ANNUAL REPORT the Sunshine Kids Foundation
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
2 017 ANNUAL REPORT The Sunshine Kids Foundation “ I can never thank the Sunshine Kids Foundation enough for the opportunities you have given me. Y’all have truly made a bad situation into something so amazing and unforgettable. If it wasn’t for trips like these, I would have never met some amazing friends that can understand and relate to everything. Thank you so much. ”Sunshine Kid – Houma, La Mission The Sunshine Kids Foundation adds quality of life to children with cancer by providing them with exciting, positive group activities, so they may once again do what Kids are meant to do...have fun and celebrate life! Goal We look forward to the day when the Sunshine Kids Foundation will no longer need to exist. Until that time, the entire Sunshine Kids family is dedicated to providing the most exciting activities, trips and events for as many young cancer patients as possible. 2 Sunshine Kids 2017 Annual Report A Message from our Board Chairman Hello Sunshine Kids Family, On behalf of the Board of Directors, I would like to say thank you to all of our supporters, volunteers, staff and friends for their efforts on behalf of the Sunshine Kids Foundation. The generosity of this group allows thousands of Kids each year to participate in local, regional and national events that enable them to forget about their cancer for a while and enjoy fun activities throughout the nation. This was a challenging fundraising year with Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma affecting our home office in Houston and our southeast regional office in Florida. Our staff did an amazing job navigating these challenges. Our donors continued to generously support us while also supporting relief efforts in the areas devastated by the storms. Of course, a very big thank you goes out to Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices who continue to support us on a national level. This past year we hosted several national trips along with numerous regional and local events. Our national events included trips to Los Angeles, New Orleans, the Texas Hill Country, New York City, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Orlando and Hawaii. Regional and local events were organized coast to coast and included sporting events, hospital parties, Bret with Sunshine Kid Max McMichael Disney events, rodeos and much more. We are also looking forward to the addition of our ski trip this Spring in Beaver Creek, Colorado. Again, thank you to all of our supporters and volunteers who work tirelessly to raise funds and organize such great One of my favorite moments was activities so our Kids can once again, “do what Kids are “ meant to do…have fun and celebrate life.” hearing from the mother of one patient Sincerely, that she saw him smiling more that week (just from all the pictures!) than she had any time since his diagnosis Bret Sanders two years ago. Since the trip, he Chairman of the Board has been happier, more engaged and increasingly independent… It is so valuable to be able to have an organization like the Sunshine Kids that helps support these kids and gives them these opportunities. Nurse Practitioner – Washington,” DC Sunshine Kids 2017 Annual Report 3 2017 Regional and National Events A National Event is a week-long activity in a specific location with a Hospital Party at Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital – New Haven, CT minimum of 28 Kids participating with medical representatives and Hospital Party at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital – Tampa, FL staff in attendance. National Events are in bold on the following list. Hospital Party at Kaiser Permanente – Southern California – Los Angeles, CA Big League Weekend – San Antonio, TX Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo – Houston, TX Disney On Ice: “Worlds of Enchantment” – Tampa, FL January Denver Mammoth Lacrosse Out Cancer Game – Denver, CO Santa’s Enchanted Forest – Miami, FL Houston Rockets Meet & Greet Game – Houston, TX Hospital Party at Baptist Children’s Hospital – Miami, FL Indiana Pacers Basketball Game – Indianapolis, IN FunPlex – Hanover, NJ World Cup Jumping & Dressage Finals – Omaha, NE Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus: “Circus XTreme” – Orlando, FL Disney On Ice: “Worlds of Enchantment” – Sunrise, FL Hospital Party at Florida Hospital for Children – Orlando, FL Disney On Ice: “Dream Big” – Hartford, CT Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus: “Out of this World” – Miami, FL April Monster Jam – Tampa, FL Spring Party – Houston, TX Sundae Spa – Milford, CT Hospital Party at Yale New Haven Children’s Blue Man Group – Orlando, FL Hospital – New Haven, CT Teen Art Projects with Hanh Tran – Houston, TX Hospital Party at Baptist Children’s Hospital – Trampoline Nation – Federal Way, WA Miami, FL Hospital Party at Texas Children’s Hospital Disney On Ice: “Worlds of Enchantment” – with