Canary Islands Telethon Aids 40,000 Amidst Storm
Despite challenging weather, the Telethon organized by Mírame Televisión and the Food Bank successfully collected enough donations to support over 40,000 people in severe poverty across the Canary Islands.
This Wednesday, the Telethon successfully reached its goal of helping over 40,000 people living in severe poverty. Despite challenging weather, the event, organized by Mírame Televisión and the Food Bank, overcame difficulties thanks to huge support from companies and individuals.
Over nearly seven hours, a stream of vehicles delivered enough donations to Mercatenerife's facilities to support more than 14,000 families in the Canary Islands for the next few months. This includes about 6,000 children facing social exclusion. A network of over 200 social organizations will distribute all the collected aid in the coming days, before the Christmas holidays begin.
The event had to change its plans because of the weather. This meant cancelling scheduled performances and moving the stage to a makeshift setup in a Food Bank warehouse. But this didn't stop them from exceeding their initial goals and filling the NGO's shelves with donations.
The organizers thanked everyone who got involved, from private companies to public institutions, for making this year's Telethon a success. The initiative, which started in 2011, was broadcast live by Mírame Televisión and was supported by the Government of the Canary Islands, the Island Council, and the Santa Cruz de Tenerife City Council, along with other public bodies.
A particularly touching moment was when over 300 elderly people from different parts of Tenerife visited. They came through the Islenior project and various cultural groups, keen to experience the Telethon firsthand.
As in previous years, the Army, Firefighters, and both state and local Security Forces and Corps were also crucial. Their official vehicles' sirens even provided a unique soundtrack for the event. We should also mention the help from Intesa and Samur, who managed logistics and transport.
Many other companies, from big brands to small local businesses, also joined in, as did dozens of individuals who brought their donations directly to Mercatenerife. The organizers estimate that over a thousand people volunteered their time, both before and during the event, to make the Telethon a success.
At the end of the event, Manuel Artiles, director of Mírame Televisión, emotionally thanked everyone who helped the Telethon once again channel the generosity of Canarian society. In the coming days, the channel will dedicate part of its programming to show how different NGOs distribute the donations to over 40,000 Food Bank users.