For 20 years, Project Sunshine’s mission has remained constant: to bring joy, connection, socialization, and memory-making to pediatric patients and their families. Providing all of these during the COVID-19 era presents new challenges. This pandemic has put a spotlight on health and human connection like never before, and we are committed to doing whatever we can for the tens of thousands of vulnerable young patients at this time but we need your help. Our team has put together a few ways for you to volunteer remotely and support us in meeting the needs of pediatric patients. Click the plus sign on each color block to learn more on how to get involved.
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Tell a joke for a pediatric patient
Give a child in a hospital a reason to laugh and a feeling of connection to the outside world. Dust off your favorite child-friendly joke to share with patients in our hospital partners across the country and let them know they have a friend who is thinking about them. Follow this link for instructions to participate.
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Send a thank you message to a healthcare worker
Join us in thanking Child Life Specialists, Social Workers, Doctors and all the healthcare workers who continue to serve pediatric patients across the country. You can:
- Post your message here by selecting “Add to Board” and get creative!
- Design a card and mail it to Project Sunshine (211 East 43rd St. Suite 401 New York, NY 10017) to distribute to our medical facility parnters. Below are some simple guidelines to follow:
- Write a simple, positive message. Here are some examples:
- Thank you for all you do!
- Sending you a big (socially distant) hug!
- Thank you for making such a difference in people’s lives!
- Sending you some Sunshine!
- You are my Sunshine!
- Do not any religious language
- All language is PG appropriate
- Do not include any personal contact information/photos.
- It is ok to sign with a first name only and the city/town as an identifier. For example:
- From, Toni in New York City
For children making cards: A hand drawn picture is appreciated
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Sew masks for pediatric patients or healthcare workers
Masks are in hot demand. Hospitals across the country have started sending out requests for people to help make masks. With the CDC recommending the use of nonmedical face masks as a voluntary health measure, we are asking our volunteers to help us make them! Whether you are a master seamstress or happen to have a needle and thread lying around you can help! Project Sunshine Mask Assembly Instructions
If you’re interested in sewing masks, please fill out this brief interest form.
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Create a coloring activity for a pediatric patient
Hospitalized children, no matter their diagnosis, continue to need play opportunities to help decrease stress, provide diversion and bring a few moments of joy. Project Sunshine would like your help in creating a variety of coloring and activity pages for our medical partners to share with their patients and families. Please keep in mind when you are creating the pages, that we serve children of different ages and abilities, as well as their caregivers. Please do not include religious or political content.
Here are a few types of pages needed, as well as some suggested themes to use. Thank you for sharing your talents!
Suggestions for types of pages (simple and complex versions): hidden pictures, connect-the-dots, Mandalas, color-by-number, crossword puzzles, word searches, and Mad Libs (PG version)
Suggestions for themes: suns/sunshine, landscapes, animals, sea life, seasons, weather, colors, emotions, school, types of play activities, recognizable books/stories, modes of transportation
Submit your activities by filling out this form.
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Calling all artists and musicians
Project Sunshine is looking for skilled artists and musicians who are compassionate, enthusiastic, and committed to making a difference in the lives of pediatric patients. If that describes you, this volunteer position is an opportunity to use your arts and performance background to help normalize the hospital stay for pediatric patients while also engaging them in meaningful creative arts activities. If you are interested, complete this form so we can find out more about you.
