Did you know that each time a resident moves out of the Sonshine Centre, we "flip" and "stage" the suite for the family who is moving in? This entails an initial deep cleaning and disinfecting, followed by staging and restocking of the suite with new bedding, towels, kitchen supplies and more.

Sonshine's Adopt-a-Suite program puts sponsors in charge of making one or more of our 24 residential shelter suites into a welcoming and beautiful home for the women and children who find a safe space to heal in the Sonshine Centre.

"Sonshine's Adopt a Suite is an incredible program!" points out Monica Ercolessi, Director of Resource Development at Sonshine Community Services." Our adopted suites defy all general assumptions of what a residential shelter suite may look like. They are warm and welcoming, with heart-warming touches that give our clients the knowledge that somebody truly cares for them."

Over the last few months, with leadership from volunteer extraordinaire Judith Chubachi, Southview Alliance Church raised funds to renovate their sponsored suite. Thanks to them, Sonshine was able to install brand new vinyl flooring throughout the suite, put a fresh coat of paint on the walls, and install a new bathroom vanity. The funds raised also allowed us to install vinyl flooring in another suite that is currently not sponsored!

The renovated suite is beautiful. Seeing is believing: check out the video below to see the results of all the work and heart put into the suite sponsored by Southview Alliance's M&M's group.

Interested in knowing more about the Adopt-a-Suite program? Click here or contact Jacqueline at jfleischer@sonshine.ca or 403-705-3490.

Sonshine has partnered with SkiptheDepot, a bottle collection service that will let you donate your bottle refund directly to us. They’ll even pick them up for you! Download the app today and select Sonshine upon refund.

Sonshine's Annual General Meeting will be held virtually on June 17, 2021.

Membership is vital to the organization: it shows community support and sends a strong message to funders, government agencies and other stakeholders. Members have voting rights at the Annual General Meeting. 

Membership cost is $25.

To become a member, mail or fax us this form, or contact us at donation@sonshine.ca or 403.705.3490.

Sonshine is delighted to have been selected once again as a recipient for Shaw Birdies for Kids presented by AltaLink.

When you donate to Sonshine through Birdies for Kids until August 15, 2021, your donation will be matched up to 50%.

Make your donation dollars go even further!

Keeping your family fed with healthy and filling meals is a challenge for most. When food is the last of a long list of priorities that are often overwhelming, it is especially difficult! If you also add the necessity of feeding a family on a tight budget, you have the recipe for stressful mealtimes.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Sonshine had identified food support as one of the areas of need for our residential clients.

The Rotary Club Of Calgary Heritage Park had promptly answered our call for support and made a generous donation that has been allowing us to provide our clients with meat/fish on a regular basis.

To make the most of the generous donation, the Children's Services Team created the "Protein Power" program: each month, Chef Melissa - Sonshine Children's Centre in-house chef - stars in a fun video that features how to refrigerate, prep and cook an easy, family-friendly, budget-aware and healthy protein-packed recipe.

The video is also intended to invite little hands to join in the kitchen, and it gives families an opportunity to involve children in food preparation and in learning healthy eating habits.

The video and recipe are distributed monthly to all residential clients and Children's Centre families. Residential clients also receive the meat/fish of choice (March recipe was baked salmon - check it out!).

Articles of Interest



• Rise in deadly violence against women 'the horrible tip of the iceberg' in Canada: expert | CBC Radio

• New firearms legislation looks to address domestic violence

• Pandemic has put even more pressure on women who need space to heal

• Clare's Law comes into effect in Alberta

SONSHINE COMMUNITY SERVICES

34067 RPO Westbrook Calgary, AB T3C 3W2

main: 403.243.2002

www.sonshine.ca

In the 2021/22 fiscal year, Sonshine Community Services expect to fundraise approximately $1,100,000 at a cost of 10% of these funds.

Gifts are receipted for income tax purposes.