WELCOME TO THE SUNSHINE PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED FOUNDATION

             AND OUR POPULAR PROGRAM: CAMP SUNSHINE!

The Sunshine Physically Challenged Foundation was established in 1983 in Vancouver, Washington as a nonprofit charitable organization dedicated to serving people with physical disabilities. Over the years the way we serve disabled children and adults has grown.

 But we still believe that the greatest example is through demonstration and letting others see how inspiring individuals have successfully dealt with their own physical limitations by living life to the fullest. As one example, our very own board president is disabled himself but volunteers his time to the Foundation's holiday program each Christmas holiday.

 For that reason we bring in mentors to our camp program such as teenagers and adults with disabilities so children can see and "learn" by example how others with their health issues have triumphed. We always emphasize the positive and stress a "can do" attitude. Hence how we started "Camp Sunshine" bringing joy and "sunshine" to as many challenged children as possible. 

Initially our camp program began as a single wilderness camp for challenged kids. But it quickly became apparent that there were way more disabled children than our camp could hold. And since the need was so obvious to us we responded to the community need by establishing two camps, one was for children that were non-ambulatory and one for children with less severe medical conditions. Then in 2008 Sunshine introduced our third camp to the community that focuses on older youth that have "aged out" of traditional camp programs that end at 18. Our camp programs continue to grow just as our program has been going strong for a quarter of a century now!!!!

It wasn't long after the start of our camps that we started doing our holiday programs as well where our volunteer Santa Claus (disabled himself) would visit and distribute gifts to terminally ill children. And like our summer camps, our holiday program continued to blossom as well.

WE have been distributing turkey and meat products to various food banks, homeless and battered women's shelters and various community service centers for over 20 years now. It was and is our effort to address such crucial issues as community hunger, and encouragement for terminal youth  and their families while serving the communities around us. A tradition that continues to thrive today.  

Over the years it has been through the continued generosity of grants, concerned individuals, corporate and other organizations as well as the invaluable service of our volunteers that make the foundation's programs possible.

*We are a participating member of Guidestar.com for nonprofit organizations.