By Lucky Drucker, ShelterBox USA Intern

Hi, I’m Lucky Drucker, an 8th grader and an intern at ShelterBox. For the past year, I have been raising awareness of ShelterBox and its life-saving mission. I even donated the money I received for my bat mitzvah to ShelterBox!

As part of my internship, I was able to interview some amazing supporters about what inspires them about ShelterBox. Here I talked with singer / songwriter Kenny Loggins to ask about his thoughts about community support and ShelterBox.

Q: You have done so much for the community, notably your involvement in Unity Shoppe, where does your motivation for giving come from?

A: I am from Seattle and when I moved to Santa Barbara I wanted to do something to put me in the Christmas spirit. I was looking for a charity that provided basic necessities. I started with toys initially and was performing at music clubs in Santa Barbara and asked that admission to each club be a toy around the holidays. Then I met Barbara from Unity Shoppe, and became very involved, including raising a lot of money through telethons. I like bringing people together and I have always been the kind of person that wants to build bridges. I feel better about myself when I reach out and I wanted to be part of this community. Charity is a way we connect.

Q: More than 30 years ago you were part of the song “We are the World” to help people suffering from famine in Africa. Why is it still so important that people come together to support global humanitarian issues?

A: I think there is a shift in human consciousness happening. We are starting to see our community as larger than one town, one state, or country. I see with ShelterBox, they go wherever in the world they are needed. It takes a big vision and a lot of motivation to connect people around the world. And it is so important. When I was younger, we weren’t as aware of the world and issues communities face, like disasters in other countries. The world is smaller and we are more connected and much more aware today.

Q: You recently attended an event for ShelterBox in Santa Barbara to show your support for the mission. What about ShelterBox moves you to action?

A: I like ShelterBox because it is a well-run organization and filling an unmet need around basic shelter in disasters that I am not aware of any organization doing. ShelterBox is pretty cool. I like that you bring precisely what is needed in each disaster and give humanity and dignity to people who have lost everything.