OCEANSIDE, NY — Local charities are the unsung heroes of our communities. Nonprofit and not-for-profit organizations strive to create lasting change and positively impact the lives of those around them.
Some people start organizations as a way to cope with grief, some see an issue they want to tackle, and some want to bring lasting change. Sometimes, all those reasons apply.
Patch wants to highlight your local charity and connect it with community members who want to help and do good, so that way, more people can benefit. Here is just one of many charities doing terrific work in your community.
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What is your name?
Lauren Schleith
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What is the name of your charity?
Sunrise Association
What is your position within your charity?
Peer-to-Peer Marketing Coordinator
What community is your organization based in
Oceanside, NY
Link to your website
https://www.sunriseassociation.org
What is your mission?
The mission of the Sunrise Association is to bring back the joys of childhood to children with cancer and their siblings worldwide. Sunrise accomplishes this through the creation and oversight of welcoming, inclusive summer day camps, year-round programs and in-hospital recreational activities, all offered free of charge.
What does your charity do to further its mission? Please list examples.
We’ve provided memorable summers since 2006 for children ages 3 ½ -16! Sunrise Association Day Camps and year-round programs bring back childhood pleasures to children struggling with cancer. Sunrise changes months of loneliness and isolation into summers filled with sunshine, laughter and happiness. Since they are day camps, children can continue their medical treatment and enjoy the comfort and safety of their own homes at night.
There are currently 12 Sunrise Association Day Camps – three in New York (Long Island, Pearl River and Staten Island), three in Israel (Beit Yehoshuah, Be’er Sheva and Ramat Yochanan), two Horizon Day Camps (Baltimore, MD and Metro DC|VA|MD), Aurora Day Camp in Atlanta, GA, Sunrise Day Camp in Greater Philadelphia, Sunrise Day Camp in Chicago, IL and SunriseVX, our virtual experience.
Our camps are affiliated with 40+ renowned hospitals and medical centers. Sunrise Sundays and Fun-days offer children exciting activities and events when school is not in session. Sunrise on Wheels is one-of-a-kind and provides hours of Sunrise fun to children undergoing treatment in pediatric oncology units of participating hospitals.
What inspired you to start your charity?
The Sunrise Association Day Camps began as a “dream” of Arnie Preminger, Founder, President & CEO of the Sunrise Association. After attending a benefit concert for Paul Newman’s Hole in the Wall Gang Camp (a sleep-away camp for children with life-threatening illness), the dream began. Having built and operated summer day camps for more than 30 years at the Friedberg JCC, Arnie researched the existence of summer-long day camps for children with cancer, but to his surprise, found none.
After intensive research and planning, the first Sunrise Day Camp was opened on Long Island in 2006. This became the first and only day camp in the world for children and their siblings, offered free of charge. Four renowned pediatric oncology facilities had signed on as affiliates, one million dollars had been raised, and the campgrounds prepared. That summer 96 children, including siblings, rediscovered the magic of friendship and the joy of play at the Henry Kaufmann Campgrounds in Wheatley Heights – all free of charge. The sounds of medical monitors were replaced with laughter, and the feelings of cold machines and sharp needles quickly disappeared with warm hugs from counselors and new friends.
Unlike similar sleep-away camps that are offered for only 1-2 weeks, Sunrise allows children in active treatment to continue with their home doctors, while attending camp each day. This unique concept allows children the comfort of sleeping in their own beds each night – a comfort not only for the campers, but for their parents as well.
Parents have peace of mind when their children attend our camps and programs. All activities at camp are designed with special features to best accommodate chronically ill children, with medical personnel always available to provide expert care, if needed.
How can people help you accomplish your organization’s mission or get involved in events?
There are so many ways to get involved and help to accomplish Sunrise Association’s mission. Join us for one of our various fundraising events listed on our website. Register and create a team to walk at our SunriseWALKS hosted annually in June at our Long Island campsite. Volunteer at our events, camp, or Sunrise on Wheels Programs. Visit our website to see even more ways to help support Sunrise’s mission and bring back joy to these incredible children.
What is the most memorable moment you’ve had since starting your organization?
Arnie Preminger, Founder, President & CEO says it was a parent speaking at one of our events, describing how her child had become non-responsive after relapsing, and her doctors had told her to plan for the worst as the chemotherapy was no longer working. Then she received a video that the camp staff had made, filled with camp memories and wishes. When she put it on, her daughter stirred at the sound of familiar voices, and over the course of several hours slowly woke up and asked to see the video. For the next several days, she watched the video over and over, and as she became more alert, she started responding to the chemo as well. The chemo took hold and she not only survived, but is now back in school and in camp. Listening to her mother tell this incredible story was a moment in time for me; understanding the power of what we do and just how magical Sunrise truly is.
What else would you like people to know about your charity?
What are your organization’s social media pages or handles?
https://www.facebook.com/sunri…
https://www.instagram.com/sunr…
https://www.facebook.com/sunri…
https://www.instagram.com/sunr…
Do you help run a charity?
Nominate it here or share this link with someone who does.
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