” and a New and Used Gift Shoppe. It was truly the “Miracle on State Street” and the Unity Shoppe had a home of their own.

In January 2004, Barbara Tellefson stepped down as Executive Director of the Unity Shoppe after 30 years of leading the organization. She continues to serve as Director of Operations and President of the Board.

Tom Reed joined the Unity Shoppe as a volunteer in July 2002 and was hired as Director of Development in December, 2003. He was instrumental in helping the Agency raise the $2.5 million to purchase and renovate the new State Street site. In January 2004 the Board of Directors approved his promotion as Executive Director.