the Houston Astros – Houston, TX Miami, FL Monster Jam – Orlando, FL Hospital Party at Hasbro Children’s Hospital – Providence, RI Monster Jam – San Antonio, TX Disney On Ice: “Follow Your Heart” – Houston, TX Hospital Party at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital – Build a Bear Party – Providence, RI Tampa, FL Disney On Ice: “Dream Big” – Denver, CO Hospital Party at Connecticut Children’s Hospital – Hartford, CT Teen Topgolf Party – Austin, TX Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus: “Circus XTreme” – Tampa, FL Omaha Lancers Hockey Game – Omaha, NE Whole Foods Art Party – Houston, TX Madame Tussauds Hollywood – Los Angeles, CA The Science Behind Pixar Exhibit at California Science Center – Los Angeles, CA Texans Training Camp with Christian Covington – Houston, TX Chalk Art – Naples, FL Disney On Ice: “Worlds of Enchantment” – Jacksonville, FL Monster Jam – New Orleans, LA Disney On Ice: “Follow Your Heart” – San Antonio, TX “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night–Time” – Houston, TX Hospital Party at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children – Orlando, FL Hospital Party at Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital – New Haven, CT iFly – Houston, TX February Hospital Party at Florida Hospital for Children – Orlando, FL Colt Ford Concert – Orlando, FL Mardi Gras Fun–Time Fantasy – New Orleans, LA Disney On Ice: “Dream Big” – Long Beach, CA Superbowl Kick–Off Party hosted by CAA Sports – Houston, TX Hospital Party at Texas Children’s Hospital with the Houston Astros – Houston, TX Supercross – Oakland, CA Hospital Party at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta – Atlanta, GA Brooklyn Nets Basketball Game – Brooklyn, NY San Diego Padres Game – San Diego, CA Hospital Parties at Yale–New Haven Children’s Dave & Buster’s – Marietta, GA Hospital – New Haven, CT Top Golf – Edison, NJ Hospital Party at M.D. Anderson Children’s Cancer Monster Jam – Austin, TX Hospital with the Houston Astros – Houston, TX Round Rock Express Meet & Greet Baseball Monster Jam – Denver, CO Game – Round Rock, TX Disney On Ice: “Follow Your Heart” – Chicago, IL Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus: LEGOLAND – Winter Haven, FL “Circus Xtreme” – Hartford, CT Monster Jam – Houston, TX Disney On Ice: “Follow Your Heart” – Monster Jam – Hartford, CT New Orleans, LA Valentine’s Day Hospital Party at Kaiser Permanente – Prom at M.D. Anderson Children’s Cancer Southern California – Los Angeles, CA Hospital – Houston, TX Rodeo in the Park – Houston, TX Supercross – East Rutherford, NJ Monster Jam – Jacksonville, FL Office Craft Party – Naples, FL MagIQ Room Escape Adventure – Los Angeles, CA Hospital Party at Nemours Specialty Care Clinic – Jacksonville, FL Hospital Party at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children – Orlando, FL Hospital Party at Nemours Children’s Hospital – Orlando, FL May Harlem Globetrotters – Estero, FL Washington D.C. Adventure – Washington, D.C. Wild Winter Weekend – Great Barrington, MA Build–A–Bear Party at Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital – Chicago, IL Mardi Gras Galveston – Galveston, TX Chicago Cubs Meet & Greet Baseball Game – Chicago, IL Family Fishing Tournament – La Porte, TX Texas Rangers Meet & Greet Baseball Game – Arlington, TX March Los Angeles Angels Game – Anaheim, CA Everglades Airboat – Weston, FL Hospital Party at Holtz Children’s Hospital – Tacoma Rainiers Game – Tacoma, WA Miami, FL Sesame Street Live – Los Angeles, CA Cold River Cattle Company BBQ Cook–Off – Hospital Party at M.D. Anderson Children’s Cancer Hospital with the Houston, TX Houston Astros – Houston, TX Office Craft Party – Naples, FL Tampa Bay Rays Game – St. Petersburg, FL Zoo Miami – Miami, FL Minefaire – Minecraft Fan Experience – Houston, TX Boomers! – Upland, CA Sesame Street Live – Everett, WA Monster Jam – El Paso, TX VIP Day with the Harlem Globetrotters – Houston, TX Hospital Party at Winthrop University Hospital – Disney On Ice: “Worlds of Enchantment” – Estero, FL Mineola, NY Teen Suite at the Houston Astros Baseball Game – Houston, TX Dave & Buster’s – Westbury, NY Hospital Party at Florida Hospital for Children – Orlando, FL Arenacross – New Orleans, LA Hospital Party at Nemours Children’s Hospital – Orlando, FL Kids Spa Party – Burbank, CA Hartford Yard Goats Baseball Game – Hartford, CT Sound Tigers Hockey Game – Bridgeport, CT 4 Sunshine Kids 2017 Annual Report 2017 Regional and National Events Childhood Cancer Awareness Day at Texas Children’s Hospital – Houston, TX June Disney On Ice: “Worlds of Enchantment” – Oklahoma City, OK Houston Astros Childhood Cancer Awareness Game – Houston, TX Texas Hill Country Adventure – San Marcos, TX Hospital Party at Holtz Children’s Hospital – Miami, FL Miracle Baseball – Fort Myers, FL 11th Annual Schlitterbahn Splash Day – Galveston, TX Hollywood Beach Bash – Hollywood, FL Childhood Cancer Awareness Day at Kaiser – Knott’s Berry Farm