We are very happy to report that we have successfully helped 60 families for a total of 45 weeks. Emergency relief was given from March until June 2020. This was followed by our rice and milk drive from July 2020 up to the present.
This year, our new campaign SUNSHINE SUNDAYS aims to encourage more people to join in our caring community, because there is room to give a little more!
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
In Cash. You can be a monthly donor of at least P500. The cash donations are for the purchase of rice and milk. Additional funds will allow us to add other essentials (some are listed below). This has taken the place of our Daily Lunch Packs which we normally provide during school days.
In KIND. SUNSHINE SUNDAYS invite those who can add “60 of Anything” to our “packaged blessings” which we usually distribute during weekends. Suggested items you can donate:
Food for the body
Food for the mind
Food for the soul
Hand-outs on virtues, bible stories, books for spiritual well-being.
If you're looking for photos or information from previous activities in 2021, please follow this link. Or, select 'past events' on the tabs above and select the year of the event.
FOOD FOR THE MIND
'BASA PASA, BIYAYA'T PAG-ASA' was launched to enhance the children's reading abilities. Art and craft supplies are provided to develop the kids' creativity, discover their talents, and to build their confidence. When school begins at a later date, our children are prepared, motivated, and ready to take the challenges ahead of them!
FOOD FOR THE BODY
Our FEEDING PROGRAM will provide RICE and MILK periodically for the children. We care about their nutritional growth and health, and this is our way of adding healthy food on their tables.
We also welcome volunteers who can share their time and talents through various social media platforms.
Monthly, Bi-Monthly, Occasionally or on Special Days ....as a family or with a group of friends.... let’s share our blessings!
Our giving is not a “dole-out”; it is TO ACCOMPANY A CHILD, A FRIEND, in a time when help is needed most. Let’s bring joy, offer hope and spread little miracles.
EVERY LITTLE BIT, WHEN PUT TOGETHER, ADDS UP TO MUCH. NOTHING IS TOO SMALL WHEN IT COMES FROM THE HEART!
On 14 March 2020, the children received a gift that speaks of joy, hope, and love. A donor has kindly donated 'books' to our kids. These are not an 'just books', it is a book authored by our founder, Nini Veloso.
The book is for sale at 150.00 php a copy (proceeds of sales will be donated to the club to procure donations for the children and their families). To get your copy, please send us an email.
With another national lockdown in our midst, we need to brace ourselves for more challenges ahead. We survived the first wave last year. Let's stay together; together is stronger. With God on our side, we will succeed in our mission to take care of our kids, their families, and their future.
Please send monetary donations to:
Paypal
Bank transfer
Please send an email to:
lasveloso@yahoo.com
We will send you the bank details
For donations in kind:
(grocery supplies, toiletries, rice, medicines)
Please send us a message by using the form below, or to lasveloso@yahoo.com
We will arrange transport to collect your donation.
To all our donors, our heartfelt gratitude.
FOOD FOR THE SOUL
As a continuing effort towards values formation, we will bring meaningful stories through various materials to the children and their mothers. We care to bring goodness, hope and joy, specially during these trying times.
It was a special day. January 14, 2023 was our “New Year’s Day”. After many months on lockdown, then slowly meeting the children face to face in different venues (and avenues!), we are back to our “home”: the library at Kalayaan Elementary School.
The library is all spruced up and bright. It is newly renovated and even the chairs and tables are new. The school itself is currently buzzing with renovations, as the children are now back in school, the traditional way: face to face.
The opportunity to interact with the children once again, made us truly grateful to be back to our regular routine! For it is only when you lose something that you realize its worth and value.
We had our activities in October, November, and December. It was a good start to interact with so many children again. In November, we met our new students, and they warmed up with the rest of the Sunshine family quite easily. In December, we had a small Christmas gathering where we even shared gifts with another outreach group.
We opted for a simple Christmas celebration to pave the way for our Advent to New Year’s Day “60 of Anything” gift-giving. The annual project was festive and abundant. In our Christmas list, we remembered former 'Sunshine Kids', we had a solemn wedding for 7 parent-couples. Truly blessed, we are presently not just reaching out to 60 children but have extended our help to their family members and perhaps their friends, especially during the 'season of giving'.
What is in store in 2023?
We are no longer able to resume our daily lunch meals as the school has now dedicated all rooms as classrooms. Our old feeding area is now part of their canteen. Furthermore, since the Covid virus is still in the air, the children must keep their masks on, and we are all advised to observe safety protocols.
But Sunshine Club has reinvented its form of assistance. Since the onset of the pandemic, food provisions reach the children through “care packages”. Our Sunshine Sundays “ayuda” packages will consist of rice, milk, and eggs: and from our faithful donors, bread, vitamins, fresh vegetables, hygiene kits and more! We have also continued sharing pre-loved books, aside from a regular supply of school materials. All the donations we receive in kind are documented with the full cooperation of the children and their parents. Our cash donations serve as our base for the regular food supply and our educational monthly activities. The 'virtues' and art activities will continue as before, with our talented college scholars actively helping, along with some of our high school kids and volunteer moms.
The 'Moms' team are now in full force with new “Titas” at the helm. Although their onsite activities in school are not yet possible, the creative team continues to give Doctrine classes online, and with onsite “Marian pilgrimages” on special occasions. Their classes are participated by dedicated mothers of both new and former students.
We are now partnering with more friends: friends from years past, and new friends who discovered our community during the pandemic. The generous sharing of their time, talent and treasure is so valuable. Hand in hand, we managed to rise above the ashes of the difficult period of lockdowns and social distancing. Resilience was alive. Hope was abloom. Gratitude remains and continues to inspire us all - “nothing is too small, when it comes from the heart, every little bit when put together, adds up to much!”
We are truly hopeful that we can continue to bring joy to our children and their families. We still need all the support and assistance of many because we can never do it on our own. True to our goals: food for the body, food for mind, food for the soul, the good Lord has provided us with these blessings for the past years, opening new possibilities for our 17th year.
Together and stronger, we wish to bring a ray of sunshine to our marginalized families, to pave a path to a brighter and better future through a healthy body and continued education, all rooted in good spiritual values. We hope and believe in brighter 'Sunshine' days ahead.
Brighter days, Sunshine Days!
SCHOOLYEAR 2022-2023
The monthly meeting was made memorable because we held it at our original venue - the library at Kalayaan Elementary School. It is newly renovated, and the ambiance was bright and friendly. This was the first time after the pandemic (after almost 3 years!) that we held our activity in school.
Our guests arrived from California, and it was the birthday of Tita Letty. We thank Tita Anne who helped us with our artwork, and the participation of Uncle Z and Lola Marina.
It was a good time to introduce the new children. They had time to talk about themselves and what they dream to be in the future. Our art project was paper weaving, leading up to a Valentine project – woven paper hearts. The children were, as ever, so creative. Most of the finished work will be used as table covers for the library, while the hearts can be a Valentine surprise for their mothers.
With the help of our able volunteers, including Ate Juliet, the morning was very productive and quite enjoyable. Thank you everyone!
WITH JULIET & VOLUNTEERS
A Message from our founder - Nini Veloso