{"id":356,"date":"2021-08-18T07:23:59","date_gmt":"2021-08-18T07:23:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sunshine.org.za\/blog\/?p=356"},"modified":"2021-08-18T07:28:13","modified_gmt":"2021-08-18T07:28:13","slug":"45-years-smiles-celebrate-sunshine-spring","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sunshine.org.za\/blog\/45-years-smiles-celebrate-sunshine-spring\/","title":{"rendered":"45 Years of Smiles \u2013 Celebrate with Sunshine this Spring"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sunshine Association has been giving hope to children with disabilities, and to their families, since 1976. We started with just six children \u2013 a band of mothers who joined hands to help each other face the uncertainty of raising children with special needs. 45 years later, the initiative has grown to accommodate 150 children with disabilities across three Sunshine Association centres, and has positively impacted thousands of children and families over the decades.<\/p>\n

Sunshine Association enables these children to shine in their own unique and wonderful ways, by placing them in an environment that nurtures and stimulates their development, helping them to reach important milestones, at their own pace.<\/p>\n

\n

Overcoming challenges<\/strong><\/p>\n

As a non-profit organisation, Sunshine Association has overcome incredible challenges, stayed the course through economic highs and lows, always relying on the amazing generosity of sponsors and donors. One such challenge that we have faced, alongside the entire world, is the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on our facility activities and the economy that supports us.<\/p>\n

Thanks to those who continue to stand by us, as well as our many years of experience, we\u2019ve been able to think smarter to ensure that children with disabilities are not lost or forgotten during this time. A steady supply of monthly food parcels have sustained families, and\u00a0communicating with the parents via different social media platforms, has\u00a0kept our children on track until they could return to their daily programmes. We are so proud of our staff, the children and their families for weathering this storm with such resilience.<\/p>\n

\n

Never giving up hope \u2013 The High-5 for 45 Walk<\/strong><\/p>\n

Our primary annual fundraiser \u2013 the renowned 702 Walk the Talk \u2013 has been cancelled once again, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n

Sunshine Association continues to shine. We will never give up hope.<\/p>\n

To commemorate our 45th birthday, we are holding our first-ever virtual charity walk this spring. We are celebrating the years in service, the steadfastness of our staff and families, and every single child that has passed through our doors. We are celebrating the onset of spring, our beautiful South African sunshine, our smiling nation, and the buds of hope that follow a long winter.<\/p>\n

We\u2019d like to invite you to celebrate with us! Join our virtual High-5 for 45 Walk<\/strong>\u00a0on 26 September 2021. Choose your own 5km route, and walk with us \u2013 together in spirit, while safely apart! This year, we\u2019re not limited to a specific region or a number of participants. We welcome everyone to join in.<\/p>\n

Tickets are R150\u00a0each and include the cost of your Sunshine T-shirt, which you can proudly wear as you walk. Enrol your family and invite your friends and colleagues! By celebrating with Sunshine Association, you give us and our children the gift of growing stronger and better, while helping us to ensure that hope remains a reality for children with special needs.<\/p>\n

School learners can also receive 10 hours of community service by participating in the High-5 for 45 Walk. To qualify, simply submit your entry and create your own Sunshine Association posters, placards or any other creative way to promote the #High5for45 Walk, while you walk, then send your photos of you on your walk with your posters \/ placards promoting Sunshine High-5 for 45 to (ruth@sunshine.org.za<\/u><\/a>)\u00a0and we will verify your hours.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Celebrate spring sunshine and the smiles of our special children \u2013 register for the High-5 for 45 Walk.<\/p>\n

REGISTER HERE<\/u><\/a><\/h1>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sunshine Association has been giving hope to children with disabilities, and to their families, since 1976. We started with just six children \u2013 a band of mothers who joined hands to help each other face the uncertainty of raising children with special needs. 45 years later, the initiative has grown to accommodate 150 children with …<\/p>\n

45 Years of Smiles \u2013 Celebrate with Sunshine this Spring<\/span> Read More »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":357,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n45 Years of Smiles \u2013 Celebrate with Sunshine this Spring - Sunshine Association<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sunshine.org.za\/blog\/45-years-smiles-celebrate-sunshine-spring\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"45 Years of Smiles \u2013 Celebrate with Sunshine this Spring - Sunshine Association\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Sunshine Association has been giving hope to children with disabilities, and to their families, since 1976. 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