Making Dreams Come True for Children with Disabilities
By Donald B. Kravitz
Members of the Sunshine Foundation were on hand at the Spring Block Party in Ocean City May 4 spreading the word about the organization which has been making dreams come true for children with disabilities for more than 40 years.
The Sunshine Foundation brings joy to the lives of chronically ill, seriously ill, physically challenged or abused children ages 3 to 18, by making dreams come true when families cannot due to the financial strain of caring for their ill or disabled child.
In the 1960s, Philadelphia police officer Bill Sample was assigned to a local children’s hospital where he encountered children with critical and even terminal medical conditions. He also witnessed how the families of these children were burdened, not only by mounting medical bills, but also by the frustration of not being able to provide for their child’s special dream.
In 1976, Sample took out a loan and, with the help of others, started Sunshine Foundation to make dreams come true for these deserving children.
Since then, Sunshine Foundation has grown to include the Dream Village, a 22-acre Florida property located 15 miles from the Orlando theme parks. Children and their families stay in one of nine fairytale themed cottages and enjoy a handicapped accessible playground, a wheelchair accessible pool and a miniature golf course during their stay.
As a way of extending the most popular dream of visiting the Florida attractions to children whose conditions do not allow them to be away from home for more than 24 hours, Sample, and the Sunshine Foundation, began Dreamlifts. The unique program charters a plane, taking close to 100 children to Orlando for a one-day trip. It has made the dreams of more than 5,000 children come true since its inception.
Sunshine Foundation also organizes Progeria Reunions. The program was started after Sample and foundation members learned about the rare condition known as progeria. According to the National Institutes of Health, Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome is a genetic condition characterized by the dramatic, rapid appearance of aging beginning in childhood. The reunions bring together children from around the world with progeria for a week of family fun.
Sunshine Foundation has answered more than 40,000 dreams with 79.6 percent of all donations going directly to children’s programs, according to the foundation’s website.
For information about requesting a dream, volunteering or making a donation see sunshinefoundation.org. Click on “Chapters” to connect with the Cape Atlantic All Volunteer Chapter based in Ocean City.
“Not all children are able to run and play and enjoy life. Many are innocent victims of birth defects, accidents and deadly diseases. Shouldn’t each child know that somebody cares enough to see his or her dream come true?”
– Bill Sample
Donald B. Kravitz is an Entertainment & Special Events photographer for national publications including Getty Images & Miss America
